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Next set of guitars...The RevCasters


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Getting ready to do the next set of guitars. While I was out on tour The Rev from the band Success played one of my basses and ordered a set of teles with some mods ...

So here are the common wants no pick guards , one single coil , set necks, one volume no tone from there he let me have some freedom.

Rev caster one

Poplar body with maple top

Purpleheart /maple neck with maple fretboard

Revcaster  two

One piece Jatoba body

maple / jatoba neck with a jatoba fretboard

 

But first we need to do a little design work First step we need that Classic tele shape but my own . We started with a hard board, cut out on the band saw and smoothed the curves by hand and with the spindle sander.  After the happiness was achieved to 1/2" MDF board we go. Along with a dedicated centerline and hidden pattern mountng spots. I use alot of two way tape in my guitars but if I screw to a body I can change templates and reattch them as needed so if you can find a spot to hide a screw hole go for it.

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Now I needed a headstock shape. So armed with a ruler and some tape rolls and jar lids to make curves this is what we got.

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Tape the headstock right to the MDF and draw out the neck with the center line. This cut out on the band saw. I cut out the main neck length with a 1" blade which makes it very easy to hold a nice straight cut with out those band saw marks.

Side note though i have all these nice work surfaces and here i work on the damn garbage can.

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Here it all is all together

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All center lines should line up (seriously they mean everything)

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1 hour ago, guitar2005 said:

Nice take on the tele. 

For #2, I would strongly suggest you reconsider the Jatoba neck and body. For having used Jatoba extensively, it is very heavy and dense. I would do a Jatoba top but never an entire body. 

 

I was worried about the weight since one time I made a 335 style body out of it and and even hallowed out it was almost 11.5 pounds total. But i called the guy and he looking for something "beefy" and feels like you ave a guitar on. So he is getting what he wished for hahaha

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3 hours ago, Prostheta said:

I'd like to do some tests on what Jatoba is like as part of a set of neck laminations. I've had excellent results from Wengé, Bubinga and other stiff woods so this would make an interesting comparison.

I have used them in several builds (all 5 part laminations) and have had great results. No twisting or tuning issues.

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Next we have some wood selection... I have had this one piece Jatoba I have been dying to use. Its just big enough for 2 bodies

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I cut out the bodies on a combo of the 14" band saw with a 3/16" blade to rough it out and then on to the shaper with Heilx byrd cutting head

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Poplar and maple top

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I tend to make neck blanks in bulk just cause it is much easier and I like to have a selection when needed

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I settled on one with purpleheart and one jatoba and these both got the same treatment of the small band saw and shaper

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2 hours ago, Prostheta said:

Sequential carbide helix cutters are a thing of beauty. They lower current consumption, are quieter, reduce chatter and kill tearout. You owe us some cutter porn dude.

Than cutter porn shall be had!

I picked up this beauty used for $250 for the 3HP model

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I bought the cutter and bearing new from Shellix for around $200 but this thing cuts like butter all most tearout even on the Jatoba

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i Had to remove some of the steel dust control shroud to fit some of the tight curves I needed to do

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Moving on to finger boards. I took piece 5/4 flame maple stock and butterflied it to find a great finger board. I used a 17" band saw with 1" resaw blade to split these.

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Then on to the most hellacious part of guitar building... radiusing the fretboard. It is a grulling tast that you feel in your shoulders . I tend to do it for a few minutes move on to something else. then come back do some more.

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I slotted the fret boards next on a dedicated old dewalt radial armsaw and then back to the shaper again and trim out the fret boards. Now lets see em roughed together

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After the test fits I marked out the centers for the side and top dots. For the side dot I use aluminum which shines up nice for dark stages. Why 3 dots at the 12th fret...why not

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The top dot will be maple and purpleheart

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On 12/20/2015 at 1:53 AM, XBIGJIMX said:

Then on to the most hellacious part of guitar building... radiusing the fretboard. It is a grulling tast that you feel in your shoulders . I tend to do it for a few minutes move on to something else. then come back do some more.

I thought it was just me!  It's the part of a build I dislike the most, even though it is far from the hardest or lenghtiest...

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  • 2 weeks later...

I've made several one piece jatoba necks and love them for feel and sound. I remember NotYou building a guitar with a jatoba top that sold quickly on DAG. Perhaps helped by the great video that showcased an awesome bluesy sound. Of course the Bare Knuckle pups get the majority of the credit for that sound, but the jatoba didn't hurt it none!

SR

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