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I bought a load of Beech blocks today, some beech veneer (several huge sheets), some maple blocks.. I'm starting another es335 along with the other one. This time I'm using the beech as the sustain block and the sides - has anyone used beech before..I think hyunsu used some for a strat and curtis p has worked with it before.. I'll be using it in conjunction with sapele neck and lacewood board. The laminate top will be mahogany front and back..and I'll use the beech veneer on the top.. I like beech because of it's properties - rock hard, nice to cut - very clean to cut has a similar feel to hard maple..perhaps harder..nice to finish.. Any opinions on beech.. - especially as use of sustain block? Cheers, Ian <<edit>> - it's European Beech btw...not american beech

I followed the principle of Myka's neck jig and made a makeshift one that could be taken apart... You can see it in this pic...took 5 minutes to put together, but it cut the neck pocket at the exact angle of the body..allowing me to make the tenon on the neck..straight... Here's another pic... side view ..and here is the pocket routed out.. Routed Out I'm making a a version of Myka's jig as a keeper...

Benglaus... This link might help here (it's a pdf file): Build Your Own Guitar Cabinet

malebolgia...you've completely lost me.. first you ask what, how etc..when you've already done it... ...just make it so it's comforatable with you...heck if a 2mm string spacing was comfortable...then that's what you use...it's entirely up to YOU... Good luck...

Dude..like I and other have already said...you decide your own nut width...there is no formula as such for doing that.. You simply decide what spacing YOU want at the nut..it really is that simple. Then simply...DRAW on a piece of paper..a centre line. Mark your string spacing at the bridge...mark YOUR string spacing at the nut...join up the lines..add 5mm or whatever is comfortable either side of the outsid strings...and you have your neck width AT ANY POINT... It's not rocket science man...YOU decide your string spacing at nut...there is no formula for such a thing... ...you can calculate for neck width...simply using the formula already provided to you... DUDE..get a pencil and paper and draw it out

Malebolgia - you really will have to use seperate saddles...exactly as JMO says. Now I'm sure people here do not know of the top of their heads what the measurements are yu require...and I suspect like most here I would end up getting some paper out - drawing it out and take my measurements from there.. You have to factor in the pickups pole piece spacing (clue).. Your nut width can be anything YOU want it to be - you have already given your string spacing in your first post..take it from there...and use Mr Churchyards advice... Go, get some paper, a ruler draw it out..that's what I would do..now if you can't be bothered to do that for yourself...then please have the respect for others here in the help they are offering..instead of just being rude...and lazy!! And btw - the link that Mr Churchyard gave was exactly what you need.. You are coming across here rather rude and biting the hands that you hope to feed you..not exactly condusive is it.. Chill out dude...get a pencil and paper and draw it out..

David - as ever, great reply - your patience is a virtue.. ...and as ever, it's just as enjoyable checking out your jigs as it is your work...like MM says above - I wish mine were that clean too.. I'm in the process of making two of your jigs right now - the neck pocket jig with some mods (I actually used your jig idea in a makeshift neck pocket jig on the build of my es335 - photo's are in my build thread) and the neck carving jig (including the router mount).. ..I've also been talking through with some model makers today making your duplicarver... ..I hope you do not mind me asking about your jigs...but they are superb..and something everyone can benefit from your knowledge.. Thanks David. Rgds, Ian

Neil, given that those tele's were your first ever guitars, you've been only building 8 months or something.. Damn you are one talented and gifted guy.. Just beautiful work..congrats man! It amazes me how all you guys find the time to do this...I'm lucky if I can have a hour to myself each week...

Sounds good. Byron, where have you got this setup - is it in your shed and what did you mount it on - or is it free standing? Sounds like a bargain to me..well done! <<edit>>...forget the question, I looked it up on diytools site...did you get the stand with it for £130

Thanks unclej, jpl and phil...very helpful. Seeing Phils neck and that link to a corrick or something..wow...I'd like to try something like that in the future when I'm confident enough.. I made a few radiusing blocks from the tutorials on the main page of this site...pretty neat and very easy to make.. I have a load of this thin veneer - but it's all VERY thin..of course I could lay pieces on top of one another but that may be wasting...if I was to say lay the veneer on some other wood to bring up the thickness...Oh, then again, if I were to do that then radius I risk sanding through the veneer! Hmm, you've all given me food for thought...I'll take myself to a darkened room and give it some...urm, thought that is 8) Thanks for all your help guys.. Ian

