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Post by craigmarshall on May 29, 2008 6:56:40 GMT
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Post by davyowen on May 29, 2008 17:47:07 GMT
Very nice Craig. Do you intend on carving the top like a LP or are you going to leave it flat? Are you going to stain it or leave it natural? What finish are you using for the top coat? I can't tell from the pics but as you didn't install fret markers did you install side dots? Am I right in assuming this is a guitar for your own personal use? If so have you caught the bug and will you be making more? If so, get in touch and I can supply you with most parts at trade prices. I look forward to seeing the finished guitar.  |
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Post by craigmarshall on May 29, 2008 18:01:37 GMT
Hi Davy,
Thanks for your comments. No - I don't intend on carving the top, I like the carved top idea, but if I'm going to all that trouble, I'll save it for making an archtop with a proper spruce and maple hollow construction (on the todo list for one day). I suppose carving a les paul style top is a good half-way house to that end goal though :-)
I won't stain it. As you it is now, it already has one coat (or series of coats in one batch) of Organoil, slow-ish drying light coloured stuff that smells good enough to drink. This will be the final finish, it will be somewhere between matt and satin, certainly not glossy. I may add paste wax if it looks _too_ matt, I don't know, I've only ever really oiled stuff.
I haven't installed fret markers or side dots, it usually isn't a problem for me. I can kind of feel my way around, but I may install side-dots at most to make it other-player-friendly though. They won't be plastic rod though, I'll make some thin 2mm dowel using a home made dowel plate and some nice light-tight maple/sycamore/box kind of wood.
It is a guitar for personal use, more to find out whether I could build one that can play in tune than to actually own an electric. The next one I make I will take time on and won't necessarily build out of scraps - probably an acoustic too. I prefer acoustics, but an electric is a good first instrument to make. I have most definitely caught the bug, and I'm already wondering whether my next will be a large-body acoustic 4-string bass.
I got my parts through a one-man company in Wantage (South Oxfordshire?), but I know of Allparts, stewmac, Luthier's mercantile etc. - if you can beat these kinds of prices, then I'd be very interested.
Despite not owning my own set of nut files (the only specialist item you need really), I strung it up today. I adapted a nut from my acoustic which has a fraction larger string spacing, but it works. All that's really left to do now is solder up the electrics which are all in place, shield the cavity, earth the bridge, finish oiling it, and install side-dots. I'll take some pics later. The straight string pull headstock idea works quite well.
I can't wait to see it and hear it actually finished either, but it's good to be able to play it unplugged at least! I need an amp now. I've been practising my soldering skills, and I would quite like to make my own tube/valve amp. It would look good with a nice ash and brown oak contrast dovetailed carcase, now wouldn't it? :-D
Cheers,
Craig
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Post by craigmarshall on May 29, 2008 18:16:09 GMT
Despite not owning my own set of nut files (the only specialist item you need really), I strung it up today. I adapted a nut from my acoustic which has a fraction larger string spacing, but it works. Not sure whether it was clear from this comment, but I will make my own nut - I have made them before, and I have a bone blank of suitable size, but I am just waiting on my getting around to buying some nut files - so what would a set of these cost me at trade price? I can make do with three for a normal six string, say .010", .020" and 0.035" approx. I'm looking at about £20 + del. from stewmac for those, slightly more from lmii.com and almost double from allparts.uk.com Cheers, Craig |
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Post by davyowen on May 29, 2008 19:00:10 GMT
You'd be better off getting a 0.046, 0.028 and 0.013 because the E & A strings won't sit in the slot right otherwise - baring in mind that Regular slinkies are 10 / 13 / 17 / 26w / 36w / 46w Don't forget to add on VAT and duties if you are buying from America, so it prices out Stewmacs and the other one. The 3 sizes I stated above from Allparts would be £32 (delivery & VAT included) This set from WD music would be £58 (delivery & VAT included) On the other hand, if you want to pay delivery, and can get them back to me within a few days, I can just send you the files you need. Pick a file, or 6...  ;D |
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Post by modernist on May 29, 2008 19:28:01 GMT
That looks really nice Craig. I've been wanting to make one for a while myself and thought of going on the Sound Wood course at Craft Supplies, really just to get hold of all the bits and the design easily.
You guys seem to have the job sussed, where did you get the details?
