demonx

ANU: Welcome to the forum. Start yourself a build thread and make yourself comfy. Your guitar is a bit busy for my likes but lots of people are into that. My advice to you as a new builder is forget all the flashy timbers and fancy things, just build a heap or simple spec guitars and get the basics down and then work from there, but overall looks like you did a good job for a first build. NEVEN: I hate the fact that it's an ibby copy, as it'd be so much better if you just changed it up a bit body and headstock wise! I like that it's a nice clean guitar. I like the simplistic specs, I'm a bit fan of soapbar pickups without the tab routes and a nice clean fingerboard like this. I'm also a fan of ghost graphics in paint jobs, so that is right up my alley as well. One thing that irks be about it is no truss rod cover. I know that is "some peoples" thing, but I really hate that. So thumbs up, you did some great work there and it looks like it'd be a great player as well. CURTISA: I like it. I like the timber choices and your style is evolving the more you build. It's probably my favorite of all your builds and it looks like you're not only evolving, but the quality is getting tighter/better as well, looking more like a pro guitar than a DIY build. JDC: Some fancy timbers for a first build. Same advice I gave to ANU, start off with basic specs and basic timbers, get a heap of builds under your belt before trying anything too fancy. Get some skills down and enjoy yourself without the stress of working with expensive materials. Looks like you did a pretty good job for a first build and welcome to the forum. Curtisa got my vote. Great work!

The back came up damn nice after being run through the drum sander, can't wait to get a finish on this one! Then straight back into clamps to receive a back seam:

This pic is pretty much self explanitory

I also just pulled this Poplar burl out of clamps. Seems to have joined satisfactorily The part where the bookmatch doesn't look to line up (just down from the top center) will be where the neck pickup route is, so it'll be all good once cut into a shape.

So where were we? Back and sides. I bought some new ones! Fiddleback Blackwood (or flamed Blackwood for you foreigners) The old ones were flat sawn and they just wouldn't bend smooth , I've been informed that flat sawn will not and quarter sawn will. So much for trying to build out of my scraps, as if I had quarter sawn chunks of wood around big enough to cut a back and sides. New back in clamps: The new sides drying in the sun after being scrubbed with oxalic acid and rinsed to get the water marks out after bending. This is what it looked like before the acid scrub:

Looks great! Excellent work.

Several years ago a had a hand to elbow cast after breaking my thumb. I carved the cast away around my fingers so I could still work with them. The thumb never healed properly and it was re broken and re cast. Very painful, not to mention adding a LOT longer to the healing process. My advice, let it heal and don't **** around

Deep throat clamps arrived today so I figured I'd try them out on the rest of the bracing

I never said I've mastered Solid Body builds! Perhaps not, but the rest of us say it! SR My opinion is this. Anyone who "thinks" they have mastered luthiery needs to step back and take a reality check. Their ego is getting in the way of reality. There is always something new to learn or an area that is still to be explored. Solid Bodies, Hollow bodies, Acoustics, Semi's, Ukes, Violins, this type of paint, that type of paint, this type of binding, that type of binding. There is ALWAYS something to learn. Unfortunately in every field there are those who have an inflated ego, they think they are either the best or amongst the best. But what is "The Best", it's subjective, as to what one thinks is awesome there is another that won't touch it. If a person genuinely feels this, that they are either the best or among the best, chances are they are delusional and their narcissism is blurring their vision. It doesn't matter what field you practice, be it art, sport, music, whatever, the same principal applies. Unfortunately in luthiery, we have the same. Builders out there that have massively inflated egos. In some cases the internet can turn them into forum trolls. In some cases the person may build a good instrument, in other cases they fall far from that tree, but it's not so much to do with the instrument but their attitude. If the person is a genuine, good natured and down to earth person, then they won't have this ego problem. A friend of mine is a retired luthier. I call him a "Master Luthier", he says he hates the term and doesn't even call himself a luthier. When I sit in his workshop and look at the photo's and "thank you's" on the wall, its like a hall of fame. Some of our countries biggest (and international) artists are on that wall and I'm talking all walls of the entire workshop covered in photo's after a 40 year building career. His guitars are flawless. I see the work he does and cannot even imagine getting to that level myself. When we first met he asked to see my work and me being embarrassed at that thought suggested I'm just a guy who tinkers in his shed. His reply was "That's all I am"! My response was "yeah, but I don't have have people flying from all over the world to pick up their guitars". He responded with a shrug and something along the lines of when I've been doing it as long as he has I will. Long story short - NO-ONE has mastered Luthiery. There is always something to learn and the learning will stop if you have an ego.

