Calum_Barrow Posted July 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2006 Sorry for the quadruple post, but lat night I emailed Tim from Bareknuckle Pickups with a few questions about my new pickups. Got more than enough money to buy the pickups now, so I should be ordering them very soon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al heeley Posted July 31, 2006 Report Share Posted July 31, 2006 Good luck to you, Calum, this is a great build, I'm fascinated to watch your progress. Very ambitious for a first build project, and great craftsmanship. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calum_Barrow Posted August 2, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 2, 2006 Why thank you! Finally resumed work on the guitar on monday, and I started by planing up the 12 string fretboard and putting my new plane to the test http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v200/Calum/116.jpg When I say "new", I mean it's like 50 years old, but it's new to me anyway. Just put the fretboard on my Workmate and planed away. Because the sides were very narrow though, planing it with the plane in my hand made me feel I had a lack of control. So, to plane the sides I set the plane up like this: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v200/Calum/115.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v200/Calum/117.jpg Fretboard all planed up. (Albeit a crappy shot because it's a crappy auto camera that focused on the foreground ) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v200/Calum/118.jpg Another Shot. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v200/Calum/121.jpg Fretboard all marked out ready for cutting (the arrow reminds me which edge to work off) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v200/Calum/122.jpg Setup used for cutting the slots. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v200/Calum/123.jpg To check the depth of the slots, I use a Stanley knife blade. Last time I used a piece of card with a pen line on it, but the card kept fraying and peeling and was annoying me, so I thought this time I'll use a Stanley knife blade and scratch a line on it. Didn't need to put a line on it as the bevel on the blade was the right depth. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v200/Calum/124.jpg All cut That bit of sapwood will be cut off when the fretboard is tapered BTW. Today I bgot out my plane again, but this time I planed up the new neck block. This was really just practice at planing. Planed up the new neck block by hand, which would have taken like a minute or two on the planer, but I want to get even better with a hand plane (since I love them so much). I started with this: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v200/Calum/110.jpg About two and a half hours later I have this: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v200/Calum/126.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v200/Calum/127.jpg Still 4x2", but it produced a lot of shavings: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v200/Calum/128.jpg For planing this up I used my Stanley Bailey #4 plane, which is really a smoothing plane and should only really have been used at the end. However, I don't have a jack plane or jointer plane or anything, though I am on the look out at the car boot sales I go to occaisionally for an old jack or jointer plane also they're a lot better for squaring up and straightening long pieces of wood timber, and then I'd use the #4 to smooth it out. Now that I've done this I am going to now mark out the neck for cutting into two 1" blanks (excluding the blade thickness, as it's 2" at the moment). This means that I will have a neck blank for my next project too . I will also mark out the scarf joint after a lot of measuring of the fretboard and the neck length etc. (including some measuring of my Hohner 12 string). I want the two fretboards to be parallel and the nuts to line up to, so it is important I do the scarf joint in the right place. Calum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calum_Barrow Posted December 27, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 27, 2006 It's been a long time, but I finally got some time to work on this thing now that the holidays have come. I've been really busy the past few months, so haven't been able to do anything on the guitar for one reason or another. Finally got to cut up the neck blank today. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v200/Calum/131.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v200/Calum/132.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v200/Calum/134.jpg There's the scarf joint for the 12 string neck all cut. I cut it by hand with a tenon saw, and it was tidied up with that smoothing plane you see in the pictures and a sander. Still needs a bit of finishing off, but I'll sort that out later. Next thing I did was thickness the headstock and it's now ready to be glued. I was going to do this this evening, but I need to go get my glue back (it's at a friend's house, and I'll borrow one or two of his G cramps too to be safe) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v200/Calum/135.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v200/Calum/136.jpg Calum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ledzendrix1128 Posted December 28, 2006 Report Share Posted December 28, 2006 Thats incredible how much work you're doin with the hand plane, someone who says "i dont have enough tools to build a guitar" really outta talk to you! haha. keep up the good work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calum_Barrow Posted December 28, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 28, 2006 ^ Good thing is that plane only cost me £5 on a car boot sale. Got home and stripped it down and cleaned it up and it works better than any new plane would IMO, the old ones are just better. I love using it too; the plane is my favourite tool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Posted December 28, 2006 Report Share Posted December 28, 2006 I'm really excited to see this build progress, I've been thinking about it a lot from time to time. It's definitely giving me ideas for a future 2 neck bass idea I have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Posted December 28, 2006 Report Share Posted December 28, 2006 I was wondering when there'd be some progress on this one Looking really great so far! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calum_Barrow Posted December 29, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2006 Thanks guys! So far today I've made a template for the electronics for when the top goes on. I made a template before, but it was wrong so it went with the scrap wood. Done another today, and it's just how I want it. Now when the top is eventually added, I will know exactly where to drill for the pots and switches (there are a lot too!) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v200/Calum/140.