SJE-Guitars Posted March 16, 2009 Report Share Posted March 16, 2009 Well hot on the heels of the 8 string monster . . I am building this in parallel with the 8 string. I decided I like the cut away of the singlecut away design so much that I'd make a symmetrical double cut away. Skipping all the CAD stuff here the the so far results . . . First up the body with neck, the 2 outer wings are bookmatched Pyinkado (aka Burmese Ironwood), 2 stripes are my favourite Afzelia Xylocarpa and the central strip is the local Laos rosewood (Khampii rosewood). These stripes are matching with the neck which has a Khampii fingerboard and Afzelia body. The body on it own - in need of a sanding around the outline and already rounded over ready to be shaped. The whole thing at the moment - waiting on the custom made truss rod before I shape up the neck this week. My new 6 string 3+3 headstock . . . I like it greatly! More to come! ps. Forgot to mention it's a standard 25.5" scale 6 stringer . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJE-Guitars Posted March 19, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2009 Hmmm 199 views and not a reply . . . is that good or bad Anyway story so far . .. . today busy shaping and carving the body . . which now looks like this . . . Arch top . . well the central area for the pups and bridge are level .. .. Back with pocket and rounded edges.. No pics of the neck today currently in clamps having the racing stripes laminated to the front. Apologies for the pictures not being particularly great - night here and reliant on the flash . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anderekel Posted March 19, 2009 Report Share Posted March 19, 2009 Hmmm 199 views and not a reply . . . is that good or bad Nope, just means that you haven't asked any questions and no one's picked anything astoundingly good or bad out of the build. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Sorbera Posted March 19, 2009 Report Share Posted March 19, 2009 Body shape looks good, but I'm not so sure about the neck area sticking out of it. Looks out of place. I say ditch it and make the neck a deep set tennon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJE-Guitars Posted March 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 Body shape looks good, but I'm not so sure about the neck area sticking out of it. Looks out of place. I say ditch it and make the neck a deep set tennon. Cheers - yes it does look out of place without the neck mainly because it's not a deep pocket for better higher fret access. I actually thought the same when I took the photos however it does looks a whole lot better with the neck attached. Personally I like bolt on necks - I know many on here prefer set or through. Also it'd completely screw up the scale of the guitar changing it at this point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psw Posted March 20, 2009 Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 Too late to change the guitar now...but the neck joint looks very suspect...I like bolt on btw...but this isn't so much a "pocket" but a thinned down tang. Most guitars will have major side support (like a strat or tele) and even set neck guitars like an SG or PRS have either extended neck joints (often under the neck pickup itself) or a re notorious for being "rubbery" in the neck joint department. As for the guitar...not sure about it yet...it might look ok in a "hippy sandwich" albenic kind of way but much will depend on finish I think. I am not overly keen on the shape at this point in time...the horns look a bit like that of a "steer" or cow as we'd call them down here...not sure if that was the look you were going for. The knobs look a bit close together...the whole guitar looks heavy! But still as I say, the finish might bring out the wood porn for those afflicted by the addiction! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ae3 Posted March 20, 2009 Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 If no one replies don't sweat. They will as the build moves on, it happens on every build thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJE-Guitars Posted March 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 he he he - mmmmmmmmmm wood porn - just too add to that I did the matching rosewood pickup rings today - no pictures yet though. Actually the body is relatively light - sure ironwood and rosewood aren't light but it's only 35mm at the edge rising to 45mm in the middle. . . haven't weighed it yet to see what it is but I'd reckon around the 3kg mark. Funny you mention the cow horns - completely unintentional but I noticed them also - I was actually considering putting a Buffalo skull inlay spanning the 9-12 frets. I initially thought it looked more like a giant goldfish - at least it don't look like a raven in flight! The finish will be straight up natural oil - the colours of the wood won't allow much else. Oh as for the neck pocket I've used the same dimension on all my builds and it's completely solid - even doing neck bends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJE-Guitars Posted March 29, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2009 Blimey 9 days since the last update. Progress made but no pictures on most stuff. The headstock has now got a matching Pyinkado cap - I did initial put the stripes on but decided I didn't like them since the neck is Afzelia already just 2 different grains - the pyinkado cap looks better and the headstock is has been shaped up. Sanding is progressing but still someway to do - the fretboard is radiused and the neck is shaped .. .. however