Andyjr1515

I live in hope but, yes, it isn't over until MrsAndyjr1515 sings...

These are the ones I would have recommended Fisch also do some higher grade ones, but these above are perfectly good and still sooooo much better than the ones you are likely to get in a standard DIY superstore (where often the brad point isn't in the very centre of the bit and the bits themselves don't cut cleanly and effectively. And you can buy individual drill sizes if you don't want to go for a full set.

Hi, @mistermikev and welcome! I've been building for some time and actually have only recently got a drill press, so I'm also in the camp that - while a drill press is the tool for the job - you can produce perfectly fit-for-purpose results without. But @curtisa is right - it is essential to use a good quality brad point drill. Don't go for a cheap set of mixed sizes, buy a good quality one of the finished size you need. With brad points, you only have the accuracy of the brad tip at the first pass - so you want the first pass to be the only pass. You need to measure the two centres very accurately -use a steel rule - and I use a sharp centre punch or similar to press a small indent in exactly the place that the brad point is going to fit. Then it's about keeping it perpendicular. Personally, I struggle with drill guides, because it's so difficult to see if your drill is, indeed, still sitting with the brad point in the small indent while you are also trying to square up the guide onto the body. I use the above - a small block of squared up wood and hold it directly next to the drill shank (at that dia, the drill is going to be a decent length to be able to see any angular errors.). As long as the drill is exactly in line with the edge of the block in both axes, then the drill is straight. Now for some jobs, this wouldn't be accurate enough. But for trem bushes, with care, it should be.

Good call

Actually, I did consider that - but then came to the conclusion that's not the vibe of the design, so I discounted it

I use that approach generally for truss rod slots. Works OK providing the router bit is the finished channel dia. (which mine usually are - 6mm bit and 6mm trussrod). Multi-passes for a wider channel are a bit too hit and miss for my liking with the very crude way of adjusting the edge guide on my set up. Yes - photo albums. I don't know what package you use, but it is one of those mysteries of Microsoft Windows and many of the other photo apps that exist that the very, very basic filing and sorting that you actually need and want is just about impossible. They all act like a kid walking into a nuclear power station control room and pressing all the pretty coloured buttons for no better reason than they are there. I now have medication to stop me suffering stroke-inducing blood pressure levels every time Windows 10 flashes up "We have created a new album for you" - which means it has done something absolutely and completely random when the f*****g (flipping) thing won't even let me order my own photos by date or name or any other f*****g thing!!!!!!!! MY OWN PHOTOS, BILL FLIPPING GATES. MY OWN PHOTOS!!!!!! There you go. Now I need another pill.

I know what you mean @ScottR Having said that, I'm enjoying the break. I've still got some refurbs and so on on the go but full projects are a bit all-consuming - and the rest of life probably needs a bit of time and attention for a change. Not for too long, mind you

The great thing about building your own guitars is that you lose the fear of changing things A couple of times, friends have gone pale - after agreeing with me that something might be maybe shaped a little differently - when I immediately get out the rasp file and hack into the gleaming beauty, there and then. "Something like that?" I ask, as they sway from the shock. Well - I'm just about to do the same here. Having played this myself over a couple of days, and having just watched someone whose objective opinion I greatly respect play it, I'm going to get the micro-plane rasps out tomorrow and create some sawdust! This is what it looks like at the moment: And this is what I think it should look like: Yes - it's subtle but I think it will make a big difference to the playability. In summary - Slightly deeper cutout at the top horn. The contact I watched play is - a bit like me - a lazy-thumb player. That is, his thumb stays in the 'wrap-round' position even when he's playing the higher frets. And when he's playing the highest frets, he anchors his thumb round the cutout. In terms of my own playing (I rarely venture that high playing lead...makes my nose bleed) there is one number where I have to play barre chords with a capo on the 8th fret. It is possible with this guitar as is, but it would be a lot more comfortable with another cm of hand space Slightly deeper cutout on bottom horn. No real benefit to me, but same logic to a 'proper' lead player Slightly further rearward lower waist. This guitar, as is, is GREAT on the strap...but, for me, it's just not quite right played over the knee. I was interested to see exactly the same when my contact played it It will only take 1/2hr to make the changes, but it will then, of course, need refinishing. But that itself is an opportunity because I'm going to give the Gloss version of the Osmo one more go - but applied closer to how it is supposed to be applied than how it's been applied above. This, of course, means a complete strip-down but what the heck - what else am I going to do in the evenings?! Oh...just to add. My contact runs a very successful guitar and music shop and - with me allowing maybe a smidgin of smugness to creep in - I feel obliged to mention that he loved the neck profile and feel. Took a while to get my swollen head through the shop door back onto the street

