skelf

I'm curious, how much of the work was done with big machines, and how much with hand tools? Did you use a big-a** band saw for the basic shape? I'm thinking about building my own guitar myself, and I'd like to know what types of tools to which I'll need to gain access. Obviously mom's jigsaw won't do everything I need to do. Did you go from zero to building a body from scratch all at once, or did you experiment with assembling parts guitars first and then work up? I thought I'd get store bought parts first and build one that way. The work these guys (yerself included) produce here is really cool. I'm not thinking of starting my own company or anything like that, but I'm interested in the whole process of going from being a player to building necks and stuff yourself. I'm just a college-loan away from getting started (hee hee). Hi This guitar was built using most of the large machines usually used for guitar building. The rough timber was sized with a planer/thicknesser and a table saw. The body was cut out with a large bandsae etc. However you don't need all these things to build a guitar they just make it quicker and in some respects easier. The first guitar I built I did from scratch with pretty much hand tools it took a while and was not the best guitar I have ever seen but it played pretty well and looked like a guitar. If you went to somebody like Larry at Gallery hardwoods he would cut all the wood to the right size for you,this takes away any need for the planer or table saw. You could cut out the body with a jigsaw if it was a good quality tool and you took your time. A hand drill would be useful a drill press even more so. The one thing you would really need is a router. This is a fantastic tool, a bit scary, but you can use it for loads of guitar related wood working. You would also need all the usual bits and pieces like clamps stuff like that. The first think you should do is look round at all the information on sites like this one and there are several more if you just have a look around, buy a few books as well Martin Koch's book is my favourite. Better still if you can get into someones work shop and watch them or get them to give you a hand with the whole project. Alan

Hi Just to let you know if you are interested in the pre-amp that they are now available. Cheers Alan

Hi Thought I would try this one to see what you all think of it. The spec Black Limba body with Quilt maple top black veneer between and an ebony centre line. Neck is a maple/mahogany 5 piece with a mahogany/black veneer heel. Ebony fingerboard with aluminium side dots and ebony headplate with double black/maple veneer. Black Limba control cavity cover. Hardware. Schaller 3D roller bridge. Sperzel locking tunners. 2 ACG fatgit custom humbuckers. Alnico 5 in the bridge Alnico 3 in the neck. Volume and tone with push/pull coil tap and a 3 way switch. Finish is oil. Cheers Alan Hi Wez swapped round this time me with the guitar,I thought that bass would surface here sooner or later excellent work. Just seen the pic of you we could be twins. Alan

Once again thanks for taking the time to comment. Alan

Hi Here is the rewiew from Dave. OK, time for a full-bore review of my ReCurve from AC Guitars in Scotland. Yes, this is the one with the very first production model of Alan’s John East designed filter-based pre-amp. I’ve had the chance to play it out on 3 different occasions now. Twice with my band “The Eradicators” where we only play instrumentals in the surf/rock/garage/spaghetti-western style and once in a jam with some friends where we were just doing the old rockin’ standards like Ozzy, Sabbath, The Tragically Hip (need to have your CanCon!!!), The Cars, Aerosmith, Led Zep, etc. I should start off by telling you that there was an initial scare with the neck. It had developed a bit of a bow in transit between the cold of being stored/shipped and the difference in humidity between Scotland and Toronto. I think poor Alan almost had a heart attack when I contacted him asking him about adjusting the truss rod and telling him why it needed to be done. But, in speaking to him he promptly picked himself up off the floor and walked me through adjusting it. And now, after about a week of letting it sit and adjust… The action is perfect! It is low like I like it and there is absolutely no fret buzz no matter where I play on the neck. I know that you can see from the photos that I’ve posted how amazing it looks. But I’ve got to tell you that up close the detail that Alan puts into his work is just phenomenal. Everything is pieced together nicely, the neck pocket is tight, there’s absolutely no give in the pickups, it is amazingly fit together! The ebonized maple accents really enhance the overall affect by highlighting the different woods. The attention to detail is nothing short of superb. I couldn’t be happier! The decision to go with 2 different levels of lacquer (shiny on the body and headstock and low gloss on the neck) was definitely right too. After getting sweaty while playing my hand didn’t slip on the neck like it does on my other basses that have a high gloss finish everywhere. Let’s talk comfort. The bass weighs in just over 9 pounds so it’s light and easy to play. The beveled edges and sculpted body make it very ergonomic with no hard edges jabbing into my arm or into my leg. The neck is a joy to play! When Alan & I were talking about its shape, the desired radius, the size of my hands, etc. he mentioned that he was experimenting with an asymmetrical curve design and we decided to go with that for a number of reasons. So that you understand it, from my experience the top part of the neck feels exactly like you’d expect it to… But the bottom part has a slight straightening to the curve. I never told him but I was always a little bit worried about it because I’d never played something like that before and I wasn’t going to be anywhere near Scotland while he was carving it. So, I just had to trust in his judgment and to what he believed felt comfortable for himself. Let me tell you, it’s one of the best decisions I made in opting for that style of neck. It fits to my hand better than a glove. I highly recommend it for anyone considering something that sounds “different” but is comfortable beyond explanation. The bass is 100% active so unfortunately I can’t give a perspective on how the pickups sound in a passive mode. But let me tell you that through Alan’s pre-amp I now have the most versatile bass that I’ve ever owned. Getting used to the pre-amp and finding a number of settings that I liked took me some time because it is so extraordinarily flexible. I found that I had to deal with each pickup on its own, get a sound I liked individually and then find a blend that I liked. But let me tell you that each pickup soloed is great on its own too. Blended this thing is a monster. Aaron (Armstrong {Kent’s son}) did a great job with the custom winding and providing Alan his signature pickups. Playing around I can get everything from a deep thudding Gibson EBO mudbucker sound to a bright punchy bite like a Rickenbacker through to the growl of a Musicman Stingray and even up to the beefy crunch of my Wal. And yes, I own all of the basses I’ve just mentioned so I’m really familiar with them. But I feel that I’m still discovering what this particular bass is capable of because between the options available through the pre-amp, combined with those of being able have each pickup in single-coil or humbucking in series or parallel position that the possibilities are endless and I’ve only begun to scratch the surface of the possibilities. Sorry, but I’m not set up to record so I can’t give you a sample of what it sounds like. I know that Alan is trying to do something like that on his website so you may want to keep in touch with him or keep checking back to his site. Bottom line… I’m impressed as hell!!! Deciding to work with Alan is not only one of the best decisions I’ve made because he makes it so easy but because he exceeded all of my expectations. Give me a couple of months to come up with another down payment and I’ll be right back to him ordering one of his Harlots – probably with 2 Musicman style pickups! If anyone has any specific questions please let me know and I’ll try and answer them for you to the best of my abilities! Good on you Alan!!! F*ckin’ amazing!!!!

