And I'm off. Started getting parts.

Posted by Carl Robson on April 24, 2010 at 11:08am
What better way to start a build than with a video.

 

I have picked up a pretty straight piece of Hemlock spindle to use as a neck. 41mm square, so should be able to wittle it into a nice holding shape, but still retain the full thickness for the through part, and still get three strings onto it.

Just need to get some machine heads and see how much I need to slim it down to fit them.

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Replies

  • Carl Robson June 12, 2010 at 4:45am
    Well, for all my fine and fancy work I screwed up.
    It makes a noise but it doesn't sound good.

    I've also got a problem where I can't turn the 3rd string tuning peg any further because just slips, I can tune down but not up. Damn and it was going so well. Will hold the position but won't tune any higher. It does twang though which the important thing. This was always going to be build one anyway, later ones will be better.

    Now to electrify it and see if I can make it sound interesting through the bull horn.
  • Carl Robson June 10, 2010 at 2:22pm
    OK, time for a progress update. Hoping to get it built up by the end of next week and making noise. Couple of piccies of the progress with the neck. Front of the neck showing the cocktail stick/toothpick frets. Plan is, once the red stain is fully dry, I plan to stick some fine sandpaper to a board, dress the frets down to the same level and expose the pale wood of the frets, then varnish with a heavy duty hardwearing yacht varnish.

    Back of the neck showing the shaping I've made.

    So very close to be ready for assembly as an acoustic.
  • Carl Robson May 20, 2010 at 4:17am
    OK, little update, will try to get some more photos, but apart from drilling for the machine heads/tail stock, and some tidy up sanding, the neck is ready for a dry build to see if it can make some noise. Then I can get on get on with marking the fret points and staining/varnishing it.

    Picked up some M8 and M10 threaded bar so I can see which works best for the bridge and nut. Got most of the bits needed to put the piezo elements in, and a little 3.5w Amp kit that I'm going to wire into a tobacco tin for a bit of noise.

    Hopefully in a week or two I can find out if it does actually make noise.
  • Carl Robson May 10, 2010 at 3:55pm
    The three in a row that I'm planning to use actually looks to have the string holes spaced irregularly across the spindles anyway, but will look at doing that.

    Was thinking about the nut and bridge today and will probably go with the standard bolt/machine screw depending on how high the action is.

    Have started to sand some shape into the back of the neck piece since I last updated. Once I have got it a bit more shaped I will post some more photos. One of the shaped neck with the V cuts in the neck and one of the box and neck dry built.

    Managed to pick up my soldering irons and clamps and stuff from my Ex's so hopefully will be able to put the electrics in and wire up an amp kit.

    MrRandomWritings said:
    If you are using 3 in a row tuners think about whether to angle the headstock like, say, a stratocaster otherwise you need deep grooves in the nut to hold the strings in place or some kind of spacers. I only use singles now to avoid that problem. Good luck - sounds as though it is coming along well apart from the usual hiccups we all suffer on the first few builds

    Carl Robson said:
    One further update. After being busy for a few nights, I "Attacked" the box and spindle.

    I now have a neck that sits flush with the box top, and to be able to use it as a through neck that still opens, I cut V grooves into the neck back where it meets the box sides, and cut V grooves into the box. So in the most part I still have the 41mm square section going through.

    I've marked roughly where the nut needs to go, so next job will be to start to shape and drill the headstock. I've decided to use the 3 in a row tuners from the acoustic and get busy with the drill/chisel/sandpaper to get the strings through.

    I only really get to throw an hour at a time at it, so it might take a while to get right as woodworking/DIY isn't my strong point.

    Downside of the box I'm using is that what I thought was thin vinyl is actually black vinyl look contact paper. Means it is easily damaged. This one might be more rat look than I intended, but should still play OK.

    I'm thinking red woodstain then varnish for the neck, with burned fret markers but no frets as such. That of course may change.
  • MrRandomWritings (Backwater Bri) May 10, 2010 at 1:41pm
    If you are using 3 in a row tuners think about whether to angle the headstock like, say, a stratocaster otherwise you need deep grooves in the nut to hold the strings in place or some kind of spacers. I only use singles now to avoid that problem. Good luck - sounds as though it is coming along well apart from the usual hiccups we all suffer on the first few builds

    Carl Robson said:
    One further update. After being busy for a few nights, I "Attacked" the box and spindle.

    I now have a neck that sits flush with the box top, and to be able to use it as a through neck that still opens, I cut V grooves into the neck back where it meets the box sides, and cut V grooves into the box. So in the most part I still have the 41mm square section going through.

    I've marked roughly where the nut needs to go, so next job will be to start to shape and drill the headstock. I've decided to use the 3 in a row tuners from the acoustic and get busy with the drill/chisel/sandpaper to get the strings through.

    I only really get to throw an hour at a time at it, so it might take a while to get right as woodworking/DIY isn't my strong point.

    Downside of the box I'm using is that what I thought was thin vinyl is actually black vinyl look contact paper. Means it is easily damaged. This one might be more rat look than I intended, but should still play OK.

    I'm thinking red woodstain then varnish for the neck, with burned fret markers but no frets as such. That of course may change.
  • Carl Robson May 7, 2010 at 3:37am
    One further update. After being busy for a few nights, I "Attacked" the box and spindle.

    I now have a neck that sits flush with the box top, and to be able to use it as a through neck that still opens, I cut V grooves into the neck back where it meets the box sides, and cut V grooves into the box. So in the most part I still have the 41mm square section going through.

    I've marked roughly where the nut needs to go, so next job will be to start to shape and drill the headstock. I've decided to use the 3 in a row tuners from the acoustic and get busy with the drill/chisel/sandpaper to get the strings through.

    I only really get to throw an hour at a time at it, so it might take a while to get right as woodworking/DIY isn't my strong point.

    Downside of the box I'm using is that what I thought was thin vinyl is actually black vinyl look contact paper. Means it is easily damaged. This one might be more rat look than I intended, but should still play OK.

    I'm thinking red woodstain then varnish for the neck, with burned fret markers but no frets as such. That of course may change.
  • Carl Robson April 27, 2010 at 2:05pm
    Just picked it up. It is a pretty old Satellite Strat copy. A 168/G missing the bridge and the strings, but otherwise intact. Feel a bit bad thinking about stripping it for the jack/machine heads, pickups and pots/knobs now.

    Can you use a 6 string pickup on a 3 string or will it sounds "odd".
  • David L. April 26, 2010 at 6:11pm
    You could always add both and use a 3 way switch (magnetic pickup/both/piezo options)

    Carl Robson said:
    Further update, been offered a child's size electric. No strings, but pickup/bridge/tuning pegs etc all present and correct.

    Going to have that too and see what I can use from each of them.
    Now do I go with proper pickup or piezo and be traditional.
  • Carl Robson April 26, 2010 at 5:04pm
    Further update, been offered a child's size electric. No strings, but pickup/bridge/tuning pegs etc all present and correct.

    Going to have that too and see what I can use from each of them.
    Now do I go with proper pickup or piezo and be traditional.
  • Carl Robson April 25, 2010 at 3:35pm
    Little update, just freecycled for a broken guitar locally, and got a response for an ancient, shabby but complete acoustic. That should give me tuners, and if I'm lucky, strings, a wooden nut and bridge.
This reply was deleted.