It's pretty standard stuff, to be honest. 3 way switch, volume for each of the neck and bridge but with a common tone. Then the two mini toggles are just split coil for each pick up. Often I would use a push-push on the volume for that, but the chamber is too shallow. I actually prefer toggles because you always know what position they are in

Thanks The layout suits me, but I'm going to lend it to a few regular gigging lead players to see how it fares in the real world.

Yes - but I must stress again, this is not what the Osmo Glossy was intended for and nor was how it was intended to be applied. Two problems with how I was using it and what I was trying to do with it. The first is that the adhesion of the top glossy coat to the previous coats is not great...but bear in mind it was a wipe-on application and a VERY thin final finish. I will experiment putting on some test pieces much thicker brushed on coats then, when fully cured, see how it buffs. I love the Osmo Satin so much, I'm sure it is worth persevering The second is that, just like household acrylic white gloss is not the same gloss level as oil-based gloss white, this is still a perceivably glossy satin rather than a glossy gloss. OK, this is MUCH better than bog-standard acrylic gloss decorating paints...but not quite the same as a high VOC traditional gloss polyurethane varnish.

Hi Beautiful though @Pariahrob's Raycaster is (and it IS very beautiful ) it seems a shame for him to be breezing along here lonely and unopposed I present, therefore, the 'Swift Lite' In terms of my building background, I started modding guitars and basses around 6 years ago and soon embarked on my first foray into the world of working with wood, producing my first scratch-build instrument about 4 years ago. Over that time, I've gained a bit of a reputation for 'liking a challenge' - hence some of the wierd and wonderful builds elsewhere on the site, and a reputation for 'you do it HOW????' - hence my standard disclaimer of 'I'll describe how I myself do it...not necessarily the same as this is how it should be done'. Spec of this 6-string electric, built for my own use is: 25" scale Camphor laurel top; sapele back; wenge demarcation veneer Maple/purpleheart/mahogany neck Snakewood fretboard Tonerider Alnico IV Classic humbuckers Vol/Vol/Tone/3-way/2off split coil toggles It is the latest stage of a progressive set of builds exploring lightening guitars and basses while enhancing upper fret playability through slim body sections while not sacrificing playability or sound Presently a touch under 6lbs. When I have replaced the three brass knobs with wooden ones, it will end at c 5 3/4 lbs. The background to the build is that it is a 6 string electric version of this piccolo bass I made for Pete (our band's bassist): And using the same woods as that used for the recent Alembic-esque electric built for Tim: And here it is - the 'Swift Lite': The build thread is here Oh, yes ... and VOTE FOR ME, PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE Andy

OK Finished Before the obligatory finished shots, a reminder of the two sister builds. The shape is a 6-string electric version of the lightweight piccolo bass I made last year for our band's bassist, Pete: The timbers, on the other hand, were the same as used on Tim's Alemicesque build completed a few months ago: And here is the one I've just finished : It's worked out a touch heavier than planned - it's just under 6lbs. Replacing the brass knobs with wooden ones will get it down to 5 3/4 lbs although the target was 5 1/2 lbs. BUT - it balances great, it plays really nicely and it sounds just how I'd hoped As this one is for me - I'm a happy chappy Did the Osmo gloss work? Not really. Once I'm bored with playing it, I'll strip it down and do my normal poyurethane varnish. It isn't the Osmo's fault - this way of applying it is NOT what it was designed for. The Osmo satin works fantastically well (and that is what is on the neck), but the gloss is probably one abuse too far. Anyway, the rest of the obligatory photos : By the way - if you're wondering what the extra strap button is doing on the back - that is part of my personal adjustments to carry on battling with the arthritis in my hands - it pulls the guitar a tad more vertical making it easier on the fretting wrist As always, folks, many thanks for the stupendous support - moral and educational - all the way through the build progress

As normal, @ScottR , your headstock and volute carve is breathtakingly good. I've suffered issues from time to time fretting boards - and sometimes difficult to pin down just what might be different! Any clues on yours? The wood itself looks perfectly 'normal'. Nice job on the radius and polishing, by the way.

