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Gibson Hollowbody Project


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I just started a hollowbody project. I'm going to do a Gibson ES 175 style body. Here are some specs:

Honduran Mahogany Back

Flame Maple Top (thanks fryovanni)

Trapeze style tailpiece

Tune-o-matic bridge, blocked

Mahogany neck (purchased from the -bay)

Ducan '59's with chrome covers

Dual sound or F holes

No pick/scrape guard (I want to see as much flame as possible)

Haven't decided on stain, but I have amber. Check out the pic of the maple and I'll take suggestions.

Deft laquer finish on top, but may only tung oil the mahogany back, undecided.

Here's some preliminary pics of the wood and gluing the top together:

mahoganyback.jpg

flamemaple.jpg

gluetop002.jpg

You can slightly make out my template above in this pic. I used an internet pic, blew it up in Microsoft Paint, then printed the 4 quadrants off on typing paper, then taped them together to get the right size.

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Looks like a great project, I have 4 of those going right now myself!

If I could make 1 suggestion before you get too deep, it would be to find another top that has no knots in it, they could very well split and cause you trouble down the road if you are carving the top with a hollow body underneath.

It might make a nice top for a solidbody electric, but I fear trouble down the road with a hollowbody setup.

Just a cautionary suggestion.

Best of luck to you on it!

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Thanks for the advice. Actually, the lower large knots on the left in the pic are being completely cut out. My template was purposely made small enough so that the bottom of the guitar comes within 1/2" of those knots.

If you look closely also, there are two small wormholes on the right. Those will also not be in the body because the curves of the body come in far enough to eliminate those as well. I got lucky on that one.

I'll attach a pic of the shape of the guitar drawn on the bookmatched top to show this. Since you're more advanced than I, if you wouldn't mind checking that out and letting me know if you think that would cause problems I'd greatly appreciate it.

Your work is awesome. Particularly your blue maple tops in your 'blue oh so blue' post.

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Thanks for the advice. Actually, the lower large knots on the left in the pic are being completely cut out. My template was purposely made small enough so that the bottom of the guitar comes within 1/2" of those knots.

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OK, I couldn't really tell where the guitar body would stop. Duly noted then.

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If you look closely also, there are two small wormholes on the right. Those will also not be in the body because the curves of the body come in far enough to eliminate those as well. I got lucky on that one.

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Excellent.

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I'll attach a pic of the shape of the guitar drawn on the bookmatched top to show this. Since you're more advanced than I, if you wouldn't mind checking that out and letting me know if you think that would cause problems I'd greatly appreciate it.

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Heh, I'm no steenkin' expert by a loong shot, but I'd be happy to look at it. :D

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Your work is awesome. Particularly your blue maple tops in your 'blue oh so blue' post.

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Thanks! Maybe we can build them 'in tandem' with each other. :D

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  • 1 month later...

Long time for progress, but I've been traveling a lot for work and I'm getting married in about a month. I'm trying to get this done by the wedding and play something for my new wife with it.

Here's a link to a slideshow of the progress so far:

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/t1r12003/sli...r=/d9b5&.src=ph

I need to trim a little more around the neck pocket, and then I'm going to thin out the top by about 1/4", right now it's 1/2" thick.

I'll get some braces for it and then glue it to the body. More pics to follow.

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