Bizman62 Posted July 27, 2022 Report Share Posted July 27, 2022 On 7/20/2022 at 4:57 PM, JGTay said: All the bevels match up top and bottom, including the arm bevel as I do like a bit of symmetry. Details like that tell about great planning and discipline! There's many copies of well known guitars that only have the silhouette right. There's lots of such hidden continuity in the classic models, it's nice to see that you're building a future classic! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JGTay Posted July 27, 2022 Author Report Share Posted July 27, 2022 Thanks @Bizman62 Big update on progress (lots of pics, sorry!) Have been oiling the back, sides, neck, back of headstock and cavity cover since the last update, getting plenty of coats done with sanding in between every 3 coats. The back, sides, neck and headstock are ready for another light sand before the next coats. Yesterday I was getting ready for the sanding, but then I had a delivery of items, which included the bridge. I decided to go with a high mass bridge, for no other reason than I liked how it looked, was in my price range (not too cheap/nasty and not overly expensive) and also it had 18mm string spacing which was within the range I had been looking for (between 16.5mm and 18mm at the max). The only thing I hadn't taken into account was the size of the base plate and saddles, the base plate is just over 5mm and with the saddles it lifts the strings 17mm above the body. The fretboard is only 7mm in the centre and the frets are less than 0.9mm, which would give a string height of 9mm at the final fret... the options became obvious, either get a different bridge or sink it into the body. I went with the second option! Firstly cut a couple of bits of thick cardboard for the body to sit on so that it had protection and could compress down with clamps without damaging the back, put some masking tape around the area for the bridge, then marked out the scale length, moved the treble side saddle to the edge of the bridge plate, lined up the string break point with the scale length and marked the position of the bridge. Then scored the lines with a Stanley knife and went round it with a chisel. And then gradually started chiselling out the wood. Once it was to the correct depth and level all the way across, the bridge slotted in nicely. The base plate is just below the surface and the lowest position of the saddles gives just under 1mm string clearance at the final fret. Next up I need to decide on the control positions, have a few options.... Can't quite make up my mind yet, but need to get the holes drilled so I can do clean up before oiling the top. Any thoughts? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JGTay Posted July 27, 2022 Author Report Share Posted July 27, 2022 After speaking with the wife and daughter have decided to go with the first option with the switch towards the back, but inline with the pots. It is more aesthetically pleasing and keeps the switch away from accidental knocks when playing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bizman62 Posted July 27, 2022 Report Share Posted July 27, 2022 5 hours ago, JGTay said: Next up I need to decide on the control positions, Using the cavity plate for keeping the controls within the cavity is yet another clever trick I should remember on my future builds! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JGTay Posted July 27, 2022 Author Report Share Posted July 27, 2022 Managed to get the holes drilled and test everything in place before having to head out and help with an emergency at my sister in laws. Very happy with the layout. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JGTay Posted July 29, 2022 Author Report Share Posted July 29, 2022 Managed to get some time this morning to lightly sand the cavity cover, back, sides, neck and headstock ready for the next coats of oil. Hopefully this should be the final coats for the body, cover and sides, but the neck and headstock still need some more to catch up with the amount of coats. It will now get a few days to harden as I am busy over the weekend. I can get started on the front next week. Once it is oiled with enough coats all over I can do the final higher grade sanding and buffing all over in one go. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JGTay Posted August 7, 2022 Author Report Share Posted August 7, 2022 Have been busy all week oiling the front, getting enough coats on there to match up with the rest of it. Also drilled for the bridge earth. This was before final sand and buff. Next up was the final sand and buff, no pics for that as it will show in the final pics at the end and will have a final polish. Then it was the magnets for the cavity cover, ran out of my biggest ones, had to put a mix of smaller ones in and with the cover being mahogany it is a bit of weight so I had to add a few extra to get it to hold firmly in place. Also drilled for the jack and got the plate in place. I then got on with the shielding. And then it was in with the pots and 3 way switch. Next up was putting the tuners in, screwing the bridge in place and also the strap locks. I was just getting ready to do the pickups when I found that they were missing some screws and springs, so will have to go back to the shop tomorrow and get them to sort it out. While I am there I will pick up some side dot inlay material which I totally forgot about. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RVA Posted August 7, 2022 Report Share Posted August 7, 2022 That looks amazing. Applying an oil finish is slow, but it is certainly more relaxing than spraying 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JGTay Posted August 8, 2022 Author Report Share Posted August 8, 2022 23 hours ago, RVA said: That looks amazing. Applying an oil finish is slow, but it is certainly more relaxing than spraying Thanks RVA. It is very slow oiling, the waiting between coats is a bit frustrating as I can't use my workshop for anything else, but I do like the finish it produces. I didn't get as much time as I had hoped today, managed to get all the wiring done, but the other bits will have to wait until tomorrow. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RVA Posted August 8, 2022 Report Share Posted August 8, 2022 7 minutes ago, JGTay said: Thanks RVA. It is very slow oiling, the waiting between coats is a bit frustrating as I can't use my workshop for anything else, but I do like the finish it produces. I didn't get as much time as I had hoped today, managed to get all the wiring done, but the other bits will have to wait until tomorrow. For my last Tru-Oil finish, I did about 70 coats at about 3 coats a day, at least 4 hours apart. I needed the extra thickness to buff to a high gloss. You seem to have gotten a very high gloss on yours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted August 8, 2022 Report Share Posted August 8, 2022 That's looking very tasty. SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JGTay Posted August 8, 2022 Author Report Share Posted August 8, 2022 1 hour ago, RVA said: You seem to have gotten a very high gloss on yours. It has come up very well, every third coat I gave it a few extra hours drying time then did a light sanding with 5000 grit to remove any dust nibs, then went over it with Meguiars ultimate compound and cleaned off with isopropyl alcohol before doing the next coats. I didn't do any grain filling beforehand as I wanted the grain to show through, which has worked in the way I hoped. 35 minutes ago, ScottR said: That's looking very tasty. SR Thanks Scott, glad you like it. Still some way off the quality of your builds, but I am definitely getting better. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JGTay Posted August 9, 2022 Author Report Share Posted August 9, 2022 Managed to get the final bits done today. The spaghetti wiring which was completed yesterday. I had some left over copper sheet, so put it over the soldering on the back of the pots. Made a truss rod cover this morning. And tested in place. Then gave it a coat of oil. It will need more but it will do for now. I then got it all strung up and everything in place for the weigh in, the screen on our scales is a bit dim, time for a new set. It shows 7.3 1/4 lbs. which isn't too bad. Happy with that. Glamour shots coming up next. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JGTay Posted August 9, 2022 Author Report Share Posted August 9, 2022 Here we go, final pics... sorry there are quite a few. Extremely pleased with how it has come out. I am not a bass player, this is the one I will be learning on, so no sound clips just yet. May have to try getting hold of one of one of my bass playing friends to see if they will test it out and record some stuff for me. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bizman62 Posted August 9, 2022 Report Share Posted August 9, 2022 So dangerous looking yummy! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted August 11, 2022 Report Share Posted August 11, 2022 Superb 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistermikev Posted August 14, 2022 Report Share Posted August 14, 2022 wow, you made a lot of progress in a short time... good for you. looks great. wood grain really came to life with some clear. hope you'll let us hear it (no pressure). rawk on. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JGTay Posted August 14, 2022 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2022 Thanks @mistermikev I am gradually getting used to playing bass, not something that can be done quickly , but I am using it on Rocksmith while I am learning. I don't have a bass amp yet, but hopefully by the time I get one I will be able to play something resembling a bass line to show how it sounds. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistermikev Posted August 14, 2022 Report Share Posted August 14, 2022 1 minute ago, JGTay said: Thanks @mistermikev I am gradually getting used to playing bass, not something that can be done quickly , but I am using it on Rocksmith while I am learning. I don't have a bass amp yet, but hopefully by the time I get one I will be able to play something resembling a bass line to show how it sounds. right on. you might consider... there may be a freeware app for recording video games/screen-audio-capture that could work to capture from rocksmith. just a thought. that said... hoping for a nice bass amp in your future!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nakedzen Posted September 4, 2022 Report Share Posted September 4, 2022 TSE makes some free plugins, there's at least a Sansamp emulation (B.O.D) https://www.tseaudio.com/software/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bizman62 Posted September 4, 2022 Report Share Posted September 4, 2022 Aside of recording tips, let me congratulate you for the win! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nakedzen Posted September 4, 2022 Report Share Posted September 4, 2022 Oh yeah congrats! It's a really nice looking build. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JGTay Posted September 4, 2022 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2022 2 hours ago, Bizman62 said: Aside of recording tips, let me congratulate you for the win! Thanks Bizman, really appreciate it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JGTay Posted September 4, 2022 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2022 55 minutes ago, nakedzen said: Oh yeah congrats! It's a really nice looking build. Thank you. Will take a look at the plugin later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistermikev Posted September 4, 2022 Report Share Posted September 4, 2022 congratulations on gotm win! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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