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielM Posted December 30, 2006 Report Share Posted December 30, 2006 dang that's a lot of switches! why so many? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Posted December 30, 2006 Report Share Posted December 30, 2006 A pickup mod, most likely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calum_Barrow Posted December 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2006 (edited) > That row of five contains an on/off switch for each of the single coils, and the other two switches are a series/parallel switch and a in/out phase switch. This allows me to get a LOT more combinations than the usual 5 position switch (which is great). > There are two tone pots on there (one for each neck), both with a toggle next to them. The toggle selects between two capacitor values for the tone pot, to give me more tonal options again. This addition of these two toggles cost me like 50p for the two toggles, I already had the caps (they came in packs of three) and the wire of course (got a 100m roll). As it only cost 50p or something, I thought I would add it. The switches at the bottom are two lots of two. > There are two outputs on this thing, with an on/off switch for each neck on each output jack. This allows me to send them through seperate effects/amps or whatever, send them through the same, and get some stereo effects going or whatever. Opens up loads of options, which is what I want. For example, I could send the 12 through one output, and the 6 through the other, or both through one output, or both through both, or just one through both, or both through one and one through the other etc. etc. All in all there will be several hundred switching options on this thing (there's still another pot and a three way toggle not on that picture too). Thing is, I like lots of switches and stuff on my guitar, but I like my amp rather basic. My amp head has 6 knobs, and no drive channel (just normal and brilliant). I wanted a guitar that was versatile. With spending so much on things like the pickups, I didn't want them to be stuck with one tone (even though I love strats and the pickups are just what I am looking for). The 12 string can sound acoustic (piezo) or electric (neck pickup), or a mix of the two. The 6 string will obviously be a Strat sound, but it should hopefully be able to emulate a Tele or Les Paul too. I can select the bridge and neck in parallel (a la Tele), and I can select the humbucking positions of the single coils in series (a la Les Paul). This switching arrangement is pretty experimental. Granted, not all the positions will be strikingly different, and some positions I think are even dead positions, but it still opens up a lot more options for me. Also means anyone else who picks it up is a little lost Edited December 30, 2006 by Calum_Barrow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calum_Barrow Posted February 11, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 11, 2007 Good news people; I finally got the scarf joint glued up yesterday. Was a bit of a pain to stop it from moving when I tightened the clamps, but once I get them tightened and the joint back in place it was fine. I'll take it out of the clamps on monday afternoon, and I'll have pics then. Then I can start marking out for the truss rod channel and the neck taper, headstock etc. Two or three days after taking it out of the clamps I'll begin work on it (want to leave it to dry fully first). Today I rough cut the top to fit the body (oversized still of course), and fit the middle part of the top (not glued yet). There is a small gap between the pieces towards the bottom of the body though, but I can fix this later, proably by filling it with epoxy or maybe inserting some more walnut down the middle or whatever. I'm not sure yet. Tomorrow I will be doing some more routing on the body as I have decided to chamber some more to save weight. I am leaving the maple "cores" solid apart from the necessary routs to aid with sustain. The parts I am going to rout are on the lower walnut blank above the control cavities, and in the middle walnut blank below the cavity for the 12 string volume pot. Might get rid of some above it - not sure yet. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v200/Calum/141.jpg That's it so far, didn't get chance to do a full mockup picture to keep you all occupied so I'll probably do one tomorrow, but don't quote me on that. Glad I've got the ball rolling again now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPK Posted February 11, 2007 Report Share Posted February 11, 2007 This Is one AMAZING project, to think i was worried about embarking on a hollow neck through guitar with quilted maple top makes me feel abit embarassed. I'm 17, this guy is 14 and doing a wonderful job. I envy you, keep up the good work. JP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calum_Barrow Posted February 11, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 11, 2007 ^ 14 when I started, 15 now , 16 later this year. Thanks though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erikbojerik Posted February 12, 2007 Report Share Posted February 12, 2007 All in all there will be several hundred switching options on this thing hehehe...your band will hate you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
somn Posted February 12, 2007 Report Share Posted February 12, 2007 wow have you had much help from anyone at all like ur dad or mom or friend my mom and dad are both wood crafters so i learned how to work with the tools with there help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPK Posted February 12, 2007 Report Share Posted February 12, 2007 What does it matter how old you are mate, woodwork runs in my family so i have some sort of confidence in embarking on mad things like guitar building, this is way to good a guitar to just be a school project, when finished i think this should be guitar of the month for the sheer fact you have so much. Not only have you got great craftwork and attention to detail, but the pickup mods aswel. amazing mate. How far are you along now. Keen to seen the finished product. JP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calum_Barrow Posted February 12, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2007 Thanks guys. Help has come from a few sources, and the only bit I didn't do myself was cut the body and headstock out roughly on the bandsaw, as my tech teacher had to do it. This was because of insurance (my favourite thing after health and bloody safety....). Mainly though my dad would help me for some things (University lecturer on Mechanical Engineering), but a lot of help and guidance would come from a friend of mine. He's been a joiner and pretty much everything else for almost 50 years now. Being a fellow guitar player, he has strangely never made one himself, and he doesn't really know why. He has extensive knowledge in woodwork, mechanics (built his own car, and wanted to be a mechanic when he was younger), construction, plumbing, roofing, pretty much everything, but he's good at them all. I also use his