mattharris75 Posted March 20, 2009 Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 I just got back from vacation yesterday and have begun my Corvus Build-off entry. Yes, I'm calling it the Telus, and yes I realize that is the name of Canada's phone company. To me it sounds like it could be the name of a Greek god, it has elements of 'Tele' and 'Corvus', and I was just in Canada 2 days ago, so it all works together. My plan is to do a modern interpretation of the Corvus shape, and combine it with Telecaster 'innards'. I do have a design plan, as shown in the image below, but I will be playing it by ear somewhat. I'll print out and cut out the shape in paper, but will not make a template, rather using a spindle sander until I get the body where I like it. The design is still very much up for interpretation, and I will play with it as I go, but this gives me something to shoot for. The extra lines seen in the design plan are the carving lines for the front and back. This may be the aspect of this build that is most likely to change. I'm using a mid-ninties MIM Fender Tele neck and electronics. The body will be a sandwich of hard ash, walnut, and hard ash. It's going to be roughly 2" thick. The weight of the ash and the thickness should help offset the neck-heaviness inherent in this design. The grain will be filled with black epoxy and finished with a matte Tru-oil finish. The pickguard will be matte black plastic. Today I got all the body wood cut, planed, and jointed. I'll begin gluing things up this evening. On to the pictures: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted March 20, 2009 Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 That should prove interesting with some beveling for an artistic reveal of the walnut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted March 21, 2009 Report Share Posted March 21, 2009 nice one matt, you still have both views of the crow clearly visable Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cam Posted March 22, 2009 Report Share Posted March 22, 2009 very nice I like the wood combination a lot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirge for november Posted March 22, 2009 Report Share Posted March 22, 2009 Nice! Like the way you did something new to the design. It seems to work to me! (visually) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattharris75 Posted March 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2009 Thanks guys. More progress. This weekend I got the 3 plates for the body blank joined, then got the blank glued up, as seen in the first picture. I printed out my full sized pattern, fussed with it for a bit, then got it traced onto the blank and bandsawed the body shape (Picture 2). I've done a little spindle sanding to remove a little extra stock and start getting things smoothed out a bit, but still have quite a way to go with that. I'll continue to work on that this week. Once I got that done I grabbed the bridge and neck and threw everything together to get an idea of how it's going to look (pictures 3 & 4). I'm quite pleased with it so far. A couple issues I'm still thinking about. How far do I want to set the neck into the body? Honestly, a regular bolt-on neck with this body style just doesn't seem to be a good idea aesthetically. But, Gibson did it, and so can I. The deeper I set the pocket the less of a protrusion from the smooth curve of the top of the body I will need. Of course that will dictate upper fret access somewhat. I also would prefer not to use a neck plate, but don't believe I'll have enough real estate to use neck ferrules, so I need to do something a bit creative and make a custom neck plate that fits the design of the guitar or something of that nature. Anyone have any opinions on either of these issues? Also, continuing this from an older topic in the tools section, this was the first time I've used my new bandsaw on a 2" thick hardwood blank. It performed admirably, although I think I still need to tweak the tracking and blade guides, and buy myself a better blade than the crappy stock piece. All things considered it left a smooth and square cut, as can be seen on picture 2. So, Avenger, it's not quite re-sawing 6" maple stock, but I think that set up correctly, this saw would have no problem with that. Enough chatter, on to the pics: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted March 24, 2009 Report Share Posted March 24, 2009 Anyone have any opinions on either of these issues? And give away what I'm doing? OK... check in with my thread tomorrow. I made a LOT of headway today, but no pics/updating yet. Also, continuing this from an older topic in the tools section, this was the first time I've used my new bandsaw on a 2" thick hardwood blank. It performed admirably, although I think I still need to tweak the tracking and blade guides, and buy myself a better blade than the crappy stock piece. All things considered it left a smooth and square cut, as can be seen on picture 2. So, Avenger, it's not quite re-sawing 6" maple stock, but I think that set up correctly, this saw would have no problem with that. Cool. Thanks. They still have it on sale for $360, so probably sometime this week... I just got in a 7" wide piece of zebrawood. I see some bookmatched tops in the very near future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirge for november Posted March 25, 2009 Report Share Posted March 25, 2009 Wow great progress... Is it me or is the body shape lengthened ?