Martin's guitar build

[martinedwards]

Ok troops, I asked to be talked out of this, but only one person thought that letting ME loose with power tools would be a bad idea.......
http://www.geocities.com/martins_songs/DSCI0001.JPG
Ok, so here's whats left after I had a play with the circular saw.

On the bottom, a 40 year old desktop from a dismantled science room. Look at all those lovely chemical burns!!! :rolleye:

Next up as a big old lump of ash, found at the back of the store

On top is a fragment of a sycamore tree, bought in the olden days when woodwork was on the curriculum & aged outside for about 10 years, but moved indoors about a year, maybe 18 months ago.

So, here is a first draft.
http://www.geocities.com/martins_songs/DSCI0004.JPG

At the minute it's looking like a 7 piece sandwich mamamam, but I may split the centre bit of ash and put in an extra stripe of mahogany, haven't decided yet.

Dunno about plain face or stingray style scratchplate either....... time may tell!!

[sumx4182]

tools of the trade section, a mod should move it for ya

[martinedwards]

Oh poo, sorry!

Mods, please?

Ta!!

[fretflyer]

wow the first cut looks to be a good one :)

[martinedwards]

http://www.geocities.com/martins_songs/DSCI0005.JPG
all stuck & clamped.

Note the dowel through the end of the sandwich. One of these at each eand to stop slippage. The ends will be removed as I currently have a possible scale length of 46 inches!!!!

Loads of room for a strat style flat headstock as opposed to a scarfed gibson style.

BTW, it's gona be two tuners each side on a tapered head......

[stratman50th]

Forwarding to tools.... Everybody hang on...

[martinedwards]

Thanks!!

M

[mishmannah]

Thanks!!

M

Want me to shink the pics for ya? :)


That mahoghany desk looks just as I imagined it... :p

I am interested to see how it is transformed; its a lovely straight piece of wood you have there- I was expecting it to be a little warped....and at least have some petrified chewing gum underneath... ;) :D

[martinedwards]

I was expecting it to be a little warped....
Your assertion being? :mad:

Oh The WOOD!!!!!!

Nope all seems dead straight, except for the sycamore which needs run through a planer to take the rollercoaster shape out. Incidenally its as hard as nails that stuff, I tried it on the belt sander to take off the sawmarks to bring up the grain, and virtually nothing happened!!!

Ah well, I might get at it on Monday.......

[mishmannah]

With that mahogany desk surviving 40 years of adolescent kids mucking about on it, it proves my support for mahoghany necks...its the ideal wood for guitar necks, and in my opinion, the strongest!!! :)

[martinedwards]

Want me to shink the pics for ya? :)
No-one ever complained about the si.......

no, even I know not to go there!!!!! :p :p

With that mahogany desk surviving 40 years of adolescent kids mucking about on it, it proves my support for mahoghany necks...its the ideal wood for guitar necks, and in my opinion, the strongest!!!

Common in good acoustics and Gibsons, but Fender always went maple........ Ah well, when this beast eventually gets done I'll let you know!!

Incidently, I've had an email back from a bass luthier who says that Mahogany is fine for fretless fingerboards......

Well, that'll save £50 then!!!!

[mishmannah]

No-one ever complained about the si.......

no, even I know not to go there!!!!! :p :p

hehehehe...no, lets not, eh?? :rolleye: ;) :D





Incidently, I've had an email back from a bass luthier who says that Mahogany is fine for fretless fingerboards......


Are ye still going with the ebony fretboard, then?

[martinedwards]

Dunno!!!

I'll look at it with a piece of mahogany & a piece of black card and see what fits the overall look of the thing

[Monclova]

I wish I could see the pics
sounds very cool though
It just sounds like a mantastic project full of power saws and sandpaper, and dont forget the grunting and drooling.

[mishmannah]

I wish I could see the pics
sounds very cool though
It just sounds like a mantastic project full of power saws and sandpaper, and dont forget the grunting and drooling.

Ahhh, yes...the pics have disappeared....who's nicked 'em?

