mistermikev

trying to thing of the most random thing I could say... I got nothing.

some interesting reading in that mcnaught piece.  I wonder how the butt of the neck would transfer tone.

22 minutes ago, ZekeB said:

decided to add an F-hole.  semi hollow.  not sure on the body or neck wood.  feel like i default to mahogany.  its really nice to work with from what I've experienced.  I'm aiming to have wenge and purpleheart for the neck laminations so far as well. We'll see how that meshes togethertoo

wow, I really like that offset in your f hole.  that's gonna look sweet.

16 minutes ago, Bizman62 said:

Yepp, it'd be pretty much similar to the wiring diagram.

However, there's quite a lot you could do to improve a simple drawing:

• tell about the components you're using, why you chose those instead of equivalents etc.
• tell what that very setup does
• tell what each wire going to each lug does for the setup, like "this comes from the bridge pup and goes to the pull/push pot for single mode, that's why I solder it to the center lug. The signal continues from the left lug to..."
• tell why you chose that very wiring
• you see what I mean

Back to the original topic: That's exactly what's happening in Sir Ash's videos. Anyone can buy a template and route along it with a bearing cutter. Telling what, why, where, to whom is the story that captures, the tools and making are just decoration.

well... I HOPE I've covered the "what does it do" in my demo... but def some stuff to dig into there.  I'll have to think on that some more... it would be pretty cool to see a time lapse of wiring start to finish.  I guess the problem for me is my incredibly short attention span!  I bore the hell out of me!

sorry for the derail AD.  Back to your awesomeness.

1 minute ago, ADFinlayson said:

He happened to come in looking for trouble while I was filming so I got a shot of him, not going out of my way to include him but he does the odd photobomb because he's a tart and wants attention.

Only difference between this vid and previous ones is the use of a separate voice recorder and lapel mic which has improved audio quality and more consistent levels. I may also be getting slightly better at editing the clips as I progress through the build. I hadn't done any video editing since 2013, so it's gradually coming back.

I'm enjoying the videos process - essentially just documenting what I'm doing out loud while building instead of writing a blog post after each garage session, it also saves me going inside and talking at the Mrs about guitars which she is no doubt pleased about.

Would be cool if you did some vids, especially on your body radius routing as that's not a common process, there must be a calling for info on your crazy wiring too.  I guess you're already setup with some gear for your demo videos 

honestly... the dog would make a great intro for a series.

afa quality -well yer doin' something right!

I hear ya on the wife... mine doesn't have much of an appreciate for that either!

will have to do up a video when it gets cooler... right now it's reg 120degrees in my garage and I need to get in/out as fast as possible!

afa wiring... what would you want to see if I did that?  I dunno, I guess from my perspective everything is there in the wiring diagram.  after that it's just "paint by numbers".  I'd love to show some of that but just am not sure what would be of interest to others. 

anywho, this is about you not me.  nice work on the video... you are def getting better at it - cudos.

that clip of the dog at the front is a really nice touch.  are you doing that on every video?  not sure if I missed it but def noticed it this time. 

it's fun to see how differently we all approach things.  one the ONE angled headstock I've done... I opted to make the overlay but into the nut so that it would hold it in tight.  I hate how gibson nuts are only held on one side.  that said... doing it that way had it's own list of challenges.

Think I'm seeing an overall improvement in video quality, did you do something there?

Think I might try to do a couple videos on my next build (you're inspirational) mostly because I think it would be interesting to ask folks to point out things I do that might be dangerous!  Might learn something watching myself.

anywho, nice work. 

6 hours ago, Mike T said:

mistermikev, I think the build is just right and on the next level as it is! 

tru dat mike T... tru dat.  she is a beauty for sure.

54 minutes ago, ScottR said:

....approximately 3 inches past where mine stops......

I like the way my long tenon is completely encapsulated by the body woods. There is much more gluing surface than a neck through. It is the strongest connection I can imagine. Total voodoo, but it makes me happy.

