awilcox Posted June 27, 2007 Report Share Posted June 27, 2007 Hello all, I am quite new to guitar building. I built my first guitar last fall. I played around with a lot of designs and settled on one that I thought looked like it could be "commercially accepted" while still slightly original. I found this was quite hard though as anything fitting this description ended up bearing some resemblance in some way to a Strat, Tele or Les Paul seeing how my favorite guitar is the Les Paul, mine ended up looking a little like that. The whole time I was working on the first one I was promising myself - never again. But after it was finished, I was out buying more wood to build two more. I am still working on these two at the moment - and have already aquired all of the supplies to make a flying V (which will be my next project). I think I am addicted. You can check out my first build under the guitar build link of my website http://personal.nbnet.nb.ca/awilcox/ Anyway, I learned a lot from this website when doing my first build so I though I would start posting my progress on my two current builds - one of which is the same design as the first one and the other is also the same - except it is a double cut. Mahogany body and neck, ebony fretbords, figured maple tops, figured maple headstock laminate, single white binding around the whole thing. Here are pictures of my progress so far. Pretty much just need to finish shaping the necks, fret, install the bridge/tailpiece, and finish. one will be finished this way - yellow/burgundy burst and the other this way - amber/brown burst Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmrentis Posted June 27, 2007 Report Share Posted June 27, 2007 Great stuff! I can't wait too see these finished. A couple questions, 1) WHat size binding did you use? 2)Have you ever thought about doing some customer finishes on fishing lures? LOL, just kidding, but honestly I bet you could whip up some wicked looking lures, if you knew what you need to imitate. Once I finally get good at finishes, I might try some fishing lures for fun. Anyhow, looking great and keep the pics coming. J Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
awilcox Posted June 27, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2007 (edited) ^ The binding is stewmac .090" x .250" - I find it a real pain to install, but i like the look of binding. Do you think sunburst flamed maple fishing lures would sell - haha...but really, I didn't get the fishing reference (I don't fish). Edited June 27, 2007 by awilcox Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmrentis Posted June 27, 2007 Report Share Posted June 27, 2007 (edited) Yeah, I am going to grab some of that exact binding, I order some, but on accident ordered the wrong size and I much prefer to have the thicker binding, it looks better to me. Yeah, I think that finish on flamed maple would actually work really well, this is a pic of a similar color(kinda), throw the flame maple and it would give it a more lifelike look IMO. It would work and probably better than many store bought finishes. I'm definately curious to try making my own in the future, it would be so cool I think, plus there are color patterns that I want that aren't made. Anyhow keep the progress pics coming. J Edited June 27, 2007 by jmrentis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geo Posted June 28, 2007 Report Share Posted June 28, 2007 Wow, fantastic work. I'm a LONG way away from the quality of your first project. Rock on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
awilcox Posted July 3, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 3, 2007 Cool, now I am thinking I will call the finish one of these guitars "Lure-burst" - haha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmrentis Posted July 3, 2007 Report Share Posted July 3, 2007 Cool, now I am thinking I will call the finish one of these guitars "Lure-burst" - haha. That would be funny. I would call it a "Perch-burst" or "Perch-O-burst", thats what it reminded me of. hehe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAK Guitars Posted July 3, 2007 Report Share Posted July 3, 2007 Great stuff! I just realised you're in NB! Im a province over in good ol NS! Yeah those guitars are really nice just please dont try to actually use them as lures. You probably wont catch any fish with them. But you never know! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alysum Posted July 4, 2007 Report Share Posted July 4, 2007 Mate your first build is absolutely stunning for a beginner...especially the finish and how many coats/sand paping you did lol looks like you didn't make any mistakes at all, congrats Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
awilcox Posted July 10, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 10, 2007 Thanks for all of the positive comments. I got some work done on the double cut this past weekend - radiused the freatboard, installed the frets (6100), installed all of the hardware (except for the pickups which I haven't decided on yet), and strung it up. I was pleased that the frets came out dead flat - with the action set low I only encountered buzzing in 2 spots on the high e string, and I found the the next fret up in these positions was not seated properly on the binding (I will simply replace these 2 frets - I found the 6100 fret wire harder to work with than the 6105). Now I just need to complete single cut and it is on to finishing. Here are a few pictures: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alysum Posted July 11, 2007 Report Share Posted July 11, 2007 Looks good as usual wouldn't mind seeing some with blue colour stain just to see what it looks like (you guessed I find sunburst a bit boring lol but that's me...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmrentis Posted July 11, 2007 Report Share Posted July 11, 2007 (edited) Looks like you had a little visit from Andy! I honestly couldn't decide on what style truss cover to use, I ended up with the "H" style number 5 I believe. Though I might actually have him do the reverse of that one so its all Paua with mop inlayed in the middle, he doesn't make that one, but since its an already made design, he said he wouldn't charge extra for custom work, but he said give him a few weeks. I was thinking about the "G" #10 I think, all mop with a nice paua cross, but he was all out, then I found the other one I liked better. I like how yours looks a lot. I just got my inlays and truss cover a few days ago, super fast shipping and good prices from that guy. What did the letter inlay cost you? That wasn't a custom job was it? I can't over how nice that headstock looks, I must say thats very close to my ideal headstock, with the nice white binding, cool inlay, and nice shell truss cover, plus super nice shape. Anyhow, very cool and keep the progress pictures coming. J Edited July 11, 2007 by jmrentis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gibsonsg26 Posted July 11, 2007 Report Share Posted July 11, 2007 congrats on gotm these two are looking just as good as the first if not better your doing extremely good. I think the single cut is wikid cool looking. The double cut is really cool though too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
