johnsilver

I didn't realize they had a store in Springfield. I get up there around the holidays every year. I'm going to have to check it out.

SR

Scott, leave yourself a couple of hours and bring a trailer.

Sorry. Double post.

FWIW, I did a little looking around and bought the Grizzly G0555LX (same as the anniversay edition noted above but without the black paint job - DOH!) some time back and am just setting it up now as I fit out my garage shop. I wasn't sure about the viability of the riser block but after comments on this thread I will order it so I can incorporate it into the set up process. Also, thanks on the blade use info. Very helpful for a relatively inexperienced bandsaw user.

BTW, I visited the Grizzly store in Springfield MO a couple of times when my son was up there a few years ago. Freaking awesome is all I can say. Massive.

Perhaps this is a cross between both ideas - bend it across a large radius. Radius the body to about 2'-3' (600mm-900mm) and bend the Maple over that. You then have the full 1cm of depth with which to do any contouring or even a more aggressive bend for a drop top.

I love the sound of that. My first thought was this would look great on a body with a big bottom, if you know what I mean. I'll file this idea for later.

It looks like you have plenty of options. I personally vote for a drop top.

If you decide to carve a 1 cm thick piece, it will get very thin at the edges. Be careful when sanding that you don't sand through the top at the edges. You probably wouldn't ever to that, but I did when I got a little ham handed. That's how my intended finish turned quickly from amber to amber with a dark tobacco burst.

For me, this site and forum are tools like any other. Since I'm back to setting up shop again and getting my tools in shape, I wanted to donate. What I gave was no more than the cost of many single quality hand tools and less than many. The fact that it goes as far as described is testament to the efficiency at which this site and forum is managed. Thanks to all involved.

It is always exciting to get new tools. Especially big ones. That Laguna looks like a serious piece of hardware.

I saw some references to Asian machines. When I lived in Hong Kong, the conventional wisdom on Asian quality for anything was Japan #1, Taiwan #2 and mainland China a distant #3. The Hong Kong Chinese vendors made fun of mainland Chinese goods.

My new Grizzly G0555LX (made in Taiwan) is sitting in its box in my garage waiting to get setup. It isn't a Laguna but better than the bench top model I used to have. I also don't have 220v power run to my garage yet. That's to come later.

Wes, I have that exact spindle sander.

I would have added some emoticons to the post but they aren't showing up.

Congratulations on the new hardware.

Is the T8 top still available? Beautiful piece. Thanks.

Aidlook, that's a sweet pickup. Vintage with some obvious updates. Need to get a pair of those for my next project!

Congratulations to all. Each has its virtues and another set of examples of the variety and quality of PG builders.

In the end, I couldn't take my eyes of the black limba back of Daniel's acoustic.

I usually tape off the binding, at least the tall side, using 3M pin striping tape. After spraying the color, I remove the tape and scrape the binding to remove any color and to get a crisp edge like Garhanman said. Like SwedishLuthier said, you will get a much cleaner job if you scrape when the color is still a little soft. If you tape, remove the tape relatively soon so the color coat doesn't get too hard.

Taping is more process than many people like to do because they are comfortable with scraping. I tape at least a portion because the clean area after removing the tape gives me a reference for scraping. I don't mind the time it takes to tape.

Mattia, with the Euro to Dollar rate these days, just buy both. Its like buy one - get one free for you Europeans.

Rich, I don't know squat about building acoutics, and not much about building electrics. But, I have always had a decent sense of aesthetics i.e. I know what I like. And I like this guitar very much. Form and function I suspect.

Class.

Either natural or the black with white binding finishes appeal pretty much equally to me. The only thing I would consider is a contrasting pickguard with the black finish. Tortoiseshell or pearloid could give it even more wow factor. I love the Stratty headstock.

Aidlook, that is a hot guitar. I likey very much.

Muzz, here is a black Tele with white/black/white binding I have been working on (seemingly forever). It has a a contrasting pickguard, not pearloid but white/black/white. You can see the different effect although mine doesn't have the hardware on. BTW, the hardware I have is all black and the pickups have black bobbin covers.

After seeing Aidlook's, I may have to experiment with different pickguard material! Black pearloid, maybe?

Larry, congratulations. It looks sweet!

Angry, your misfortune may be serendipity for me. I really like the look of those recessed TOM examples. I find the look really clean, especially with string through ferrules vs tailpiece. I may have to use that design in the future.

+1 to Xanthus regarding the break angle. Whatever you decide to do, I suggest you carefully plot it out to ensure you don't bind the strings on the back of the TOM.

Maybe it isn't your product so much as your marketing and business skills?

CMA

Call within the next 10 minutes and I'll throw in a set of Ginsu Steak Knives!

NOW HOW MUCH WOULD YOU PAY?

Really, what I would like to do is make a bunch of guitars and then have an exibit in a museum as some modern artist. It's a long shot, but it's such an outrageous idea that I might as well go for it.

There is a Louisiana artist named Francis Xavier Pavy who also makes "art guitars" and displays them along with his other art. My avatar is one of his early paintings. He is a nice guy.

Pavy

I'm still using for my guitar builds the Craftsman 1/4" fixed base router I bought over 25 years ago.

Here goes everything!!!

Go for it dude! And all the best...

I took the rack to a local machine shop along with the fret caul for reference. They did the same process Russ described. The charged $15. I didn't have all the tools to do it myself at the time.

but I just need something pretty basic to do a few necks. Thanks!

How about this?. I used spokeshaves for my first few necks and I loved the feel once the spokeshave was set up properly. However, in the time it takes to tune up a spokeshave, you could have carved several necks with a microplane. Those in the link are a 8" - I use a 12" double handled one for neck carving. I still like the spokeshaves but love the microplanes.

Also, would it be feasible to use it in producing plastic covers? I've not tried routing plastic and I can see reasons as to why i've not tried...!

I have made a couple of pickguards from the plastic material sold by StewMac, Grizzly, etc. I used a router with a template to trim the plastic to final shape. You have to keep the router moving and have a solid setup to avoid the plastic chattering, but works great. I seem to remember a tutorial or some instructions on the StewMac site, but maybe it was somewhere else.

Glad to hear there is no permanent damage. Scars add character, and all my guitars thus far have a little of my DNA in them.

One of the reasons I got into building guitars was to help me develop patience. There are lots of things one can do in life and work without much patience (I'm not saying its good, just that one can get away with it). IMO, Learning how to make guitars isn't something that can be accomplished without patience. So, the "time out" and "walk away" techniques have become my friends. One of the reasons it takes me so long to make a guitar is that my time outs can last a while. After building a few guitars, I can say truly that I am more patient not only in guitar building but at work and home as well.

The bluesman Bryan Lee has a song titled "Six String Therapy". He meant it as a player, but it worked for me as a builder.

...that's what headstock ears are for. Seriously, 3" wide neck blank with ears is a perfectly 'safe' way to build. Even 2.5", really...

+1

The necks I've made recently, including for an LP, were laminated from 3 pieces of 4/4 mahogany. When the rough 4/4 stock is planed down and laminated, it is definitely less than 3" - don't remember the exact final dimension. I cut ears from the waste of the same blank and go from there. With a blank that is laminated as I described and about 3" thick, I get two neck blanks and ears for both necks.

It seems a potential waste of wood to size the neck blank based on the width of the headstock.

The LP plans I have indicate the headstock of a 59 LP Custom is 3 7/16" wide by 7 9/16" long.