!WOOD!!

As six string player I would say this guitar sounds remarkably like a bass.Sounds brighter than my Precision and sustains longer. The pickups are identical in both basses but I like the tone of mine better then again maybe I am a little biased.Gonna try a regular guitar with these same materials and see how that sounds.If I knew how to play it I would send a sound clip but I really don,t want to embaress myself.Thanks Rich

Thanks.The finish was really tough to do without sand throughs.It is really a one shot deal once the grain is filled because you can,t respray.Thanks Nitefly;I always have a tough time posting pictures.I think it was you that saved me last time.Rich

sorry no closeup of headstock<center> <img src="http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f307/wood49/newbass006.jpg" alt="Image hosting by Photobucket"><br><br> </center>

This is a bass guitar I just completed.The body was layed up stave style so the grain all runs to the centreand is made of oak.I painted it black and then grain filled with white;4 coats of sanding sealer and then 14 coats of nitro.The shape is loosely based on a Precision bass and all electronics are stock Fender.The neck was not made by me but was bought off ebay.I reshaped the headstock to better suit the bodystyle.This guitar was done on a strict budget of less than $200.Why I built this guitar I am still not sure.I don't play bass.This was more to see how the finish would look and how an oak bodied guitar would sound.Well the finish is wonderful and the sound is good;possibly a little brighter than my mahogany Precision and sustains longer.I plan on making a matching 6 string just to see how an oak body will sound.Just want to add that last months GOTM was incredible.It never amazes me how much talent is there is on this site.Congratulations to the Tang Top;a truly unique and complex guitar.A special nod to Metal Matt.The Impaler was killer.Thanks all and will be posting the next couple of guitars soon. Rich <center> <img src="http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f307/wood49/newbass017.jpg" alt="Image hosting by Photobucket"><br><br> </center>

Lee Valley now sells Deft Nitro in gloss semi and satin.About $9 a can.Just picked myself up a few.Give the diamond buffing compound a try it works great.They also have quart cans of nitro if you wanted to spray with your own equipment

I believe that they started out making custom basses for the Grateful Dead and then started making basses for the public.I guy I worked for owned one and actually let me play it until I showed him up and made me put it down.His guitar was absolutely stunning.Mahogany back with a Quilt cap.And the hardware is a work of art.Maybe the nicest bass I have ever seen.

I have been a professional cabinetmaker for over 20 years and my best advice is to never use a dull tool.Not only is it going to ruin your project but is very dangerous. This goes for hand tools but mosyly for the big spinny ones.A dull router bit spinning at 25000 rpms will heat up and deform and could shatter.Another tip would be jigs are your friend and even though they take time to build they will save you time in the end mostly if you make another in the future.Lastly is the measuring thing.I don,t need to measure twice because I have a wood stretcher.I keep it right beside my bucket of steam and my box of skyhooks. Everybody stay safe and keep those fingers for playing!!!

That is simply stunning!!!You should be very proud.That is the nicest piece of wood that has ever had the honour to be a guitar

From one wood junkie to another enjoy the heck out of that lumber.I have never played with spalted maple. Does it machine ok or is it as fragile as it looks?

Thanks all!! I sort of figured that walnut would be ok but I wasn,t sure about the oak.I have a bass made of oak about half done will post pics whenit is ready for completion.Hope it sounds good because I have enogh for about 12 guitars.I also would love to see that mahogany / oak guitar.Let,s see some pics!!

I have a general idea of what makes a proper tonewood.It seems that mahogany is the mainstay for most bodies.My question would be what are other choices that are acceptable.The reason I am asking is that I ocassionally come across wood that I get for free or next to nothing.My first example is a beautiful slab of walnut that almost ended up in the burn pile. I ripped it and planed it and came up with a gorgeous 4 piece blank that has a stunning white strip down the middle(bookmatched).Is this ok to use as a guitar and if so would it matter what type it should be?Second is the use of oak.It seems to me that oak and ash are similar in density and grain.Will oak make a decent guitar? Thanks

I usually sand down to 600 even on bare wood.If the wood is planed I start with 150 to get rid of the mill marks and work my way to 600.When the grit stops cutting I drop a grit.Harder wood like walnut I start at 80.End grain should be sanded with a block always following the grain which would be up and down with light pressure and always moving.Right now my fingertips are screaming from a couple hour sessionbut it makes a huge difference in the end.Are the marks you are talking about maybe just sawdust in the pores?

