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Posts: 1634
Location: Chehalis, Washington | So with work and sheer exhaustion, I've been absent a lot from project time. I'm now gearing up to have a hobby again, in the form of building my own "backup" guitar...
I've got most of the pieces assembled now. AAAA quartersawn Engleman spruce top, AAAA high-figure Oregon Myrtle back/sides, with cocobolo fingerboard, bridge, headplate and bloodwood binding. The real trick will be if I ever get it to make a semi-musical sound...
This should be fun! :D |
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August 2002
Posts: 8307
Location: Tennessee | Looks like a very cool project Andrew. I was in southern Oregon last year and saw a lot of the Myrtlewood and tried to find a local guitar builder just to check out what a guitar would be like ... there were rumors of one guy but he never surfaced. I can't wait to see the finished product. |
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April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | The Martin OM-42 I got recently is Flamed Myrtlewood and it sounds terrific.
Obviously one of the best modern day Martins I have played or I would have never bought it.
Good luck with the project Andrew. I am sure it will be stellar when you have finished it. |
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June 2006
Posts: 7307
Location: South of most, North of few | That should be nice Andrew. Is that a kit, or are you starting from scratch? |
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November 2007
Posts: 1486
Location: Cincinnati | Looks like an interesting project. What tools do you need to build the guitar? |
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December 2006
Posts: 6268
Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Be sure to keep us posted as to the progress! |
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January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | Nice project. I'm envious of the talent required to successfully complete a project like this as well as the courage and confidence to even attempt it. Good luck and please keep us posted. |
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November 2002
Posts: 3650
Location: Pacific Northwest Inland Empire | Q: "Looks like an interesting project. What tools do you need to build the guitar?"
A: A s**tload of clamps, & infinite patience. |
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November 2006
Posts: 3969
| Very cool. Have fun! |
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March 2006
Posts: 1634
Location: Chehalis, Washington | I got a sweet deal on ebay on three dozen ratcheting bar clamps of various sizes from 4" to 36". Basically, you need clamps, a good work area, glue, and a couple router bits. I've never done this before, so I'm not assuming that it's a guarantee it will even play when it's done. I've been wanting to try this for a couple years, and finally got brave.
TJ, it's kind of a kit. There's a guy in Oregon (near the Breedlove factory) that works a mill for tonewoods and got me set up with all the pieces. There's some basic stuff I had him do, like:
*Glue the top and back into solid pieces
*Bend the sides & binding
*Attach the scarf neck joint
*Slot & radius the fretboard
All the rest is up to me...and like seesquare said, a LOT of patience. |
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Joined:
November 2007
Posts: 1486
Location: Cincinnati | Originally posted by seesquare:
Q: "Looks like an interesting project. What tools do you need to build the guitar?"
A: A s**tload of clamps, & infinite patience. "s**tload" - is that a brand? What store carries them. |
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December 2003
Posts: 13996
Location: Upper Left USA | Jack,
Stewmac will gladly register your Credit Card and provide for all of your "needs"...
Andrew,
Way to go!
My advice for using the router is to practice on scrap and always take a test run. The clamping and such is slower and more forgiving.
Then grab a good cabinet scraper and "hone" your skills.
Oh, and check the dates and replenish your First Aid Kit...
M(my boy is making a guitar [sniff!])Woody |
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December 2003
Posts: 13996
Location: Upper Left USA | BTW - Do you HAVE TO put the soundhole in the center? |
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January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | Just a suggestion . . . based on the photo, you might want to reverse the fretboard. It will help with intonation. :p |
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November 2002
Posts: 3650
Location: Pacific Northwest Inland Empire | What Mike said.
As to honing a cabinet scraper, that's an art-unto-itself. Lots of tutorials, and conjecture, available on the web, however.
I have found it very handy to have 1-or-2, 2' x2', 3/4"-inch pieces of particle board as portable workboards, so you can do the body construction on one, and top/soundboard,bracing construction, on another. I have one board delegated only for drilling soundholes & routing for rosettes.
I can send you some photos of my handmade assembly jigs for things like gluing braces, instead of investing $100.00 @ Stew-Mac for their critter.
And, you're right about the proverbial "crapshoot" of the assembled instrument. It is akin to alchemy, astral projection & "Robert Johnson contract negotiation". |
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November 2002
Posts: 3650
Location: Pacific Northwest Inland Empire | Oh, and you gotta check out this sander gizmo:
http://www.stockroomsupply.com/
I bought their 18" sander, and use it to thin the soundboard. It will take off about .002" with each pass over the table. Kinda tedious, but beats the crap outta using a belt sander, and keeps it even, across the entire top. You can even thin one side, versus the other, for better bass/treble response. |
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March 2006
Posts: 1634
Location: Chehalis, Washington | Okay, now I'm curious - what is "honing a cabinet scraper?"
Also, that sander looks pretty cool. I have yet to buy a nice bench sander of any sort, and I did have the mill guy give an overall sanding of the top and back. Both have been thinned to a relatively appropriate measure, and both are glued already which saves me a ton of frustration.
As to the other thing...I would LOVE to see pics of anyone's brilliant creations for bracing and gluing. Far be it from me to turn down free advice... :D |
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Joined:
March 2006
Posts: 1634
Location: Chehalis, Washington | Originally posted by ProfessorBB:
Just a suggestion . . . based on the photo, you might want to reverse the fretboard. It will help with intonation. :p Uh, yeah...you think, maybe? :rolleyes: |
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Joined:
November 2002
Posts: 3650
Location: Pacific Northwest Inland Empire | Like I said, there are instructions on the web for sharpening, honing & "drawing the burr" on a cabinet scraper. Spend some time perusing the material. Start here:
http://www.ask.com/bar?q=Sharpening+cabinet+scrapers&page=1&qsrc=0&... |
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Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13996
Location: Upper Left USA | I have been trying to bond with my scraper
Stewmac Scraper
It is very handy... |
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OT: My new project...
