Boggs Posted December 31, 2005 Report Share Posted December 31, 2005 I am finding I can only work on guitars after 11:00pm when my wife goes to work so I don't wake her up with the noise of the woodworking... Here are a few shots of me carving the neck pocket into my prototype small body travel guitar. Koa top and back with Cuban mahogany chambered midsection. Still rough yet obviously... I am finding that 21 fret necks with zero fingerboard overhang are a pain in the ass because now, there is zero margin of error in the butt end of the neck pocket because there is no overhang from the 22nd fret of the fingerboard to hide any mismatch of the pocket and the end of the neck. Live and learn... Neck is being held in place only by friction fit... http://www.angelfire.com/ny5/boggs.com/Gui...eckpocket2s.jpg http://www.angelfire.com/ny5/boggs.com/Gui...eckpocket3s.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted December 31, 2005 Report Share Posted December 31, 2005 I am finding that 21 fret necks with zero fingerboard overhang are a pain in the ass because now, there is zero margin of error in the butt end of the neck pocket because there is no overhang from the 22nd fret of the fingerboard to hide any mismatch of the pocket and the end of the neck. ← That's why they invented the pickguard! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boggs Posted December 31, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 31, 2005 That's why they invented the pickguard! ← I refuse to hide that beautiful koa. Besides, I think you know by now I am not a "cheater!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nitefly SA Posted December 31, 2005 Report Share Posted December 31, 2005 nice hammer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boggs Posted December 31, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 31, 2005 nice hammer ← Actually, that handle has 3-sides in a triangular shape with a fairly large radius on each "flute" so it works perfectly! On the mahogany, it is heavy enough to do the job even on relatively thick cuts (my chisel is extremely sharp) but light enough to have exceptional feel and control. It's perfect! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted January 1, 2006 Report Share Posted January 1, 2006 I refuse to hide that beautiful koa. ← Think 'enhance' not 'hide'... No, no, I refuse to give up. I am the DEFENDER OF PICKGUARDS after all... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nitefly SA Posted January 1, 2006 Report Share Posted January 1, 2006 you could have an acrylic pickguard with a black burst around the edges Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boggs Posted January 2, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 2, 2006 I'm a natural wood kind of guy, but I will not completely eliminate the idea... If a customer really wants one, of course, I would do it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted January 2, 2006 Report Share Posted January 2, 2006 I'm a natural wood kind of guy, but I will not completely eliminate the idea... If a customer really wants one, of course, I would do it... ← Wood pickguards are cool too. Or leather. Or snakeskin.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boggs Posted January 2, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 2, 2006 ...but it's KOA... I bought it while I was in Hawaii... How do you hide that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPL Posted January 3, 2006 Report Share Posted January 3, 2006 ...but it's KOA... I bought it while I was in Hawaii... How do you hide that? ← Boggs, if you hide that koa I'll hunt you down and make you wear a grass skirt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boggs Posted January 3, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2006 ...but it's KOA... I bought it while I was in Hawaii... How do you hide that? ← Boggs, if you hide that koa I'll hunt you down and make you wear a grass skirt. ← That's okay... I have the legs for it... I'm not gonna hide it, so don't worry (the koa that is). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haggardguy Posted January 3, 2006 Report Share Posted January 3, 2006 Your deer doesnt seem as interested as we are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cole Posted January 3, 2006 Report Share Posted January 3, 2006 heres an idea, you could find some nice wood and make trim for around the butt of the neck. So it looks like you tried to spiff it up and nobody will think of it as being a piece to cover anything up. http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c25/Cole_01/untitled.jpg check out the pic, i kinda marked it out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted January 3, 2006 Report Share Posted January 3, 2006 I think cole's onto something there...you could do some kind of inlay or purfling or whatever. You can transform that neck pocket into something really classy. I admit I'm not a huge fan of massive wood grain. Maybe I'm just overdosed on that after spending the last year hanging out in this forum... I just think that too much wood grain is...boring. I don't care how fancy the flame or the quilt or the grain is, it's just wood. Makes the guitar look like a piece of damn furniture. But in your case, I'm not talking about some huge pickguard that's going to cover the entire guitar. There are tons of pickguard designs out there, things that work with the shape of the guitar, and the hardware, and the grain of the wood too to transform the slab of wood into a piece of art. Then again, I'm a huge fan of just about everything Gretsch, so you can see where I'm coming from Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boggs Posted January 3, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2006 Thanks for all the input, guys! I am going to first try and make the pocket profile as perfect as I can. If that doesn't work, I may do an inlay of some type. Mickguard, I do understand your infatuation with pickguards. I have made some clever wood guards in the past one of which was pretty spectacular in repairing an old Giannini Craviola... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitarfrenzy Posted January 3, 2006 Report Share Posted January 3, 2006 I have to admit. You sure are a lot braver than me. lol I can't even imagine trying to make a neck pocket with chisels, and hand tools. Thank god they invented the router, is all I have to say.. Looks good though and makes for a very interesting read. Now for your next assignment... You must carve out frets using popsicle sticks!!!! Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boggs Posted January 3, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2006 I have to admit. You sure are a lot braver than me. lol I can't even imagine trying to make a neck pocket with chisels, and hand tools. Thank god they invented the router, is all I have to say.. Looks good though and makes for a very interesting read. Now for your next assignment... You must carve out frets using popsicle sticks!!!! Good luck! ← First, I must soak the popsicle sticks in a mineral suspension and let dry. I figure on probably a year of alternately soaking and drying would pretty well infuse the popsicle stick with the minerals needed to harden it to where it could be sharpened to cut... You have to come up with a much tougher assignment, my friend! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marzocchi705 Posted January 3, 2006 Report Share Posted January 3, 2006 I did my first body like this, my neck pocket is damn tight i'll tell you that. I do love my router tho Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitarfrenzy Posted January 3, 2006 Report Share Posted January 3, 2006 I have to admit. You sure are a lot braver than me. lol I can't even imagine trying to make a neck pocket with chisels, and hand tools. Thank god they invented the router, is all I have to say.. Looks good though and makes for a very interesting read. Now for your next assignment... You must carve out frets using popsicle sticks!!!! Good luck! ← First, I must soak the popsicle sticks in a mineral suspension and let dry. I figure on probably a year of alternately soaking and drying would pretty well infuse the popsicle stick with the minerals needed to harden it to where it could be sharpened to cut... You have to come up with a much tougher assignment, my friend! ← Hey, I'm just here to help.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southpa Posted January 3, 2006 Report Share Posted January 3, 2006 Its nice to see folks doing things "ye olde fashioned waye". Having the expertise & patience with using hand tools is true craftsmanship, in my opinion. The expertise with using templates is mainly in the design and getting it right the first time. The actual cutting can be a no-brainer at times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boggs Posted January 3, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2006 Well, I have been told many times that I have no brains, so I guess I'm on the right track! No... I'm on the wrong track... No... I'm so confused!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slabbefusk Posted January 5, 2006 Report Share Posted January 5, 2006 I need to get a chisel now so I can start making something! Thanks for the inspiration Boggs!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boggs Posted January 5, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2006 Make sure you have it scary sharp... Actually, if you do decide to test yourself and make something because of what I do, well, that would make my day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slabbefusk Posted January 5, 2006 Report Share Posted January 5, 2006 Well I've always thought the stuff you make is cool and doing things with hand tools rather than power tools gives an old school feel and it definately screams HAND MADE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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