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Limba 6 Multiscale Filter'Tron


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No more stalling. The title says most of it, but a few pictures should fill in the blanks.
 
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White Limba, Padauk, Wenge, Hipshot stuff, single TV Jones Filter'Tron Classic Plus, 628mm ~ 648mm Multiscale (approximately Gibson to Fender)
Edited by charisjapan
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A few bits came today.  Was really pleased that the Hipshot knobs were shiny chrome instead of the pictured (on my supplier's website) satin finish.
 
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Tropical Fish and a shiny chrome jack!
 
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Don't know if anyone noticed, but I had to special order the Hipshot multiscale bridge, but they didn't have shiny chrome, so I ordered black, then bought a shiny chrome standard 6-string bridge locally and will switch the screws and saddles to connect with the TV Jones pickup black/chrome.  I am considering getting a set of black Hipshot tuners and switch parts to get that same motif on the Mt.Fuji headstock.
 
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:peace
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I made a body template a while back, but after looking at it more critically, think I need to widen the lower bout a bit ... maybe 10~15mm.  I kind of like the horns as they are ... their shape has a very specific reason.  As you can see, I have a bit of room on this blank to play with.  Will probably make a larger template, and keep this one "in reserve."  Next design decision is either a big roundover like the basses, or maybe some bevels ... but not as much as an SG.
 
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Neck is coming along.  The padauk is quite nearly enough for two necks if I use wings ... but I can't do that for Mt.Fuji!  Maybe I'll cut that side off and make a "Winter Mt.Fuji" headstock with a scarf joint?! :)
 
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By the way, since this is a single pickup guitar, and I don't want to mess with a scratchplate to hide a long tenon, this will be a bolt-on neck.
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The bridges switched out, and why.
 
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Made a neck template so I can start to imagine what I'm doing.  I got a pair of Stew-Mac rasps, and they even work on MDF ... which clogs up any other rasp with two swipes.  I can get 10-15 swipes, then just tap it a bit and unclogged.  Also, trying to ruin the bearings on my drill press, but they are still tight.  Just kidding, but have decided to pop for an inexpensive spindle sander.
 
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And all together ...
 
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10 hours ago, ScottR said:

Excellent call.

SR

Thanks, Scott!

I am seriously considering getting a set of black Hipshot tuners and juggling the pieces, too ... especially if I can figure out a way to remove the locking knob (tiny hex?).

Of course, by doing this, I am setting myself up for another build using Filter'Trons ... my supplier has the Brian Setzer set in stock.  Hmmm ...

 

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Did you re-do the template? I don't notice the lower horn width on the most recent pictures...

I vote for beveling the body instead of rounding it over. The angles of the multi-scale need some company. 

I cant wait to see this come together. You have until mid July. No pressure! :)

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4 hours ago, a2k said:

Did you re-do the template? I don't notice the lower horn width on the most recent pictures...

I vote for beveling the body instead of rounding it over. The angles of the multi-scale need some company. 

I cant wait to see this come together. You have until mid July. No pressure! :)

Na~h! Not feeling any pressure whatsoever. ;)

I haven't made the new template yet, but pretty sure to give it an extra 10mm, which would be the same as a LP, then accent bevels in the both front waists and forearm bout.  Finally, a medium tummy cut, then the rest a generous radius like the Chinaberries.  If I can pull off the transitions, it should keep the basic shape, but the flat top will look a bit slimmer-waisted and a bit more of a "forward slant" to draw attention to the fan-frets.

... if that makes any sense?  I am not much of an artist, but pencil-shading my outline seems to work.  I like the horns ... reminds me of Beaujolais' snout! :D

 

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After a bit of juggling, and realizing that the Padauk part of the headstock only goes as far as the Limba "snowcap." I think I can get two necks out of this!  One for this build, and another Mt. Fuji with 228mm (Gibson) scale normal frets (24). :thumb:

 
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Padauk and Wenge are my 2 favorite neck woods....  Limba is one of my all time favorite body woods (although I prefer the black stuff)....

Multiscale... cool balls...

uh ooh.....  **WARNING**  **WARNING**....  JEALOUSY REACHING CRITICAL MASS!!!!! 

WHY YOU DO THIS TO ME?!?!?!?!

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10 hours ago, Jdogg said:

Padauk and Wenge are my 2 favorite neck woods....  Limba is one of my all time favorite body woods (although I prefer the black stuff)....

Multiscale... cool balls...

uh ooh.....  **WARNING**  **WARNING**....  JEALOUSY REACHING CRITICAL MASS!!!!! 

WHY YOU DO THIS TO ME?!?!?!?!

Why?  'Cuz I'm in Japan, and feel safe. :D

I really want to get my hands on some Black Limba, but have never even seen it available here.  I know it's not considered a terribly expensive wood, but shipping to Japan would put it into old-growth Honduran Mahogany territory. (which, strangely enough, I CAN get here!) Japan just doesn't have enough guitar builders to make the import of common wood.  Ash and Alder are available, but incredibly expensive.

Thanks for looking, and don't drool-short your keyboard! 

Cheers!

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13 minutes ago, charisjapan said:

Japan just doesn't have enough guitar builders to make the import of common wood. 

I need to introduce you to my wood guy in shinkiba. He might be able to get you some more options. And he plays bass. 

