Jehle Posted May 6, 2004 Report Share Posted May 6, 2004 I want to start working with body contours and I would like to try my hand at making a guitar similar to Joe Satriani's chrome boy. So the question is what sort of tools do you think I need to get that rounded "bubble" shape to the guitar? Router? Planes? Shaves? Sander? Elbow grease? Any suggestions welcome. <edit> Here's a good link to several pictures of that guitar... http://electricguitar.50megs.com/wonder.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devon Headen Posted May 6, 2004 Report Share Posted May 6, 2004 There are lot of different techniques. I know somebody used a disc sander thing awhile ago. I've never done one, but Setch posted a tut on guitar.com, which I saved to my hard drive and can't find the link to. Very good tut...let me look for it for a little bit, and I'll let you know if I find it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devon Headen Posted May 6, 2004 Report Share Posted May 6, 2004 I can't find it...just do a forum search, this has been discussed tons of times Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jehle Posted May 6, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 6, 2004 I figure it had. This seems like a basic "I wish I had that" sort of guitar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VanKirk Posted May 6, 2004 Report Share Posted May 6, 2004 Drak gave some good advice on how to sharpen a cabinet scraper and now I can remove alot of wood with good control pretty quickly. It leaves a very smooth surface too so final sanding is easier. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregP Posted May 6, 2004 Report Share Posted May 6, 2004 Aaaaannnd... We have our first candidate for "why the search function doesn't always work." Found Drak's cool-sounding tutorial. No pics (that MIGHT be my browser, mind you... it wasn't loading something else earlier, either). The information is still useful, but it'd be a lot clearer (especially to visual learners) with the pics intact. Another option, which I'm sure you've come across already, is the topographical map-then-rout option, like in the "Les Paul the Hard Way" tutorial found HERE, which is likely the method I'll be going with. The grider option sounds good, and the results speak for themselves on Perry's website; however, I AM one of those visual learners I mentioned, and at least with the gear I have here, I can't picture how it's done, exactly. Cheers, Greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted May 6, 2004 Report Share Posted May 6, 2004 I've never done one, but Setch posted a tut on guitar.com, which I saved to my hard drive and can't find the link to. Very good tut...let me look for it for a little bit, and I'll let you know if I find it. Here you go... Top carving photo thingy guide... Hopefully to be updated with a carve job on a real guitar, not just a mock up as soon as I get my next project lined up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jefm Posted May 7, 2004 Report Share Posted May 7, 2004 Fishbake's tutorial is pretty good too.... He did a carved LP http://europa.spaceports.com/~fishbake/lpc/cvr/cover.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jehle Posted May 7, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2004 Fishbake's tutorial is pretty good too.... He did a carved LP http://europa.spaceports.com/~fishbake/lpc/cvr/cover.htm Seems like I've seen that on an ebay auction before... Looking over the Melvyn Hiscock book last night, I'm thinking about using a 1/2" round over bit to get the main curve around the body established. With a belt sander, I think I can blend the contours to get a good rough shape. It's mostly the shape of the guitar that I'm interested in. If I get this far though I'll have to try the spray can insta chrome finish. I've used it on some other things and it's okay if you do it right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitarfrenzy Posted May 7, 2004 Report Share Posted May 7, 2004 I've never done one, but Setch posted a tut on guitar.com, which I saved to my hard drive and can't find the link to. Very good tut...let me look for it for a little bit, and I'll let you know if I find it. Here you go... Top carving photo thingy guide... Hopefully to be updated with a carve job on a real guitar, not just a mock up as soon as I get my next project lined up. Setch your link doesn't work for me. Has it been removed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted May 8, 2004 Report Share Posted May 8, 2004 crap... they've obviously fiddled with the site since I last posted the link I'll try to track it down... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyB7539 Posted May 11, 2004 Report Share Posted May 11, 2004 You know... I was watching The New Yankee Workshop the other day and recorded it to my DVR. He was building slats for a bench that were rounded over on both sides.... He used a special router bit that rounded both sides at the same time. I will look at the show again and find out what the bit was, but I bet it will do what you want and leave minimal sanding to the contours, not to mention will make the job go a whole lot faster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jehle Posted May 11, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2004 You know... I was watching The New Yankee Workshop the other day and recorded it to my DVR. He was building slats for a bench that were rounded over on both sides.... He used a special router bit that rounded both sides at the same time. I will look at the show again and find out what the bit was, but I bet it will do what you want and leave minimal sanding to the contours, not to mention will make the job go a whole lot faster. I've seen those bits! What are they called? Cove bits, or something. I've been staring at this plank of wood for a day or two now and I kept thinking that once I turn it over, I no longer have a place for the bearing to ride. A cove bit might just do the trick. Good suggestion! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devon Headen Posted May 11, 2004 Report Share Posted May 11, 2004 crap... they've obviously fiddled with the site since I last posted the link I'll try to track it down... I searched for about 20 minutes and couldn't find it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted May 12, 2004 Report Share Posted May 12, 2004 crap... they've obviously fiddled with the site since I last posted the link I'll try to track it down... I searched for about 20 minutes and couldn't find it. Looks like the b*stards have got rid of it... at least they hung onto the 5,000,000 threads about politics and thongs. GRRRrrrrr! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyB7539 Posted May 13, 2004 Report Share Posted May 13, 2004 This one should get you close to the profile LINK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jehle Posted May 14, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 14, 2004 This one should get you close to the profile LINK Bullnose, not cove bit! Ah. Well, I went ahead and ordered a set of roundover bits from MLCS. So I am more or less committed now to making 2 passes. I'll post a piccy when I've got the basic shape done. There was a new fellow here that built a bass with a carved body that is very similar to the shape I'm tyring to get. I need to dig that thread up and ask about the unpictured carving steps. BRB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VanKirk Posted May 17, 2004 Report Share Posted May 17, 2004 Drak gave some good advice on how to sharpen a cabinet scraper and now I can remove alot of wood with good control pretty quickly. It leaves a very smooth surface too so final sanding is easier. Good luck I found a link to stew-mac about sharpening a cabinet scraper. You can shave quite a bit of wood with good control not to mention they're inexpensive and easy to find. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregP Posted May 18, 2004 Report Share Posted May 18, 2004 Sweet link! Too bad I don't have half the stuff necessary, such as the sharpening stone. "No hook for you!" Greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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