Campylobacter Posted August 16, 2011 Report Share Posted August 16, 2011 Hai guise, another long-time lurker here! Finally had the time and resources to start my first build (I've had these woods waiting from 2007 I guess). I'll update my progress and ask for pointers when I manage to screw something up. Without further ado here are the specs for this one: - Thin (~35mm) singlecut mahogany body / bubinga top. - Bolt-on wenge neck / cocobolo fretboard / 25.5" scale / 24 frets. - Gotoh hardware / Calibrated BKP Cold Sweat humbuckers (camo). - Killswitch volume / Coil-split tone / 3-way switch. I've got some work done already - fretboard slotted, neck scarfed, body woods glued up and tomorrow I'll start roughing up the body. More pictures can be found and will be added here. Any feedback and tips are more than welcome for this newbie, thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jessejames Posted August 17, 2011 Report Share Posted August 17, 2011 Will you be calling this build the "jejuni"?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted August 17, 2011 Report Share Posted August 17, 2011 That fingerboard's got some great color. Love the wood choices on this build. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Campylobacter Posted August 17, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2011 Will you be calling this build the "jejuni"?? Thanks MikeD! I also have a cocobolo veneer for the headstock but I'm not really liking the color on it. Too bad I already planed the headstock to 12 mm, I wonder if that's too thin for a headstock..? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Campylobacter Posted August 17, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2011 Some work done on the body. I don't have a bandsaw or a belt sander so shaping the body was a real pain in the buttocks. I only had a jigsaw that didn't cut straight, a rasp and a router, but overall I'm pretty satisfied with it. Still helluva sanding to do obviously, but I wiped it with a damp cloth to raise the grain and show the figure. I'm not 100% sure if I want a tummy cut or other contouring on the body, any opinions? More pics from my Picasa folder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted August 17, 2011 Report Share Posted August 17, 2011 My personal preference is full carve front and back......but that's just me. SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Campylobacter Posted August 17, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2011 My personal preference is full carve front and back......but that's just me. Haha, I think I'll keep it clean and simple for the first one. Maybe a small elbow contour would make it more comfortable now when I think of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Campylobacter Posted August 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2011 A quick update. The neck is still waiting to be cut to size and shaped, but I already drilled the tuner holes. I managed to break three of the mounting screws in the headstock (don't ask me why...) and had to dig them out with a sharp blade, so some more patching up to do before final assembly. Apart from the neck pocket all routing is done on the body, though I have to deepen the pickup holes a bit. The control cavity is mostly done freehand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xadioriderx Posted August 26, 2011 Report Share Posted August 26, 2011 very interesting body shape, looks neat! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Campylobacter Posted January 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2012 Progress at last. Messed up the neck pocket, maybe I'll fill the gaps with bubinga veneer... Shall this be my first and last build without a bearing router bit and a proper template. Next weekend I'll hammer in the frets, insert the bridge and string her up for the first time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Our Souls inc. Posted January 9, 2012 Report Share Posted January 9, 2012 I think you did great for the tools you are using. Very neat design too. Don't give up yet- find what frustrated you here on this build and recognize the things you need to improve. Router control is a learned process, patience and shallow passes are the keys. I don't use templates for anything , and the earlier stuff definitely had worse looking routs !! I think what I'm getting at is this : Templates don't equal perfection. I've seen numerous horror stories on here about templates slipping, bearings drifting/ breaking/ tearout, etc. Just refining your weaknesses will make you a better builder, a task I am still working on myself. I think its a great guitar you've made here. Keep at it and youll really knock em out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Campylobacter Posted January 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2012 I think you did great for the tools you are using. Very neat design too. Don't give up yet- find what frustrated you here on this build and recognize the things you need to improve. Router control is a learned process, patience and shallow passes are the keys. I don't use templates for anything , and the earlier stuff definitely had worse looking routs !! I think what I'm getting at is this : Templates don't equal perfection. I've seen numerous horror stories on here about templates slipping, bearings drifting/ breaking/ tearout, etc. Just refining your weaknesses will make you a better builder, a task I am still working on myself. I think its a great guitar you've made here. Keep at it and youll really knock em out. Thanks for your kind words and support! After all I'm happy with the guitar if I can get it in tune. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted January 10, 2012 Report Share Posted January 10, 2012 Oh hai! That first picture is indeed showing a very very attractive fingerboard. Somewhat reminiscent of Bocote. