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Post by alexkirtley on Feb 15, 2019 12:49:58 GMT
The top is ordered, need to save and order some bracing wood, I've got some mahogany for the bridge plate (would have liked to do maple but can't find a piece suitable for a ladder braced top, and I'm saving my only piece of brazilian rosewood for a mandolin fretboard) and the top lining is almost all in, it was a bit short so need to make some more.
it's getting close to decision time, that being, do I go with the original plan of a dovetail neck join, or do I go the easy was and make it a bolt on, not sure
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Post by keithambridge on Feb 15, 2019 21:49:28 GMT
Dovetail, they're not that hard to do and very satisfying.
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Post by alexkirtley on Feb 15, 2019 23:23:23 GMT
Top and back lining (almost) all in, before tidying up and fully radiusing the top Because of a couple of reasons it's 16 1/4" at the lower bout, it's going to be a big guitar!  |
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Post by alexkirtley on Mar 7, 2019 19:30:49 GMT
A few bad photo's from my awful phone, I've just moved back into my shed after living in the sticks for a while and starting the build in my old flat, so things are still getting sorted, it's organised chaos though, I promise!    Been working on thinning the top down, which makes me really wish I had a thickness sander! The back seams are cleated The brace wood is ordered, I'm just waiting for it to arrive, the mahogany bridge plate is shaped ready to be glued, probably after the braces Almost had a mishap with the neck, that being I forgot to calculate the width of the nut in, so almost ended up with a neck too short to accomodate a dovetail, I did a bit of head scratching and I'm able to get around it just fine The fretboard and bridge are going to be Iroko, the main reason being I had a piece the perfect size to get a fretboard out of, and even better, it was free! |
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Post by alexkirtley on Mar 9, 2019 21:55:01 GMT
The box is closed! Finished the brace carving today, there's a nice low open thud when the top is tapped, so I've high hopes for this when it's complete! I also learned the most important thing of all... I NEED MORE CLAMPS  While I'm on here, is anyone able to help me with a tailpiece?, I'm having a nightmare tracking down an appropriate 12 string tailpiece, I'm after a resonator type, not a trapeze, does anyone happen to have one in their parts box?    |
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Post by alexkirtley on Mar 10, 2019 16:33:01 GMT
Only had a couple hours free today but managed to head to the workshop early to do a bit of work. Got it all unclamped and the top trimmed to the body, also started setting the neck angle ready to cut the dovetail, because this is a tailpiece guitar I'm going to overset the neck to get a bit extra height at the saddle need to go looking for a suitable truss rod, tuners and tailpiece, truss rod will be easy, I think I'll be leaning towards a soundhole adjustable truss rod, one adjustable at the headstock may leave not much material if I go with a slotted headstock, for tuners I just need to bite the bullet for some stewmac tuners, they look brilliant though are quite expensive, it seems to be either that or cheap ugly Chinese ones, theres more options with a solid headstock but a slotted one looks so much cooler For the Tailpiece I've been coming up blank, so if I can track down a suitable sheet of brass, I've got a design in mind for a tailpiece and a friend who can plate it for me which might become a fun side project. There's no rosette yet, the plan is a simple rosette on the inside of the soundhole, I like the simple look
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Post by alexkirtley on Mar 10, 2019 23:06:20 GMT
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Post by geddarby on Mar 11, 2019 15:01:15 GMT
I put Stewmac relic tuners on my Martin D15s
when the Martin tuners started to disintegrate
They are jolly good
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Post by lavaman on Mar 11, 2019 15:34:50 GMT
I put Stewmac Golden Age Restoration tuners on my old birch parlour guitar. Very pleased with them.
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Post by alexkirtley on Mar 11, 2019 17:31:07 GMT
Thanks, well if a jobs worth doing, its worth doing right, I'll go with the cheaper of the golden age ones
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Post by scorpiodog on Mar 12, 2019 11:14:11 GMT
A wise choice, Alex. The EBay ones look awful. Goodness only knows what they'd be like.
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Post by alexkirtley on Mar 13, 2019 18:24:03 GMT
A fixed steel truss rod is seeming very appealing at the moment, and may be the route I go, I'm having a tough time finding a suitable truss rod I'm able to mount for adjustment from the soundhole
Tomorrow or Friday I'll update with hopefully an attached neck, there was a dovetail oops moment, though a shim or two should be sorting that out, it's very close to fitting well
The fretboard is starting to be fretted too
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Post by alexkirtley on Mar 14, 2019 16:16:26 GMT
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Post by geddarby on Mar 14, 2019 20:25:48 GMT
alexkirtley I hope that this comes to Halifax In the meantime have a  while watching one of my favourite Paul Geremia performances
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Post by alexkirtley on Mar 14, 2019 22:26:17 GMT
alexkirtley I hope that this comes to Halifax In the meantime have a while watching one of my favourite Paul Geremia performances If I can find a way down, I'll bring it! I love Paul geremia, I've been obsessing over everything and everyone related to Stella type 12 strings, they've become a slight obsession! |
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while watching one of my favourite Paul Geremia performances 
Jo whoever he is.