SR

I agree that that is an awesome design.  I love it.  all the benefits of a neck thru with a nice twist in that it doesn't show a laminated surface.  Storing that away under 'great ideas'.  I like your voodoo.

for the sake of argument... if it goes 2.9999999 inches past where yours stops... still a set neck?  hehe.  I think it might be a "set neck thru".  breaking down barriers with your wood work... cudos.

looking awesome.  I'm left wondering... at what point does a neck stop being a set neck and start being a neck thru? 

15 minutes ago, ScottR said:

It's a thousand times easier to make a great looking guitar than it is to take great looking pictures of it.

And that sir, is a great looking guitar!

SR

thank you sir.  means the world to me.  also, couldn't agree more about the pictures... it seems each guitar finish I encounter has a new list of challenges afa taking pictures.  some look better w flash, some without, some look better washed out, some look better dark... I need a live in pro photographer!

just my humble observation... not neg in any way... please take in the spirit of friendly observation:  I can't help but wish the back was the front!  Such a beautiful back it's a shame to not have it up front on display.  Really love it.  The guitar is beautiful no doubt, and the front color choice is very nice... but a matching front would have really pushed this to another level for me.  Just my humble and unfettered opinion. 

31 minutes ago, Ronkirn said:

all the sweet aura of success . . 

 

r

 

tru dat ron!

3 minutes ago, Ronkirn said:

didja get the little booger out yet?

 

Ron

sure did ron, and thank you for asking.  I ended up just drilling little holes right next to the two, and once I could see the screw used a needle nose to work it back and forth and then pull them both out.  then did a 3/8" hole w a forstner, then plugged it with dowel.  Painted over with conductive and it disappeared. 

NAME: SWEET SPOT BLONDE a.k.a. "Texas Sweetspot"

- scratch build #4 for me!

 

and below is my humble video demo from youtube:

7 hours ago, ADFinlayson said:

I've used ply for templates before but not really got on with it, found it to splinter a fair bit, probably poor quality ply but the best my local timber yard or diy chain sells. It's the same with mdf, it's soft rubbish so without the glue layer, it will really only last a couple of builds. Interestingly, I got some MDF template from a chap called Bill Rae in the US (via luthiers club on facebook). The MDF he uses is hard, I've had a look on the internet but I've no idea what kind it is, certainly nothing that seems to be on sale in UK

I say my music, it's my bands music. Frontman is also the bass player so vocals are very much a secondary thing. Both Ollie (Who I made the V for) and myself play through Krank 100w heads straight into Marshall 4x12s, with the occasional wah for leads. I think he did most of his recording with his gibbo black beauty, I recorded all mine on my PRS Mira

Thanks for the feedback, I'll try and keep it as concise as poss in future, it's easy to waffle on and mumble. It's a strange experience essentially talking to yourself while working but having to do it in a way that the camera can hear you clearly. Anyway, I need to work on my presentation energy, maybe I need to do a line of orange Sherbet before pressing record.

btw... by lam... I meant like kitchen counter top lam.  you can buy strips they use for the edges of countertops at home depot or other hardware stores.  usually have heat activated glue.  if you apply this to the edge of your template... it not only makes it water tight and protects the edge... but it is a great surface for the router bearing.  On a tight curve tho... you'd have to heat it to apply.  I did some laminate cabinetry back in the day and this is what we did to all our templates.  Haven't done it to mine yet because I don't plan on much re-use, but it works very well.  Just thought I'd mention.

i hope you mean 10"!! 

on one of the build sites... I saw a pretty interesting take on how to build one.  guy took aluminum sheet and bent it into the desired circle.  then put wax paper on top, then made a cardboard box to sit on tthat... filled with epoxy.  the trouble w that is... pretty sure aluminum sheet costs a lot!

anywho... also have seen them built using a bandsaw.  using a radius arm to cut blocks with the radius in them... then glue all the blocks together.

just thought you might like some other ideas. 

lots of jigs you could build to guarantee a consistent fretboard radius.  Another idea... I believe you can get sections of pvc pipe in 10" and 12" - assuming that would be the radius you want... could just cut a piece and glue it to a handle.  then again... you can get decent quality wood radius blocks for less than $20.

lot of interesting details there... looking fwd to seeing this come to life.

