bokchoi77 Posted May 23, 2018 Report Share Posted May 23, 2018 Hey all, I've been a bit of a lurker around here for a while, and I thought I should join up and post my current build in progress. I started on the building road early this year when I got a kit Telecaster from eBay. I'd heard bad things but went ahead and was pleasantly surprised with the kit, and the result I got out of it. Having completed the kit, I decided I'd like to have a go at a full body on my own. I sourced some local woods (Blackheart Sassafrass and Tasmanian Myrtle) and laminated them together. I ran the blank through the thicknesser to get it down to the correct thickness. I've discovered that upon starting my first real build, that I've probably spent $300 on materials, and $2000 on workshop equipment! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bokchoi77 Posted May 23, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2018 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bokchoi77 Posted May 23, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2018 This weekend I finally obtained a Bandsaw, so I got the rough shape cut out and hit the sides with the router to smooth them down. The shape still needs a little work but its certainly getting there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bokchoi77 Posted May 23, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2018 Today was the day I've been most worried about so far, routing the neck pocket. I 3d Printed a template and then transferred that one over to wood. After measuring 1600 times I hit it with the router....... and everything turned out ok! The plan for this guitar is to run with gold hardware, gretcsch style humbuckers and a les paul style switch and volume/tone control layout. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
komodo Posted May 23, 2018 Report Share Posted May 23, 2018 Love that you are using local woods. Love that they are not insanely ornamental (aka sausage quilted maple). Love that natural character the wood has on the front. It already has MOJO! Also - even after you've smashed that guitar on stage, you will still have your bandsaw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted May 23, 2018 Report Share Posted May 23, 2018 Welcome to the forum and nice work so far. It's good to have another member pop up in Tasmania, too. @curtisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted May 23, 2018 Report Share Posted May 23, 2018 ....will be glad to have another member to help him represent. SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted May 23, 2018 Report Share Posted May 23, 2018 Can't believe I missed this one! I've really been digging the seductive simplicity of Teles lately, so seeing others on the boil can only be a good thing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
komodo Posted May 23, 2018 Report Share Posted May 23, 2018 @Prostheta +1 I'll be updating my LP Jr build thread soon - because it turned into a tele. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curtisa Posted May 23, 2018 Report Share Posted May 23, 2018 8 hours ago, ScottR said: Welcome to the forum and nice work so far. It's good to have another member pop up in Tasmania, too. @curtisawill be glad to have another member to help him represent. Brudda! I'm not alone anymore! What Scott said. Maybe your people should call my people and we should do lunch? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bokchoi77 Posted May 24, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 24, 2018 13 hours ago, komodo said: Love that you are using local woods. Love that they are not insanely ornamental (aka sausage quilted maple). Love that natural character the wood has on the front. It already has MOJO! Also - even after you've smashed that guitar on stage, you will still have your bandsaw. Hey thanks man, I kinda avoided the really fancy looking woods for this one, I didn't want a huge investment if I messed it up on the first go! These bits were actually in the 'discount' pile as they were a bit cupped and warped etc... needed some work on the planer. But that's kinda cool too I reckon... 13 hours ago, ScottR said: Welcome to the forum and nice work so far. It's good to have another member pop up in Tasmania, too. @curtisa 13 hours ago, ScottR said: ....will be glad to have another member to help him represent. SR Cheers mate, cool to know there are others down this way! 11 hours ago, Prostheta said: Can't believe I missed this one! I've really been digging the seductive simplicity of Teles lately, so seeing others on the boil can only be a good thing! I thought it was a good one to start with, simple enough to do a great job while learning! Well, thats the theory. 8 hours ago, komodo said: @Prostheta +1 I'll be updating my LP Jr build thread soon - because it turned into a tele. Sounds like a late night movie! 