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1 minute ago, a2k said:

I need to introduce you to my wood guy in shinkiba. He might be able to get you some more options. And he plays bass. 

Next week?

:huh:

Btw, tomorrow I practice with Chinaberry Two for Sunday gig ... Yay!  (and hope to find out if I can hear any difference by changing the tone cap)

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Trying to keep some momentum ... in answer to a2k, this is the slightly enlarged lower bout, hard to see, but 15mm wider and 8mm deeper.  The waist/horns are unchanged.  Not much of an artist, but an idea for some bevels, along with a medium sized tummy cut on the back. The rest will be the same large radius roundover as the Chinaberries.  Really hoping I can pull off a nice transition ... the bevels will be smooth-edged, not sharp.  The idea is to keep the basic shape, but make the flat surface a little more "skinny-waisted" and "forward-leaning" (Jazzmaster?) to accent the multiscale neck.
 
Please, anyone with ideas, bring them on! 
 
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ultimately it is your call- but kudos in drawing it out. I think without a top wood on this the "effect" the amount of beveling has visually is less pronounced than if there was a top (contrasting color) wood. question then is how deep to go.

and if you are worried about too much bevel- you could always slap together some cheap wood (yellow pine here in the southern US is dirt cheap)- and I am talking about rough 2x4s- literally- no need to be super neat- slap it together- glue them together-(mdf could be used if its affordable)-  cut out the shape- and then start the beveling process on that- taking pictures at different stages and depth of beveling- ultimately getting to where you may think there is too much-along the way you have a life size body you can plop in your lap and see how it "feels"- and compare the pics and you will know immediately what you want (I think) before cutting into that limba.

I did that once when a 2d picture didnt quite cut it for me- and I was unsure how to go about rasping out a scroll horn (carl thompson copy)- and for $4 and a little bit of time- -I saved messing up my nice wood. And I did mess up the scroll the first time on that pine-made it too thin-  but that whole process  let me figure out how to go about what I needed to do. And it only cost a couple dollars and a day and a half "of time"- I glued up the day prior- rough cut on the bandsaw the next day- only getting very close to pencil line and not worrying about getting it perfect- and then started rasping away.

just my 2 cents since you asked. 

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17 minutes ago, Mr Natural said:

just my 2 cents since you asked. 

... and your advice greatly appreciated!  I was about to cut the Limba today, then came to the same conclusion ... will go digging in the woodpile tomorrow and see if I can glue up something.  It'll only be 38mm, but if I like it, might make an SPF guitar someday! 

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On 6/9/2017 at 9:30 AM, charisjapan said:

Next week?

:huh:

Btw, tomorrow I practice with Chinaberry Two for Sunday gig ... Yay!  (and hope to find out if I can hear any difference by changing the tone cap)

Hey! A family emergency has taken me back to the states. I'll be back on Wednesday, but on Friday we are heading to Hokkaido. Let's find time for a Shinkiba field trip as soon as I get back to a normal schedule. Besides the wood wholesaler that I've been buying from, there's also a retail store that has the most mind blowing selection of exotic figured woods to check out (look at the pics at the bottom of this post).

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1 hour ago, a2k said:

Hey! A family emergency has taken me back to the states. I'll be back on Wednesday, but on Friday we are heading to Hokkaido. Let's find time for a Shinkiba field trip as soon as I get back to a normal schedule. Besides the wood wholesaler that I've been buying from, there's also a retail store that has the most mind blowing selection of exotic figured woods to check out (look at the pics at the bottom of this post).

Hope all is well, please take care!

Any time that's good for you, well take that trip to Shinkiba!  (apparently, I am going to have to save up some cash for this!!)

:wOOt

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Busy weekend on the home front.
 
Got a little work done today, making the new template.  I like the new one a lot, a bit fuller, better balance, IMHO.  Also, (finally!) got a spindle sander!  I love it!!  It came only with #60 drums, but  the #120 and #240 drums came late in the day. 
 
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Yesterday, I cut up a few old 2X6 ... REALLY old!  These were from the skids of the small cargo box I send from Pittsburgh to Japan 30 years ago.  That box was dismantled and used for all kinds of things, the 2X6s became a lectern that I used for 25 years.  It got so wobbly, I retired and dismantled it, the legs were kind of warped and beat up.  Great for a practice body blank!  I used my router table as a jointer, and it glued up nicely.  Now that it looks like a guitar, I might just ... make a guitar!
 
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EXCELLENT recycling!!

now you can take it a step further and even answer your own inquiry on pickup position if you route out a channel just past where bridge starts and before neck ends at body-make it deep and wide enough to where you could slide a pick up back and forth along it- direct mount the pickup- you could slap some hardware on there and the neck when you are done making it- and move the pickup back and forth and find your sweet spot before routing the limba.

or not.

MT FUJI!! 

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11 minutes ago, Mr Natural said:

EXCELLENT recycling!!

now you can take it a step further and even answer your own inquiry on pickup position if you route out a channel just past where bridge starts and before neck ends at body-make it deep and wide enough to where you could slide a pick up back and forth along it- direct mount the pickup- you could slap some hardware on there and the neck when you are done making it- and move the pickup back and forth and find your sweet spot before routing the limba.

or not.

MT FUJI!! 

Better idea ... if I put the pickup on rails, I could infinitely adjust it!

Even better idea ... make a lever adjustment like a whammy bar that I can move while playing!!

Or ...  :hyper

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