Gibson Carve

[padbug]

On my first build I'm essentialy drawing around my les paul. Funds being what they are the parts (particularly the bridge) are not all they could be, and I would at some point like to replace the stop tail with a bigsby (assuming the final build is of the quality). Regarding the top carve, so a bigsby would fit, are there any templates available to keep mine as close to the gibson carve as possible?

[killemall8]

Templates for a carve????

[verhoevenc]

If Bigsbys were made so that they only fit on one guitar, one carve type, and it had to be THAT exacting... Bigsby wouldn't stay in business that long. Hahahah.

Chris

[padbug]

Templates for a carve????

Well.... yeah

The technique I've seen used most, and the one I will use, is to use a router to carve 'steps' into the face of the instrument, and then carve smooth. I didn't think a template for doing so would be that outlandish an idea. You wouldn't route anything else without one.

[verhoevenc]

Yes, because when you route, that's often pretty dang close to your final shape. In this instance, that's not so true. You still have a TON of carving to do after routing the steps in. I use the method you're referring to, just with a safe-t-planer instead of a router, and I just guess-timate the steps. And then carve to taste. These are not exacting ledges. In fact, you don't want them to be. You want them to give you a general idea of where the carve is going to help visualize, and also to save you time with material removal. If they were exacting, by the time you've smoothed everything out, chances are most people will have gone too far.

Chris

[SMellmo]

This may help.

http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/luthiers-c...3a-3b-body.html