Juntunen Guitars

Good point on the hide glue coming apart. That's why I only used it on joints that would need to eventually like a dovetail joint otherwise I use titebond. I way have to try epoxy at some point. I've seen you use it for electric set necks which seemed like a good idea. I have never used it as glue though because the one time I did I had to remove a board that slipped while glueing and it just wouldn't let go cleanly at all so I haven't used it since. Might have just been the stuff I used though.

Rub it with acetone right before glueing and let the acetone dry completely and it helps I've heard. I used cocobolo for the bridge, fingerboard, heelcap and headcap on my acoustic build and used titebond each time without using acetone or anything and didn't have an issue at all. I just don't like using epoxy because I believe a guitar should be able to bo taken apart should you need to fix it but that's my preference I know we have gone over this before.

seems like an idea. I wouldn't mind trying one of these in one of my guitars. I like trying new things with building.

If it's already tight probably not. If it was going to be a really tight joint to begin with you wouldn't have been able to fit the tenon in now unless it was forced becasue it wouldn't be lined up in the correct spot so you would be trying to fit a wider section into a smaller space.

I'd like to just play one, never had a chance too. Taylors also have a bolt on neck so they are pretty easy to work on. My GS Mini has some little plastic clip on the inside of the waist on the bass side, anyone know what it's there for?

I love the look of guitars beat to hell with actual playing.

If/when I get say at least 5 or so people that want one then I will make a batch. There are a lot of parts to this so it takes a lot of time to make, especially since I am working out of my garage lol. Here in Tulsa Ok where I live I'll let anyone who wants to try it out come over to my house. I have not come up with a game plan for other areas. How would you be distributing them? I take it would would be selling a batch of 5 or so?

This is why I only use titebond and hide glue

Sounds interesting. Are you going to make an available to buy or test out?

Soundslike trying to buy cars or trucks in my area. People will ask for $3500-$4000 for an F-150 from the 80's or 90's that is totally rusted out and has 150k miles if you are lucky. Finding a guitar in my area is almost impossible, the closest guitar store is a 70 mile drive I'd say go with Taylor or Seagull. Seagulls are made in Canada. I really like the Taylor guitars. I've never had any experience with their customer support but a guy I know called them about putting a pickup in and he got ahold of someone in their shop who told him how Taylor does it and where they have found a piezo sounds best in their guitars.

Thanks. I put it in GOTM for june, I haven't seen many acoustics in it before so hopefully more people like it.

You know a lot of people rip on the moderne saying it's ugly and what not. I personally like it, I don't think it's ugly and I definately prefer the original headstock over the V or Dean style one. That said this should be a cool build, I'll be watching it.

"Padauk Dreadnaught" This is my first entry in GOTM. This in an acoustic guitar I just finished building last week. It's based off a Martin Dreadnaught. Top: Sitka Spruce Back and Sides: Padauk Fingerboard: Cocobolo Bridge: Cocobolo Neck: African Mahogany and White Ash Binding: Northern White Ash Headstock Neck Heel Neck Photobucket Album http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnL79X-inSo The build thread is in my signature.

Thanks, I was very pleased with the end result and the sound is great. I would say it's a mix of the depth you can get with rosewood but the clarity you get with mahogany. And it's been fun to hear the differences since it's still changing as the wood breaks in. If you have any questions on the build ask. I know I missed explaining a few parts.

Cool idea. I'll donate when I get some money I can spare. Out of curiosity what kind of car parts do you make?

And now it's done! I just need to wait two weeks now to give the lacquer plenty of time to cure before I buff it but it's a pretty decent "off the gun" finish as is. If anyone is interested in my setup specs here they are. String height off the first fret: .003"-.002" measured by fretting the 3rd fret and measuring the distance between the 1st fret and string Neck bow: .007" Measured with 1st and 14th fret fretted and measuring the distance between the string and 7th fret. String action height: .090" measured using the stewmac string action guage. Fret the 1st fret and measure the height of the string off the 12th fret. If anyone gets the Flat Pick Guitar magazine this guitar will be in an upcoming issue. I will also try to get a video uploaded of it's sound. I was really impressed with the sound. I have one recording of it being played along with a mandolin but the mandolin is so overpowering it isn't even worth putting up.

Out of the clamps. Marking for the saddle. So what you want to do here is measure out the scale length then on the high e side make a mark 1/32" back from the scale length and on the low E mark 5/32" back from the scale length so you can intonate the guitar eventually. I marked 5/16" out on each side for the overhang on the saddle I think. Saddle slot routed. Drilled the bridge pin holes. Drill them to the size of a ball end of a string then use a reamer to ream the holes to the taper of the bridge pins. Once they are fit use files and file slots down the front of the slot and up onto the top of the bridge for the string to sit in. I forgot to take pictures of this so I will try to explain it. When you are fitting bridge pins the string will not sit in the hole with a string in it if there isn't these slots filed so I just use needle files and file notches into it stopping constantly to check if it is a tight fit yet, you just want the pin to be all the way in and not super tight but make sure the ball end of the string is pulled up flat with the bridge plate on the inside of the guitar too. For saddles I put a .090" shim on the 12th fret at the low E and a .060" shim on the high e and using a straight edge mark the saddle blank. After marking it I use a radius guage and draw the radius of the fingerboard between the two marks and sand down to the line on an edge sander and finish it up to 600 grit. I then push down the 1st fret and measure the string height at the 12th fret. You want it at about .090" if you need to lower it take the difference and double it so in this case I had .130" in height so I had to take .080" off the bottom because there was a .040" difference of where I wanted it. You can only do this after making the nut. For the first several months at least don't make an intonated saddle because of all the settle in the instrument does. I've heard of people waiting a year to make an intonated saddle.

