Neckthrough Sg, My 2nd Guitar

[albertop]

Well, I use like four plans... but I paid for no one. See, I use the MIMF plans, the guitarbuild.com plans, ebay plans and one I did it using pics and enlarging it using Photoshop.

I´ll try to explain this, it´s a trick my brother taught me: First I choose a good pic of the body or just the one they use as a demo version of the plan (use the little jpg file, it´s better and faster). Then I cropped the pic just the exact amount of the guitar body, just touching the sides. When I have done that I resize the image pic with the measure I have of the body, like Body: length-16", width-12 3/4" (with photo editors usually you can put a number for the widht an another for the length). When you have done this you´ll have a big jpg file of the guitar body just the exact size (you´ll have a pixelated(?) image; it´ll have little squares around the outside lines). Then you can print this image in four A4 sheet papers and you´ll have an idea of what the body will look like.

I have done this with a lot of images, the best part is that you´ll only need two measures or maybe you can do it by guessing, you can enlarge pics you found on the web and use them for your plans or for reference. I found for instance that the guitarplans plans where too wide in comparison with the original, have another scale and a couple of things that I didn´t like.

I hope this helps, and I hope you can understand me If you have any question please ask me, I´ll try to answer the best I can ( I´ve noticed that for me it´s easy to answer a question than trying to elaborating in english)

cheers,

Alberto

[daveq]

Very, very nice work. I love it and I'm not usually a fan of SG's. Enter it in the GOTM - it's certainly more than worthy.

There seems to be a lot of questions about the finish and I'd like to know more also. I know you said it was Polyester but can you explain a little further? For example, how was it applied (what equipment did you use), what brand of polyester was it, ...? Thanks!

[Bill-Murray]

Thanks dude, you seem really cool, helpin out the newb and all Definately enter it in guitar of the month, you have my vote.....

[albertop]

daveq: I was lucky enough to have a good friend helping me with most of the finish. I really think he is the best here in my country, you should see his work, truly amazing indeed. Well, he has a little shop where he works and we use his equipment and the polyester was applied with a spray gun and a little compressor in a paint booth. I really don´t remember the brand of the polyester, I can´t recall it, but I know it was imported. The process is exactly the same as with nitrocellulose, you just are using different materials, that´s why I wasn´t very specific but if you have any other questions let me know, cheers

Alberto

Cool to know I´ll have two votes

I just noticed that they won´t allow more entries maybe next month, what do you think?

Edited January 27, 2005 by albertop

[Bill-Murray]

Hey albert, I don't see where you got the neck angles from on

www.everythingsg.com

[albertop]

Hey Bill check at the Catalogs section:

http://www.everythingsg.com/catalogs.htm

at the bottom you´ll see the body and neck specs. I found the neck angle from a thread at the MIMF and in these forums. Trust me about the angles, now that I have done one I know it´s right the measures I gave to you if you have another question just shoot, cheers

Alberto

[Bill-Murray]

Hey man, I must have missed the measurements you gave me, sorry.

On the

Body: length-16", width-12 3/4"-13 5/32", depth-1 5/16"

The 12 3/4 - 13 5/32 part, is the 13 the widest part, like at the bottom. And the 12 is in the middle where it's narrowest?? Thanks for all you help and patience man. I really appreciate it.

[orgmorg]

Nice Work! I just wanted to say that I like the headstock, it adds a nice touch.

I always love the SG´s and I read somewhere that the Gibson intention was to make the SG neckthrough; I really don´t know if this is true but it seemed like a good idea and I just went for it. It´s a mix between a 61' and the P. Townshend model.

If Gibson had made the SG a neck thru, there would never have been a Pete Townshend model. One of his favorite things about the SG was the way they busted in half.

[albertop]

Hey Bill I´m gonna give you the measures of my guitar, please take it as a reference because I haven´t measure one SG. I asked on the everythingSG forums and one pal were kind enough to help me with it, he even sent me some awesome pics whith great details. Maybe that´s why I feel compelled to retribute a little on these forums:

Body length: 16" from bottom to upper horn, 15 3/16" to lower horn

body width: 12 3/4 bottom of the body (widest part), waist: 8 7/8", between horns: 10 1/2"

body depth: 1 5/16"

I think that the guitarbuild plans measure 13 5/32" width but I didn´t feel right when I looked at the plans, it was too wide for my taste, maybe a little similar to the ESP model I guess.

Don´t worry about the questions, I like to answer them and to me it´s cool to know that someday somebody will use the info I have. I´ll love to see where you at, have you started?

Thanks orgmorg, it´s nice to know that somebody like the headstock for a change , and about P. Townshend you´re so right, I can´t imagine him trying to break mine! It doesn´t feel weak at all , cheers

Alberto

[Bill-Murray]

For the record, I thought the headstock was outstanding. I wanted to do it on my guitar, but I'd feel guilty copying you

Thanks for all the measurements man, yours looks perfect, so I'm gonna use them to the hair. 2 more questions then I'll shut up and let you go.

