matttheguy Posted June 22, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2006 30"x4"x3". I didn't want to do a scarf joint, just to keep it somewhat within Gibson's original specs, although I am adding the volute. It was just a matter of personal taste, I suppose. All the scrap wood is going to create a mandolin, one way or another. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matttheguy Posted July 2, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 2, 2006 (edited) Well, I havn't been able to take any pictures for awhile as my camera had been giving me an error, one which I though I could fix easily, but turned out to be much harder than expected. So, until I get my cam fixed, all work has halted. I've been taking photos of everything up until it broke, and I don't want to stop now, so I had been progressing slowly, but now that the camera is sent away, it's stopped all together, only for 5 days! Here's a picture of the body with the cavities routed. Now, anyone who has done an LP, does the control cavity really seem to be an amorphous shape, something that Gibson just cut out to fit everything in in a general way? Just curious, as on my plans, that's exactly what they are. Finally, the image uploads! Edited July 2, 2006 by matttheguy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miu Posted July 3, 2006 Report Share Posted July 3, 2006 Hi I have to say: cool project ! I just started to build my guitar, but have no camera yet when i'll buy I'll post my own topic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matttheguy Posted July 19, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 19, 2006 Well, as it turns out, it took over 2 weeks for HP to even get my camera, and they expect another few weeks for me to get it back! Well, the show must go on, sadly without many new photos... In the past few weeks I've began working on the neck extensively. I'm now installing the truss rod, which I have a thread about in another section with a few questions. Someone mentioned how they liked the grain, so here's a picture I found that I had uploaded (somehow made it into my motorcycle folder!) with the top wet: Whenever I get the chance, I'll use my sister's digital camera. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnsilver Posted July 19, 2006 Report Share Posted July 19, 2006 MTG, nice project and good progress. This is some really nice straight grained mahogany. I'm looking forward to more....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matttheguy Posted August 11, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2006 Well, I did the mortice, using the same jig that I used to put the neck angle on the body (here), and it came out with only a couple of minor mishaps: Of course, right now it's cut shallow and 1/32nd short in width, but that's just for fitting purposes. The left side of the mortice The right side of the mortice. This picture has some lines drawn in to try to illustrate where the body came loose out of the clamps and the router jumped, but it will be filled and never seen again! The headstock has been shaped The neck and the body, almost ready to be one Some other pictures can be seen at http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v295/mat...es%20Paul/?sc=6 Comments and criticism appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matttheguy Posted August 17, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2006 Just wanted to post that. It looks better from the back right now, as I havn't chopped the angle into the heel yet, and there's, obviously, a big gap from the front, plus my mortice is a tad shallow, so it's still sitting proud. At least it's in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Posted August 18, 2006 Report Share Posted August 18, 2006 lookin good! keep us updated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matttheguy Posted August 20, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 20, 2006 I angled the heel today, which proved to be a bit difficult, as the top of my body was not exactly perpendicular to the mortice, and alot of chiseling and sanding followed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chunkielad Posted August 20, 2006 Report Share Posted August 20, 2006 That's not a bad job there mate. One thing I did notice is that at the bottom of the heel there seems to be a little gap as if the heel is rounded over a bit. I saw a luthier working on a Martin accoustic and to get the neck to fit, he put rough sandpaper between the heel and the body and dragged it until they fit like a glove. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matttheguy Posted August 20, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 20, 2006 Yes, there is a slight gap, probably around 1/64th of an inch, due to careless sanding, but it has since been removed after that picture was taken, following pretty much the same process that you described. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matttheguy Posted August 29, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2006 Do any of you actually get that feeling that you can hear the guitar as it's really starting to come together? All I can say is that what I'm hearing sounds reaaaaal nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matttheguy Posted August 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2006 (edited) I shaped the neck today, all of it done rougly within an hour, and let me say, this was the fastest and most enjoyable process of the entire guitar so far. To all of those who don't make necks because they fear they wont be nice, or whatever reason, just try it! It's fun. Pictures of the full neck and heel here: http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v295/mat...guy/Les%20Paul/ The volute is unobtrusive, and it won't get in the way of the first fret, which makes me wonder why they aren't put on alot more guitars with headstock problems. Edited August 30, 2006 by matttheguy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matttheguy Posted September 10, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2006 To do list: Drill control/stopbar holes Binding Sand Finish All while working on