kavar57 Posted January 4, 2016 Report Share Posted January 4, 2016 hello just found this site, I have been making my 1st guitar for the last 5 months. Body Zebrano, Neck rosewood, Fretboard macassar ebony. string through, Babicz bridge, brass nut, livewire pickups. I have few tools so it is taking longer then it should lol here are a few pics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kavar57 Posted January 4, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2016 sorry about the double post on the 1st 2 pics, had some problems and I can not seem to edit the post. but looking at all the other builders I feel like am out of my league here lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
killemall8 Posted January 4, 2016 Report Share Posted January 4, 2016 Interesting. you should really get some templates and a router though. Not that expensive and it will clean up a lot of those messy routs and make things a lot easier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kavar57 Posted January 4, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2016 I have a cheep router but no templates, the pickup covers cover up the bad job I did by hand, I plan to go back and fix that when I get better tools Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirspens Posted January 4, 2016 Report Share Posted January 4, 2016 It looks fantastic, if a bit metal for my tastes. How did you cut out the body shape with the tools you have? Did you shape the V in the butt with a file? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kavar57 Posted January 4, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2016 ty, I used a rasp/file to carve the contours, my friend has a drill press and a scroll saw, i did buy a leveling beam to do the frets and I am finishing in tru-oil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted January 4, 2016 Report Share Posted January 4, 2016 I like the carves and the burst. And zebrano loves oil, does it not? SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kavar57 Posted January 4, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2016 yes the zebrano soaks up the oil, the rosewood neck is acting weird, it is staying tacky, it is cold here so that could be the problem. here is a pic of it atm. I am putting on thin coats so it still has a ways to go Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
killemall8 Posted January 4, 2016 Report Share Posted January 4, 2016 Rosewood will probably always have that tacky feeling if you put oil on it. Since it is naturally oily, it doesnt really soak in the oil. It just kind of sits on top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kavar57 Posted January 4, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2016 (edited) would waxing it help? how should I finish it for a smooth feel? Edited January 4, 2016 by kavar57 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
killemall8 Posted January 4, 2016 Report Share Posted January 4, 2016 I dont think waxing it would help. I would probably wipe it down with mineral spirits so that it takes all the extra oil off. Then just buff it with 2000 grit sandpaper to smooth it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted January 4, 2016 Report Share Posted January 4, 2016 Outstandingly good for a first build. I'll be really interested how this progresses Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris Posted January 5, 2016 Report Share Posted January 5, 2016 Great job for a first build. I love the body shape Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kavar57 Posted January 5, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2016 thanks, the body shape started out as a mocking bird, I always liked how it was comfortable to play sitting down the rest took me about 3 hours to come up with. Winter just showed up so it is slowing the finishing, and now I must find out how to wire it all together, never have done any wiring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirspens Posted January 5, 2016 Report Share Posted January 5, 2016 @kavar57, Seymour Duncan has some pretty good blog posts on wiring, starting with the basics of how it works, up through interesting wiring concepts: http://www.seymourduncan.com/?post_type=post&s=GUITAR+WIRING Scroll down to the bottom for the earliest blogs on simple wiring schemes. Other than that, it looks like you are doing a "Les Paul" type wiring. Google image search returns a lot of different options for wiring that kind of set-up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted January 5, 2016 Report Share Posted January 5, 2016 Welcome onboard! Zebrano sucks up oil happily because it has a large open pore structure. Rosewood doesn't need a finish and works great without one. I'd just wipe off that oil and just keep it buffed with a clean cloth. Great seeing you get to the finishing line! That's always a great thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kavar57 Posted January 5, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2016 yes there is something about putting on finish that makes your smile :). and I want to do 2 volumes and I have 2 preamps, also was thinking about doing a 9v/18v switch, here they are and what I found. one is just like a super tone control, the distortion one is there for fun and it has a booster too (I also play rocksmith and with good pickups the distortion never sounds just right so I thought something to give it a little help would be nice) they both have the 4 hook ups out, ground, in , and battery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kavar57 Posted January 5, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2016 edit: I don't like how 3+ way switches look on a guitar, so would like to not use one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirspens Posted January 6, 2016 Report Share Posted January 6, 2016 (edited) 19 hours ago, kavar57 said: edit: I don't like how 3+ way switches look on a guitar, so would like to not use one. If you want to keep the look of the classic three-way selector switch, but have more options, there are such switches: http://www.stewmac.com/Pickups_and_Electronics/Components_and_Parts/Switches/Free-Way_Pickup_Switch.html Edited January 6, 2016 by sirspens Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kavar57 Posted January 6, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2016 1 hour ago, sirspens said: If you want to keep the look of the classic three-way selector switch, but have more options, there are such switches thanks, but that was my bad for being a little unclear, I would like no switch at all, can I do that with active pickups by using a j bass wiring? and how would I need to set it up? the 2 volumes - to the tone preamp - to the distortion - to the jack? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirspens Posted January 6, 2016 Report Share Posted January 6, 2016 2 minutes ago, kavar57 said: thanks, but that was my bad for being a little unclear, I would like no switch at all, can I do that with active pickups by using a j bass wiring? and how would I need to set it up? the 2 volumes - to the tone preamp - to the distortion - to the jack? I'm no expert on this, and I know nothing about active pickups, but... You can control the pickups with push-pull knobs, but if you have a situation where both pickups are turned off, I'm not sure what that would do. You might get a pop as they go off, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kavar57 Posted January 6, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2016 hmm well they use weird pots 1 t O so I don't know if I could find push pull pots Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curtisa Posted January 6, 2016 Report Share Posted January 6, 2016 J-bass wiring with active pickups will work fine provided you use the lower-impedance pots (25K ohm) that are usually included with the active pickups. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted January 11, 2016 Report Share Posted January 11, 2016 I'm not sure if it is strictly true that you *have* to use lower value pots for active. I know it defeats the purpose of a low impedance output in many respects and you certainly can't load a passive circuit with those low values. Not trying to muddy the waters here though. I don't think that a 9v/18v switch would achieve anything useful in principle. All the higher operating voltage does is to increase the signal headroom within the circuit, and even with a 9v supply you'll have trouble clanging against the rails. By all means go for an 18v supply if that will work, but switching between the two will have negligible effect, if any at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted January 11, 2016 Report Share Posted January 11, 2016 I might be misunderstanding the purpose of the 9/18v switching of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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