mgdew Posted November 18, 2004 Report Share Posted November 18, 2004 Setch, an excellent job. Looks better than my Gibson LP Classic ! I really want to do the same as you (LP's are my favourite guitar) unfortunately I have no woodwork experience or space to do it for now, so I will just have to be content watching your masterpiece unfold. Are you going to sell it ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted November 19, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 19, 2004 For the pots, and consequently the knobs to lie perpendicular to the curved top it is necessary to angle the control cavity. I do this with a router bit in a powerdrill. The router bit (a 1/2" roundover) is fitted with a 3/8" bearing on the shank. This runs against the edge of the hole to prevent burning, and to offer an indication of depth. Sorry for the lousy photo. The cutter is placed in the hole to be counterbored, like so: As you can see, the back of the cutter will do the boring. The shank of the cutter emerges on the front of the guitar: The shank is gripped in the chuck of my drill, and once aligned correctly, the drill is slowly run, counterboring the back of the hole. I check regularly at the backof the guitar, but I know I can't go too far, because I can stop as soon as the bearing becomes visible in the hole at the front. Here's the result: Next, I rough out the nut. So far I've been using a graphite pre-slotted nut for the rough setup, but now it's time to cut my own from bone. I use a half pencil to mark the fretheight on the blank, then use a razor saw and cheapo nut files to cut the slots. There's still a lot of work to do, but the basic height is set. Tomorrow I'll fine tune the slots, then shape the nut and fine sand it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlGeeEater Posted November 19, 2004 Report Share Posted November 19, 2004 Man, that is SWEEET Great work!! keep it up. MORE PICS!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeR Posted November 19, 2004 Report Share Posted November 19, 2004 Hi Setch, Great work again (as usual). As you have said, could you PLEASE post some pics on the controll cavity and how you did the angles to fit the pot? (I know you have said that you would try and take pictures of this, I am just trying to show that there is particular interest in how you did it)- I was actually going to ask you about it. Great work again man, Luke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted November 19, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 19, 2004 Here's the finished nut: The height has been adjusted so that the wound strings are 2/3rds in the slot, and 1/3rd peeking above. The plain strings sit so that their top surface is just below the top of the nut. The sharp corners are all rounded over, and the nut is sanded upto 800 grit then polished with burnishing paste until it shines. **PS: I've editted my earlier post to include shots of the counterboring as requested.** Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnsilver Posted November 19, 2004 Report Share Posted November 19, 2004 Setch, would it be possible to accomplish the angling of the pots by using a forstner bit from the cavity side instead of the method you used? It worked great for you but for me I'd be afraid I'd ruin the finish coming in from the top. BTW, that is one awesome guitar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeR Posted November 19, 2004 Report Share Posted November 19, 2004 Amazing work- and thanks for the pics! Luke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted November 19, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 19, 2004 Setch, would it be possible to accomplish the angling of the pots by using a forstner bit from the cavity side instead of the method you used? It worked great for you but for me I'd be afraid I'd ruin the finish coming in from the top. BTW, that is one awesome guitar. John, You could angle from the back, but I found that cutting from the front gave me a much better idea of when I was perpendicular to the carve. I was also scared of marking the finish, but with a sharp cutter it is *very* controllable. You could put a pad between the front of the chuck and the finish if it made you feel better... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CudBucket Posted November 19, 2004 Report Share Posted November 19, 2004 Could you not use a Forstner bit to counter bore the hole because your shaft hole was already drilled? Just wondering. Looks amazing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted November 19, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 19, 2004 Part of the problem was that my pot holes were drilled, and after drilling them the carve was tweaked slightly to increase the recurve area and extend the convex area closer into the centre of the guitar. This meant my pot holes needed very minor enlarging to get the pot to sit right. Also, a forstner bit needs a central area for it's locating point to engage with, otherwise it will pull out of control very quickly (unless you're using it in a drill press, which I don't have ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnsilver Posted November 20, 2004 Report Share Posted November 20, 2004 Setch, thanks. I guessed that judging the perpendicular was easier from the top than the bottom. In any case, an innovative solution even if risky in my view. Of course, I guess it could be done before the finish is applied with less risk. Your work is even more impressive in its accuracy knowing you don't have a drill press. Are you going to relax and enjoy your LP when its finished, or do you already have another project in mind? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beno Posted November 20, 2004 Report Share Posted November 20, 2004 hi setch really awesome guitar Could you please post a side pic of the guitars body showing the pickups, the bridge and the stopbar just to see how they're placed. Thnks in advance. Benno Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cypher Posted December 1, 2004 Report Share Posted December 1, 2004 Absolutely unbelievable...Setch, that deserves a museum place You are an awesome guitar maker... Could you take a few shots of the guitar in all it's glory? How much are you selling it to one of your friends for and OT how much does one of oyur DC's cost if you made them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted December 1, 2004 Author Report Share Posted December 1, 2004 Absolutely unbelievable...Setch, that deserves a museum place You are an awesome guitar maker... Could you take a few shots of the guitar in all it's glory? Thanks a lot! I promise I will soon. I've been awaiting the arrival of some parts from Germany so I can complete the wiring, and I have bought some decal material so I can put a nice gold signature on the headstock. I've also started tearing my blue DC apart which has distracted me from making much progress on the Les Paul. How much are you selling it to one of your friends for and OT how much does one of oyur DC's cost if you made them I'll keep it zipped on this - I don't want to be using the fourm as a market place. Suffice to say it'd be less than a Gibson, but more than an Epiphone. If you're interested feel free to PM me, though I'm only interested in local (ie: Within London, UK) commisions for the time being. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted December 31, 2004 Author Report Share Posted December 31, 2004 Small picture bump: She's wired up, and has come out to rehearsal a couple of times. Sounds fantastic, very thick and woody. I'm really sold on these Golden Age humbuckers, especially for the money! The more observant of you may spot the Marshall Amp knobs... they're a stop gap, since I didn't like the look of the Gold speed knobs I got. I actually like the look of these knobs, but I plan to replace them with some silver-topped ebony knobs to match the chromed hardware. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlGeeEater Posted December 31, 2004 Report Share Posted December 31, 2004 This exactly shows that you can make a better looking, sounding and playing guitar then mass produced guitars. Awesome work man! I think the Marshall knobs are hot Awesome job again! Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
genbloke Posted December 31, 2004 Report Share Posted December 31, 2004 Setch, I love your recessing technique , I need to recess one of my controls fron inside the cavity. Now I know how to do it, ta genbloke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skye Posted December 31, 2004 Report Share Posted December 31, 2004 well, I just got on this thread today... and, knowing your rep, I read through the whole thing; it's truly amazing your attentiveness to detail (and your generousity in taking all those pictures)! I'm sure all the newbs like myself are going to find a thousand things to be learned from this account of your hard work. Viewing this (more or less) tutorial, and a few tales of creations with bare-neccesity supplies, has more than inspired me into building my guitar (I'm finishing up a restored Strat-ripoff guitar, highly customized); just seeing this makes me a bit more confident having to build my own Les Paul (lefties cost way too much factory priced). Thanks for the awesome progress thread man- I appreciate it! ~Dunte Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddie-7 Posted December 31, 2004 Report Share Posted December 31, 2004 well setch, this is a thing of beauty!!! very nice tutorial for a noob like me, thank you very much, sir Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kench Posted January 1, 2005 Report Share Posted January 1, 2005 Awwww a sexy girl lying on the bed!!!.. Great work indeed.. I'm just about to finish a similar project.. I'm planning to post some pics as soon as I get them developed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maher Posted January 1, 2005 Report Share Posted January 1, 2005 Setch you used stew macs golden age pickups?? how are they? do you think they are worth putting in my Epiphone Les paul? thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted January 2, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 2, 2005 Absolutely. I like the sounds I get from them every bit as much the other pickups I've tried. Admittedly I'm not much of a tinkerer, and I've never been one to swap pickups every few weeks, but I get good clarity, note separation, and a 'good' sound, whatever that means. Whether that is particularly attributable to the pickups or the way I build my guitars is unknown, but I like the results I'm getting, and I like the price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted February 19, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2005 Looks like fullserve is down for the time being, maybe for good, so all my images are broken. Here's some new ones, taken with my new digital camera. Since the last update I've applied a decal to the head, and cleared over it. Next time I get the strings off I'll have to rub it down and buff it out again, then it'll finally be 100% done. Hopefully I'll get my images hosted somewhere else soon, or fullserve will recover. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregP Posted February 19, 2005 Report Share Posted February 19, 2005 Holy ****, that's amazing. I can't wait until fullserve comes up again or you host elsewhere. Photobucket is pretty good for hosting photos if you're looking for something. Amazing... I'll be that good in my dreams some day, but in real life? Not likely! Greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xebryusguitars Posted February 19, 2005 Report Share Posted February 19, 2005 dude thats freaking beautiful. I dont have words to describe this project but...gotm man if you're in the mood to snatch it from everyone great job man Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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