workshop from time to time, for things like his circular saws, thicknessing planer and whatnot. But to shorten that answer, it is all my own apart from the rough cutting of the body and headstock which my tech teacher did on the bandsaw. Also, erikbojerik, it's just a good job I don't have a band then (I would love to be in one, but no one likes good music like me ) Today I went into Manchester, however before I went I got time to do some more chambering on the body, and the weight went down a whole 10th of a lb from 6.9lb to 6.8lb. I'll do some more tomorrow too probably. I'm keeping all the chambering to the walnut so that things like the sustain and tone aren't affected too much as the maple is left as solid as possible (other than the pickup, bridge and neck routs). I'll put some pics up tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calum_Barrow Posted February 13, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2007 Right-O, got some pics for you all. This is the scarf joint after being taken out of the clamps and just ran over once or twice with the plane to tidy it up a little. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v200/Calum/142.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v200/Calum/144.jpg Here is the chamber I routed out yesterday, and tomorrow I will do another one or maybe two (didn't have time today). http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v200/Calum/147.jpg Here's what I've got so far! http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v200/Calum/146.jpg Calum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Posted February 13, 2007 Report Share Posted February 13, 2007 The furthest to the right top wood looks perfectly level with the majority of the body. But the center and further to the left top woods do not look level at all. How are you going about getting these leveled once they are glued on? Great work so far, seems like I've been following this project for the longest time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calum_Barrow Posted February 13, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2007 ^ None of them are level even though they may look it (some are nearer than others though I had to admit). I left them high on purpose so that I would flatten them down to match afterwards. And to flatten them all out I shall use a Stanley number 4 1/2 smoothing plane (the iron is 2 1/4" wide rather than the 2" of a number 4 plane). The plane is my favourite tool, and thankfully I can use and tune it well, so that is what I shall be using. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calum_Barrow Posted February 14, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2007 Hi guys I was doing some work for school this morning, but I'm now going to go and rout out the truss rod channel and then the skunk stripe channel, and probably insert the skunk stripe. I may also cut the walnut laminate for the headstock, as I've decided to use a bookmatched walnut laminate on the headstock instead of the padauk one I have (it's too small, but I could still make a new one by laminating some of the masses of padauk I have left). It's only because while padauk is very colourful, it has a pretty boring grain, and the walnut looks much better. Anyway, here are some pics of it all marked out before I go and cut into it: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v200/Calum/148.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v200/Calum/151.jpg Calum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calum_Barrow Posted May 20, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 20, 2007 Ain't posted in here for ages, and I've got some updates (though admittedly, not many) Routing the truss rod channel: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v200/Calum/152.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v200/Calum/155.jpg Headstock veneer (May or may not be used) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v200/Calum/156.jpg fretboard clamped: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v200/Calum/160.jpg After cutting out headstock: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v200/Calum/161.jpg Fitting skunk stripe: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v200/Calum/165.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v200/Calum/168.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v200/Calum/176.jpg Radiusing the fretboard: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v200/Calum/178.jpg Routing out the neck pocket: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v200/Calum/180.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v200/Calum/181.jpg Getting there!: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v200/Calum/184.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v200/Calum/186.jpg I've also done some more work on the case, and I've done some shaping and such on the neck since these picks were taken. I'll do some more work tomorrow and take some pics. I've got GCSEs at the moment, but I should find some time in between revision to work on it. I've only got two exams this week anyway (English Lit 1 and Tech). That's it for now, Calum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElysianGuitars Posted May 20, 2007 Report Share Posted May 20, 2007 Ain't posted in here for ages, and I've got some updates (though admittedly, not many) Routing the truss rod channel: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v200/Calum/152.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v200/Calum/155.jpg Headstock veneer (May or may not be used) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v200/Calum/156.jpg fretboard clamped: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v200/Calum/160.jpg After cutting out headstock: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v200/Calum/161.jpg Fitting skunk stripe: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v200/Calum/165.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v200/Calum/168.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v200/Calum/176.jpg Radiusing the fretboard: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v200/Calum/178.jpg Routing out the neck pocket: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v200/Calum/180.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v200/Calum/181.jpg Getting there!: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v200/Calum/184.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v200/Calum/186.jpg I've also done some more work on the case, and I've done some shaping and such on the neck since these picks were taken. I'll do some more work tomorrow and take some pics. I've got GCSEs at the moment, but I should find some time in between revision to work on it. I've only got two exams this week anyway (English Lit 1 and Tech). That's it for now, Calum the 12 string headstock and the tele headstock just don't seem to work together to my eye... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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