tim290280 Posted May 14, 2009 Report Share Posted May 14, 2009 (edited) Hi everyone. I've finally gotten all the parts together for my first build and will finally have the free time to start! So with that it is time to start a build thread A bit of background first. I decided to build a guitar after I bought my brother a Les Paul in the USA (bought myself a Martin ) and battled to find one of equivilent quality in stores for myself. It lead me to question how these guitar thingys were made and lead me to places like here and Woodworking forums. Didn't take much to convince me to have a go myself. Now I have very little woodworking experience. I am half way through building my first project, a bookcase for my fiance, and have been collecting the tools and having a play. I did, however, grow up on a farm and have plenty of experience making stuff and using tools. I think the main difference between that experience and luthiery is that this will require a level of precision and skill that is more detailed than that which can be finessed with an axe and a judicious placement of force. So onto the stats for this build: Body - Tassie Blackwood Neck - Tassie Myrtle Fret board - Ebony Scale - 25" (preslotted) Frets - Jumbo Hardware - Chrome Bridge - Hipshot fixed string thru body Tuners - Gotoh Pickups - JB/Jazz combo Wiring - three way selector with coil splits from push/pull Truss rod - Gotoh two-way Nut - Earvana compensated I can thoroughly recommend the three suppliers I have used thus far: Australian Tonewoods - Tim was great to deal with. Australian Luthier Supplies - Sent me the wrong "push/pull" (wanted push/push) but made up for it with extra fret wire. Guitar Parts Depot - Cheapest source I've seen for Earvana and Hipshot. Edited May 14, 2009 by tim290280 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Metalhead28 Posted May 14, 2009 Report Share Posted May 14, 2009 Nice looking wood. Good luck with the first build. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quarter Posted May 14, 2009 Report Share Posted May 14, 2009 Thats going to look sharp ... love Aussie woods Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tim290280 Posted May 14, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 14, 2009 Nice looking wood. Good luck with the first build. Thanks metalhead. I've been following your builds on here and UM, I'm hoping I've learnt something from you. Thats going to look sharp ... love Aussie woods It was really a no-brainer to go Aussie. Guess it is my patriotic streak Couple of the possible body shapes I'm going to do a mock-up of: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Sorbera Posted May 14, 2009 Report Share Posted May 14, 2009 The first body shape for sure. That's an awesome piece of wood. BTW, are your toenails painted? Not judging... just asking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avdekan Posted May 14, 2009 Report Share Posted May 14, 2009 I think the first body shape is far better, anthough I would widen the bottom angle of the lower horn a bit so because it looks too square as it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJE-Guitars Posted May 15, 2009 Report Share Posted May 15, 2009 Ok . . . I give up . . I've seen many pieces of Tassie Blackwood on here . . . but it's is neither remotely black and neither is the grain! So why is it called blackwood?!?! Some nice looking timber though and definately the first design - though I'd make the top back curve smoother so it flows into middle cut slight more (much like the bottom one does) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted May 15, 2009 Report Share Posted May 15, 2009 well i would definatly say the second shape, but then i am making this and just sold this so maybe i am biased Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buter Posted May 15, 2009 Report Share Posted May 15, 2009 I'm not biased. Shape #2 Buter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tim290280 Posted May 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 15, 2009 The first body shape for sure. That's an awesome piece of wood. BTW, are your toenails painted? Not judging... just asking. Nah just the light reflecting off my pale skin. Need to be covered in some wood dust! I think the first body shape is far better, anthough I would widen the bottom angle of the lower horn a bit so because it looks too square as it is. Sorry, do you mean like the pic on the left or the right? Or something else completely? Ok . . . I give up . . I've seen many pieces of Tassie Blackwood on here . . . but it's is neither remotely black and neither is the grain! So why is it called blackwood?!?! Some nice looking timber though and definately the first design - though I'd make the top back curve smoother so it flows into middle cut slight more (much like the bottom one does) Well I'm not sure why it is called that, but I think that it may have something to do with where the original stands were found (Blackwood swamps in Tasmania). And I see what you mean. Try and follow the natural pattern with the shape just that little bit more. I'll have a play with my pathetic photoshop skills when I make the templates. well i would definatly say the second shape, but then i am making this so maybe i am biased I thought I was going to have a quorum until you chipped in Although those two do have a fair bit of sway in swinging the vote I'm not biased. Shape #2 Buter So 3 to 2 then Thanks for the feedback guys. I'll take some photos this weekend and see how it looks with the bridge and board on it. A rough mock-up of what I want to do with the headstock. Basically the volute will have a shaping down into the centre of the headstock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cam Posted May 16, 2009 Report Share Posted May 16, 2009 i like this build, always like an aussie build Did you get the body blank from luthier supplies? SJE Guitars: African Blackwood is more black... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJE-Guitars Posted May 16, 2009 Report Share Posted May 16, 2009 i like this build, always like an aussie build Did you get the body blank from luthier supplies? SJE Guitars: African Blackwood is more black... I know . . . that's my point! Blackwood is usually . . well black in someway or another. I use Burmese Blackwood (well it's actually also called Laos rosewood and is from the Dalbergia family) for fretboards and it has a very black grain. Some cuts of it are have large black spots as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tim290280 Posted May 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2009 (edited) i like this build, always like an aussie build Did you get the body blank from luthier supplies? Thanks Cam. I got the body and neck from Australian Tonewoods (Tim Spittle). Tim has a lot of good stuff as far as I can tell. I know . . . that's my point! Blackwood is usually . . well black in someway or another. I use Burmese Blackwood (well it's actually also called Laos rosewood and is from the Dalbergia family) for fretboards and it has a very black grain. Some cuts of it are have large black spots as well. A lot of the names of the Aussie timbers were defined by the loggers and botanists who were trying to label the timber based on stuff they already knew from other countries. As an example we have a lot of trees labelled "gum trees" that cover all sorts of species and types. Edited May 17, 2009 by tim290280 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cam Posted May 17, 2009 Report Share Posted May 17, 2009 I saw that tim had nothing listed on his site solid body wise so i guessed that he had nothing. Although last time I emailed him he said he was sick and needed to update his site. I'll go ask him Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tim290280 Posted May 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2009 I saw that tim had nothing listed on his site solid body wise so i guessed that he had nothing. Although last time I emailed him he said he was sick and needed to update his site. I'll go ask him Apparently Tim has injured his back and isn't as mobile as he'd like. I'm not sure how badly or how long term the injury is, we can only hope he gets better soon. But that means he hasn't got the site updated and the new site running yet. Just send him an email with a desciption of what you want and he'll be able to tell you whether he has anything that might suit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cam Posted May 17, 2009 Report Share Posted May 17, 2009 yeah, i've been talking to him about necks and tops recently and he had sad that he was unable to update his site. So i'll go and give him an email Great build by the way, i vote the 2nd picture for the body if you haven't already chosen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keegan Posted May 17, 2009 Report Share Posted May 17, 2009 I vote the first body. The second is too big and pointy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cactus Posted May 17, 2009 Report Share Posted May 17, 2009 Well, I'll chip in my vote too: Number 2. But change the headstock to something pointier.. maybe something Caparison-ish, but not as sharp.. ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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