Andyjr1515

Awe is it? (cue intrigue music: dum der dum dum )

I remain in awe....

Yes - you are both right For folks reading this who have no idea what's being discussed, it is this thorny issue for builders, modders and repairers: Tuner manufacturers use a variety of ways to support the spindle. There is no standardisation of method or sizes, which is why when you are replacing tuners it is worth looking closely at the specs of the guitar or bass the tuners are for and the specs of the replacement tuners themselves. But yes - in general = the methods commonly used to support the spindle are these: 1. A push-in bush: usually used with straight-sided holes (but not always - this one below in practical terms actually needs a larger diameter hole at the top of the headstock to allow the bush to be 'pressed' in!). Often found on vintage guitars and basses : 2. An externally threaded bush. Think Fender. Here, the bush screws into the tuner body and is a smaller diameter than the body cylinder it is screwing into. As such, the hole needs to be stepped. This is usually achieved by simply drilling a larger diameter from the back and smaller one from the top or by using a stepped drill. It could also be achieved with a sleeve fitted at the top of a straight-sided hole, although I've never seen that in practice. 3. An internally threaded bush. These require straight-sided holes. Here, the bush has the larger external diameter, is smooth-sided and uses a straight-sided hole. These are often used on bass guitars

Absolutely top drawer quality build, Ash. Knockout!

Lovely job

Looks pretty splendid to me...

Those rings are super!

Yes, me too. Still a help though, even if that turns out to be the case, as the trees won't have as much work to do...and the friction will correspondingly be lower.

OOOOOoooo... here we go The bit I've been waiting for The pickups delay is frustrating, though.

I fully agree - that backplate looks good

Bummer about the tuner hole damage. I have to admit that I have had more damage 'events' with tuner holes than any other area over the years.

Yes indeed. Comparisons of just the various Alnico types (III IV etc) show the HUGE differences in both tone and output. My favourite for a LP-style layout humbucker arrangement are Alnico IV's (4)

Nice seeing the concept start to take shape. I like that top wood very much

Me too!!!! What @ScottR says above, @ADFinlayson - all of it!

Well, very pleased you didn't! Watching with great interest

Build is coming on well I like zero frets and fit them to many of my own builds. Yes, as @killemall8 says, the spacer can/should be a lot lower - its only function is to keep the strings in their relative positions and you don't want it to be a source of buzz or binding. I'm sure you have this in your plans, but the other thing you will need to do is to add grooves in the fretboard end piece at the headstock side of the spacer so that the string can go from the zero fret directly to the tuner pegs (or string tree) without touching anything else. That way you maximise the break angle over the zero fret and avoid binding or buzzing of the string over the fretboard end.

I agree. It certainly punches above its weight...quite literally

Yes - I quite agree. With both sets of strings it's the strumming that gives the game away. Also, that last note of the last piece - 12th fret, 1st string - that really is the maximum resonance and not just my playing

I've been messing around with strings a little and have come across a set that I think suits the tonal dynamics pretty well. It is a mixed tension set from Savarez, their Corum Red/Blue set. The bass three strings are high tension and the three treble strings standard tension. I think it balances out the resonances from the strings. Although this set will allow me to tune one or two semi-tones lower, I think the 'three semitones above standard' still suits best. Here's a second set of short demo sounds in different styles, again recorded directly into my little Zoom H2n recorder. Little Swift Soundfiles 2 MP3.mp3 Finally, the varnish is now hardened and today is final polishing day As discussed before, you can't power buff this type of varnish and application (if you do you quickly burn through the shiny top surface into the flattened/matt lower coats and can end up with a series of contour lines). Final polish for me is a rigorous hand application of Meguiers Ultimate Compound - a very gentle cutting auto-polish.

I think that applies to many of us

Yup. Could be a winner!

Many, many congratulations on an extremely well-deserved win of October's GOTM!!! It is magnificent by any standard...but as a first build, well...that's absolutely off the scale!

Well, may as well be the first to enter this month's GOTM! I present to you my 'Baby Swift' It is a mini 6-string acoustic guitar that I have designed and built for my two grandchildren so that it is there, as they grow up, for them to mess about with and make any noises they like with it, or to learn to play it if they have an interest, or to just use as a convenient cricket or table tennis bat if they don't It has some similarities to some of the increasing number of very small guitars starting to appear on the market - a similar scale to some of them; a body size based on a tenor ukulele - but also some differences to satisfy my 'what if..?' and 'I wonder if...' interests. And at least one personal challenge - other than could I build it at all - and that is: can I make it in a way that it sounds more like a classical guitar than a ukulele? I've been modding and building guitars and basses for over ten years, making and mending stuff for my own use, fellow band members, family and friends and the occasional commissioned build. The 'Baby Swift' specs are: - 17" scale 6-string nylon strung acoustic guitar - Spruce top; mahogany back and sides; purpleheart fretboard and details; mahogany neck; ebony binding and details; abalone rosette with offset purfling detail - X-braced, tap-tuned top - through pin bridge with solid ebony bridge-pins - tenor-ukulele body shape; 3" (76mm) body depth - presently tuned 2 semitones higher than standard with Savarez mixed tension strings (bass high tension, treble normal tension). The recording below was with different strings at 3 semitones higher than standard. - 1lb 15oz weight (yes, I know ) Here are some pictures: Here's the build thread: And here's a short sound clip with various styles of playing. As always, best heard through headphones or decent speakers. I'll leave you to decide whether I met my objective of it sounding more like a guitar than a ukulele... Little Swift Sound Samples MP3.mp3 Thanks for looking Post-post I've been messing around with strings a little and have come across a set that I think suits the tonal dynamics pretty well. It is a mixed tension set from Savarez - their Corum Red/Blue set. The bass three strings are high tension and the three treble strings standard tension. I think it balances out the resonances from the strings. Although this set will allow me to tune one or two semi-tones lower, I think the 'three semitones above standard' still suits best. Here's a second set of short demo sounds in different styles, again recorded directly into my little Zoom H2n recorder: Little Swift Soundfiles 2 MP3.mp3 Thanks again for looking/listening

First shots are beautiful timbers. And then we have a simply perfect neck lamination This is going to be splendid!

Just gotta love him...