this is all other pictureless stuff not what this update is about! So last night I was thinking about what pickups I was going to use and something that I've been itching to do it make my own. So did a bit of reading on several 'how to' websites - all simple enough stuff. So then I read a site where a the guy made his own bobbins out of a CD case and bits of maple now this got my brain thinkings . . . well bobbins are simple enough why not make some that match the stripes in the body . . . . . sooooooooooooo today I mainly spent my time doing this . . . .. Matching Rosewood and Afzelia Xylocarpa pickup bobbbins: Close up of the sides I made these purely on the dimensions of my existing SD pickups and I made the string spacing for the neck 48mm and the bridge 50mm based on a t-o-m bridge. Luckily a few kms from my house there is a coil winding company so tomorrow I am going to speak with them to see if they can wind them for me for a few dollars, so all being well I'll have some professional wound pickup coils tomorrow! Anyway I was rather happy with however bobbins came out and the matching pickup rings (yes I know one hole hasn't been drilled - well it had but was slighty out of position so it was filled and will be redrill). I've yet to decide on the the magnet to be used - whether Alnico or Ceramic - I am thinking a hot ceramic bridge pickup with an ultra mild clean Alnico 5 at the neck (or might experiment with an Alnico 8), that fun is yet to come! edit: Oh yeah forgot say apologies for the crappy phone camera pics - keep forgetting to take the camera to my workshop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpm99 Posted March 30, 2009 Report Share Posted March 30, 2009 Really impressive work on those bobbins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJE-Guitars Posted April 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2009 A belated cheers - I am very happy how they've come out and now I've got the technique down the next time time they'll just take a few minutes opposed to virtually all day! Anyway the body had it final sanding ready for the oil finish and look somewhere like this: A nice and shiny 2000 grit finish. So this morning I strung it up and applied the first coat of oil so it now looks like this: and there it will remain for about 4 days for the oil to harden ready for another coat AND repeat . . . before a sanding, shallac, sanding, shallac, polishing and waxing . .. so a couple of weeks! Now waiting for a parts delivery - earlier today I started the construction of my pickup winding implement! The coil winding place was a 'no can do' so I'm doing them myself, however it suddenly dawned on me last week I know the exact tool to make which I can use to wind pickups in no time at all! I'll keep the suspense on what it is but one things I'll say is it ain't a handdrill and it aint got a motor - it's an implement that they make over here for winding silk on to bobbins for the weaving. Having made them before for silk winding purposes I know the design and I am improving on it and if it works how I expect I reckon I can hand wind a coil (scatterwind) with it in about 10 or 20 minutes. So once I finish it (tomorrow most likely) all will be revealed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJE-Guitars Posted April 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2009 Update time! Well the winding of coils is currently on hold until I source the right size wire . . . I didn't realise they had SWG gauge wire over here so duly purchased size 42 thing it was AWG42 . . to quickly discover something wasn't right - when a full coil only read just over 1k! Sure enough SWG42 is the equivalent of AWG38. So I've got to source the right sized coil wire before these can be finished! So anyway on to the pictures: After 3 coats of oil the body now looks like this (poorly lit picture!): As many folks don't use spoke wheel trussrods I thought I include a pic of my style of installing them - completely recessed into the neck opposed to modifying the body to accept it: Which then looks like this from the top: Photo limit used up . . . next post . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJE-Guitars Posted April 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2009 So cutting to chase - the whole thing currently looks like this: Abalone side inlays: Headstock down: Everything still in the need of a waxing yet but that'll be down before the final build it. Hopefully I can get the coil wire today or tomorrow and get it finished. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJE-Guitars Posted May 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2009 Righty - well with the words of PSW in my head I looked the pocket numerous times and thought . . hmmm you might just be right on the neck pocket. So I considered my options and in a eureka moment the other day this came to me: 5mm steel studs in the neck pocket to ensure the neck is completely stable and look no screws: So I am still trying to find a good supplier of magnet wire in this part of the world all being well tomorrow I will receieve and email from one I've been speaking to last week. So hopefully in the coming week I can finally get the pickups wound and this guitar finished. Just waiting for pickups! : Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJE-Guitars Posted May 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2009 A few more pics for good measure! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guernica Posted May 10, 2009 Report Share Posted May 10, 2009 incredible craftsmanship!!! ...love this guitar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anderekel Posted May 11, 2009 Report Share Posted May 11, 2009 Ok, don't take this as being mean or anything just to preface. I noticed this on that stratish type guitar you posted a bit ago as well. Your heal looks like it's gonna be uncomfortable. Now, I say this because, while it's all nice and shallow lookin' and looks comfortable as is, once you add the ferrules in there I think at least one of those is gonna be sticking out and hitting your hand as you move around it. Except for that I really like it. It looks really cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJE-Guitars Posted May 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2009 incredible craftsmanship!!! ...love this guitar Many thanks! anderekel - don't worry about being mean! As you will notice on the back and mid-air picture the front ferrule holes do remove the edge of the pocket however since the pocket is rounded what actually happens is the ferrule follows the curve and the end result (same with the strat style) is you do not notice it. The neck at that point also is wider than the pocket so your hand rests on the neck opposed to the pocket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anderekel Posted May 11, 2009 Report Share Posted May 11, 2009 Ok, it looked like on the strat one that one of them was sticking out, if it works though cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJE-Guitars Posted June 22, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2009 In the words of a Staind song . . . It's been awhile .. .. since I would wind some pickups . . . erm anyway. . Finally after a few weeks not doing any work due to visiting family and waiting for deliveries I finally got around this morning to winding the first coil . . and it thanks to the Schatten coil wire it went like a dream. However as it's a buddhist holiday here I aren't supposed be working so the other 3 bobbins (well 7 . . . more on that later ) will have to wait until tomorrow I have to recommend Schatten coil wire to anyone who is after coil wire - cheaper than Stumacs and also have AWG44 (which is what this bobbin is wound with). I read a few places that Stumacs wire has a tendency to not be wound on the spool perfectly and snaggs, well Schatten coil wire doesn't this for a fine gauge wound so easily I was amazed - no snaggs, breaks - nothing, quality stuff. Anyway more soon! I am intending (been asked also) to do a 'How to make your own bobbins' thread at some point if anyone is interested? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenny Posted June 22, 2009 Report Share Posted June 22, 2009 i would be very curious as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kully Posted June 22, 2009 Report Share Posted June 22, 2009 I have to recommend Schatten coil wire to anyone who is after coil wire - cheaper than Stumacs and also have AWG44 (which is what this bobbin is wound with). I read a few places that Stumacs wire has a tendency to not be wound on the spool perfectly and snaggs, well Schatten coil wire doesn't this for a fine gauge wound so easily I was amazed - no snaggs, breaks - nothing, quality stuff. Anyway more soon! I am intending (been asked also) to do a 'How to make your own bobbins' thread at some point if anyone is interested? stewmac sell the schatten pick up wire. by that i mean they but it from schatten along with the winding machines and sell them on to us customers which is most likley why it is more expensive. as for it previously breaking it could be a dodgy batch or they had a differnt supplier. btw i love ur zebra coils and is very interested in the how do make ur own bobbins tutorial Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJE-Guitars Posted June 22, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2009 Well I never knew Stumac sold the Schatten wire - I assumed they bought it in bulk and wound it onto smaller coils. I do not know what fourm I read it on but I did read of several people complaining that the wire wasn't evenly wound and caused numerous snaggs. Oh well best go straight to the source and the 44 gauge I used this morning was great to work with and wound faster than I thought I could. Tomorrow I shall make a new bobbin or 2 and record the evidence and post it as a tutorial . . . that is as long as I remember to take my camera to the workshop which I have a tendency of forgetting to do! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cam Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 the ironwood looks really nice. and yes i would be fully interested in how to make your own bobbins Something i noticed - the string through ferrules on the back don't seem to be straight, is that on purpose or poor drilling? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJE-Guitars Posted June 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 the ironwood looks really nice. and yes i would be fully interested in how to make your own bobbins Something i noticed - the string through ferrules on the back don't seem to be straight, is that on purpose or poor drilling? I hadn't actually noticed that until you mention it now and just looked at the picture again (you mean the ferrule just out of the stripes?) . . I am going have a look at the real thing and see what happened . . I took a whole load of photos today so when I get chance to upload them I'll make the bobbin thread. The ironwood looks even better now the hardened oil has been polished upto 12000 micromesh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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