alig
C.O.G. 
Posts: 1,059 
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Post by alig on Jul 27, 2014 20:38:28 GMT
Fascinating Colins.
Looking forward to the steel string thread. Interested in the chat about woods, etc.
Alasdair.
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colins
Luthier / Guitar Maker
Posts: 2,397
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Post by colins on Jul 30, 2014 16:30:06 GMT
Having taken a diversion to bridge making it's back to fretting the guitar, some of you know my philosophy on fretting a guitar, a good fretting job depends on perfect fingerboard preparation, if you start with a perfectly flat board, then if you install the frets properly, then the top of the frets should also end up perfectly flat, not requiring butchering with a file to get them in line, Dave back me up here. Right off the soap box, I press as many of the frets in as possible using an arbor press, I do like to clip the ends level with the side of the board as I go, you've only got to catch your arm once on a sharp fret end, to know why.
I check for level with a fret rocker after three frets have been installed, then every fret, repressing as needed as I go. Obviously the frets over the body need to be hammered in, for which I use a 9oz deadblow hammer and a steel bock held on the inside of the guitar.
Once installed and I'm happy they are all level, then the ends are filed to about 30deg until the edge of the fingerboard is just touched, just taking the edge off of the macassar. As you can see the top of the guitar is protected and I tape an old scraper next to the FB, as insurance.
I then use a diamond fret file to round the ends of the frets.
The ends are then dressed and up to 2000 grit, and the frets polished with 0000 wire wool. I believe this to be a critical part of the build as a player may not notice a small gap in say the binding, but they sure will notice if their hand is attacked every time they slide it up the neck.
I always think that a guitar really emerges when the frets are in, before that it's a bunch of pretty wood, once the frets are installed, well it looks like a guitar.
Colin
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davewhite
Luthier / Guitar Maker
Luthier
Aemulor et ambitiosior
Posts: 3,548
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Post by davewhite on Aug 2, 2014 15:07:03 GMT
Cracking guitar Grommit  And yes I agree about the fretting - proper preparation of the fretboard and installation of the frets results in minimal dressing of the frets. |
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colins
Luthier / Guitar Maker
Posts: 2,397
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Post by colins on Aug 3, 2014 15:41:45 GMT
As its future owner has asked if I would use my old Frank Cooper's Thick Cut Oxford Marmalade finish (an old bespoke oil varnish I use in restoration work) on the guitar rather than my now usual Liberon Finishing oil I have had to vary the order of things slightly, so I'll be finishing the top before I glue on the bridge now. First job after hand sanding to 240 grit is to pore fill with egg white slurry, the maple and macassar don't really need filling, but as I had already broken an egg I though, why the hell not. Firstly though I needed to fill the cedrella neck, so the egg white was sanded into the neck with 240 grit, and allowed to dry, sanded back and a second coat applied and sanded back to 500 grit.  Next the body was 'filled' again with 240 grit egg slurry. Then sanded back up to 400 grit and the top given a wash coat sizing of egg white.   Time now for a wash coat of Liberon shellac.   The only other job I got done was to complete the bridge, I glued the bone onto the rear of the bridge and added the ornament to the top of the tie block, which you can see matches the central element of the rosette and headstock.  Next the marmalade. Colin |
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colins
Luthier / Guitar Maker
Posts: 2,397
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Post by colins on Aug 3, 2014 15:43:45 GMT
Hey, Dave's coming to visit Friday! Better tidy the workshop.
Colin
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leoroberts
C.O.G.
Posts: 26,146
My main instrument is: probably needing new strings
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Post by leoroberts on Aug 3, 2014 16:21:56 GMT
Hey, Dave's coming to visit Friday! Better tidy the workshop. Colin More like "better hide my tools"  |
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colins
Luthier / Guitar Maker
Posts: 2,397
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Post by colins on Aug 22, 2014 16:31:38 GMT
Well, the long process of applying the finish is over. I was originally requested to use my bespoke 'Marmalade' finish, but after waiting over a week for the first coat to dry, I decided that the last of the marmalade was past its sell by date, so I had to remove it all and go with the finish I currently use, the Liberon Finishing Oil.
Sorry but after the heatwave, the weather is pretty dull so the pictures don't really bring out the glow. The maple is full of curl and what almost looks like bearclaw as well as the eyes. I'm almost thinking it's too nice to part with.
Wait a week for the finish to harden before putting on the bridge, so not far to go now, well a few thousand miles across the Atlantic.
Colin
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alig
C.O.G.
Posts: 1,059
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Post by alig on Aug 22, 2014 16:47:40 GMT
Beautiful. I'd love to see the Maple in the flesh, as it were. It looks stunning.
Alasdair.
