My first 'Splitstick Strummer'

Nothing fancy, just a poplar stick for neck/body with a mahogany fretboard. Plywood front and back, cos it was cheap and I didn't know if I could actually make one of these! Totally acoustic and very loud as it is. I'm quite pleased with it. Oh and 25.5" scale tuned GDG. ps I might trademark that name...ho ho
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  • Hi Andy, sorry for late reply, I've been out of circulation for a while. Looking at your progress pics, which are really cool, I think you're past this point but anyway, my fretboard is 9mm thick. It was just what I had laying around and I sized the bridge and nut to suit. Thanks for your nice comments.
  • Thanks Paul, I've gotta make another as well, cos my nephew has taken a shine to this one!
    Cheers Jef. I drilled a hole at the top of each side-piece larger than the width of the saw blade, which in theory stops the split extending further than you want. The same principle as if you get a tear in fibreglass sheet, drilling a hole at the end of the split should stop it spreading....Then I just spread the tail-end until I felt it naturally want to stop. This dictated the size of its rear-end.
  • Very nice shape to it. They are fun to make and have a great sound. Someday I am going to make another. My son confiscated the first one I made.

    Nice job.
  • oh man i do that all the time!!
    haha just get too excited huh
    anyway, great stuff..
    no steam or moisture or heat at all huh? just a cold dry bend? nice, if risky.. good show..
  • Thanks mate, that means a lot! I got so carried away by the build, that I forgot to take any progress or internal pics! I have posted a new photo with some dimensions on, which hopefully explain it a little.....The original poplar stick I used was about 2" wide and I kept that width across the 'shoulder' where the fretboard ends. The sides are about 1/8" wide and the body is about 1 1/4" deep. I didn't use any jigs but simply forced the sides apart with the end block. I am amazed that it all stayed nice and symetrical!!
  • this is awesome Julian..
    if u please..
    1 how thick are your sides?
    2 can we see any jigs or forms used in the bending? any progress pics before top went on?
    cheers mate, great stuff
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