awilcox Posted July 12, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 12, 2007 Looks like you had a little visit from Andy! Yes, I got the inlays and truss rod covers from Andy. He has a good selection of stuff, good quality too. I also got a sea snail nut blank from him to try on one of tthese guitars. I actually got two, one for each, and actually got one all shaped and then dropped in on the concrete floor and it broke in 2 pieces...and it was the nicer of the two. Nice figure, almost like MOP and it had green streeks in it - I might have to order a few more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
awilcox Posted July 27, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 27, 2007 Finally, I am finished the building part of these two guitars - next on to the finishing. I think I am going with translucent black on the double cut and not sure about the single cut yet - any suggestions? Here are a few pictures of the single cut before I strip it down and get at the finishing. Flame maple bound cavity cover: Medium sized gold fretwire (warmoth) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick500 Posted July 27, 2007 Report Share Posted July 27, 2007 A little amber tinted clear. Done! Beautiful work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmrentis Posted July 28, 2007 Report Share Posted July 28, 2007 Just amazing! Very well done. Is that the snail nut? I couldn't really tell, it looked almost a shade of green, but I wasn't sure if they were a little green with green streaks or bright pearl white with green streaks. Either way just beautiful. As for the headstock binding, how many joints do you have in there? I'm just curious how you did it, I was thinking 1 or 3. Also, did you just wipe the ends with acetone to make the joints? I couldn't even see any joints, which is why I am asking, perfect work. Thanks, J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
awilcox Posted July 29, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 29, 2007 Just amazing! Very well done. Is that the snail nut? I couldn't really tell, it looked almost a shade of green, but I wasn't sure if they were a little green with green streaks or bright pearl white with green streaks. Either way just beautiful. As for the headstock binding, how many joints do you have in there? I'm just curious how you did it, I was thinking 1 or 3. Also, did you just wipe the ends with acetone to make the joints? I couldn't even see any joints, which is why I am asking, perfect work. Thanks, J. No, that is just a bone nut that I use as a temorary. I will be trying the snail nut on one of these, it looks like bine with streaks of green and part of it is really shiny like MOP. There are 4 pieces of bindin on the headstock - basically, every sharp corner is a joint. I use the binding paste (binding melted in acetone) for glue on the binding. I make sure I get lots in the joints - it melts them together seamlessly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
awilcox Posted August 6, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 6, 2007 I will post some pictures on how I do the carved top with the belt sander. I have started finishing these guitars. I decided on fireburst for the doublecut: Here is the top stained yellow with a couple of coats of sealer: I am doing the double cut in desert burst: Here is the top stained amber with sealer: Next step is to grain fill the mahogany. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
awilcox Posted August 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 9, 2007 I finished grain filling the mahogany with dark brown filler, sanded and another coat of sand and seal. A little more sanding and then I can do 3 coats of clear, add the burst, then 12-15 more coats of clear...then wait a month for the nitro to cure...the mahogany with dark filler looks great. Although the body is redish in color and the neck is brown - same wood, different part of the tree I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattharris75 Posted August 9, 2007 Report Share Posted August 9, 2007 That doublecut is going to be one slick guitar with that burst on it. Can't wait to see it finished. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jer7440 Posted August 10, 2007 Report Share Posted August 10, 2007 Hey your guitars are looking awesome. I have a couple of quick questions for you. Did you mask the bindings or the body of the guitar at all before you dyed the top, or are you just really careful? On the same note, did you mask the top for the grainfill? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
awilcox Posted August 10, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2007 Hey your guitars are looking awesome. I have a couple of quick questions for you. Did you mask the bindings or the body of the guitar at all before you dyed the top, or are you just really careful? On the same note, did you mask the top for the grainfill? Thanks - I am into the clearcoating and the figure is really popping. I have tried dying both ways. This time i did not mask the binding and I applied the dye very carefully, making sure it did not run down the side or get on the mahogany - not worrying if it got on the binding. Then i scraped it off of the biding after it had dried. This took a while though - might have been easier to mask off the binding - but either way works for me. For the grain filling - first I applied 2 light coats of sand and seal over the whole guitar, mask the bindings and then add the grain filler. This causes a buildup of filler along the tape. After drying I remove the tape and sand the filler back with 320 grit until I start seeing the white residue of the sand and sealer. This takes off the build up where the masking was and removes any extra filler. then i go back and sand the binding with 400 grit to clean it up - not worrying if I go through the sand and seal. Hope this helps - not sure if it is the right way to do it, but it works for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jer7440 Posted August 11, 2007 Report Share Posted August 11, 2007 Sounds good to me....thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RGman Posted August 11, 2007 Report Share Posted August 11, 2007 same wood, different part of the tree I guess. Nope, different species of mahogany, your neck appears to be Sapele. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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