Believe me, if I had the money to hop on a plane to NY, put a down payment on one of your creations to support you I would... Do you mind if I ask a question David..? When you are cutting out a chamber (ie a full chamber as in the beaut above)...do you first say rough cut with a jigsaw or similar then route round to get it smooth...and do you just support the router in the edge carefully? Now you might do that a much better way as I'm sure you have some superb tools at your disposal..but would that be the best way say to me who only has a jigsaw and router at his disposal at present!? Cheers, Ian

Simply stunning and totally inspiring - attention to detail is amazing..beautiful! ..that neck joint is a work of art in it's own right...it looks sooooooooo comfortable!

Thanks gemlegatt and MATT.. MATT - thanks..you have just reminded me what my father told me years ago with the block of softwood trick - that's what he did...I'll do just that, I knew there was a trick way of doing it...cheers

Yes....I have various sizes (that I just aquired)...I just call them round chisels...but gouge is the proper word of course.. I've never seen a cone shaped oilstone..time for a bit of googling. The only thing is, the sharpened edge is on the outside, not the inside

Thanks Phil and JPL.. Phil, I followed your link to your bass (I remember that base now..love it)..I also followed the link to the marquetry...and with JPL..you reiterate what fryovanni said.. I'm wanting to cut up the wafer thin veneers - so basically, back them up and ca or epoxy them...I'm just wondering should I do this first before cutting..the shapes? I'm just thinking that as I can see shrinkage/ warping of the different woods! I was going to inlay into the fretboard which would be radiused first given that they are thin veneer.. Guess I'll just have to test first - my concern was really the staining of the lighter woods... Thanks for you help guys.. Ian

Any before and after pics of that...?

Does anyone have any best advice on how to sharpen round chisels..? I was going to use an oilstone as with other chisels..but I'm a little concerned about flatting areas...which should be round! My father probably told me how years ago..but bit stumped on this now..!

Byron, don't retort in anger just in case you were thinking about it! Read carefully what Perry and Drak have said - they are actually giving you 100% good advice. It may appear at first reading harsh, but read it again a few times if you think it is harsh - it's not, it really is good advice. Think of it another way - in another post someone mentioned about a luthier school - the guy charges 3000 for two weeks. Now lat's say he was doing that 52 weeks of the year (unlikely but for arguments sake) - his income from that is 78000 p/a. Now equate that to making a guitar: 1. You would have to churn out 1 guitar every two weeks and sell it to make 78000 p/a. Now take off your overheads and cost of materials (and we'll underestimate for this purpose) at 75% - that leaves net income of 25% - 19500 before taxes. Take off another 30% for tax and ni that leaves: 13650 divide that by 12 months leaves 1137. Now given that in that course it was an 11 hour day - even at five days a week only that is equivalent to just over 1 ($ or £) per hour..!! 2. That is also on the basis of selling at 3k...if you sold at 1.5k..you would either halve all those numbers above..or churn out double with increased overhead / material cost. 3. That is on the basis also of 'right first time'...and how many times can you say that. If you don't get it right first time...then reduce the numbers again.. 4. You have a day job too...there are only 24 hours in a day, you have to sleep eat whatever.... Now, you may say, it'll only be supplemental - fine. But the point Perry and Drak are saying is that don't even go there...give that future dream not one moment thought...it's a waste of time. What will come, will come..really, don't even think about...that! And that's the other point(s) they are making..concentrate first on earning your living to pay your bills to pay for material to provide you time to work on your hobby. The other point being - concentrate solely on just learning to make guitars..then make your next one better, then better again... If you read carefully what they say, they are not being nasty or anything...they are not being judgemental..they are offering you help (ask away said Perry) in guiding you to simply..just learn to build...and don't even think about 'down the line' - it's not even a discussion topic (you'll notice there are no specific boards for discussing that..and for very good reason).. The bitterest pill to swallow, is often the one with 'advice' written on it.. Best Regards, Ian

Wow...and less than $50..! Should look sweet when finished on that guitar... Looking forward to seeing it done...your work always inspires me, shame I don't have anywhere near the same skill you do (and most others on here)...but I have 30 years of life left in me (I hope!!)...I might be able to make something decent for my 70th..

