Shamrock

Skull Inlay...red LED eyes.

Run wires down through truss rod channel...you'll have to rout a small channel below the truss rod to do this, then cover the wires with silicone caulk. run wires thru neck into body to a power supply (9 volt battery) in the control cavity.

I've never done it but it seems like this should work.

try it on a beater guitar first if you aren't sure of it.

With all the different materials available for inlay, (i.e. recon stone, shell, metallics, etc, etc,etc) you really shouln't need to dye anything. But if you are dead set on coloring your inlays, you could use thin acrylic sheeting and paint the underside. I know there is a good tutorial on this technique somewhere in the tutorial section of this site.

I would suggest hitting the pawn shops and see what you can find there. With acoustics, the more they're played the better they sound. Sooooo.....If you can find one that you like that's already broken in, you should be able to get a pretty good deal on it. Just make sure it has a solid wood soundboard and preferably a solid wood body not laminate or NATO (read: plywood) Play as many as your fingers will stand until you find the one that says BUY ME!!!!

you would be better off using small pieces to fit into the routed pockets.

Also, block your fretboard/neck into a jig that will allow your router to ride level to avoid any problems with the radius.

You might want to rub it down with alcohol first to remove the gloss. Or go over it lightly with 600 grit sand paper.

Mee likey

Seriously, don't redo it. I think it's nice.. Made me want to do a swirl, if I ever build a guitar.

...a swirl would probably look a bit out of place on a fretless bass, wouldn't it?

←

If it's your bass and you want to swirl it...go for it. Don't worry what anybody thinks. Opinions are like a**holes...everybody has one and nobody should worry about anyone elses.

Swirl away man.

Ed,

Having begun my lutherie addiction with an acoustic kit from Stew-Mac, I would suggest that you download the free instructions from them to give you a few tips and possibly save you some time and prevent anymore mishaps.

One thing that is really helpful is the instructions on making your own spool clamps

I have built several acoustics using those instructions and they are pretty thorough.

Don't know if it's available in Scotland but I use a product called Citri-Strip.

It's available at Home Depot in the States.

It is citrus based and doesn't have any noxious fumes and is pretty gentle on the wood.

Just my opinion.

I agree, a trophy shop would be your best bet. If you can't find a trophy shop, check with your local sporting goods store, they will be able to refer you to one.

Be aware that the custom logo will probably carry a pretty hefty set-up fee. If you are going to need more than one of the neck plates, it would probably be cheaper to have them engrave several at one time. Just make sure to specify that you want them numbered sequentially (or however you want the numbers , I'm assuming you'll want different numbers on each one)

If you go the sanding route, you should check out jehle's tutorial in the tutorial section of the main site. It will tell you how to make your own custom headstock logo/decal. It works pretty well, I used it on my 1st build before I decided to begin using gold MOP inlay for my Headstock logo.

One word of caution though, if you decide to do that, patience is one thing you will need a lot of. You can't do it in one day and expect it to look professional. You should allow yourself at least 3-5 days to build up enough coats of lacquer to hide the edges of the decal and protect it from the elements (i.e. flying beer, sweat, who knows what all else)

That being said, good luck.

Stewart Macdonald sells fret slotting scale templates for all popular scales.

You could check them out or try lmii.com

And I need a new Name

!!METAL MATT!!

←

Mauler?

Sorry I can't be more help, but I'm usually an Acoustic Country Guy.

But your designs are unbelievable.

It will take the sealer off of the surface but if you want to go all the way back to square one for the best finish, I'd hit it lightly with 320 grit sand paper. Just be sure not to sand too hard or you'll mess up the shape of the body/neck.

Be especially careful on the edges and around any break angles such as a forearm rest. All you really need to do is open the pores and get the wood fibers to stand up a little.

www.rockler.com sells veneers and 1/8" thick sheets of various exotic and domestic woods. You should be able to find something there that fits the bill.

←

I've used Rockler for several different projects and their wood selection is unbelievable. I do custom cabinetry along with lutherie (who needs sleep, sleep when you're dead ) so they are quite familiar to me.

They have several different thicknesses and species of wood available for laminating and they carry several of the "traditional" guitar building woods. (i.e. rosewood, ebony, maple, mahogany) and some exotics that would give you a very unique look.

I don't know too much about basswood but I do know about Boiled linseed oil.

I am a volunteer firefighter and we use boiled linseed oil on all of our wooden axe handles and shovel handles. The finish is almost impossible to ruin. I realize that hickory is alot harder than basswood but we put those tools through some pretty rough abuse and they hardly show the wear on the handles.

One drawback is that they have to be touched up with the boiled linseed oil about every 6 months.

So, as long as you don't use your guitar to chop any holes in the roof or open any burning car hoods, the linseed oil may work.

I would still prefer french polish if you want a nice luster and a little bit of protection.

Just my $0.02. I guess that would be 1/2 cent after taxes.

im actually looking into lutherire schools now thinking it could be a good way to go in life.

←

I will be a good way to go in life if you've got someone who can pay your bills and living expenses for the next 10-15 years until you have built a reputation that will make people want to buy enough of your instruments to support you in the lifestyle to which you would like to become accustomed.

I have been doing this luthier gig for a while now and I still have to put in 50-60 hours a week making chocolate candies that melt in your mouth not in your hands to pay the bills and support my addiction to lutherie.

If you are just getting started, you will quickly learn that lutherie is an addiction, and not an easy one to kick.

The aren't completely satin chrome, but Marshall amp knobs have satin chrome dome caps. (Black plastic knobs with Satin chrome tops)

Just a thought but you may be able to do the back out of fiberglass mesh and resin. (the kind used for auto body repairs) If you could find a cheap pawn shop bowl back to use as the mold it shouldn't be that difficult.

I've never tried it but you never know. The most you would be out would be the cost of the pawn shop guitar and a few bucks at the auto parts store.

Just be sure to cover the guitar body with something if you plan to ever use it for anything again.

Again, I stress, I have never attempted this so it is just an opinion.

Well, they don't sell kits for Jumbo's but LMI ( www.lmii.com) will bend sides to any of the most popular shapes. You can then order the rest of the parts from them or from Stew-Mac. Or you could order a custom from a Luthier. HMMM......I think I know a luthier who could help you out.

I play on acoustic most of the time and I've learned to do the "5-string F"

X33211 . Of course, I built my own acoustic and the action is pretty low. It plays almost the same as my '74 Tele. When you play custom built instruments, you can have it the way you want it.

kinda like a semi-hollow electric. I call them Electricoustic. Stew-Mac sells a tele shaped body that is semi-hollow. I have done a couple and they sounded pretty good. Not enough volume unplugged for concert use but works great for sitting on the porch, picking and singing. If you use the right pickups (I prefer Rio Grande and Barbeque pickups from LMII) it has a great sound when amped.

Wow, I never thought I'd get a science lesson here. But it does help understand the process a little better.

Thanks, Don

After seeing that guitar sanded down to bare wood, I think it would look absolutely stunning in a satin clear...

It would actually look quite "classy".

"Shiny" isn't always a good thing...

But that's just my opinion.

←

I finish almost all of my customs in Satin...unless a customer insists on a gloss finish. The satin doesn't reflect spotlights and blind the audience from the stage.

Not that I really like to spend extra money but Stew-Mac sells fret pullers that are precision ground for the specific job of pulling frets.