No problem

I like that I read with interest the discussion on the use of oak and was waiting for the progress reports and pics and then, just like magic, it's finished! Few more details? How you found the oak to work on, stain, finish, pickups, balance, etc etc would be excellent to hear about In the meantime, I notice your thread about your next build. Can't wait!

Congratulations, @spottydog The first full build helps enormously in terms of climbing up the learning curve.

Love that - top drawer

The Raycaster worked out really nicely, @Pariahrob Looking forward to seeing the new one develop

I too am watching in silent amazement...

Hi, again @Guitarred and Feathered I always stress in my threads that what I show is how I personally do things - not necessarily how it should be done! Anyway, for what it's worth, generally these are the tools I use for my body carves: Generally a jack plane (it's actually a Bailey No.5) is NOT what you'd use, but I find it useful to get a full body-length curve started. I have a beautiful block plane (it was a very special surprise gift) but, actually, for body carves I find that less usable. For many other jobs, of course, it's mustard! I then quickly move onto the micro-plane blades. With decent protective gloves, I use them two-handed. The fine curved one is particularly useful. And then to the cabinet scrapers. But I have done a complete carve with cabinet scrapers alone. Takes a long time (and you really have to learn how to burnish them properly) but they are very effective and super-controllable. There are great builders on this site whose work leaves me open-mouthed in awe and use all sorts of other tools and techniques, so it's worth having a really good trawl through some of the other build threads.

Hi, welcome and thanks! It depends on the wood, and it depends on whether I am shaping a convex or concave carve, but for a top convex carve, I actually often use a (freshly sharpened) jack plane on low cut depth to rough out, then move to micro plane or shinto, then to a straight cabinet scraper and then sanding with block. For concave curves, it's generally a micro plane (curved) blade held with both gloved hands, followed by a curved cabinet scraper. I'll drop some photos on when I'm back on the desktop

Welcome to the forum. I haven't had chance to watch the video yet but I see some fine looking guitars here. I think we'll be seeing some mighty impressive results as your skills progress!

You say the nicest things, @ScottR Especially with the ambiguity left hanging with the absent comma

Amazing how much time it takes to do the 'last couple of finish jobs' While the gloss isn't hard enough yet for polishing, it's perfectly hard enough for finishing off the build. So yesterday saw electrics installed, bridge installed and magnets put on the control chamber and trussrod covers. The electrics fit quite well - I sanded down the angled threeway to avoid a touch on the cover (although it would have only been grounding), but the rest are well clear: For those eagle-eyed folks, I haven't put the couple of copper tabs on the cover rebate yet, which will ground the shielding on the back of the cover. This is literally straight off the workbench. I'll do the 'finished pics' once I've done a full polish and got a proper tone knob - and straightened up and glued the loose ferrules! And it still has to be set up, etc.. But, visually, it's pretty much done. This shot probably illustrates one of the reasons I have been experimenting with using thin bodies and concave backs to reduce weight - certainly no problem with an intrusive neck heel here! It's not yet set up at all, but I have to say it plays pretty well straight off the bench. The neck feels nice, but it is presently more Fender 'C' than my preferred soft 'V' - I will fettle this over the weekend to suit my playing style (I always do the last shaping once the strings are on and I can really feel how it plays). It balances nicely on the strap - but is a little heavier than I was aiming for. Pre the extra fettling and using heavy solid brass knobs (I'm on the lookout for some nice wooden ones, or, @Norris thinks I should make some using my drill press...might have a go at that), I'm coming in at over 5 3/4lbs, which is 3-4oz heavier than planned. Not bad, though...