backwoodsguitars

I always use oil of some kind on all of my guitars, I have used tung oil and boiled linseed oil. Boiled linseed oil dries fairly hard and still looks good. It will give your wood a warmth that you will not believe. If you use it get boiled linseed oil. The boiled version has chemical driers added that will cause the oil to set up/dry in 12 hours to 18 hours. If you get regular it will take probably several weeks to set up. I like to "wet" sand it in on my last application. It make a "mud" that will fill any pore or void in the wood. brush it on let it sit 10 to 15 min. wipe it off. Wait an hour and do it again. I like to do it about 10 to 12 times. If you "wet" sand ((wet the sandpaper with oil)the last coat gently wipe it off and dont touch it for about 18 hours. This will give the "mud" time to dry hard in the pores. I then lightly rub it with 0000 steel wool and then use paste wax on it. I have seen tru oil used also and it looks great. But I know from experience that the linseed oil will give it a hardness. If you ever need to repair it you absolutely cannot see where your reapplied the linseed oil. I think you will be happy with any type of oil you choose!! Backwoods

Have you ever thought of mounting it in a routed or carved channel in the headstock or body or even the neck?I am talking like a permanent mount where it is covered and cannot be tampered with. Such as possibly covering/filling the piezo/routed area with "putty/filler before finishing the guitar. I have never used a piezo pickup but I have read alot about them. I have read about people making one out of a radio shack part. Do you always need a EQ with one? I like the idea of only having one or more piezos in a guitar, I think I would like the "clean" look! Backwoods

Thanks!!!

Yes!!! A neck thru is much easier than a set neck or bolt on. As long as you are talking about building any of the three from scratch. If you cut your shape out of the wings before you glue them on save the cut off pieces for clamping cauls. This way your clamp will have a flat surface to rest on and will be less likely to slip. Also use original titebond glue not titebond 2. This is very important! I have tried titebond2 and other brands even gorilla glue, original titebond is best. for the wings you could buy the smallest bottle you can find and still have some left over. Make sure to mark the wings and body on the front or back with a pencil so when you glue them up they will be in the correct position. Always double check the position because it is possible for one or the other to ride up and if it is the lower side it could affect fret access among other things If for some reason after you glue them up you have a slight gap between the neck and wings dont worry there is a solution to that. Just go for it and if you have any problems contact us and we will walk you through it. Remember everyone out here at one time or another made their first guitar. Backwoods

Thanks Doc and Hughes! I appreciate the info. what scale and how many strings is your bass Hughs? Backwoods

How THICK of a neck blank, I understand it will be wider. The thicknes I am refering to is the back to front. Do most of you start off with a 7/8" blank? My first one will probably be a 4 string. I make all of my guitars from scratch, this is why I am curious of BLANK dimensions "thickness". Backwoods

Rampart guitars used to have a page dedicated to tonewoods. Two species of oak were listed. I believe they compared the tonal qualities of red oak to that of ash and white oak compared to maple, or reverse. I made my first guitar out of oak. It is a neck thru with the neck made out of oak, rosewood fretboard and wings made out of laminated mahogany. I gave it a oil finish, the oak has remained stable and it still sounds like a dream. I too heard that oak would delaminate, this is why I used boiled linseed oil on it. I believe the oil finish protects the wood better since the wood is saturated in it and is not merely on the surface. I did not have to fill the grain because in between coats of oil "I wet sanded" using oil. This filled every nook and cranny and it is smooth as silk. I purchased my "neck blank" a perfectly strait 1"x3" from Home Depot in thr trim lumber bin. I have yet to move the truss rod on her. I like to set up a guitar at "0" and not need the D/A truss rod. Then you have that much more room to move either direction if the need arises. This guitar really sounds great and I have used oak several times since. I will however always use a humbucker when oak is in the neck because I think a humbucker fattens out the tone. Oak sustains forever also. PLease give oak a try!!! Backwoods

Hello, I am going to build a bass because I am asked so much about them. I have 0 experience with them, the one of the things I am concerned with is does a bass have a thicker neck. When I say thicker I mean fretboard off thickness of neck wood. The size of those bass strings scare me in the way of tension on a neck. I would appreciate a reply as well as any other tips or recomendations. thanks! Backwoods

Thanks Nalo1022! Backwoods

Godin, How did you mount the piezo on your headstock? I am very interested in this concept. Backwoods

I have installed several non covered humbuckers but I just bought one with a cover soldered on and I do not know what end the screws should be on . It is going in a tele bridge. I have searched the forum with no luck. Backwoods