Glueing the bridge Tape removed, when you do this cut through the lacquer with an x-acto blade. so you don't peel the lacquer with it. Mark the scale length on the top then measure 3/16" up from that mark and you have where the bridges front edge goes. You use different measurements for smaller bridges and pyramid bridges. Then using masking tape I taped down three layers of tape to help keep the bridge from pulling forward when glueing from the clamps. Remember to stick the tape to something and peel it up a couple times first to reduce the tack of the tape so you don't risk peeling off fresh lacquer. Clamping caul, it's just the top profile of a bridge cut out on a bandsaw with cork superglued on. I had to make another clamping caul for the inside of the guitar. I took a piece of plexi glass and laid it out on my guitar plans and traced the bridge plate and x-brace then double stick taped some plywood cutouts that were taller than the braces to the plexi glass and taped cork to the top of that. This way you have something for the clamps to sit on instead of denting the braces on the top. And clamped up.

Finishing up the bridge. Shaping the wings Beveling the back edge And bridge shaping done and sanded to 600 grit

Step 1: Sell the orbital sander When sanding a guitar you should do it by hand, a random orbital sander will leave scratches in every direction which will show up in the finish. Get a felt block and sand by hand. You were right to wet the wood down first but you should have let it dry and then hit it with some 220 to scuff sand it, just a couple passes with the sandpaper to knock the grain off, if you get rid of those barely any will raise later on. Honestly with a top like that I would just have left the dye on there instead of trying to paint over it. If you are looking for a finish like the blonde teles those were done with thinned out lacquer. I'm not really sure on the right way of doing it. I tred a little on some test pieces but couldn't get it to turn out right. Now if you have it where you want it there isn't much you can do but spray a clear on. I'd use nitro if you can but there are other clears like polyurethane or even epoxy if you really want to but I would stick with lacquer. I would scuff sand the paint a little, probably sand a little more than what I said to do for scuff sanding then spray clear. After several coats level sand with P500 grit until there are no more shiny spots in the lacquer. Spray a couple more (thinned if possible, if not that's fine? then it should be decent for no buffing. If you want to buff wet sand with 1000 grit then 1200 grit and buff from there. 3M makes a sanding disk at 1000 and 1200 grit that you can use dry and not have to wet sand, it works pretty nice but is a little expensive. That's what I would do. I don't think you would have any problems with lacquer sticking to the paint as long as you scuff it first but I'm not sure, the only time I have worked with coloring wood besides staining was with colored nitro lacquer. And I am no professional at this stuff, it's just the way I do this. Remember to sand with the grain not against it and if you use the 1000 or 1200 grit I will sand with the 1000 grit with the grain then the 1200 at a 45 degree angle to it so when I buff I can see what grit scratch is left then go back and touch it up.

Finishing is done for now. I just need to wait a week or so until I can buff it so I spent the day making the bridge and glueing it down. Tomorrow I hope to have it strung up and playable, just need to route the saddle slot, make a nut and saddle and we are good. I will put up pictures tonight or tomorrow.

All this hating on basswood makes me laugh a little. My dad just got done building a house for a guy who sells carving wood and basswood is all he uses. Once he learned I liked woodworking everytime I saw the guy he was always asking if I had made a guitar out of basswood yet because it's such a superior wood with how easily it works and how nice it looks and this and this and this So I gave in and cut down 7 basswood trees this winter... I now have a ridiculus amount of the wood drying waiting to be turned into guitars.

For fingerboards I drill a hole at the 3rd and 14th frets with a small drill bit and use the bits as dowels, be sure to rub them with parafin wax though so they come out easier and are less likely to be clogged with glue. For tops I just use sheet rock screws screwed straight into where the pickup cavities, neck pocket and trem route will be. If you cant find short enough screws just take them to a grinder and shorten them.

Start with what you have done. It doesn't look like you painted it at all in the pictures unless it's really thin paint. If you describe more what you have done and what brands you used it will be easier to answer. For gloss you will want to spray on clear lacquer then buff. If you have access to spray equipment like a gun and air compressor use nitrocelulose lacquer, if you don't you can usually get a decent look from rattle cans. I used to use rattle cans from "Cabot" it's a lacquer made or outdoor furniture I think but I'd just spray it on then scuff sand with 220 after the first coat and do a final level sand with 500 grit then rub with steel wool for a satin finish. If I was you get some clear lacquer and scuff sand the guitar as is with 320 grit, litterally no more than just one or two passes across the whole guitar since you just want to knock down some of the raised finish and wood fibers. If it's really rough do a little more but not much. Spray your coats then level with 500 grit completely level then spray 2-3 more coats and wet sand with 1000 then 1200 grit, wait a week then buff it either by hand or with the foam pads you get from oriellys or stewmac and a power drill. Explain a little what you have done first though so others can help more. What are you planning on using for equipment?

How much did all of this cost?