freboard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matttheguy Posted September 16, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 16, 2006 Alright, so, I installed the binding (cream plastic) and I've got a slight problem. Whether the channel wasn't cut correctly, the top wasn't exactly flat when it was cut, the binding wasn't manufactured correctly, or I bent it during installation, whatever, there are slight gaps. Some of them are seen from the top, pulling away from the body. Some of them are seen from the sides, pulling up from the body. They aren't big enough for me to cut small pieces of the plastic and fit them in, but they're big enough to create a problem. What I was wondering is how this could be remedied and if any of you have had this problem before. Could wood putty work? If putty doesn't take stain at all, I could match it to the color of the binding and it wouldn't be as blatant as it is now. Any thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted September 16, 2006 Report Share Posted September 16, 2006 Do you use acetone to clean sawdust out of wood? Grab a little jar, pour a third of acetone into it and keep offcuts of your binding in it. It'll soon melt into a sludgy mush. I have a jar (which smells of chillis!) of cream binding gunge which I use as filler for gaps. Works a treat. Just make sure you're not getting dirt into the hole you're filling else it won't look seamless. If you don't want a load of homemade binding filler on hand, dip an offcut into acetone and "push" the melted surface off with a scalpel blade onto the area you want to fill and press it into the gap. Leave the fill proud of the existing binding and you can scrape it back a few hours later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yahilltrade Posted September 16, 2006 Report Share Posted September 16, 2006 pictures would help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matttheguy Posted September 16, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 16, 2006 (edited) Prothesta, that sounds like a grand idea! I'll go pick up some acetone right now and try it out. I knew you wise lads would have a remedy for it! yahilltrade, let me go take a few and I'll get them right up! Edit: That looks like sawdust in there, I know, but it's actually chunks of CA glue. That's the most evident gap in the binding. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v295/mat...ndingGapTop.jpg There you can see a few gaps, such as around the horn, or near the treble waist, both on top. I just got back from the hardware store with a can of acetone, and I'll let you know how it works! Thanks! Edited September 16, 2006 by matttheguy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted September 16, 2006 Report Share Posted September 16, 2006 I'd take the smallest pin or needle you can find and prick out anything which might sit proud of your binding :-) Aim for a consistency like firm butter and you should be okay. It worked on my Koa Telecaster (which I better finish the back binding on come to think of it!) when some of the tighter curves decided to fight back against the forces that be. Keep the tool you use for filling super clean!! You don't want to contaminate your work. Again, been there and regretted the cheesy t-shirt. Acetone is also great for cleaning down freshly sanded wood, but beware - it tends to strip the oils from the wood leaving it a bit dry and parched! That said, it does help woods like ebony glue up better if you wipe the glueing face down with acetone first.... Did I mention not to smoke near acetone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matttheguy Posted September 17, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 17, 2006 Ah, it worked beautifully when it was still liquid-esque. When it began to coagulate, it was harder to work with, but more acetone fixed that. Worked like a charm! Thanks, Prostheta! Oh, and I wont smoke near anything that's the main ingredient in nail polish remover! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted September 17, 2006 Report Share Posted September 17, 2006 Excellent stuff - good to hear you got the results you wanted! Now, let's see that LP take shape :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matttheguy Posted September 19, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 19, 2006 (edited) Your wish is my command! Here's a picture of the maple with the yellow-amber for the top with a couple of clear coats brushed on (no leveling yet). Beneath that is a piece of mahogany with two different concentrations of red put on, no grain filler, and two coats of clear brushed on (again, obviously no leveling). I'm going to test out both concentrations of dye with the grain filler, too, but I like how it turned out without it, to be honest. The lighting in this picture doesn't do the amber justice. In better lighting, it's much more vibrant. Edited September 19, 2006 by matttheguy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matttheguy Posted September 23, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 23, 2006 Alright, I've begun to put finish on the back, and I've got about 6 coats on and I'm about to scuff sand and try to level off the brush marks a bit. Question! On the sides of the guitar, in a couple places some finish ran off down the side without my knowing and I then put another coat on top of those runs. Obviously, this creates a problem as they're extremely visible, being a bit darker than the surrounding areas. When I level sand, do you think these will dissapear? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matttheguy Posted October 3, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2006 The sides might need sanded down to bare wood and refinished, as the runs are still visible. I gotta do what I gotta do, I guess. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v295/mat...opFinished2.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al heeley Posted October 3, 2006 Report Share Posted October 3, 2006 looking sweet. Get your sandpaper out or you'll never be happy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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