[martinedwards]

Yahoos reached bandwidth limit, no more pics tonight!!

[bugman]

use photobucket

[Dam0n]

http://www.geocities.com/martins_songs/DSCI0005.JPG
all stuck & clamped.

Note the dowel through the end of the sandwich. One of these at each eand to stop slippage. The ends will be removed as I currently have a possible scale length of 46 inches!!!!

Loads of room for a strat style flat headstock as opposed to a scarfed gibson style.

BTW, it's gona be two tuners each side on a tapered head......


haha u sure u have enough G cramps there mate? :D

[martinedwards]

That's like asking if there were enough scantily clad women in a David Lee Roth video!!!!!

enough is SUCH a relative term!!!!!!

[Dam0n]

That's like asking if there were enough scantily clad women in a David Lee Roth video!!!!!

enough is SUCH a relative term!!!!!!

when i was glueing my body blanks together i used about 10 sash cramps. its scary how many u need. but it gave me an amazing result with no glue line

[Monclova]

I can see the pics now that I am at home, looks nice

[Stray Dog]

I still can't see any pics!

[JustStartin]

Martin,
Looks great! I love that thu the body multi layered neck. I also like that your integrating an old chem desktop into it. Very cool. :smoke:

How are you going to shape the neck?

[Sebber]

Looks great! I love that thu the body multi layered neck. I also like that your integrating an old chem desktop into it. Very cool. :smoke:

Super, smashing, lovely, great! Splendid work so far Martin, you are a fine and upstanding ambassador for the faith, I wish I knew the first thing about woodwork, then I could get off my arse and make my dream come true, my very own one-of-a-kind "Blues Plank"!

I'm glad no one talked you out of doing it!

[Robot_Boy]

is that top layer of wood split? is that going to be a problem, or is it just a small split?

[martinedwards]

is that top layer of wood split? is that going to be a problem, or is it just a small split?
about 3" but there'll be at least 6" off each end, so no problem

I still can't see any pics!
Sorry, all my fault for posting large pics on my geocities site. It will only allow a certain download rate and once it hits that, nothing else comes out :(

I'll resize the pics in work on Monday

sorry!!

[martinedwards]

Ebay has provided!!!!

A pair of MIJ Fender Jazz Bass pups. Can't be bad for under £25 inc post :)

What I REALLY would like to do is ues some of the wood I'm gonna cut off the back of the neck to make pup covers. The stripes will match the laminate of the thru neck........

Dunno if it's at all possible, but I'm game to try!!!

[martinedwards]

Now that the sawmarks are sanded off...... how sexy is that grain?

http://www.geocities.com/martins_songs/DSCI0008.JPG

And here's the taper on the neck and headstock shape. Two tuners a side, simple as poss, and amazingly, with a 32" scale length it'll fit in a standard guitar case, so long as the bridge is WAAAAAY down the end :)
http://www.geocities.com/martins_songs/DSCI0007.JPG

[bugman]

what are you using for the truss rod?

[martinedwards]

A stewmac 18" currently (hopefully) somewhere mid atlantic!!!

[DLR Guitars]

an 18 inch is usually for guitar. You sure you don't want to use something longer for bass?

[martinedwards]

Y'know what? you're right, its a 23"

D'Oh!!!

[DLR Guitars]

Just making sure. I just ordered an 18 inch-er for my guitar build. Keep up the good work!

[martinedwards]

well, I'll keep up the work........ as to the QUALITY of said work, only time will tell!!!

I'd forgotten how good hand tools were.

I've now shaped the back of the neck all by hand using a rasp and a spokeshave. I tried using a belt sander and it just wanted to dig a hole like a car on a beach!!!!

I'm also looking at the head thinking will the laminates hold when I drill for the tuners.....

I may need to put on a back face to add lateral strength.

I've also started to rout out the control cavity, but once that's done, I'm pretty much stuck till the truss rod arrives. Why didn't I pay the extra for airmail!!!!?????

