sdshirtman

Or worth doing right, Either way I agree, this would be the proper way. Maybe you could borrow a router? Even if you fill with epoxy a router and a good pickup template its going to be the correct tool to square this up properly. Some thoughts, Filling cavities in wood is challenging because the filler piece and the piece being filled almost always shrink and expand at slightly different rates over time. This happens even when using the same species of wood with the same grain orientation. The end result is almost always a visible line in your finish where the filler edge is. If you're using a resin, epoxy, solar-res etc. the effect is magnified. Is your current pickup route really that bad that its not suitable for a direct mount? Ibanez usually has pretty decent cavities. Have you considered a trembucker? Post a picture maybe?

For me it depends on whether or not Im doing binding or not but I almost always cut slots first. No Binding 1) I cut fret slots according to calculations I do in a my drawing program allowing for a few thousandths of an inch for material loss during radius sanding. I do this on a squared fretboard. 2) I cut the board down and taper it close to the final size leaving roughly 1-16th inch on the sides. 3) Install any inlay. 4) Radius the board 5) I make sure the bottom of the board is sanded perfectly flat. I do this by attaching a 15" x 1" x 2" maple down the center of the fretboard with double sided tape and I and it on a piece of flat milled aluminum with 220 paper attached to it. The maple board keeps the pressure across the length of the board consistent. This insures I have no gaps between the neck and board. I find it a good step to take, especially when mating maple to maple. I also make sure the top of my neck is dead flat. 6) Glue the board to the neck. 7) I use a bottom bearing router bit and trim the fretboard flush to the neck. 8) Install frets. 9) Carve the neck. With Binding 1) I cut fret slots. When I'm doing binding it doesn't matter if the slots are a bit too deep so I just cut them a bit deeper. 2) I cut the board down to close to size and attach it to a fretboard template I have that is 0.058" smaller on each side than my neck template to allow for binding thickness. 3) Install my binding. I usually use 0.060 wide binding. The two thousandths of an inch overhang on each side allows me to scrape it flush once its glued to the neck. 4) Install any inlay. 5) Radius the board. 6) I make sure the bottom of the board is sanded flat. 7) Glue the board to the neck. I use locating pins so it doesn't slip around. 8) Install frets. 9) Carve the neck. As far as calculating depth. I lay everything out in a drawing program so I can get calculate depth. You only have to do this once for whatever fretwork size you're using. I started calculating like this after the first time I had to fill large gaps under the fret tangs on a maple board. Using this method I've never had to go back and deepen slots (so far) and I get minimal gaps under my tangs. Here is an example.

This is certainly one of the more unique designs I've seen in a while. I'll certainly be watching this thread to see it come together. If I may, I think the control knob markers distract from the design and are unnecessary. Just my 2 cents.

Neutral mahogany filler might highlight the pores. I would suggest adding a few drops of dark brown Transtint dye so the filler will match the rosewood. Doing a test piece is always a good idea if you're doing this for the first time.

Nice job. The first guitar I ever built (which was chronicled here and probably now dead thanks to photo bucket) was made much the same way using the most basic had tools. BTW part six is coming. I've just been busy as all hell.

You can shorten the horn as Scott said or you can graft a piece of wood in there. If you put a dark burst around it you'll never see it.

I wasn't thinking ring as much as I was a contrasting pickup or bobbin cover. I don't think they compliment every build I see them on but I think in this case it would look fantastic.

Wow Scott this came out amazing. Its got a nice warm glow to it. How are you planning on mounting the pickup? This thing seems to be begging for a wood pickup ring or pickup cover.

This has such an organic feel to it. My favorite detail on this build by far is the neck to heel transition. Are you sure you're not a Gwar fan Scott?

I missed putting together last weeks episode so we might get two before the end of this weekend. This weeks episode focuses in on one of my favorite parts of a build. Shaping the neck profile.

We do when the Santa Ana's blow in.

Nah. Everything said here has strong merit. It also might be worth mentioning what humidity can do to a joint. I've had sitting neck joints pockets that have gone from being very snug to being loose enough you'd have almost considered a shim, only to see them back to being very snug again in the span of just a few dry days to few humid days. Theres a lot to be said for temperature and humidity controlled working environments.

Sure no problem. If you find the Myka jig thing post it. I'd like to check it out. Thanks man. glad you enjoyed it. On the barefoot thing. Its a bad habit but I just like going barefoot in the summer. As a matter of fact I just shot 18 holes barefoot last week.

I read you. It was purely for show. Having cut pockets in the past that were a few thousandth off I prefer to start too snug than too slack. For interest sake and time I didn't show myself sanding the neck joint to fit a little less snugly. So you hear that kiddies? Don't make your neck joint too snug or you starve your joint of glue! Thx Scott. The magic of editing. That piece of BL was a gem. It was 12 ft long and the grain ran almost dead straight through the entire piece. I managed to pull 3 bodies from it. Grand compliment coming from you. (love your builds man). I actually shot hours of footage of the inlay process. I was kind of surprised that I ended up only using so little of it but I figured any more footage of watching me saw away at a piece of MOP would bore people.