1. How thick was your neck blank you worked with??

2. Did the carve on the top excede 1/2"?? I wanna put a flamed top on mine, and was thinking 1/2 would be thick enough. Thanks again.

edit- No, I haven't started on mine yet. I will be doing the fretboard pretty soon. Ebony with block inlays, oh yeahh.

Edited February 6, 2005 by Bill-Murray

[albertop]

I use a 2 1/4" x 2 1/4" x 40" slab, you should be fine with that, and don´t think it´s too thick, trust me

About the carve depth, in fact it's a little bit less than 1/2" so your idea will work perfectly. I have seen maple top Sg's and I think they look awesome.

One thing before you start the neck, draw a full size plan of the guitar; be very careful in the measures and try to understand the neck angle well before you start to cut anything. It will save you a lot of trouble, it just took me a little while and that drawing helped me till the very end. You can try one with a 2 degree and other with 2,5 or 3 so you can see and understand the little nuances(?).

The headstock is cool isn´t it? thanks for the cheers; man when you´ll finish yours you´re gonna love it, I konw I love mine.

Alberto

pd- will you buy a pre cut fingerboard or you´ll do it from scratch? Remember the fingerboard needs to be perfect. Best regards.

[Bill-Murray]

Oh yeah man, I don't have the guts (or tools) to try a fingerboard from scratch. Luckily I do have acess to alot of tools (High school shop student) but not a miter box. That neck does seem a bit thick, and I'm glad you told me that. I would have gone thinner and might've had trouble with the neck angle. I pretty much grasp the concept of a neck angle, about 90%. I'm gonna do a 2.5 degree, seems to be the middle of it. I'm glad the carve is less than 1/2" becaise I don't know if I could afford any thicker You've been an amazing help, and you'll be the first one who gets to see my beast. I'm gonna order my precut, pre radiused fingerboard to work on in a few weeks. And yeah, I really did like the headstock. It's really classy, and you hardly ever see roswood headstock ya know?? Take care man, stay safe.

EDIT: Oh yeah, and the GOTM for march is up. If you don't enter yours it'll be a true shame...

Edited February 7, 2005 by Bill-Murray

[albertop]

You could take the excess on the neck by cutting it with a bandsaw, it´ll took only a few minutes and you be set to glue the body wings and carve the neck. I don´t know but the SG took me a lot less longer than the LP I´ve made (the LP had a set neck), it was so easy and it took a few weeks to get it done. Probably it will take you longer because of the maple top, but still I think it´s a cool project.

Now I´m gonna post on the GOTM thing, whish me luck, bye

Alberto

[silvertonessuckbutigotone]

Now I´m gonna post on the GOTM thing, whish me luck, bye

good luck.

[Bill-Murray]

Yeah, I was thinking, won't I make mine 1/2" less thick because of my top?? Yeah, I'm 90% sure I have to, but it's been driving me mad so I need a second opinion. I'm gonna go see if I can vote on your guitar now. Can you elaborate a little more how you did the carving on the horns?? It seems kinda hard with just a chisel.

[silvertonessuckbutigotone]

yes you have to make it 1/2" less thick.

[albertop]

Yeah, you need to make your mahogany wings 1/2" less thick and you need to align them with the bottom line of the neck wood. I mean, when you draw the neck angle of the body (remember that I use the flat surface of the neck wood to glue the fingerboard and planed (?) the body) you´ll have two lines representing the body thickness. You need to glue the magohany wings with the bottom line. Then when you plane the mahogany top part to put the maple top. You probably will need to use a saw very carefully and saw the the fingerboard end so you can have a flat surface for the body and still have your neck angle in the fingerboard.

About the carving of the horns do you mean the bevels right?, you can use a rasp, a spokeshave or a chisel, whatever you have in hand, it isn´t that difficult really, you mark where is the depth of the bevel and start slowly, always check if it´s straight from top to side line and then just sand.

Hope I answer right, I have a little hard time with it trying to explain in English, have some patience and if you didn´t understand ask me again, I don´t mind.

Alberto

thanks silvertonessuckbutigotone for the luck I haven´t post on the GOTM page yet, I´ll do it soon.

[Bill-Murray]

I don't know what you mean by the bottom line of the mahogany?? I will also make the neck 1/2" less, no?? And the thing about cutting the fingerboard, I don't understand either. I'm kinda slow, so please forgive my ignorance. on the bevels you just make sure your top is still flat, except for what you're carving?? With a straight edge. Doesn't seem too hard, it's just hard for me to think of..

