sdshirtman

3 hours ago, mistermikev said:

I come from a long line of "if it's worth doing... it's worth overdoing". My vote would be to make templates, cut out a square, fill that square with wood, then rout the pickup proper.

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. 

On 10/10/2017 at 4:33 PM, seb said:

 

 

Un-even gaps around the cavity cover is a pet peeve of mine. This looks textbook perfect. Very nice. 

 

 

 

 

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. 

8 hours ago, ScottR said:

Do you get many dry days in a year in San Diego, John?

SR

We do when the Santa Ana's blow in. 

6 hours ago, Prostheta said:

John'll be pissed that we derailed his thread! 

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. 

On 8/16/2017 at 0:02 PM, Prostheta said:

Any chance that I can draw from your video in one of our own segments when it comes to gluing up neck joints? The biggest problem I find is that a lot of beginners follow what they see without question, and why wouldn't they? Too many builders demonstrate reproduce that super tight dry joint thinking it's good to glue up, whereas in reality it's a demonstration of working precision, nothing more. I'd like to close that circle.

I can't remember who I saw doing this now....was it yourself, @verhoevenc in your Myka jig video where the tapered tenon fits behind the pocket and is pushed forward to achieve sidewall pressure? That's the only instance I can think of where the fit off the router is usable and doesn't share the problems that top-down assembly has.

Talking of, "for show" John, I have a few things up my sleeve which might make you spit our your cheap beer over the monitor. 

Sure no problem. If you find the Myka jig thing post it. I'd like to check it out. 

On 8/16/2017 at 0:14 PM, meatloaf said:

Now that makes me feel a little better as the video made it look so quick and easy, As I said before that inlay is the dogs ........awesome work a joy to watch.

Not sure if you are brave or foolish working in your shop in bare feet, if that was me i'd be sure to drop something on them or stub my toe on some piece of crap on the floor.

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. 

1 hour ago, Prostheta said:

Please tell me that you ease the neck or the pocket before glueup John! It's a pet peeve of mine (I know this) however those super tight "pick the body up by the neck" joints are a fair way from ideal. That is, unless the neck can be fitted into the tapered pocket from behind in the pickup rout, then pushed forward into the pocket. Inserting top down in a tight rout pushes down too much glue, starving the sides and creating a thick film underneath that can't be squeezed out. I'm sure you know this, however anybody else that sees the video might interpret the working process differently.

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!  

58 minutes ago, ScottR said:

I am very impressed with the way the double sided tape just vanishes. It takes a bit more work to get mine off.

I did not see the figure in that limba coming either. That popped out nicely when you wet it. This is going to be a gorgeous guitar and has been quite entertaining and informative to watch you build it.

Really smooth wardrobe changes too, quite impressive.

SR

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. 

10 minutes ago, psikoT said:

Love everything, but the inlay job was freaking good... as someone said before, you make us feel like noobs.

Excellent work. Please keep uploading videos, they are awesome.

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. 

OK just finished editing another installment. This week we do cavity covers, serve cheap beer on a guitar and contour the body. 

2 hours ago, ScottR said:

Excellent  treatise on the importance of paying attention to the little details, John. 

You've pick up some nice toys over the years too. What is that greenish housing over the bit on your dremel? I haven't seen that before.

SR

Its the 490 blower from StewMac. http://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/Types_of_Tools/Routers_and_Bits/Routers/Dremel_490_Dust_Blower.html

I got it on a whim during a big order from SM last year. Shit you have to have right? I think it was the subject of ridicule by Sully and friends on one of his Luthierist podcast a few months back. It works but its more trouble than its worth because you can't get bits out without completely loosening the height adjustment on the router guide. I've since switched back to a piece of tape or a fish pump.

1 hour ago, Prostheta said:

I believe that it's a fan that blows away debris. I've seen people 3D print them, but I'm unsure what John did or where he got it from. Certainly more swish than a bit of masking tape! 

Your fret press head is deflecting a big John....mine did that till I replaced the pivot pin with something heavier. I bent the original machine bolt till it broke!

Funny you bring that up because I didn't really notice until I reviewed the footage I shot from that angle. Its since been fixed with a shim. 

On 7/31/2017 at 4:03 PM, 2.5itim said:

Very nice work man! Goodness ya could have gotten 3 necks outa that neck blank haha

Yeah I know. I do the occasional scarf from time to time but sometimes you just gotta make some sacrifices to get what you want. 

On 8/5/2017 at 5:49 AM, meatloaf said:

I only have one problem with your vidoes, you make it look so easy. Really nice work man

Well thanks Meatloaf (love that username BTW). What amazes me is just how fast I work on video. 

Since I'm here I might as well post the latest installment. I unfortunately had some corrupt files and lost some fretting footage which kinda sucks. 

Thanks for all the positive comments. Nice to see people enjoying it. I'll have another episode ready soon. 

As far as the spool clamps, I made mine similar to the hole saw method but instead used a piece of round stock similar to what you'd find your clothes hanging on in your closet. They're a few dollars at your local home improvement store. Slice and drill as needed and stick some cork on there. I think they ended up costing me something like $0.30 per clamp. I have a bucket full of em.   Oh, and they work great for fretboard/neck glue-ups. And to think StewMac sells them for six bucks per. 

Nice job Chris. Its a stunner. Thats a crazy smooth finish. Did you use retarder? 

Ive always just taken my fingernail to remove then a dab of compound on a rag and spot buff that area by hand. 

Not sure what the changes to the TOS was but I find that lately theres so much advertisement fodder that I can hardly navigate through through the site. 

Just saw this. I have an OEM account. Let me know if I can help.