xXMikeXx

I was looking at Bosch as a option... But it's difficult to choose when most reviews are done by odd-job DIYer's where their use doesn't matter if it slips a little because usually it's straight through cuts or for truing edges... But as you're a guitar maker, I'm assuming you find the Bosch accurate enough for precision jobs?

Unfortunately Porter Cable are 110V products and that would mean lugging a transformer around with me wherever I needed to use it... And those things aren't light!

I really need a 240V tool, shame though since the reviews on Porter Cable stuff isn't bad at all...

And I cant find any Collets compatible with mine... It was a dirt cheap shops own sort of brand, So I'll still be looking for a new router.

You know what... A new collet completely slipped my mind!!!

I'll have to give it a go as unless I do an Ebay job a new router would cost alot more!

Thanks for the suggestion, I'll have a hunt for some in the U.K.

Sorry if this has been asked before... But can you guys give some recommendations for some routers?

Mine has this nasty habit of letting the bit slowly slide out of the collet so I cant possibly make a decent even cut to a specific depth and since I just got a bench planer so I can finally continue with my builds... This is holding me back.

Just need a decent router so I can continue,

Thanks guys!

As it says in the title, I need one but cant afford a new one and ebay are pretty much all way out of my price range (most are large shop ones) or are pick-up only from miles away.

Thanks.

OK. Since I haven't been able to get my hands on a jointer because of lack of money... I'm going to experiment with the idea of making a jig for my electric plane using an old pine headboard I have. (I'm praying that when I measure it out later all The surfaces will be big enough and the big posts either side are perfectly square. If not, it's going to have to be square steel tubing on an MDF base.

I'll let you all know how it comes out.

Mike.

Lol guys, Thanks for the help. I do have a power plane, just not sure I entirely trust it... But sine on this neck I have about 1.25 inches to play with I may give it a go.

Right, Sorry if this has been asked before... My forum searching "skills" are non existent.

How do you guys surface a neck? As in ready for a fretboard?

I've considered using a router with a jig... But mine has a nasty habit of letting the bit slowly slide out of the collet... So the neck would get progressively thinner and most likely have chunks missing everywhere.

So just wanted to know what you guys use as my local jointer's has decided that customers have to pay towards replacing tools if they bring in hardwoods. (which is bad business to me... Surely that should be covered in the price of getting it done anyways, not tacked on top)

So yeah... Any suggestions would be great!

Mike.

Little bit more progress today, First is a picture to show the contrast of the colours in the wood... Still not sure if I want to stain it lightly or not... Most likely not.

And here's so far on the first neck, unfortunately my router couldn't cut all the way down so I'll still have to go get it done by a jointer's shop

And this is why I'll have to go to a jointer's anyways... Because I bought a cheap router and my "straight edge" isn't exactly what it stated it was when I bought it.

Still... A nice join between the wood in my opinion. I had the luxury of a little slice coming off as I was routing, so I tested it... Both the maple and walnut broke before the glue join did

So yeah, That's it so far. Once I get this one back from the jointer's, probably in the next few weeks as I still have 3 more to glue up, I can get working on the body and shaping the neck (Plus I get to buy nice new shiny hardware, which is always a plus)

Mike.

Yeah I gave it a bit of a wipe on a little before I realised it was just effort at this stage. Trust me, the glue was everywhere! On my shoes, in my hair, all over my hands, all over the patio... There was plenty

Lol, that was my thinking, just didn't realise how much extra I used till I clamped it all up Haha

Yeah... I may have gone a bit glue mad lol

Got the first blank glued , only 3 more to go, and then the planer to get it ready for the fretboard.

Got a bit close to the glue too... good to know it doesn't stick to hair too well

More to come soon!

Got the lams back after getting them cut .

Here they are, 2 x 7string necks, a 5string bass and a 4string bass!

OK... So I just ordered the mahogany for the body. Unfortunately due to money I won't be able to do the figured top

So now instead, it will be the same guitar but natural . The mahogany I bought has a really nice grain so it's no loss, Would be a shame to cover it up.