[DLR Guitars]

I don't see why it wouldn't hold up. But better safe than sorry. You could always add a piece of copper on the back instead for even more sustain. Thats what they had to do on Michael Anthony's bass guitar (the Jack Daniels one) because there was no mass on the headstock and the notes would just die.

Rasps and spokeshaves are the best way that I've found to do a neck. Although you can use the end of a belt sander to get that scooped shape where the headstock transitions to the neck (assuming you're not doing a scarf joint and a tilt-back headstock). I don't know if they've made it to your part of the world, but one rasp that I really like actually looks like a cheese grater on a handle. It works really well for removing lots of excess material. They're like $12 at the hardware store here.

[martinedwards]

https://www.jamestowndistributors.com/woeimages/00000404.jpg That's the puppy!!


Surform Files. Come flat & round. VERY useful!!

[DLR Guitars]

Oh, yeah. Theres the good stuff!

[JacksonMIA]

That's looking pretty sweet. I love the alternating wood patterns like that on a bass. It really gives it class.

[mishmannah]

I'd forgotten how good hand tools were.



NEVER forget the usefulness and satisfaction of using hand tools... :D

When I work with wood (in detail), its hand tools first (great for hand strength, and in turn, great for the guitar playing), power tools later...

[martinedwards]

its hand tools first (great for hand strength, and in turn, great for the guitar playing), power tools later...
For SERIOUSLY cutting chunks out of your wood and/or fingers!!!

Our router has a 1/4" chuck. A few of the cutters I got in a JCB set in Makro on Saturday have 3/8" shafts, so I set up the pillar drill with one of them in it to round the edge of the body.

Lets just say I now have great sympathy with you lefties trying to use R/H scissors cos when your index finger is leaking its REALLY hard to cut strip bandaid left handed :(

[mishmannah]

For SERIOUSLY cutting chunks out of your wood and/or fingers!!!

Our router has a 1/4" chuck. A few of the cutters I got in a JCB set in Makro on Saturday have 3/8" shafts, so I set up the pillar drill with one of them in it to round the edge of the body.

Lets just say I now have great sympathy with you lefties trying to use R/H scissors cos when your index finger is leaking its REALLY hard to cut strip bandaid left handed :(

Yep. Lucky most of my tools are relatively ambidexderous, except the jigsaw..

oh, and I rarely cut my fingers...

[noob alert] So, how would you install the truss rod, then? [/noob alert]

[martinedwards]

Route a long slot up the middle of the neck. "those who know" say that the truss rod should be sited in the middle of the strongest wood. Luckily the ash in my neck sandwich is in the middle and it's harder than the mahogany.

I'll rig some clamps to hold a straight edge parallel with where the cut should go, then after about 3 hours preparatory prayer............

[DLR Guitars]

...then after about 3 hours preparatory prayer............


Heh heh. Thats what I'm tackling today. You only Get one chance to get it right. My neck is some nice hard birdseye maple with a Paduak fret board.

[martinedwards]

pup slots routed and a first coat of danish oil which brings out the grain in the wood a treat!!

the back control cavity is also done & i now need to decide on a plastic cover or finding a piece of ply with a top layer a similar colour to the body wood.
http://www.geocities.com/martins_songs/routedbass.jpg
still waiting for the truss rod, tuners & bridge to arrive from stewmac, and I suppose I could start considering looking at pots & knobs. All the other "furniture" is black so I was thinking about these (only black obviously)
http://www.sticksnstringsnthings.com/acatalog/GT509.jpg

[mishmannah]

:eek: That grain is goregeous...the stripes are stunning...wow, keep it natural this time, forgo the Hammerite, si vous plait.. :p

That's one work of art!!

[martinedwards]

Up close & personal it's even better!!!

My biggest concern at this point is a bit irretrievable.

Have I shaved the neck too slender. I won't know for certain til I get the bridge on & look down from the line of where the strings will lie on the neck. Just as the nect meets the body is where I'm worried about.

Ah well, even if it goes as firewood, at least I'll have the experience to do it right (well, rightER) next time!!