On 7/16/2019 at 5:48 PM, ADFinlayson said:

Episode 3 done, didn't bother with camera 2 but @Urumiko's tip on audio normalisation has helped a lot, thanks bud

 

 

you taught me something... a new word... muck?  love it!  like the idea of watered glue on the edges.  ideally... I'd have some laminate strips and lam glue... once you've got lam on the edges and put some mink oil on it... makes for a very nice template... but lacking that... wood glue is a great idea.

observations: 1) you should ad an intro theme song.  2) might have to try that bit... you should get linked up w amazon so you can get a comish if folks buy an item you advert 3) nice details on the end grain directions... I think it's simpler if you just think of it as going opposite directions from the apex of any curve... but your explanation is nice and concise. 4) so this is your music?  that singing is really very good - I'm not a fan of screaming metal... but the clean parts are outstanding.  well mixed, good themes.  rhythm guitar is a good tone (what are we using there assuming this is yours?)  ah 30 men on a dead mens on a dead mans chest... love it.

this video is a big improvement over the prev imo.  kept my interest pretty good.  good job.

it's called channel bound.  fender does it.  pretty beautiful IMO.  I think you could achieve 99.9% of the effect with 30% less effort via a method like AD pointed out.  That said... much respect for those who dare.

afa 1 piece... there is a guy on a few of the luthier forums on facebook that builds 1 piece guitars out of really exotic woods like quilt maple and such.  Beautiful stuff and requires a whole dif skill set.  There is a lot of talk about how it's superior afa 'no glue' and I don't personally subscribe to that... esp when you consider how many glue joints there are on the typical acoustic or hollow body guitar.  Seems to sound good there!  That said... I think it is def something that sets this particular builder apart and can't help but feel a 1 piece should be somewhere on my build bucket list.

that is so beauty... I feel like I should congratulate you.

2 hours ago, Mr Natural said:

nice Mike!

Thank you Mr Natural!  I appreciate all the support here. 

I'm going to try to do a video this week as my gear is going to be going through some changes soon... so I hope you'll all give me a listen and some feedback.  cheers

4 hours ago, Bizman62 said:

Although that Wilkinson sure looks nice, it has the same issue with a Bigsby as the first one you showed. The back plate with the scale adjusting screws will drag the strings going under the beam of the Bigsby.

 

I think he was saying he's going to file slots in this like they do on a few fender models. 

i dunno, I have an es295 (just an epi) and with the stock TOM bridge it def wasn't great.  W a roller bridge it was pretty decent.

I've never considered solid state amps to be good for fender amps hehe.

GO TUBE.  love me some tube!

that said... honestly I think a practice amp is really only good for practice.  You will quickly outgrow it so I'd follow the good advice above: either snag some sort of pod/digitech/boss multi pedal and go straight to pa, or perhaps consider a small tube amp... because both of those devices will be small and will serve you for lots of differing needs.  IMO - tube amps - no matter the size: never get outgrown.

2 minutes ago, monkfish said:

Thanks - ended up ordering a Wilkinson half ashtray bridge - just waiting for it to arrive. 

 

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32946686129.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.13324c4dko84O0

 

Planning to file slots in the back of it, will update when it arrives and gets assembled.

tis a nice bridge.  I like a lot of the wilkinson stuff.  very underrated.  I've got this sm bridge in chrome that I was thinking of using on upcoming tele.  That said... not entirely sure how it would work with a bigsby... they are not great at staying in tune even with a roller bridge, but then fender used to put them on teles with barrel knobs so... might not be a problem at all.

5 hours ago, Bizman62 said:

I'm waiting to hear how she sounds!

thank you sir... I'm workin' on it... need to clean up my office!  currently "not suitable for film" hehe.  probably next weekend I should get a moment to shoot some vid.  thanks for the interest and replies!