I'm not at all confident cutting out fine shapes from mop or abalone - i've tried, but I need to try harder (kudos to those who can...you rock)..I'm OK with dots and squares as you can buy them pre-cut.. Anyway, marquetry...my father used to do this many many years ago, and I have tried it a few times. I find it much easier as I can use a craft knife which cuts neat and can do intricate shapes. Original marquetry you would stick 'on top' of something to build it up. However, I've tested on some scrap, cutting out the shape, glueing it in and fine sanding..all very well.. On my current project the Es335 and the V (for my daughter) and the Strat...I'm wanting (possibley) to do somemarquetry..nothing fancy..but something that will extend from the fretboard on to the body...or vice versa. Now protecting it in the body is OK...but on rosewood board on the neck?!...anyone have any idea how it can be protected..I'm meaning in my choice of woods to use..nothing too light as it would stain...I'm also thinking about placement of such a pattern, that it would not wear down too much (too soon if you know what I mean)..very thin veneers.. Any experience / advice would be helpful.

Finally..at last I had some time to make a start on the neck. Couple of hours last night measuring, measuring again..and again... Made a start today..then it started raining..Great! OK, neck block marked up...first up..the truss rod slot. Slot Truss rod fitted...nice and snug.. Snug fit and the nut end Next up was to cut the tenon - with the router.. being cut one side done Ok, some more work with the router..cutting to measurement resulted in a tenon. As the neck pocket was cut following the face of the guitar - at an angle, this allowed me to cut the tenon square. Then it was a matter of measuring the angle at the front of the slot then cutting this on either side of the tenon...with a chisel...I keep my chisels sharp..and a good job too...this sapele is rock hard! Anyway..here it is fitted in place as a test fit.. Test Fit The centre line is bang on - always pays to measure several times before cutting.. Anyway..browse the album here: Album Update Next up is to profile, design the headstock, do the fretboard.. btw, I've made this so it joins just ahead of the 19th fret...i've decided to use a 25" scale for this... And finally, a pic for the post...

Great work...colour is very nice. You've put a great deal of effort into that...and it's worthit. I went and had a good browse through that forum - palmitoales work and others...amazing work! Nice guitars in the gallery.. The rest of that forum is also very good...they seem to just get on and talk guitar..no bitchiness! <<edit>> Whilst it is on the same subject...have a look at the finsih another member of that forum got on this Paul HERE - looks like marble come abalone...very nice indeed.

Jehle has a good point about the wax which I'll pick up on. Beeswax is rather a soft wax - whether it is in solid form or liquid. Nothing wrong with it, but as Jehle says it will require re-applying...and if you use it on the neck you may find you re-apply it more often. If you go with a Carnuba wax (paste or liquid) - there are varying degrees of hardness...the higher the percentage of carnuba...the harder it is, the longer it lasts...but also..the more work it takes to apply and buff - but it's not all that difficult....and the results are amazing... I have some expensive carnuba waxes - which mix a blend of non-bleached brazilian and yellow carnuba..they may seem expensive, but they are worth it...and as Algee knows, I use them for other things... Just so you know how expensive this stuff is the lowest grade I have is 51% (carnuba) by volume...this is £119 for a tiny 200ml tub - the highest grade I have is 60% by volume...I'll not say the price here but it's into four figures for 200ml. I have some others with ptfe compound which might be ideal for the neck...they are 40% volume...if you want to try the carnuba, I have some samples I can send you - PM me if you want Byron....

Good luck and I'm sure you'll make an informed choice Byron...just be sure to go with what ou are comfortable with, confident with..and patience as you are rightly aware is a virtue.. I'll just add...that when I was learning wood skills from my father...I was not allowed to even look at a power tool until I learned the basics of hand tools - chisels, hand planes, hand saws....it was about 3 years before he would let me use a jigsaw or even a power hand drill....

Well, I don't have access to a band or scroll saw - I am more comfortable and more confident in using a jigsaw ( I have several) with varying blades...a router and good ol hammer and chisel.. Whether that is right or wrong...it works for me..and they are the tools I have become accustomed to for 20 years... If I had a band saw (which I hope to have soon) I would use it..and I would use a scroll saw for things that I feel comfortable with.... Byron...Drak is skilled with a scrollsaw...but if I were you, I would be getting one or two good quality jigsaws with good blades...you'll get more use out of them for other things...but that's just my opinion and not neccissarily the correct one...