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JimF

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Posts posted by JimF

  1. 15 hours ago, KempGuitars said:

    Hey JimF. Taking the plunge? Go for it mate :) You look all set and plenty of support here should you need it.

    Ditto on the templates and pre-slotted fretboard... Use those myself. 

    Look forward to seeing this progress into a work of art. Nice knife handles too!

    Thanks! Flattered you like the knives! Means a lot coming from you. 

     

    I just need my own Lion Blanket ™️ now!

  2. I have to admit I did wonder if the slots were deep enough, but we shall cross that bridge when we arrive at it!

    I have broken down the whole build process in my head, and (I may regret saying this but) the whole guitar building thing seems not so much complicated, but a series of relatively straight forward but highly accurate tasks!

    • Like 1
  3. Hi All,

    I'm starting a build thread mainly to keep track of my progress and also for hints & tips if anyone stops me going wrong somewhere, and encouragement if I get disheartened!

     

    As per the title, this is my first build from scratch. Like everyone else I've done a few parts builds, but I've also got experience with woodwork from a little knifemaking sideline I've done until changing jobs recently. For those who are interested, here are some pics: 

     

    24v5stg.jpg

    2yytu94.jpg

    1zqsydh.jpg

    33wm5q9.jpg

    2qbf38w.jpg

    i38l05.jpg

     

    Back to the case in hand!

     

    I'm building the following:

    6 string Blackmachine type guitar

    Tulip Poplar body

    Maple top (below average figuring)

    Padauk neck with wenge centre strip & white laminates (0.6mm thick), scarf joint into headstock.

    Ebony ferret

    Fixed Hipshot-style bridge

    Locking tuners

    Still undecided on pickups, I have a single Sentient, but I fancy white/zebra pups in this build so am toying with the idea of a set of Irongear pickups. For the price I don't think I can go wrong.

     

    Colour and finish wise I'll be going for an unfinished neck, oiled body and stained top. Haven't decided whether to go for oiled satin finish on the top or wipe on poly buffed to a high gloss. Colour will be a light brown/dark amber non burst.

     

    I'm cheating with this build as I have bought a pre-slotted, pre-radiused fretboard, and I'll be using router templates 

     

    On to pics!

     

    Router templates from http://www.templatesandjigs.com/ 

    IMG_1113.jpg

     

    Photos from the eBay listing of the top wood:

    IMG_1033.jpg

     

    This is the type of finish I'm aiming for colour wise:

    IMG_1915.jpg

     

     

    Pics of the raw materials:

     

    DSC_2590.jpg

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    DSC_2592.jpg

    DSC_2593.jpg

    DSC_2594.jpg

    DSC_2595.jpg

    DSC_2596.jpg

    DSC_2600.jpg

     

    Looking forward to getting started in the coming weeks!

    • Like 2
  4. 100% the same. There’s a grit deposit station (correct term?) within 5 miles of my house and my street has never been gritted since I’ve lived here!

    You can’t beat a Subaru! I’ve got fond memories of a few winters ago in my race prepped Subaru with slick track tyres and bucket seats driving past the struggling BMW X5 types who couldn’t get traction! :D

     

    Anyway! To get back on track, regarding spraying your matte finishes, is the paint “ordinary” and it’s a matte lacquer, or is the paint different as well?

    Would you ever take on foreigner spray jobs if a body was to magically arrive from the North West one day? :lol:

  5. I had a similar thing when trying to turn a kitchen knife making hobby into a small business. The problem isn’t always how much to charge for the first commissioned build; it’s how much to charge for the second and third when people have seen how much the first guy got for £1000. 

    Also when itemising the bill/quote for the first customer, make sure you allocate enough for your time. Because the next guy may want cheaper woods and hardware but a more labour intensive build. But if he hears from guy no.1 you charged a flat £250 builders fee then he may be expecting a different price. 

     

    Scott’s advice is very good. But make sure he runs his choices past you. It’s not good if he turns up with wood that’s barely millimetres from being too small, and warped requiring extra work etc. 

     

    Perhaps if you were to ask him to source his hardware, then feel him out for what woods he would like, then you can go back to him with a “perfect world” option and a “lower price backup” option. For example if I was having a guitar with a painted body I would spend all my money on exotic neck woods (cocobolo Purple Heart and wenge 7 pc with a ziricote fretboard!!!)

     

    One piece of advice I would tell myself (and remind myself) is that potential customers actually want your work, they want your products, and they don’t mind you charging for it. If you feel your handiwork and time is valued at £500 which would make the build cost £1300, then go back to him with that figure with your head held high. And offer more cost effective alternatives with regards to materials, hardware etc but not your time. Don’t apologise for giving your work a value. That’s something that took me a while to get my head around. You could say, “yes the build is £1300, but pay me half up front for materials and half on completion”. 

     

    Most of all, don’t let deadlines and the stress of building for others ruin your hobby like it did for me!

  6. You mentioned there is a local community with 20 builders - would you be able to perhaps observe those builders. Or perhaps do your learning from books and practice and when you get stuck at a difficult part, go round to a builder with a crate of beer or bottle of whisky and say “Hey buddy can I borrow you to help me with.....”

    There are some very talented builders in the Balkans. I have an early custom made Wreck 7 string which is incredible. 

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