Hi Mike The headplate will be the same combo as the body. Sycamore/black veneer/walnut with the heel the same. Chris has no idea how much sanding he will be doing I have been keeping that as a wee surprise for him. While I have been happy to help when needed he is on his own with the sanding.

I start of with a japanese saw rasp.I shape the neck at the head end first and then at the heel.If there is a lot of wood to come of in between I use a spokeshave but it is easy to take to much of with this so if you use one take it easy stop often and check you are not getting carried away.Then it is down to files scrapers and sand paper. I use my hand to gauge how the neck feels and to find any bumps or dips. Just take your time.

Cheers Travis. Hi Some progress on the the Recurve single cut. The neck has been carved and the neck heel carved as well.

Hi Some progress on the the Spalted Recurve. The spalt first. The neck is now carved and the headstock sorted out and tuners fitted. somemore pics at. ACG gallery

All the wood for this bass came from Larry at Gallery Hardwoods.

The logo was put into the pickup former with a CNC.

Many thanks guys. The bass is now in Toronto with it's owner. He seems to be pleased with the bass so that is a huge relief. I hope to have a reveiw of the bass from him which I will post when I get it. Again thanks for the all the comments they are all really appreciated. Alan

Hi My first attempt at the guitar of the month, be nice. Alan The spec. Camphor burl top and back with a black limba core and black contrast veneers. The neck is a 5 piece black limba/maple with a camphor head-plate back-plate and heel all with double veneers. The fingerboard is acrylic impregnated Quilted Maple. The neck has an asymmetric profile. The hardware. Hipshot Type A bridge and Hipshot Ultralites and Schaller Straplocks. The pickups are ACG FatBas humbuckers and the pre-amp is the ACG bass pre-amp. The bass also has coil switching via 2 micro-switches. The finish is AC lacquer 50% sheen on the body and head-stock 20% on the back of the neck.

I tried to get more of the one on the bass but with no luck. I am still looking for more and at some point I will find it. Alan

Maurits I have another splated top in the woods in stock section in the gallery on my site. Cheers Alan

Hi John I wil PM you. Customer may not want the price up on a public forum. Alan

Hi Back to work on this one. Neck attached,pickup routes done ,bridge fitted and the pre-amp sorted out. More pics at. ACG Gallery

Thanks Guys. I will post what Dave thinks just as soon as I hear from him.

Hi Dave's bass is now finished and will be on it's way tomorrow. [iYou can see the full spec at. www.acguitars.co.uk/galleryitem.php?ID=97

The brown bits will be mostly under the bridge. I have a splated beech cover plate as well and was going to give Paul the option I can see what you mean but I will leave it up to Paul to decide. Cheers Alan

Some more progress shoots. The fingerboard has been shaped and the 16' radius sorted out and fretted.Also got the MOP side dots in. The body has been carved. ACG gallery

Ticked of a few more things from the to do list. The carbon and truss rod fitted. Neck pocket routed and neck fitted.

Hi Travis I get it from Larry Davis at Gallery hardwoods. He is great to work with and I am sure you will find what you are looking for.

Cheers guys. Some progress made in the last few days. The body shaped control cavity routed and the cavity coverplate made up. More pics at. ACG Gallery

America. The irony,can't seem to find it up here.