4 hours ago, curtisa said: Brudda! I'm not alone anymore! What Scott said. Maybe your people should call my people and we should do lunch? Cool! I think we should definitely make this happen! I found an early pic of the hardware kinda mocked up: These are LP style pickup rings, I have gold and black ones on order, I'll try the gold ones but I think the black breaks it up nicely. Also have gold input jack, strap buttons and tuners in the parts box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted May 24, 2018 Report Share Posted May 24, 2018 I agree about the black rings. If you go gold, it has to be all in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bokchoi77 Posted May 27, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 27, 2018 On 5/24/2018 at 4:21 PM, Prostheta said: I agree about the black rings. If you go gold, it has to be all in. Yeah I think so too. Currently debating what level of round over to go with, I like a crisp edge but they do look good with a decent round over as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted May 27, 2018 Report Share Posted May 27, 2018 Anything below 4mm and you need to have a perfectly flat top with perpendicular sides to get it consistent with a router. I'd say maybe 4-6mm. Larger and it can look a bit clownshoeish, but it all depends on whether that design aspect complements or detracts from the bigger picture. Give it a few looks, sleep on it and look again. The answer will be forthcoming Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted May 27, 2018 Report Share Posted May 27, 2018 Looking good from over here Welcome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curtisa Posted May 27, 2018 Report Share Posted May 27, 2018 You'll want a roundover of some description on the body. Anything with sharp (ish) edges is just asking for denting or chipping as soon as you look at it. IME a 3mm fillet looks good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted May 28, 2018 Report Share Posted May 28, 2018 Not sure what the edge radius on Ibanez RG/JEMs is, however I suspect that it's in the order of 2-3mm. They dent like hell. A great case for binding though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bokchoi77 Posted May 28, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 28, 2018 15 hours ago, Prostheta said: Not sure what the edge radius on Ibanez RG/JEMs is, however I suspect that it's in the order of 2-3mm. They dent like hell. A great case for binding though. Yeah I'm keen to have a crack at binding, probably next build though. 22 hours ago, curtisa said: You'll want a roundover of some description on the body. Anything with sharp (ish) edges is just asking for denting or chipping as soon as you look at it. IME a 3mm fillet looks good. Oh no... another option! On 5/28/2018 at 1:42 AM, Andyjr1515 said: Looking good from over here Welcome! Thanks mate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curtisa Posted May 28, 2018 Report Share Posted May 28, 2018 48 minutes ago, bokchoi77 said: Oh no... another option! You're building your own guitars Welcome to the world of too many options Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bokchoi77 Posted May 29, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 29, 2018 (edited) Well, got the round over done today, the router gods were on my side and it went well! Edited May 29, 2018 by bokchoi77 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted May 29, 2018 Report Share Posted May 29, 2018 How flat is the top and are the sides perpendicular to it? The roundover seems to have worked fine except there is a bit of variation and what looks like a sharp transition....nothing a bit of sanding can't cure, but it's useful to know how it occurred of course! Nice woods. Nice and rustic-looking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bokchoi77 Posted May 29, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 29, 2018 23 minutes ago, Prostheta said: How flat is the top and are the sides perpendicular to it? The roundover seems to have worked fine except there is a bit of variation and what looks like a sharp transition....nothing a bit of sanding can't cure, but it's useful to know how it occurred of course! Nice woods. Nice and rustic-looking. Yeah I can see it in the pic, I'll double check but I think it's just a funny light scenario, I would have noticed I'd imagine. Just checked again, the roundover is consistent but it has lifted the grain a little in places so will need a decent sand in any case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted May 29, 2018 Report Share Posted May 29, 2018 I see. It happens. When I do roundovers, I usually set the router to a hair over the depth so that the cutter leaves a fuzzy trail at the edge of the profile less than a tenth of a mm. Sanding knocks that back of course. It reminds me to sand profiles fully, so it's more of a mental trick than best practice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bokchoi77 Posted May 29, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 29, 2018 21 minutes ago, Prostheta said: I see. It happens. When I do roundovers, I usually set the router to a hair over the depth so that the cutter leaves a fuzzy trail at the edge of the profile less than a tenth of a mm. Sanding knocks that back of course. It reminds me to sand profiles fully, so it's more of a mental trick than best practice. Yeah thats a good tip! The whole thing needs a good deal of sanding correction around the edges so it should get covered off. It's essentially 100% learning process for me with this one, as I'm not really a wood worker either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted May 29, 2018 Report Share Posted May 29, 2018 We'll soon see about that last bit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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