Brian
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Post by craigmarshall on Jun 2, 2008 21:54:59 GMT
You'd be better off getting a 0.046, 0.028 and 0.013 because the E & A strings won't sit in the slot right otherwise - baring in mind that Regular slinkies are 10 / 13 / 17 / 26w / 36w / 46w Hi, My reasoning was I was going for the smaller sizes and skipping a size between files, I can and do roll the file as I use it to make the slot wider, but not narrower... Cheers, Craig |
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Post by davyowen on Jun 2, 2008 22:05:38 GMT
Well with the files I've got they only cut on the bottom edge so rolling them doesn't tend to do much good apart from making a wonky slot with rough edges that causes string problems, but if it works for you I'm not going to argue lol.
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Post by craigmarshall on Jun 2, 2008 22:06:23 GMT
That looks really nice Craig. I've been wanting to make one for a while myself and thought of going on the Sound Wood course at Craft Supplies, really just to get hold of all the bits and the design easily. You guys seem to have the job sussed, where did you get the details? I have been informally picking up the details over the last year or so - looking at online forums for instrument makers etc. Reading books etc. Being a guitar player helps too, as well as looking at other instruments and being able to just copy what you see, if you see what I mean. Important details that aren't all that obvious include: fret positions (the 17.817 ratio), truss rod, bridge positioning, headstock angle, electrics (yet to do on mine). I cut the fret slots on mine myself marking with a steel rule clamped to the fingerboard, square, marking knife, and cutting with a 0.5mm jap saw against a 90 degree wooden block also clamped. Mine turned out okay, but next time I'll consider using a proper jig, or buying a pre-slotted fingerboard. I recommend the same to you! It pays to have a full size drawing, of the body shape at least, and to think through every little step - I have a list of tasks lots of which are easier before or after others. e.g. cutting 90 degree fret slots before tapering fingerboard sides, etc. By all means ask if you have any specific questions. I'm sure there are several other (more experienced) guitar makers on here as well. Cheers, Craig |
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Post by craigmarshall on Jun 2, 2008 22:12:26 GMT
Well with the files I've got they only cut on the bottom edge so rolling them doesn't tend to do much good apart from making a wonky slot with rough edges that causes string problems, but if it works for you I'm not going to argue lol. Yes - I think I have used the same ones - I've only ever seen ones like that. They cut on the edge almost like a saw. I could describe what I'm talking about a bit better I suppose! I start with making a standard slot cut straight down, like sawing a groove in the nut, then place the "blade" back at the top of the slot, but angled slightly one way or the other, and then "saw" down again, gradually straightening the angle of the blade, so that the slot is slightly wider than the file blade, but still parallel sided. Repeat in other direction, and continue until slot is wide enough.. This way you can make it perfect for the string, even if you don't have the full complement of nut files.. (and maybe not the full complement of marbles) :-) Of course - the better option is to just have a hundred different sizes like you have! Craig |
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Post by davyowen on Jun 2, 2008 22:23:04 GMT
Yeh I see what you mean, obviously a more than suitable option with the heavier gauge strings but a pain with the .013/.010's. The smoother and better fitting the slot (nice round bottom...) the less chance of getting intonation problems when the string doesn't return to it's original position after bending due to friction in the slot. I used to do the angled filing thing but found that the cost of the extra files were a better option than all the irregularities in the slot. Then again, you can always get your nut sauce out... ;D |
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Post by craigmarshall on Jun 2, 2008 22:26:41 GMT
Then again, you can always get your nut sauce out... ;D  Even my wife ain't that forward! |
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Post by craigmarshall on Jun 12, 2008 1:12:10 GMT
Final picture of the guitar strung up in case anyone's interested:  Cheers, Craig |
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Post by tusses on Jun 12, 2008 9:25:48 GMT
very nice !
how does it play ?
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Post by craigmarshall on Jun 12, 2008 20:00:27 GMT
It plays very well - the problem I have though is that I don't like electric guitars ;-) I just wanted to make one really as a stepping stone to making an acoustic guitar. I have in mind ideas of a large-bodied (for volume) acoustic bass actually.
This guitar currently has medium-high action at the moment, I'm using a repurposed precut plastic nut, but it's surprisingly very playable. I will cut a new nut soon, just waiting on some nut files and a dose of spare time. I will make it and adjust the truss rod slightly so that it plays with a low action.
Cheers,
Craig
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