Blackdog Posted May 1, 2009 Report Share Posted May 1, 2009 I love it when it is mockup time !! I have not kept a build thread for this one, but it's not a big departure from previous builds. This one uses the doublecut offset design I showed in another thread. Specs: Honduras mahogany back Flitch-matched figured Sapele carved top. Figured Sapele one piece neck. 24 frets, 25" scale Brazilian RW fingerboard, bound in RW with a thin maple purfling. Figured Sapele headstock cap and control cover. This one will receive gold plated hardware, the final pickup rings and knobs will be flame maple. Finish will be natural, glossy nitro. My wife is already working in the pearl inlays that will grace the 12th fret, the body and the TR cover. The back The neck The offset DC shape The top and neck look rather interesting now, but from some lacquer tests I made on offcuts I know they'll look killer under a finish Hope you like it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted May 1, 2009 Report Share Posted May 1, 2009 I LOVE the binding.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAK Guitars Posted May 1, 2009 Report Share Posted May 1, 2009 Are those walnut rings? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xanthus Posted May 1, 2009 Report Share Posted May 1, 2009 Got to say I love your work, Blackdog! This is no exception. Looks like you've got an unfortunate chip on the fretboard, 23rd or so fret Hope the fix is seamless! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NotYou Posted May 1, 2009 Report Share Posted May 1, 2009 (edited) Got to say I love your work, Blackdog! This is no exception. Looks like you've got an unfortunate chip on the fretboard, 23rd or so fret Hope the fix is seamless! Ouch! I've definitely been there. It's heartbreaking when it happens, especially when you're almost done slotting. It looks great so far, BTW. I love your carve job. Edited May 1, 2009 by NotYou Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackdog Posted May 1, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 1, 2009 Thanks, The chip came well after slotting, though... There was a drop of glue clogging the slot. An accident when clamping the fingerboard for gluing. After radiusing I was cleaning the slot and... zap !! a small chip. I will fill it with epoxi and RW dust when I do the 12th fret inlay. That and the fret covering a good part of it should do the trick. The rings are actually indian rosewood. A bit dry. The contrast with the knobs is because those are cocobolo. It's a collage of parts to be used on different builds. I don't yet have the maple rings I plan to use. Same with the hardware: I'll use gold plated in the final assembly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ihocky2 Posted May 1, 2009 Report Share Posted May 1, 2009 Very nice work, and I'll agree on the binding. That looks killer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Six String Theory Posted May 2, 2009 Report Share Posted May 2, 2009 I find that using bore oil on Rosewood reduces the dryness and makes the wood grain stand out more. Nice build. Beautiful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stereordinary Posted May 2, 2009 Report Share Posted May 2, 2009 Wow. It all looks really nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feral_smurf Posted May 2, 2009 Report Share Posted May 2, 2009 that looks so nice. I would be so happy if my build can turn out like that. You are definitely a craftsman blackdog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SD83 Posted May 2, 2009 Report Share Posted May 2, 2009 Wow! I think this is the first time I ever see a fretboard binding that looks great to me. I'm not a big fan of bindings at all, but this one is just beautiful. Just like the entire instrument Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verhoevenc Posted May 2, 2009 Report Share Posted May 2, 2009 What carve method are you using? Angle grinder or planes? Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackdog Posted May 2, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 2, 2009 Thanks for the nice words, people. I like how it's coming. What carve method are you using? Angle grinder or planes? Chris I used to employ the angle grinder and scrapers for the top carving. And a sanding flap attachment for the drill that is just great for shaping concave surfaces like the lower cutaway scoop and the belly carve. It is also fantastic for shaping the heel and the neck-to-headstock/volute area. But the big problem with these is the amazing generation and liberal distribution of tons of powder-fine sawdust !!! For this build I started with the angle grinder, but quickly went to do the rough wood removal by other methods, like a couple of god rasps, the good old chisels, and 40 and 60 grit sandpaper on cork blocks. Then the sanding flap attachment just to finish the shapes and the scrapers for the final touches. In this way I've been able to cut the dust problem to a fraction of what it used to be. It's slower, but there's also less risk of removing too much by accident. I think I'm going to adopt this alternate method, the final results are equally good. Or maybe buy a CNC mahine... But no planes for the carving. I don't have any of these violin maker planes. Maybe I should try them... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verhoevenc Posted May 2, 2009 Report Share Posted May 2, 2009 I've always been fearful of angle grinder carving... I juse think I'd go too far . I'm a big fan of... obviously since I did that video tutorial on it... routing out the topography and then attacking it with planes. I would however need to get some smaller planes or a good french-curve scraper to do that depth of recurve ala PRS like you do... but I'm more into the jazz archtop style carve right now... but who knows what the future will hold? Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackdog Posted June 22, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2009 We finally managed to find the time for the 12th fret and TRC inlays. So I could fret the board. When I planed the back of the headstock it ended up a bit too thin, so I made up some thickness by adding a relatively thick faceplate (3mm). This meant that a 2.5mm TRC would conflict with the strings coming out of the nut towards the tuners. So the TRC was recessed into the faceplate for this one. I like the looks, maybe I'll keep on doing this in the future. Now the rather complex inlay on the top remains to be done. After that is pore filling, final sanding and finish. Let's see how nice the top of this one looks under a finish. I have some more of this sapele, I may build me a singlecut sister to this one. I'm thinking IRW neck, 22 frets and P90/HB combo, with a similar fretboard and related inlay designs... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaycee Posted June 22, 2009 Report Share Posted June 22, 2009 Wow! I think this is the first time I ever see a fretboard binding that looks great to me. I'm not a big fan of bindings at all, but this one is just beautiful. Just like the entire instrument Yup this is one handsome guitar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrkIncGuitars Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 I agree not a huge fan of binding but it looks nice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cam Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 wow that looks really nice! Do you think a spokeshave would be capable of doing that carve (besides inside the horns)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackdog Posted June 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 wow that looks really nice! Do you think a spokeshave would be capable of doing that carve (besides inside the horns)? I never tried with a spokeshave. As a matter of fact I don't have one... I always removed the bulk of the wood with an angle grinder with a sandpaper disk (with this one I also used flat and rounded chisels, the angle grinder is annoyingly dirty !!) and then used scrapers. For a wood soft as this one a cork block with grit 60 sandpaper also proved very handy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geo Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 A spokeshave is great for roughing out a neck, but I don't know how it would handle that concave carve. The guitar is BEAUTIFUL!!!! I always enjoy drooling over your guitars, blackdog!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skullsession Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 (edited) This is just a beauty! Edited June 23, 2009 by Skullsession Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kully Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 I never tried with a spokeshave. As a matter of fact I don't have one... they are a really satisfying tool to use and its really easy to pick up a good secondhand old one from swapmeets and small weekend markets cheap and geo if you use a convex not a flat blade it would to it a breaze Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geo Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 and geo if you use a convex not a flat blade it would to it a breaze Doh! Need to get me one o' thems! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddiewarlock Posted June 24, 2009 Report Share Posted June 24, 2009 How do you do to leave that flat edge around the carved top?? I meant, how to make it look that clean?? I tried that on my PRS and Caparison projects and couldn't do it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cam Posted June 25, 2009 Report Share Posted June 25, 2009 I never tried with a spokeshave. As a matter of fact I don't have one... they are a really satisfying tool to use and its really easy to pick up a good secondhand old one from swapmeets and small weekend markets cheap and geo if you use a convex not a flat blade it would to it a breaze Are you saying this carve could be achieved with a spokeshave? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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