Batfink

I'm with Sambo, you say it's your first but looks like you're trying to build your ultimate straight off. As other's have stated - shopping around will save you a bundle and remember that a lot of things 'luthier' are just tools that suit guitar making and as such can be brought for much less from normal tool suppliers - a quick eg: before i started pressing frets i used a 16oz dead blow hammer that cost me £3.75 from my local hardware shop - works great and a lot cheaper than SM's !

Oh, also a much stated point - only buy tools etc when you NEED them, not because it's written somewhere that you must have them. There's many here who like myself made their first neck with nothing more than a surform, sandpaper and a lot of sweat and swearing ....................in fact i still do !

Jem

Oh, and i echo - what gave the idea it would be cheap ?!?!?!

Hi Topper,

I know where you're going ref lettering - if it's a square'ish font it can be tricky to get it looking square if you see what i mean.

Top inlay guy i know in the UK is Mike Read at Smallwonder - google smallwonder and there he is. He does work for most of the UK's top flight builders and is a real nice guy to deal with and his work is spot on to boot !

Jem

Why do you want it CNC'd - are you looking for a large quantity or is it just an accuracy thing ?

Just on a side not i'm pretty sure shell doesn't like laser cutting.

Jem

Not really quite sure where to put this but you seem to see very few live shots of people's builds so i thought i'd pop this up !

Nocturne NC1 live !

Jem

Go with the SM one (or a home made copy'ish if you're good enough at that sort of thing), the Dremel is pants in comparison.

Jem

Just had a mince round the suppliers section and Inlay USA list tinted laminates although as i said, i've never used it so can't comment - i pressume recon stone isn't reflective enough for what you had in mind ?

I've seen stained laminates but can't remember ever seeing stained shell slabs. I have a feeling that the stained lamintaes actually have the epoxy (or whatever it's encapsulated in) dyed but as i've never used it can't really be sure.

Jem

PM sent dude

Have you actually brought that fretboard yet ? Sorry to say but there's been nothing good said here about the stuff from Taiwan, the shell tends to be so thin that people have lost portions of the designs just radiusing it - i'm sure the result most people have ended up with is chucking it.

As Setch said, whereabouts are you - i'm South East and i'd have a look but the chances are i'd say no considering the experience of others....oh, and you don't even want to ask how much i'd charge to do something like that from scratch

Jem

Should this be clearcoated?

in a word - yes.

PM me with what you want done and more importantly what you want to spend - i'm not offering myself up as i've quite a lot on but seeing your on this side of the pond i may be able to point you in the right direction !

Jem

Oh, it's just when i have brought replacements for HH guitars (ok probably three times in the past 10 years) i've been asked about the bridge spacing but never the neck - something to bear in mind for the future i suppose.

Jem

Hmmm.... well that puts the baby grand (bridge I almost always use) in need of trembuckers.... however with my nuts not being 1 11/16" that puts the need for it in the neck position obsolete for me... shoot, cause I've heard these things do magic!

Chris

Chris, it's normally only the bridge that's wider spaced, the neck one's are normally all the same but reading that quote from Dimarzio put's what SD's tell me at odd's somewhat as per usual ?!?!?!

Jem

There are many and various but i know a lot of people hassle their dentist for his used bits - even 'used' they are well sharp. I, and a few others i know, use PCB (printed circuit board) twin flute bits for which i pay between 4 to 8 pounds for 10 depending size - check out ebay or google for pcb cutters or some thing simular. Also check out the suppliers section, i can't say i've ever looked but i'm sure one of two of them must carry them.

Jem

That's what I'm looking for, Thanks!!

spike

Yeah spike, thats why i downloaded it - i was well confused when i started out !

Jem

Please try not to quote large pages of text when it isn't necessary - it saves scrolling down to read the one line of new content which has been added. Jem's info is very useful, and much appreciated, but we only need to see it once!

Sorry, my dsl's so bloody slow tonight i was being a lazy arse !

Maurits, you are indeed correct

Mattia,

Here's a listing of dimensions - they may not be exactly the same for every supplier (these are German made - the brand name elludes me at the moment) but it'll give you an idea.....i use 2/0 or occasionally 3/0 but i must try some of those 8/0's some day

Blade Dimensions

8/0

0.16 x 0.32mm

35 tpi

7/0

0.17 x 0.34mm

34 tpi

6/0

0.18 x 0.36mm

32 tpi

5/0

0.20 x 0.40mm

30 tpi

4/0

0.22 x 0.44mm

28 tpi

3/0

0.24 x 0.48mm

26 tpi

2/0

0.26 x 0.52mm

24 tpi

0

0.28 x 0.56mm

22 tpi

1

0.30 x 0.62mm

20 tpi

2

0.34 x 0.70mm

18 tpi

3

0.36 x 0.75mm

16 tpi

Jem

I remain and maintain - buy decent quality from a reputable supplier as even the finest quality will only cost around 2.50/dozen of anyone's currency and they'll cut cleaner, last longer and snap less - Cliff's suggestion of Riogrande sounds a good place to start if your stateside, just look at his work if you want confirmation from a pro. Cheap one's tend to be poorly toothed and tempered and will snag and snap and can put you right off inlay from the start.

Jem

You could have built a bending machine for under $20.00, and then bent your StewMac wire to any radius you need, and then had BETTER fret-wire than Dunlop wire (StewMac wire is a little harder than Dunlop wire, according to tests I've heard about, from two different sources).

And I should stop saying this, because I have quite a lot of Dunlop wire I want to sell someday, and would hate to take a loss on it. But, oh well, I can't ALWAYS keep my mouth shut.

How can on go about building a $20 bending machine? Is there a tutorial around maybe??

Thanks!!!!

A really simple way is this:

Tutorial

I'm sure i saw a post or tut on how to make one simular to the one's Stew Mac's sell but i can't find it at the moment.

Jem

Groooooovy shape

WD's (google WD products) carry scratch plate material and i think they'll do custom one's as well - can't check as at work and most things are blocked. If they don't do custom one's it's not so hard to do it yourself especially if you've got the original as a template.

Jem

Sorry Cliff, i seem a triffle dyxlekxik today

Moon glow at the bottom of the page - only stuff i've seen but perhaps messers Lavin or Scuttle have someone else.

as seen on Ebay

Ebay logo

Jem