And don't worry, the Hammerite stays in the tin this time!!

[mishmannah]

Up close & personal it's even better!!!
Cool!

My biggest concern at this point is a bit irretrievable.

Have I shaved the neck too slender. I won't know for certain til I get the bridge on & look down from the line of where the strings will lie on the neck. Just as the nect meets the body is where I'm worried about.

You mean the bit about 2-3 inches above the body? Yesssss, it does look a little slim... :o

But if it's a "prototype", and you are adding a fretboard, you could get away with compensating on width near the body, by making it a little wider... it would still be playable, but not very nice looking from behind the neck!!!!

(perhaps the fretboard layer could be thicker, too? I dunno...)



And don't worry, the Hammerite stays in the tin this time!!

*mops brow*

It looks nice on 5 knob, however!!

[martinedwards]

Okey dokey, the parcel from Stewmac arrived today, but i'm too busy to even look at it any further than checking that all the bits are there.

The bridge looks as if the strings will actually still stay on he neck!!!!!:)

the tuners look like tuners and the truss rod looks like..... well..... a truss rod!!!

All I need now is about an hour's peace to route the truss rod slot an I'm away. I'll try to get this done before Friday afternoon so I can glue the fingerboard on & leave it for the weekend.

There is a real possibility that I could be playing his thing by wednesday!!!!

[mishmannah]

All I need now is about an hour's peace

Ahh, well get the kids to untangle the skipping ropes you borrowed from the PE department.... :p

There is a real possibility that I could be playing this thing by wednesday!!!!

Wow...love to hear a sound sample...

[DLR Guitars]

If the strings are too close to the edge of the fretboard, you can always purchase a bridge with a smaller string spread. I've had to do that before. Or, find a kid in metal shop and give him a project. :)

[martinedwards]

Or, find a kid in metal shop and give him a project. :)
Ha ha, that'll be me then!!!

Here, you've built a bass..... glueing in the truss rod...... epoxy all the way, just at the ends or not at all? Its a U channel type....
Thanx!!

[martinedwards]

http://www.geocities.com/martins_songs/bassheads.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/martins_songs/basshead2.jpg

well, here's how it stands after staying after work for an hour last night.

the truss rod slot still needs cut and then the fingerboard gets glued on. the bridge needs pulled off again to solder the earth lead onto it and the holes need drilled for the volume & tone pots. Knobs still need to be sourced too, probably tele chrome domes

Oh yes and a nut too, I'll cut that from aluminium.

looking at it now the top half is maybe slightly out of proportion with the bottom. Ah well, too late now, something else to add to the "next time" file!!

[gavb]

Looking good, I will be checking back often for updates. So how much will all of this have cost? And if don't work out I supose you can allways use the parts for the next adventure.

[martinedwards]

Lets see,

Bridge £8
Pups £25
Truss rod £10
Tuners £22
pots & knobs £10 (though I may just use a few pots I have laying around.....
all wood & aluminium (jack holder & nut) scrounged from wood store here in school

As payment for the wood I bought a set of router tools & a belt sander (£30) for the department

I told my yr 11 class this morning to get on with some work so I could mill out the slot for the truss rod (!)

As I type this, the fingerboard is glued on & I'm waiting for the cascamite to dry.........

[martinedwards]

Just ordered pots, knobs & strings from those lovely people at hotrox.com. do strings count as a build cost?

Pots & knobs are £10, strings are £15

Suppose I'll have to start looking at a case now too......

lets see, 5mm MDF and a few left overs from the roof joists I had taken out of my house for the roofspace conversion during the summer, lined with a piece of black velvet that's in the store too.........

Hey this things STILL coming in under £120!!!!

[mishmannah]

I was telling a mate at work that you were making a guitar out of an old chemistry table....

he couldn't believe it!!

Your Bass isn't necessarily top heavy, its organic.

Did you use a template, or draw the design freehand?

[Robot_Boy]

i reckon you could smooth the shape of the body out more. that layered thing you did with the neck though, thats very cool

[martinedwards]

I was telling a mate at work that you were making a guitar out of an old chemistry table....

he couldn't believe it!!

sad but true!!