Payment pending

I started off with a 12" thicknesser but it was never wide enough. I upgrades to a 20" which is great for smashing back body stock in a hurry, but no good for anything figured or likely to tear out. My 25" drum sanders get used WAY more than my thicknesser and if I had to pick between a drum sander and a thicknesser, I'd take the sander.

AU$80 + post. Never used, in original packaging. I bought this bit for approx AU$140 inc post last year with the intention of using it to start the profile on guitar top carves and just finish it up by hand, but it appears I'm not going to use it as I've invested tens of thousands in CNC. Information from manufacturer: Traditional panel raising bits have only two cutting edges - these bits have three cutting edges. Cutting diameter of 85.7mm and have 1/2" shank. The added cutting edge and body mass behind the cutter on these bits makes for smoother cutting and less tear-out. Think of them as miniature spindle moulder cutters. These cutters MUST be used in a variable speed router and run at LESS THAN 12,000rpm. They are designed for use on a router table ONLY.

I never said I've mastered Solid Body builds!

At this point I wouldn't say anything has been hard, although I'm yet to get to the neck join. It's more a case of problem solving things as it's so different to what I'm used to. For example I've overcome most of my side bending issues, I am having trouble with ripples and I've been told this is due to using flat sawn timber and I need to use quarter sawn. Well, I'm using stuff that was laying around in the workshop for practice and it's news to me that flat sawn doesnt bend as flat like quarter sawn does. It's little things .like this that I need to learn as it's all new territory. This pic is the best side I've achieved so far. Minimal staining. No burn marks, but there are slight ripples. I need to hunt down some quarter sawn material now to do further test bends.

The most frustrating part is discovering new tools or forms I need to buy

My first journey into side bending is a partial failure. I was worried about breaking it, I burned it instead. Attempt #1 was stained in blues and greens. I used boiled tap water, apparently that is not enough. This pic is of attempt #2, I could not find distilled water anywhere, so I used mineral free water. Big difference with only a small amount of water/mineral staining in comparison, however the second time I had the wrong probe hooked up and before I realized my mistake I'd over baked the waist. After lunch it seems I'll be cutting more Blackwood. The second attempt I tensioned the screw adjustments a lot tighter and the metal sheet didn't buckle like it is in this first pic.

I had a bit of time free this morning so I cut the backstrip for the Back Bracing to sit flush. I've also come to the realization that out of my 100+ clamps, none of them are long enough to clamp all the bracing how I'd like, so it's a job postponed until the twenty new clamps I just ordered arrive. Clamps. Can never own enough.

Also took the rosette back a bit to see what it turned out like:

Bridge plate in clamps and starting to look at the bracing and center strips

A little bit more progress on the Acoustic project today. This pic is of the rosette test fitting prior to glue.

Starting on the Rosette for the Acoustic:

Cheaper than the labor to make and paint!

Couple more pics:

Great stuff Doug! That is pretty cool!

Not much to report lately, been very busy doing CAD work, but I tinkered with the acoustic a little to give my brain a rest from the computer: As well as the other day getting some more done on this one: Cocobolo Sapwood top Black Limba neckthru Cocobolo fingerboard with Cocobolo Binding Tasmanian Blackwood back 27" scale 16" radius 24 frets - Dunlop 6150 Kahler 7327 bridge Floyd Rose locknut Grover tuners Grover straplock system Lace Deathbar bridge Lace X-Bare neck Switchcraft jack CTS pots