Jump to content

Tele build


Recommended Posts

Isn't it funny how fast you can reach that stage? And then it takes forever to get it finished...

Making your own necks is in my books a big leap, kudos for that! After all, the neck is what makes a guitar a pleasure to play or not. And there's more caveats than in the body.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Bizman62 said:

Isn't it funny how fast you can reach that stage? And then it takes forever to get it finished...

Making your own necks is in my books a big leap, kudos for that! After all, the neck is what makes a guitar a pleasure to play or not. And there's more caveats than in the body.

Agreed and thank you!

The neck is very challenging. At present, I must fight a tendency to make them too thick. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, RVA said:

I must fight a tendency to make them too thick.

That's common but not too big of an issue. You can always take a little more off, even with the strings on. Another thing I've noticed is that even if the thickness measures right the neck may feel clumsy. That can be cured by making it more V shaped - actually it's because you're usually too cautious with the corners, leaving it square with rounded edges. By honing the corners you won't actually make it a V, not even a rounded V unless you're really aiming for such.

Hourglass is a more problematic shape for a neck, my spokeshave skills will definitely result that. That's why I've been using the facet method. A fellow builder used a 5" plasterboard rasp with great results regarding both speed and accuracy.

pbrasp.JPG.dd2ad2880b1e0c41ab3ddb1e3ea26d79.JPG

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...
On 6/18/2023 at 7:50 PM, RVA said:

I learn something every time, usually the hard way.

The longest lasting lessons are the ones you learn that way.

On 6/18/2023 at 7:52 PM, RVA said:

Overkill?

Nope, not at all. In fact I don't think there is such a thing when it comes to clamping. The big commercial companies use a big press that covers every square inch of the top and body.

This is looking quite nice so far, I like your timbers.

SR

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...
  • 1 month later...

Well, I finally got this one done. Everyone was absolutely right about the strong start to delayed finish! Much of it was a very busy work schedule though. 

Anyway,  here it is, stained without finish. I was going PRS Solana Burst, yellow over orange 

 

PXL-20230819-235116247.thumb.jpg.a119cc53e9fcd5e4d790ed805db13332.jpg

With poly

PXL-20230902-123513995-copy-1008x756.thumb.jpg.8398cdbee0721d25e3aee740c1dc54ca.jpg

 

PXL-20230904-203430994.thumb.jpg.8f0d8b90d8e9b476f999c96faf8f067a.jpg

 

The back after poly. Natural with a deep belly cut

 

PXL-20230904-203448426.thumb.jpg.168c442002cf2f39ac4820c88f918937.jpg

 

Carving a neck I had started and using my new Total Vise #7 (bottom of photo). I added wood to the heel so I could achieve the desired action with the low profile bridge I was using

 

PXL-20230917-023855761-copy-756x1008.thumb.jpg.6396af1aa674ae07027d1ff63cbd95e7.jpg

 

My new arbor press made into fret press (but not quite yet in this pic)

 

PXL-20231021-005317415.thumb.jpg.be6e253fe0aa688e54fceaa3586630ae.jpg

 

Done! It is a nice player

 

PXL-20231128-031105255.thumb.jpg.c9c5e092f2a5461efb52c840d1d98e1e.jpg

 

PXL-20231128-031112577.thumb.jpg.250daa12f1c2660e643c832ad2511629.jpg

 

PXL-20231128-031133668.thumb.jpg.7e125c7d26f3e84dda5ba97818ddec59.jpg

 

PXL-20231128-031139626.thumb.jpg.a742cb6ef50a13480509374522a56014.jpg

 

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The top is a nice piece of striped maple but the lower half of the back looks spectacular! I would have been tempted to bookmatch that for a top...

All in all a nice looking guitar. The HB sized P90 set looks similar to what I've used for a couple of builds. I'd like to hear a blind test with yours and mine, the price range is similar but mine don't have a name.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, Bizman62 said:

The top is a nice piece of striped maple but the lower half of the back looks spectacular! I would have been tempted to bookmatch that for a top...

All in all a nice looking guitar. The HB sized P90 set looks similar to what I've used for a couple of builds. I'd like to hear a blind test with yours and mine, the price range is similar but mine don't have a name.

Thank you very much!

Here is a "no frills" clip of neck-middle-bridge I did for someone else curios about the pups. Also, I bent out of tune a bit since they were new strings, but it is a clean sound sample nonetheless 

 

 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...