In the next week or so I'm going to get my maple and walnut for the necks cut into laminates so I can glue them up and get to work!!!

Great, Thanks for all the replies! I didn't think there would be a problem as they put maple caps on body's so that was sort of what would be happening anyways.

@ brian d... Yeah I was considering putting a small veneer of a figured maple between the two halves, So helps to know that I'm not the only one.

Thanks all!

Damn that is a BEAUTIFUL job! The finish is soooo nice. Look forward to seeing more of your projects!

Hey all... I'm going to make my lovely girlfriend a bass... And my question is, do any of you see a problem with using 2 3/4" thick bits of mahogany to make a 1.5" thick body? So basically it would be a mahogany body with a mahogany top... Kind of...

The reason I'm asking is because a good friend of mine recently donated a mahogany table to me for making guitars, but it's only 3/4" thick.

Thanks all!

Thanks dude! Yeah I got the idea for the finish from an old guitar company called Palm Bay. And the bridge on the mock-up is based on an Ibanez Gibraltar 7, Although I don't think I'll use that as it'll probably cost a bundle to order one from them.

Should be starting work on it next month so I'll keep it updated!

Maybe I should let you all know the woods ect.

Neck: Maple and American Black Walnut 5 piece

Body: Old growth brazillian mahogany (With a figured maple top, Not sure if I want to try my first carve with quilted as that stuff doesn't come cheap! Maybe Curly maple or flamed...)

Pick-ups: EMG or DiMarzio, Not sure yet, Need to listen to them more.

Bridge: 7 String fixed, String through body

Hardware: Chrome (Preferably a charcoal chrome if I can find it all in that)

OK... So my actual first was supposed to be a 6 string thru... But during the winter there was alot of rain and as it turns out, my neighbours garage floods... So all the water came through to mine too and now the body i started making for "Project Sharon" is too wet to use. Now it's getting warmer again i thought i'd have a go at a 7-string as recently i bought a new 6 string so i think having 4 would be a bit silly ... Well... Atleast until i finish the 7, a short scale bass for my lovely missus and a 5 string bass for myself

Sooo... Here is the concept of the body i mocked up in 3DS Max.

Let me know what you think. (I've not completely set my mind on the black/purple fade.

OK... So I want to build my girlfriend a bass. She has a full sized one at the moment but it's a bit too big for her as she's quite petite.

So, My question is, How would I work out the 3/4 scale length? I've had a look at some 3/4 basses but they all (Or most) say 34" scale length. So would that mean I'd take 3/4 of 34" which would make it 25.5"? Or am I completely wrong here?

Sorry if this has been covered already but the forum won't let me search the term "3/4" and "Three Quarter Length" yields no useful results.

Thanks in advance.

S Drop-Down? I cant say I've heard of that... Not a surprise considering I don't like Fenders.

I'll look it up, Thanks for the reply!

Wait, do you mean the one where it's slightly set back but straight? Because i really like the look of angled... Although that would save time and wood.

Right... Well i know this has probably been asked like a million times before, but I'm damned if i can find it :S

So, My question is, what is the best headstock design on angling?

I have a HUGE piece of hard maple and another in black walnut... Let's just say i can make any headstock design i want, so... ramble ramble ramble... Is it better to cut the angle in one piece with no joint or is a scarf joint better? (I want to know so i can make the best quality necks i can)

Because... and here is where it's most important to me as this wood was not cheap... (quartersawn) if i have no joint and just cut out in one go, i can make roughly 4-5 thru-necks from it... with a scarf joint it's more like 8-9. Bringing my cost down for each guitar about 20-30GBP.

But for me, quality far outweighs cost efficiency.

Help?!

Thanks,

Mike.

*EDIT* I realize i contradicted myself a little lol... But although it's expensive, I would much rather sacrifice money than know i could have made a better quality neck.