[albertop]

Check these links, I made two drawings:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v438/cue...neckthrough.jpg

The first drawing is about the neck/body issue, I hope this clarifies it. With "the bottom line of the mahogany" I meant the line of the bottom of the body (on the drawing in your wood) or the back of the guitar. Sorry to confuse you, I should have said the guitar back. You could see that the top of the neck wood or where the fretboard would be glue is in the same position, you don´t need to make it 1/2" thinner, you´ll only make the BODY thinner (to glue your wings and have room for your awesome top), not the neck. You also see the part where you should saw VERY carefuly, it´s at the fingerboard end, so you can fit your maple top.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v438/cue...SGneckangle.jpg

I did this in case you don´t know how the neck angle works on a SG, it´s different than a Les Paul, and it´s fairly easy to figure out.

About the carving, you lost me really, I don´t understand what you´re talking about, please try to explain it better; remember your talking to a latino that doesn´t have a perfect english

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v438/cuervo77/bevels.jpg

Here´s a quick drawing of how I made the bevels, now I wanna see if I made myself clear please let em know. See ya

A.

[Bill-Murray]

Oh, okay that carving picture really helped me out. Just keep the carve even and flat?? I can do that. And cutting the top around the fretboard, I thought you meant to cut the ACTUAL fretboard before. I didn't know what you were talking about. Yeah, cutting the top to fit the fretboard is gonna be pretty tough. I will cut it very carefully. I just now understood your drawing of the whole guitar. The dotted line is the neck blank. Yeah, now I see you make the wings 1/2" less thick, but not the blank. I don't think it will be that much of an angle though, but I know that's not to scale just as an example. Thanks a ton dude, I don't know what I would've done before. I'm kind of a dunce. Thanks for taking the time to draw pictures and stuff. You know in movies when theres a slow guy and the person talking to him finally says "What do you want me to do, draw you a picture??" You drew the picture. I don't know if that was easy to understand or not. Thanks again

P.S. How is the neck angle different than a Paul?? Cause I got one of those I can relate to, I got no sg.

Edited February 11, 2005 by Bill-Murray

[marksound]

P.S. How is the  neck angle different than a Paul?? Cause I got one of those I can relate to, I got no sg.

←

Is the neck angle different because the LP has the carved top and the SG is flat?

[albertop]

Well, I made a second drawing with the LP neck angle, there are several factors for these two aproaches, for example on the LP the body and neck angle blend together to make it work properly because the fingerboard is flush with the face of the body. The top influences on the neck and viceversa as my friend J. Catto always says. You´ll see that the angles start at different points, one at the end of the fretboard (LP) and the other at the end of the body (SG).

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v438/cue...LPneckangle.jpg

I took the drawings from Melvyn Hiscock´s "Make Your Own Electric Guitar", so if you can get one you won´t regret it; it´s an excellent book with a lot of tips and lessons, he teaches how to build a bolt-on, set neck a neckthrough guitar for instance, and many other things.

I´m really glad that you understood the drawings, and don´t feel bad for not understand it at the beginning, sometimes a drawing is needed to explain something difficult or something difficult to visualize (besides my trouble with the english ).

Cool you understood the "neck blank" thing, that was really important, I totally forgot about the word "blank". And I exagerated the neck angle so you could understand it easily.

And also I guess you now know how to do the bevels, right? is not that difficult as you see, the best thing you could do is practice on scratch and begin building your guitar; that´s the only way to learn.

I´ve learned a lot on this forums and it´s cool to share the little I know now.

[Bill-Murray]

Yeah, I understand the neck angle enough to do a 2.5 degree. I'm not gonna start a shop or anything. And I've also heard good things about that book and would like to pick up a copy. So, you just glue the blanks at a 2.5 degree angle. Plane the back and front so they're flush with each other. Trim the top to fit around the fretboard very carefully, glue, route, and that's all to the body?? I think I got it. Did you have trouble making sure you glued them at the exact angle??

[albertop]

Yeah you pretty much nailed it. The SG body is pretty easy really, specially when you compare it to a LP. The only thing I can think of is that you can route a line between the two pickups and then you can glue your top, this way you´ll have a way the cross the wire without routing your top.

About glueing the wings, well it´s tricky you know; but what I did was putting some nails so they won´t let the wings slip in any way. I put the nails just above the drawing line, this way they´re stopping the wings from moving and let you clamp them. I think I did one wing at a time, trying to glue the both of them would be really messy.

[Bill-Murray]

Yeah, I agree about trying to glue both at the same time wouldn't work probably. I also hear what you're saying about routing the humbucker, and the wire channel. I probably wouldn't have thought of that. I'll just have to make sure it's the EXACT place the pickups are supposed to be. It could get ugly if it was off just a little. So you just nailed on the piece that was going to get cut/planed?? That seems simple enough. And how much did your neck blank cost?? I just want to know because it's thicker than I was planning....