Dantahoua Posted December 3, 2019 Report Share Posted December 3, 2019 I'm making a new SEL guitar. This one will be simpler than the last two (meaning no fancy inlay or f-holes!). For this one I will go with a 24.75" scale, and 3/4 center block. Still don't know for pickups or control configuration. Woods: Figured Yellow Birch back and side, maple neck, laminated maple/poplar/maple top (bird eyes), mahogany/maple center block... So here is the first pic of the back, the center block and the "top" side already bended. I have to bend the "cutaway" side, but as this one will have a Venetian cutaway, I fear the Birch will crack in the tight curve... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistermikev Posted December 3, 2019 Report Share Posted December 3, 2019 i was promised pic and I see no pic! refund! (seriously tho, where's the pic?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dantahoua Posted December 3, 2019 Author Report Share Posted December 3, 2019 (edited) I know, I put the pic, but after clicking on the button they disappeared... And I cannot edit my post as it seems I'm am to newbie on the forum... I posted in the support forum... I'll make a try in this post to put the pic... Edit: now I can edit the post, but pic do not show... Edit 2: I found! You need to press the "+" button to add the pic to the post... Edited December 3, 2019 by Dantahoua Problem with pic not showing 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistermikev Posted December 3, 2019 Report Share Posted December 3, 2019 wow, some beauty wood and an ambitious project. me loves anything hollow so... will def check in and look fwd to watching it grow. cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dantahoua Posted December 4, 2019 Author Report Share Posted December 4, 2019 Just a small pic of the laminated top... Maple/poplar/birdseye maple... The two hole are my reference when using my mold to glue the different layer of veneer. It also allowing me to have more pressure on the center when gluing (with nuts and bolts!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dantahoua Posted December 9, 2019 Author Report Share Posted December 9, 2019 The cutaway side has been bent, no cracks! 140°c, wrapped in alu paper foil. I'll let the wood settle in place for 2 or 3 days as this wood tend to warp a lot... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dantahoua Posted January 13, 2020 Author Report Share Posted January 13, 2020 Some post holidays update... Not that much as I'm developing also an acoustic, will post a thread on it soon. So there is a pic of my carbon reinforcment rod into the neck. I use a piece of granit, perfectly flat, when gluing the two 3mm * 8mm carbon rod into the neck, so I'm sure it will stay flat. And the center block and side are ready to be glued to the back. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistermikev Posted January 13, 2020 Report Share Posted January 13, 2020 noice... s/b a very cool build - looking fwd to following. thanks for sharing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dantahoua Posted February 3, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 3, 2020 Sorry for the delay, have a lot of stuff on the bench... So here is the gluing stage of the center block... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dantahoua Posted February 3, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 3, 2020 And after, some reinforcement... Just to be sure... Made with leftover from the back. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Dantahoua Posted February 3, 2020 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted February 3, 2020 And for the eyes, some pic of the yellow birch back... 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dantahoua Posted February 3, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 3, 2020 (edited) Also the customer ask me for a different headstock than the one I was to do on this guitar. So I decided to go with a beautiful piece of quarter sawn mahogany. Here is the gluing of the ~15° scarf join... Edited February 3, 2020 by Dantahoua Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistermikev Posted February 3, 2020 Report Share Posted February 3, 2020 wow, this is a really cool build and I think I'm in love with your birch! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dantahoua Posted February 3, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 3, 2020 Just now, mistermikev said: wow, this is a really cool build and I think I'm in love with your birch! Sadly it's my last piece of figured birch... Next one will be Quilted maple... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dantahoua Posted February 3, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 3, 2020 Can't decide for the fretboard yet... Marble wood, birdseye roasted maple, morado or indian rosewood... As the guitar binding would be made of black walnut, I'll probably go for the maple and add binding to the fretboard! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistermikev Posted February 3, 2020 Report Share Posted February 3, 2020 4 minutes ago, Dantahoua said: Sadly it's my last piece of figured birch... Next one will be Quilted maple... jeez, I'd like to have your 'problems'! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dantahoua Posted March 16, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2020 Finally, let's go for Birdseye porn with this one, the fretboard will be roasted birdseye maple... I'm now ready to glue the top on the body... As I have 3 others projects at the same time, the update are slow... 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dantahoua Posted May 21, 2020 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2020 Been a long time since I posted updates... I also make two reclaimed wood guitar parallel to this one. Reclaimed wood guitars allow me to test new curves, new stuff without paying too much attention to the "finish". But let's go back to this one... Here is the binding process. Only wood binding on my guitars. On this one it's some curly black walnut. I love black walnut, easy to work. :) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dantahoua Posted May 21, 2020 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2020 After much thinking, I decided to go with a bevel for the cutaway area. Because of the neck angle and the archtop curve and because I want the fretboard to be flush to the table top, there is always a small part in the cutaway where the binding do not fully mask the glue joint. So making the bevel is the best solution I found. Just a little more work and will be complicated with more complicated "multi-binding". I made a 45° angle jig to push the guitar cutaway against a 1" rotating sanding drum. Work great! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dantahoua Posted May 21, 2020 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2020 Here is the birdseye maple fretboard with black walnut binding. I cut the fret slots on my bench saw with the traditional jig, I think it's the fastest way to make this (way way faster than hobby CNC!!!). I use my "hobby" small CNC to cut the binding channel and the circle inlay. On this one, I tested to make inlay by mixing real crushed pearl with epoxy and epoxy pigment. I like the result but still prefer real pearl inlay! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted May 21, 2020 Report Share Posted May 21, 2020 I love your f-hole design. SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dantahoua Posted May 21, 2020 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2020 Some different glue action... And also sanding before the finishing process... Neck is V to C shape. I also try to avoid as much as possible to be dependant on hardware. So now I replaced string ferrules with real wood on the back and with small brass tube on the front. Really like the look! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dantahoua Posted May 21, 2020 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2020 Just now, ScottR said: I love your f-hole design. SR Thanks! I make different design but this one is my preferred! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dantahoua Posted May 21, 2020 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2020 And now some finishing process... The guitar is now drying for 2 week before levelling and buffing. I use Crystallac Brite Tone sanding sealer and finish. it's the first time I used it and if I knew it's so good, I would have bought it way before!!!! I really love this finish! I use a HVLP Fuji gun with 1mm needle. The pic are just the first coat... 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris Posted May 21, 2020 Report Share Posted May 21, 2020 2 hours ago, Dantahoua said: That looks super clean. Nice work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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