cherokee6

My $.05: You may want to try using plexiglas with taping the traced shape of the guitar first and cutting out the basic shape. However you shouldn't shortcut the process. Make your drawing first using tracing, your ruler and pull out your compass, calipers, protractor, French curve, flexible curve and any other tools you will need. Get a pot of coffee, tea or what-have-you going, as the process takes time. Most importantly, neck pockets and pup routings need to be perfectly aligned, depth measured, etc. You can probably use the body you have as a reference, but maybe not as an exact copy (see prior replies) You'll thank yourself later for the drawings. If you create templates then, you can use them for future build! (don't forget to take the coffee pot off the stove) Good luck!

If you have a router table with a split fence, you can mount a straight cutter onto the router and use a shim in the outfeed part of the fence. The shim or shims if, you need more than one, are usually very thin plastic. A piece of formica can be used, for example. You can probably get a scrap from your neighborhood home building supply or cabinet/ counter builder. The bit should just "peek" past the infeed/first half of the fence. Use your calipers to help with the measurement because you only want to take minute amounts off at a time. Run each piece of wood thru it and check for fit. Run the wood pieces so that they are consistant in how they will fit, ie; run them so the faces are both face down so if the cutter is minutely out of plum the resulting cuts will make the tops join in in a slight "tent" fashion which can be glued down to hide any imperfections (could be the other way around so check on scrap first). Google "using a router as a jointer" or some variation and some sites will come up that have pics and better description. Good luck with your project!

I just sent someone these diagrams about a month ago!!. Send me an email via this forum's site and I'll send you a copy of the 1275's diagram. If you have Brosnac's Electronics for Musicians, it's in there. There's also a guy selling double neck drawings on ebay. Search under "guitar plans"

Thanks for the tip. I acquired an old Stanley block plane (looks like a #65) that I'm having trouble identifying and is missing a part. It looks like I can get it from them!

I'd like to see their violin planes; perhaps a cheaper alternative to the Ibex planes??

I just finished one, basically identical to David Myka's rig except that I joined the paired pillow blocks on the R & L sides with metal instead of wood, and placed each of the pairs a little closer to each other so that I'd get a little larger range of workable area.

4' x 4' sheet of 3/4" plywood, braced on the back (glued & screwed), 1-1/4" linear rod & pillow blocks to match. The whole works is hinged to the wall of my garage, so that I can tilt it up & store it out of the way to save space. Its only about a month old, haven't used it yet.

I'd throw up a pic if I wasn't sitting in Anchorage typing this...

I'd like to see some pics when you get the chance. I like the idea of being able to store it away.

Certainly innovative as far as paint, etc. I don't think its my thing, though. They seem nicer in paint quality than the the crap Fender tries to sell with their nostalgia motifs.

Here's a fellow that lives in my town. He does work on my vintage basses and he's great. He also builds a really beautiful guitar too!

Lehmann Guitars

Being a bit of a follower of lo-imp stuff (see my LPR in the pic), i came across his stuff. Very innovative! Would like to try some of his pups someday, though.

You can always use a tack cloth and follow by wiping down with alcohol. The alcohol evaporates quickly and shouldn't raise the grain. (I don't have a compressor).

He's right. The PRS is definitely off; you can tell just by looking at it. Better off donating to PG and downloading the drawings in conjunction with the guitar templates at the link by Manquesa!! You can always make some mods from there.

Did anyone mention this guy before? He uses ancient wood with sediment, amber, etc stuck in it. Must be rough on tools!

http://www.guitar.net.nz/index.html

Not seeing a pic, sounds like you did an ok job. Depending on what is /was presented I was going to suggest a rout across the cracks, suck as one of those butterfly types to pull it together. But as Mickguard has stated, what's done is done...

Try to give us a little warning if its about to explode so we have time to get into our bomb shelters!

Welcome to the forum.

Why are you applying a finish? Aside from a lacquered maple fretboard such as on a strat, one usually doesn't cover it with anything more than oil; linseed, lemon, etc. Cheaper violin boards that are ebonized don't have a finish, either. However, if its done, educate me, I'd like to find out also. Perhaps only a sealer is needed. I'm sure one of the expeienced guys will know the answer.

Fine woodworking has had some good articles in the past ebonizing wood, they probably have some info on finishing, but it will be from a furniture point of view.

Wow! I just saw the pics. Earlier I was at the office, and you know how that is..everything doesn't download. Nice job! Did you use templates or any particular plans?

It's pretty good. I've used it, but it's only good for 30 days. Can't hurt to try it out to see the drawings

I thought the French polish method will leave a beautiful shine but will not protect the wood very well or take the beating a poly or regular multi coats of nitro could take??

Let's not get fiesty! We have a new member and should welcome him like everyone else. I recall seeing a number of times that many of our members have limited funds and that's what brought them here in the first place. In fact, we've got high schoolers, college students, etc.