Nice paint!!I love the unusual

Thanks for bringing the picture up.I am truly computer stupid.I shaped this body with a wood rasp and then sanded it back to smooth.I pretty much have no fingertips left.thanks again

Thanks a lot but how did you access the picture .I still can,t see the picture I posted.By the way those horns are as sharp as a needle,definitely won,t be a stage player!!

This is my newest project.I glued this blank up up over 15 years ago.I routed it out on my precision bass template and had it ready for finishing and thought that it was too boring so i started cutting.I really like the shape and overall feel.I am now open to all suggestions.I have the neck pocket set for a bass neck but am thinking this should be a 6 string.haven,t gone to far so it could be any thing.Looking for guidance and suggestions.And yes I know it is oak.That is all I had at the time.Hope the picture worksHey there administraters what am I doing wrong? Can<t seem to post my pics.Seems I am router smart and computer stupid.Thanks

Just bought a six string acoustic made by El Degas.It has no serial number but iT,s model number is mt 10.Looks like a solid cedar top with mahogany sides and a spruce back.the back is dark stain with ablond stripe through the middle with a nice decorative binding.the back is also arched.the neck is mahogany and has 3 on a strip open tuners.maybe i have a tin ear but the tone and sustain on this guitar is wonderful.i did a search on this guitar and got next to nothing.anybody ever heard of these? also has a n adjustable bridge and the rosewood fingerbord is highly figured.any info would be highly appreciated.thanks

SG,s are my favorite.Nice job.I just hsd a bad experience with high gloss varathane.I had lacquer my bass in antique white and multicoated varathane.It turned the guitar a nasty shade of yellow and last night i stripped it all back off.not syre if it will affect your darker colour but I vow never to use it again.I might try an autmotive clear coat next time.Ah live and learn

Keep going.The bestlessons I ever learned were done the hard way.I pride myself on making things work where they really shouldn,t.I see no reason what you are doing won"t work but any infill material should match the surrounding wood.This is mostly for humidity.Close grained and loose grained woods move differently and could cause buckling or shrinking that could crack your veneer.Hope it works Oh i forgot wax is very bad and will do no good.

I like it but please go with double humbuckers.I think you should scallop out the wings a bit so they look more like wings than wood

<center> <img src="http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f307/wood49/SOFTTOPANDDRAGON019.jpg" alt="Image hosting by Photobucket"><br><br> </center>not sure if picture will work but this is my guitar.Carved directly into body

Thanks I truly appreciate your kind words.The parts were bought off of Ebay at the cheapest prices.The 6 string has gold hardware and chrome tuners.I never expected that this guitar would actually get finished.The carving came way before any thought of making it play.I even wacked off a fret to add the neck pickup./I truly am proud of my guitars and your support on guitar of the month increases my self asteem like no body,s business.As to the other carved guitars I just find them gaudy and overdone.I will never build a guitar that has a wizard and a wench with a heaving bosom.If you want to carve a guitar just find a guitar that has no monetary value and go nuts!!It takes minimal tools and lots of patience.Rough out with a router and keep your chisels sharp and then sand until your fingers hurt.p.s. Iuse a rotozip to rough out,freehand is way easier.The grey guitar looks better but the bass is technically far supereior.By the way I still have lacquer all over my hands from respraying about an hour ago.Sorry to be so long winded but this is definitely my thing.Thank you! thank you !!!

If anything both guitars ended up thinner than origional.The silver guitar is strung with superlight strings to compensate for the loss of mass.It was never meant as a true player but everytime I turn around my kid is playing ACDC on it. Thanks for the interest

Hi there hope the pictures work.These are two guitars that I recreated.The six string was a 60,s Kent that i bought off of Ebay for $20.I infilled all the routes with mahogany and carved the dragon onto the body and levelled the rest down.The electronics were simply an afterthought.The bass is a Pb copy that a friend gave me and is the final stages of completion.Again this was carved directly into the body.It was finished in antique white lacquer and the skull was highlighted with a black glaze.I had to make the copper pickguard to suite the carving.It was burnished with a small buffing wheel and rubbing compound.I am now running my own bodies to get more control over the whole process and am using my own blanks that have been glued up for over 15 years.Thanks for looking

Thanks all