(it looks almost like the pic is a bit stretched) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattharris75 Posted March 25, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 25, 2009 The pic shouldn't be stretched. Do you mean that it looks lengthened from an original Corvus design? It's possible it's slightly longer, but not by much. I imagine the somewhat different proportions are playing tricks with your eyes. I spent last night watching NIT basketball and partaking of some fine Russian River brew. So, tonight I'll get back on this and work on getting the body smoothed out and start working out the design kinks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattharris75 Posted March 26, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 26, 2009 I'm having a bit of a dilemma, and would love a few opinions. I'm trying to decide whether or not to use a roundover bit on the edges and do smooth carves, such as the original Corvus, or use a chamfer bit on the edges and do the carving flat and precise. What do you guys think would look best, based on this particular take on the Corvus body? I am really torn. This 'flying by the seat of your pants' building is kind of fun, usually I have these things completely decided and laid out before any wood gets cut. Also, as far as progress is concerned, I've got the body edges sanded mostly smooth, I'll get that 100% finished tonight. I've also got everything drawn out on the body blank, dimensionally accurate and just about ready to begin drilling/routing cavities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wood is good Posted March 26, 2009 Report Share Posted March 26, 2009 Definitely chamfer bit. NO ROUNDING OVER! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted March 26, 2009 Report Share Posted March 26, 2009 I agree - hard bevels. It suits this variation a LOT better than smooth roundovers. This one is pointy. Pointy=sharp, therefore sharp bevels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattharris75 Posted March 26, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 26, 2009 You guys are confirming what I had been thinking. I've never carved a guitar with sharp bevels before, I've always been into the really organic look. Oh well, I guess I got myself into this mess by drawing up the sharp, pointy, metal version of the Corvus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted March 26, 2009 Report Share Posted March 26, 2009 Try a big 45-degree chamfer bit. It's be a dang-sight faster and more accurate than doing it by hand. If you go that route, take off little bites, raising the bit maybe 1/8" per pass until you get the bevel you're looking for. The last thing you want is a big blowout or some major tearout on the end grain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattharris75 Posted March 30, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2009 Made a little progress the last few days. This past week I worked on getting the body edge sanded. It's 95% of the way there now. Decided how I'm going to handle the heel area, rough cut and sanded that, then cut the neck pocket. I now need to clean up the body around the neck pocket area, and get the extra material cut away. Also made a paper pattern that gives me a rough idea of how I plan on handling the pickguard. The top edge of the pickguard will change depending on exactly how the carve turns out on that edge of the guitar. The plan for this week is to 100% finish the edge sanding, and get a control cavity template made, and by next weekend get the 1/2" 45 degree bevel cut around the entire body. Then it will be ready for finishing up the pickup cavities and the additional body carving. You can get a general idea of where I'm leaning for the carving based on some of the pencil lines on the body. I'm actually starting to think now, believe it or not, that this is going to turn out to be a pretty cool little guitar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyManAndy Posted March 30, 2009 Report Share Posted March 30, 2009 Nice job!!! I'm really digging all these corvus spin-offs. CMA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted March 30, 2009 Report Share Posted March 30, 2009 I'm actually starting to think now, believe it or not, that this is going to turn out to be a pretty cool little guitar. Of course it will be. It came from good stock - the Corvus. Be careful with the bevels around the forearm. I did mine rounded, and I still had to smooth over the "point". It hit me dead in the middle of my wrist. Check out where it's going to hit you before you start taking away the wood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattharris75 Posted March 30, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2009 Be careful with the bevels around the forearm. I did mine rounded, and I still had to smooth over the "point". It hit me dead in the middle of my wrist. Check out where it's going to hit you before you start taking away the wood. Yeah, I've already checked that. My forearm lays nicely across the middle of the upper bout. The way I'm going to carve this thing, it should be quite comfortable. The body will be very narrow where the forearm passes over the body. The way the guitar sits relative to my body, at least in a seated playing position, makes it almost feel like an 'ergonomic guitar'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xanthus Posted March 31, 2009 Report Share Posted March 31, 2009 I can definitely see The Boss playing something like this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattharris75 Posted April 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 9, 2009 Getting more work done on this project. The carve on the top side of the body is roughed out, but I need to sharpen it up a little bit, maybe with a chizel or scraper. What would you guys use as a preferred method of sharpening up these carves? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted April 9, 2009 Report Share Posted April 9, 2009 dude It uh.... It looks like construction pine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keegan Posted April 9, 2009 Report Share Posted April 9, 2009 It's hard ash, that's why. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattharris75 Posted April 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 9, 2009 dude It uh.... It looks like construction pine. Dude...It uh, looks like ash. Which is what it is. You know, this stuff: Ash And it looks the same as it did in every other picture. And it's going to look very cool the way I plan on finishing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted April 9, 2009 Report Share Posted April 9, 2009 i think it looks awesome, the bevels realy work with the grain when i want bevels sharper i tend to scoop them out ever so slightly with a curved scraper, its something i think would work well on this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dean Posted April 9, 2009 Report Share Posted April 9, 2009 Looking good...I have to ask,I have not been around for a while,what's up with this corvus thing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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