PoonTangRat (maybe you should think about another name? just a suggestion) If you make a donation it will enable you to access the download area that has a number of CAD files for your use. The instructions on donating are on the first page and on the home page. I believe there is no minimum.

Swedish luthier's recommendations for free cad readers is great to know and will help you use the drawings. I've had a bit of a problem with a couple of the freebies (and my memory), hence my start of this thread. However, I have other guitar plans in pdf, if you'd like. See the top of the thread. (Just email me thru the forum) Enjoy the forum, there is an incredible amount of knowledge and experience here. It's essentially a luthier school online. There're all great people here and you'll notice a lot of regulars. I'm still finding my way around... And you will get a few good natured jabs. Just my $.02, no $.25!!

Thanks for the info. I'll keep it in mind when I'm ready to build one. You're right, I just looked at the drawings again and screwed up my fractions. Seems to be about 5/8". The reason I asked about the chambering is because Les Paul has a number of LP's that were chambered (and presently in various states of repair). One I had seen last November actually had a sizeable tearout where the pup switch is. I figured it was a custom job, but wasn't sure.

Congrats!! I'll have to smoke a cigar in their honor! (or should I smoke two?) They look great. Hope Mom is doing well. Saw the pics: cute kids! Time to start planning on your next 2 builds for them!

I had a chance to look at one of the sites; particularly the one with the very nice aftermarket bridges and saddles. What I meant earlier is that, PERHAPS, and I don't know, if the bridge material being steel or brass will make much of a difference as some pickups are well shielded and may not be as effected as an original or original spec tele pickup. Kinmans are designed to be noiseless, and yes, they are expensive. (I'm going on recommendation of a few "authorities" who've had experience with them.) However, I had a chance to listen to and test out, a Tele with the newer sanarium (sp?) cobalt pickups and they were quite nice. The materials used in them are quite brittle, so I'm curious how they will stand up. I was just questioning between the type of wood I'm using and pickups I may use if it will matter that much to use a ferrous or non ferrous bridge. I don't play country but I like the tele crunch.

Thanks for the responses. I picked the ABM as it seems to be a great quality plate/ bridge. I can get it for cost plus shipping. Then again I can probably get Fender's also. I'm not getting the piezo as there are problems with installation and use for my novice experience. The wood is more similar to mahogany in tone and is a bit heavier than swamp ash. I'll check out your references and write to Kinman. I have a feeling the newer electronics will matter more than the wood and ferrous plate. But I'll research a bit more. I have plenty of time as I haven't committed to anything yet other than having the body cut out and routed. Thanks to all.

I'm in the process of building a tele out of solid padauk. If all goes well, I plan to spring for a set of Kinmans. However. in looking at bridges I noticed that all of the ones available have saddles made out of steel. nickel or even graphite with the mounting plate made from nickel or steel. Will this effect sound?? I have read that the earlier bridges with brass saddles and an iron (ferrous) mounting plate will make a difference in achieveing the authentic Tele twang, etc. Does it matter with some of the pickups out there now? Kinmans are noiseless and have there own unique electronic qualities. I wanted to get the ABM bridge as seen in the Allparts catalog without the piezo pickups as the saddle adjustments, etc. and quality seemed to be better than the usual bridges offered. Seems to be made out of nickel or steel. Any opinions?

Can you give us ,or pics of the jig or a drawing? Also, per a previous response, I thought LP tops started at 1". My friend who's built them for many years and a set of plans I have call for 1 inch. I suppose you can do what you like and make the contours a bit shallower.

Setch, I noticed on your blog you chambered your LP. Was that normally done? I know some custom ones were that way, but other than those, I thought LPs were solid.

That's a Triumph bass, sister to the Les Paul Recording line of gits. It has a lo-impedance system with a multitude of settings. The pickups are stacked humbuckers with approx. 300 winds of 23 gauge wire, and epoxy potted. Body is solid mahogany. Neck was either mahogany or 3 piece maple. Body is slightly larger than the normal LP. There are sites under les paul recording. Parts are hard to come by. I think I have a schematic if you ever need it. It was designed for both studio and live work. Your model may have the built in transformer to boost it to an amp for live play. It's a very clean sounding guitar.

Check luthier's cool tools. I just ordered the plans for that jig. It looks pretty good from what I've read about it and the designer just threw in drawings for the more common electrics: 7.7, 9.5 10, etc. He's a real nice guy and will probably help you with any questions about the jig. It may save you some of the time and issues faced with building the jig Mike Nealon built from the plans in the GAL issue. This jig can do compounds pretty easily from what I've been told. You can make it longer to accomodate longer fretboards. It's just a suggestion. (there is a thread on it by Mattia; it's fairly recent) Being a novice builder, it'll probably be summer before I get to it! Good luck in your endeavor.

My olympic white strat does the same thing. It's natural progression. Keeping out of the sunlight just slows it down. As the others said: aged white is cool!