Your Bass isn't necessarily top heavy, its organic.

Did you use a template, or draw the design freehand

i'm getting to the point of a crude pride in the fact there hasn't been a ruler near it yet!!

I put the raw planks either side of the neck, drew a rough outline on them with a pencil then headed straight for the bandsaw!!

i reckon you could smooth the shape of the body out more. I COULD but could l be bothered.........

that layered thing you did with the neck though, thats very cool yup thanks, its standard practice with dearer basses as it gives more stability & resistance to warping than a aingle block of wood. Lowden acoustics use a 5 piece neck

[martinedwards]

:toohappy: :toohappy: TA DAHHHHH!!!!!!! :toohappy: :toohappy:
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e328/gowanedwards/donefront.jpg http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e328/gowanedwards/doneback.jpg
Ok, sorry about the crummy pics but my camera in school is poo..... :rolleye:

Right, I still need knobs cos the ones I ordered are wrong, but other than that, we're done.

good bits.

the fingerboard is dead flat. no buzzes or rattles.

I like the tiny head, and the grain is just yummy

it even sounds a bit like a fretless bass!!!! (though I'll have to larn to PLAY a fretless before I post any soundclicks!!!)

Bad bits......

Ok truth be told......

the jack socket isn't perfect. the plate covering the hole has a gap in one side, but it's round the side so no one will see........

the neck is a little thick (but then who wants a clever neck? :p ) looking at it edgeways on. I didn't want to shave in any farther in case I cut into the truss rod slot. Next time, I'll go deeper.....

as the neck joins the body I shaved it too narrow. To fix this I cut the nut slightly (only about 1mm) narrower than I would have done.

All in all.....

As a first attempt at the fine art of lutherie, to be honest I'm chuffed to bits :

I've learned a lot in the process and now I feel that I can approach the making of a fretted electric guitar with a lot less fear than I had a month ago. Making an acoustic at the course I'm starting will now be a progression of skills learned, rather than a blind shot in the dark.

Oh yes, I'm taking orders.........

£1000 deposit anyone? :p

[martinedwards]

Aw poo, run out of bandwidth at geocities again........

pics will be back later :)

[mishmannah]

Martin,try this...

http://photobucket.com

Up load yer pics onto this site from yer PC, and it also frees hard drive space!!!!! :)

BTW the Bass looks stunning. I would love to some high res close ups to see the grain, from here it looks fantastic! Soo slinky, and the tuning pegs really give it some class...the shape is organic, natural...

So, 5 knob, Bill.....what name will you give to this baby, then? :)

Your bass reminds me of these...
http://jonkammererguitars.com/gallery.php?rowNum=56



When I want an electric, I will definetely be putting in an order. I have got to wait for my bank balance to build up a bit, tho'.... ;)

[bugman]

Martin, check this out http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0953104907/sr=1-1/qid=1137776649/ref=pd_bbs_1/002-4607722-7161646?%5Fencoding=UTF8

it's supposedly one of the best out there and could help with the bits you weren't satisfied with.

[martinedwards]

Martin,try this...

http://photobucket.com

Up load yer pics onto this site from yer PC, and it also frees hard drive space!!!!! :)

DONE!!

BTW the Bass looks stunning. I would love to some high res close ups to see the grain, from here it looks fantastic! Soo slinky, and the tuning pegs really give it some class...the shape is organic, natural...

So, 5 knob, Bill.....what name will you give to this baby, then? :)
Why thankyou, when I bring it home I'll take some decent pix.......

as for a name? B1? Haven't thought about it yet!!!

Your bass reminds me of these...
http://jonkammererguitars.com/gallery.php?rowNum=56
Oh wise up!!!! those are quality instruments, mines a first try by a handless muppet!!!!


When I want an electric, I will definetely be putting in an order. I have got to wait for my bank balance to build up a bit, tho'.... ;) Oh your lucky husband :p :p :p