ShatnersBassoon

The bass. Your u2 style guitar design looks cool in a retro kind of way, Will be following with great interest!

I am indeed using iron gear pickups. Just needed to look more clearly at the print out, thanks!

Looks marvellous that. Super classy!

OK so have been taking my sweet time with this build and I have ran in to a problem. As you can see below the wiring diagram that came with the wiring kit that I bought (Jimmy Page push pull style) does not correspond t0 the colours of the wires (I bought these pickups a long time back and Ive read somewhere that wire colours used to be different, maybe thats related to the confusion?) Also Im not sure what it means on the instructions about the ground connections being soldered together? Any ideas? Thanks. Heres another photo I took recently, drilled all the necessary bits for the knobs/electronics since then. Still needs more finishing etc.

This wood seems to get a tough wrap from woodworkers I have spoken to in person (admittedly not guitar builders). They generally tut and look skywards upon hearing the species. It seems that it is generally thought of as quite a poor quality wood, often referred to as 'bastard mahogany'. However to me its a very nice looking wood! I suppose the grain structure is at the route of most peoples gripes? Thoughts? It seems to be quite widely used amongst guitar builders these days! Is it all just silly snobbery?

As I thought, cheers No exposed threads with this rod (modern two way).

OK...a couple of daft questions. I haven't routed out the access point for the truss rod yet, whats to stop the truss rod just falling out? Is it relying solely on the tight fit to keep it in place? (Not a problem because I managed to get it nice and snug). Also, when it comes time to glue on the fingerboard, does the glue go on to the truss rod too? Does it matter? Cheers.

Hey! I’m sure posting porn is against the rules? All looks beautiful to me!

Thanks man. I have needed another passion for a while now (don’t like to use the word hobby)...it’s hard getting motivated sometimes so positive words are great to see!

I really love the look of this Wenge stuff (especially as a fretboard material) I don’t remember seeing it in guitars throughout the last 20 years...maybe it’s because I was never involved in building. I take it that it’s a lot more popular these days? Amazing looking build by the way!!

Truss rod installed today. I bolted some metal on to the side of my neck blank, a physical barrier for the router. Didn’t have the right sized bit for the thicker section so used a chisel. Main thing I guess is that I got it snug/tight. It certainly doesn’t rattle about. I would post a pic but seem to be having a problem when I do it via a phone.

Cheers man .

It doesn’t have to be a slavish copy of an LP i guess. I’m just using an LP as reference really. I do not understand what you mean when you say not fixed in to the neck? I thought that is what the procedure was, that it is installed inside the neck. Do you mean make my own or buy one and cut it down to size?

I can see the resemblance Andy! Im going to be buying a truss rod soon, think I will get dual action (the best really right?) Any idea what length I should get? Baring in mind 24.75 scale length.

Well there is no flat section towards the edges like on a regular Les Paul. That’s how it turned out originally however it had a tonne of gouges that I just couldn’t get rid of. I initially filled those gauges with filler, when I sprayed the guitar (my initial idea was a goldtop) it looked awful! No matter how much I thought I had sanded the filler plush with the rest of the body the result was a bumpy mess. So I ended up sanding a straight slope all the way to the edges with the orbital sander. This meant that on some areas the cap is very thin. Not perfect but I’m reasonably happy.

Awesome, so no need to do the angled thing. Cool Cheers!

Thanks for the replies guys. The wood has a darkish red hue, so if it is Meranti then I guess it falls in to the first category in Curtisas post. I am probably going to risk it, the wood does feel fairly hard...but then until I route the area for the true rod and start shaping it then its all a bit up in the air. Im a little confused however. The template I am using shows that the truss rod for an LP design is supposed to be angled (fairly low down next to the nut and much higher towards the body). This has added confusion on a number of levels, firstly I am confused as to how achieve this and secondly I have been watching videos of builds where the routed area has just been the same depth throughout...is it ok to route it unangled? Anyway...as for the body, the top is on and everything routed out. Don't get me started talking about the carve on the top! Lots of trial and error. I have used an 'antique pine' varnish on it. Quite pleased with it so far.

Ok, away from the forum I’m getting conflicting opinions about the suitability of Meranti as a neck. Will it be OK? I’m not even sure if it is Meranti as the guy I bought it from said it might be Sapele...

I played a Traditional many years back and loved it, it also weighed a ton. I kind of liked that fact (at the time). Funnily enough it looks like my finished guitar will be around 11 pounds give or take (even after weight relief/chambering!)

Routed out the rest of the body, apart from some chambering. Sanded down what I’m using as the cap (the table top) and it came out a very light colour...That varnish was obviously deceiving. I don’t know what I really think of the wood now! It’s still reasonably nice although I may well paint over it. However I have a number of other ideas. Hmmm

Wow! What a corker, amazing seeing the transformation in to the finished product. Really nice.

Any fans here? My favourite album of his is probably Pink Moon, although they are all amazing. Such an amazing sound, his tunings, those beautiful fingerpicking patterns, combined with the breathy lyrical delivery made for a very dream like sound. Such beauty to be found in that melancholic atmosphere that he created. A very visual sound, if that makes any sense. I could wax lyrical all day about him

Thank you for the detailed reply! I’m now somewhat tempted to either go for standard nickel frets, or to just buy a pre fretted fingerboard...hey it’s my first build

Im quite fond of polywebs on electric, although I do sometimes crave a tad more brightness. The best strings I remember using on acoustic were the Martin Bluegrass set, really nicely defined sound! Very crisp. Lovely for intricate fingerpicking pieces. However I don’t think you can get them in the UK.

Aw damn...I could have taken the credit there I have some wire wool soaking at the moment but will try it with some nails too!