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Campylobacter Posted January 16, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2012 A few more frets, final sanding and I'm ready to start rubbing some Danish oil on her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juntunen Guitars Posted January 18, 2012 Report Share Posted January 18, 2012 Danish oil is amazing stuff, I used it on a walnut body once and it came out looking really nice. I use it on fingerboards now. That cocobolo looks great too, I'm putting one like that on my padauk acoustic build. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Campylobacter Posted January 18, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2012 Danish oil is amazing stuff, I used it on a walnut body once and it came out looking really nice. I use it on fingerboards now. That cocobolo looks great too, I'm putting one like that on my padauk acoustic build. How did you apply the oil and how many times you did it? I thought I'd rub on the oil, let it be for a while and wipe off the excess. Then repeat as many times I see necessary. BTW which part of Finland is your family from? I know one Juntunen here in Northern Ostrobothnia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted January 18, 2012 Report Share Posted January 18, 2012 I thought I'd rub on the oil, let it be for a while and wipe off the excess. Then repeat as many times I see necessary. that will do it. its also quite nice if after doing an initial coat you let the oil dry for 24 hours. Then you wet-sand with the oil and fine wet & dry paper. then buff off all the horrible gunk that creates. start at 600 grit and repeat the process up to about 1500 grit very nice as it is, and also good with a coat or two of briwax rubbed in with very fine wire wool and buffed off with a soft cloth for a little more of a long term sheen these steps will take it past the ordinary oiled finish into something really great, really smooth, really tactile Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Campylobacter Posted January 18, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2012 that will do it. its also quite nice if after doing an initial coat you let the oil dry for 24 hours. Then you wet-sand with the oil and fine wet & dry paper. then buff off all the horrible gunk that creates. start at 600 grit and repeat the process up to about 1500 grit very nice as it is, and also good with a coat or two of briwax rubbed in with very fine wire wool and buffed off with a soft cloth for a little more of a long term sheen these steps will take it past the ordinary oiled finish into something really great, really smooth, really tactile Thanks for the tip, I'll keep that in mind! Have you tried or had any luck with plain beeswax? It just so happens that my parents are "part-time beekeepers" so I have pretty much unlimited access to beeswax. After initial coating and 24 hours of drying I wet sand the body with Danish Oil, melt down some beeswax and rub it on with #0000 steel wool, am I right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted January 19, 2012 Report Share Posted January 19, 2012 Thanks for the tip, I'll keep that in mind! Have you tried or had any luck with plain beeswax? It just so happens that my parents are "part-time beekeepers" so I have pretty much unlimited access to beeswax. After initial coating and 24 hours of drying I wet sand the body with Danish Oil, melt down some beeswax and rub it on with #0000 steel wool, am I right? i have not tried plain beeswax, must be some recipes for prepared beeswax somewhere ( like the musicman one*). tbh you cant really go too wrong as long as you are following some rubbing and buffing ritual i would leave 24 hours between each stage for the best results *inital coat of oil, leave 20 mins, wipe of excess leave. leave 24 hours *wet sanding with oil 600-1500grit. wipe off all oil between grits then buff and leave 24 hours *prepared wax, rubbed in with fine wire wool for a good long time, buffed off with a soft cloth. repeat as needed ... *the musicman one is a 1" cube of raw wax gently melted into a pint of lemon oil. nice on maple, not tried it on others Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pauliemc Posted January 19, 2012 Report Share Posted January 19, 2012 Wez is bang on the money with the 24 hours between coats thing. I do the same, except that I apply the first coat with a clean rag & all the additional coats with fine wire wool. I usualy apply 6-8 coats of oil. Wait an additional 48 hours & then use a wax over it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Campylobacter Posted January 19, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2012 Thanks for the walkthrough guys! I think I'll only add oil on the body and try the wax procedure on scrap wood first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bukoffsky Posted January 19, 2012 Report Share Posted January 19, 2012 Super Smooth Oil Finish This is the approach I have been using. Do not be afraid to do some extra sanding after first or second coat. Any mistakes that you left behind are then visible and easy to repair. And BEFORE waxing, I buff the surface using Armstrong method. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Campylobacter Posted January 30, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2012 First layer of Danish Oil just rubbed on with a rag, next layers will be applied with the waterproof sandpaper. The frets are pretty flat at the moment and it will take me some time to get a crowning file but in the meantime I'll probably start my next builds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Campylobacter Posted February 1, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 1, 2012 More Danish oil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Campylobacter Posted February 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 Okay, now I'm finished with this. The killswitch volume pot still needs a bit work though. More pics again: https://picasaweb.google.com/107342759429480910733/Kitaraprojekti# Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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