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davewhite
Luthier / Guitar Maker
Luthier
Aemulor et ambitiosior
Posts: 3,548
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Post by davewhite on Aug 22, 2014 17:21:23 GMT
Beautiful. I'd love to see the Maple in the flesh, as it were. It looks stunning. Alasdair. Alasdair, I did and it is |
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colins
Luthier / Guitar Maker
Posts: 2,397
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Post by colins on Aug 29, 2014 14:49:56 GMT
Last gluing operation on this guitar is of course to put on the bridge. This guitar is a standard 650mm scale, so the front of the saddle slot is positioned 652mm from the nut, or rather 327mm from the 12th fret, I use the standard Stew Mac thingy to establish this, checking that the centre of the bridge is on the centre line of the finger board. With a new scalpel blade carefully score the finish around the bridge, I try not to go through the complete thickness of the finish and risk scoring the wood fibres. The finish under the bridge is then carefully scraped off using a scalpel blade, and gently sanded with a 320 grit sanding stick.  With the bridge back in position I then add several layers of masking tape to the front and one side of the bridge to facilitate positioning when gluing it on.  This bridge will of course be glued on with hot hide glue, so out with the baby bottle warmer, and warm up some glue, while this is happening I place the bridge on a plate warmer, and warm the top of the guitar with a hair dryer, this just gives me a longer working time before the glue gels. Yes I know it's a pink hair dryer, but real men can carry it off, OK!   With the caul taped inside and the clamp in position, I apply the HHG to the bridge and place in position, then apply the clamp. After a few minutes I remove the tape, and with it most of the squeeze-out form the front and side.  When the glue has gelled sufficiently the rest of the squeeze-out is removed with a sharpened piece of spruce and cleaned up with warm water.  Later the clamp comes off to reveal the bridge in all its glory.  Nearly done. Colin |
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Post by andyhowell on Aug 29, 2014 21:30:19 GMT
Cracking guitar Grommit And yes I agree about the fretting - proper preparation of the fretboard and installation of the frets results in minimal dressing of the frets. Is it just me, or is it the case that UK fretwork is generally far superior to fret work even on expensive US guitars? My experience anyway! |
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Post by earwighoney on Aug 30, 2014 13:59:21 GMT
Cracking guitar Grommit And yes I agree about the fretting - proper preparation of the fretboard and installation of the frets results in minimal dressing of the frets. Is it just me, or is it the case that UK fretwork is generally far superior to fret work even on expensive US guitars? My experience anyway! Ahem. I wouldn't say that... Lots of great fretwork in US guitars and some bad examples in the UK too... I need to have a guitar of mine refretted and I'm a little bit anxious about such a repair. Great pictures though. What size frets have you gone for Colin? I bought an highish end flamenco guitar not too long ago and it has oddly small frets; took me a while to get used too, if I placed a commission I'd have definitely gone for larger frets. Looking forward to seeing the Marmalade finish. |
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colins
Luthier / Guitar Maker
Posts: 2,397
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Post by colins on Aug 30, 2014 15:24:30 GMT
These are fairly standard medium frets, 2mm wide by 1.09mm high. I use them on most of my guitars, steel string, classical and electric.
Colin
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Post by andyhowell on Aug 31, 2014 13:21:48 GMT
Is it just me, or is it the case that UK fretwork is generally far superior to fret work even on expensive US guitars? My experience anyway! Ahem. I wouldn't say that... Lots of great fretwork in US guitars and some bad examples in the UK too... I need to have a guitar of mine refretted and I'm a little bit anxious about such a repair. Great pictures though. What size frets have you gone for Colin? I bought an highish end flamenco guitar not too long ago and it has oddly small frets; took me a while to get used too, if I placed a commission I'd have definitely gone for larger frets. Looking forward to seeing the Marmalade finish. In my experience a good luthier or small build in the UK will have better fretwork even over good boutique producers from the USA. Find yourself a good luthier and you don't have to worry about a refret - be choosy who you approach though! |
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colins
Luthier / Guitar Maker
Posts: 2,397
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Post by colins on Sept 5, 2014 21:07:28 GMT
The nut and saddle have been finished and the first set of strings are on (there may be different strings if they arrive in time) so just let it settle and be finally adjusted and its done.
Just to remind you of the wood that I used.
Top: Caucasian Spruce
B&S: Birdseye Maple
FB: Macassar Ebony
Bindings, headplates: Macassar Ebony
Bridge: EIR
Tuners: Sloane
A few pictures.
Hope you enjoyed the journey.
Colin
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And yes I agree about the fretting - proper preparation of the fretboard and installation of the frets results in minimal dressing of the frets.
Jo whoever he is.
