KeysNGuitar

Hello Friends! I am fortunate enough to have a very good source for lots of Exotic woods just 15 minutes away from me. A couple years ago, they got a deal with Fender to cut and thickness Cocobolo for their Acoustasonic Exotic line. (You can see my friend's work right on the Fender site for the Cocobolo Acoustasonic model). I scored a few pieces of their offcuts and put them aside thinking someday I might like to use it for a guitar top or box or something. However, over time in my shop (better known as my Garage), they have gotten quite a twist. The pieces are 3/16" thick. I asked my friend's son who also works/owns the company how he would suggest getting the twist out and flattening them back out. He said add water to the tub, place them in a tub with some cinder blocks or something very heavy until they flatten out. So the question is, have any of you had to flatten out thin pieces you would use for a guitar top or some other project and if so, how did you do it and how long did you leave it and how long before you could glue it up and ... you get the idea. Here are some pics of the Cocobolo. The wood is quite beautiful. Thinking about using it as a top for my Tele build. Thank you for your help! Chris

That, my friend, is super cool. Thank you very much for the file!!!!! I will download and send it to him and hopefully he can take care of the rest. I will cut a good piece of hardwood for him to use. Thank you again! It is very much appreciated!

Hey All. A friend of mine has a nice CNC with which he uses VCarve. He has used it some but still learning. Do any of you happen to have VCarve or Aspire file for making a radiused sanding block? I am making my first guitar and I am going to radius the neck to 12". I purchased an 8" long sanding block from StewMac but would really like to make some of my own instead of pay so much. I couldn't afford the Aluminum (or Aluminium for you Brits! ) so I opted for the cheaper one made from wood. It would be exponentially cheaper if I could just make my own but I haven't been successful. His CNC is very nice. So, the real question is does anyone have a file for VCarve or Aspire you would be willing to share so my friend can import it into his computer and get the G Code? Lookin for 12" radius initially but would certainly love to have multiples. Thanks in advance! Chris

Thank you! Now I have to look up volute!! So cut the channel as directed in the instructions except we have the widened bit of channel at the headstock for the nut? Or are there some other tricks? I appreciate the quick response. Chris

Hey Friends! Has anyone purchased the Hot Rod Low-profile 2-Way Truss Rod, 18" overall length from StewMac and installed it with the adjustment at the headstock instead of the heal? The instructions show that you should install it for adjustment at the heal. It says you can do both but many of the reviews show that installing at the headstock makes you have to cut a channel that causes a very thin section of headstock which they were all concerned about. I would like to have the adjustment at the headstock but since this is my very first build, I don't want to have any extra challenges than needed. What advice can you offer this newbie? What truss rods do you normally buy that you like/love to use? This is for electric guitar. As always, thank you very much in advance for your comments and advice. Chris

Well maybe I should have stuck to making pens and charcuterie boards and such. Ok, well, the plan calls for a 10" neck radius but I like a flatter neck so I am wondering about just making the fretboard a 12" radius and then the bridge and neck will match. Like I said before, I am using a PRS Custom 22 plan but I am not wanting to stay totally true to it (obviously since I am changing the bridge). I want to make it my own since I am planning to keep this one, I hope (if it comes out well), for my only electric. Thanks again for the good info you guys always provide. It really is appreciated.

On number one, I was thinking the other way around. Wouldn't the two middle strings be slightly higher since the bridge would be holding them up higher or am I thinking incorrectly? Is the 12" arc shallower than a 10" arc? Maybe I am backwards. On two, the wraparound bridge that I mentioned in the original post is described as it is made shallower than normal wraparounds for those who like the low action. Do you think maybe it would still be too high? I do appreciate the very detailed response. That was very helpful for sure!! Thank you!

Howdy Friends, Yet another newbie question, or maybe a few questions that require some actual knowledge that some of you can help me with. I am building a PRS Custom 22 - Like guitar. I don't want a tremolo on it so I am trying to decide on which bridge to go with. I thought about a bridge and thru body string ferrules, a wraparound bridge, namely the Golden Age Low-profile Wraparound Bridge with Standard Studs from StewMac because I like the action low, or a regular Bridge with Stop Tail. The wraparound I like because it is one piece so only takes up so much room and you see more of the body not to mention, this one seems good and wouldn't break the bank. So, what is everyone's experience with each and all of the bridge types. Also, I notice that the saddle has a 12" radius but my fretboard will have a 10". Does it really matter that much? What about string spacing? Does it matter per the neck specs or are they so small that most work in all instances? Anything else I should know about or think about?

I suppose I could but this is my very first build so I would like everything to be in the right spot before attempting to rout. Maybe someday I'll feel comfortable enough to do it the other way.

Yeah, like I said before, I lined up the fretboard side of both neck pickups before hiding the PRS pickup. I use Adobe Illustrator. I figured this way, the Single Coil pickup would be in the same spot that the Humbucker would normally go.

So I sort of took your advice but went a step further. I took the .AI of the PRS that I have and I copied on top of it a Strat .pdf that was 1;1 scale and kept the middle and neck pickups, removing the PRS neck pickup. I know you can't really be certain by a picture but does this image look feasible to you? I lined up the front edge (closest to the fretboard) of the neck single coil with the front edge of the neck humbucker and kept the middle in the same spacing as it would be on the Strat. Make sense? Look like it would work? Thanks! Body Front With H-S-S Pickup Layout.pdf

Hello Friends, Would anyone have a good drawing (.ai, .png, .jpg) that I could get from you to make a routing template for H-S-S configuration? My scale length is 25". My original plan is set for H-H but I like the H-S-S configuration. I looked at a few sites but wasn't finding what I was looking for. Stewmac's templates are expensive. Any help is appreciated! Thanks!

This is what I am worried about. I keep thinking if I cut my fret slots and THEN glue it to the neck, what if I don't get the fretboard perfectly aligned so that the fret slots are perfectly perpendicular to the centerline??? I am SOL, I believe. I may try the glue on and then slot and then I can carve the neck last process. Thank you for sharing your steps.

Hello Friends, I have a beeeeeauuuutiful piece of Bocote that I resawed that I thought might make a great fretboard. My favorite guitar that I have owned had an ebony fretboard (1988 Peavey Vandenberg). So now I am second guessing myself as I often do. Has anyone used Bocote for a fretboard and, if so, does is sand down hard and smooth? Or is it a little too porous? Sometimes a Rosewood fretboard seems a little "sticky" when bending the strings. I was wondering if the Bocote might have too much natural oil to be good. Your thoughts and advice is always welcome and appreciated. Here is a pic! Beauty, huh??

Great info, Friends. Thank you! I wasn't thinking about placement of bridge last to compensate for a slightly off center neck. I have been tried to learn as much as possible before starting but as you all know, I am sure, there is always something you don't think of; especially for your first build. For me.... there are lots of those things I didn't think of. Thanks again for the help. It is appreciated!