Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Dan Sleep on July 23, 2011 at 2:41pm

You are going to get a jillion different answers to your question. Power vs hand tools, fancy vs simple. For starters, do you have a shop or garage or some place to build where you can use power tools? If so, my two tools I use the most are a band saw and a drill press. If you are only building 1 at a time, and taking your time, then the need for power tools is not as great. You can sand by hand and not need an electric sander.

 

If you don't have room for power tools, a coping saw, a handheld electric drill, and some sandpaper can get you started. You want to start off with an electric with a humbucker, but I think you might want to start off with something a little simpler at first.

 

 

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Permalink Reply by ThePetty on July 23, 2011 at 3:53pm

Other than things like files and saws you will probably need some clamps. You can never have enough clamps......

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Permalink Reply by Andy Eight Spades CBG on July 23, 2011 at 4:07pm

A Dremel rotary tool with some cut off wheels and other various tips can get you through a lot of tough spots as well. But I agree with the clamps...... i never seem to have enough. A table top belt sanders is the tool I use the most. A hand drill is all I use for driling. A 5 dollar Japanese flush cut saw from harbor freight for cutting fret slots. Everything else can be cut and filed by hand but a power scroll saw can save a bunch of time. One or two round files and a good flat file. Linesman pliers.

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Permalink Reply by Michael Fred Johnson on July 24, 2011 at 12:25am

Brad point drills - they dont tear the grain and make a neater hole.

A wood rasp and smooth half-round file for shaping the neck.

If you buy the sanding abrasive with fabric backing on a roll its great for finishing the back of the neck (used like a shoeshine boy)

A small back saw or 'Gentlemans' saw is ideal for cutting fret slots after marking the positions using a long steel rule graduated in millimeters.Clamp the rule to the fingerboard and measure each fret position from the nut so you dont compound any errors 

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Permalink Reply by Outhouse Instruments on July 24, 2011 at 12:50am

-A drill with some bits

-a saw of some sort

-a sanding block ( with sandpaper)

 

This is all you need for a basic fretless build.

 

Now to get anything else, the list can grow exponentially.

 

AFKAM

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Permalink Reply by joe cerroni on July 24, 2011 at 1:30am

I built my first one using only a coping saw, rasp, file, sandpaper and drill. Used the basic 3 string recipe you can find here on the nation. Oh yeah, used a small phillips screwdriver too, to install the tuners. Have fun with your project, it's so cool when you finally string it up and hear its voice for the first time.

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Permalink Reply by Wes "I'm Baaaaack" Yates on July 24, 2011 at 1:44am

Matt is basically right. Let me extend on these tho.

Get a moulding or miter saw as its easy to control and relatively stiff. You can easily cut lid recesses with it using a method where you make shallow cuts the depth of the lid. These cuts are perpendicular to the neck about 1/8" apart. Chip them out and you have a lid recess. If you ont get a miter saw, get something short.

Drill bits - i like brad point best as they cut a little cleaner.

Sand paper - my fave is 3M sandblaster. Lasts forever. Sorta.

Also look into a decent wood rasp.

-WY



Artist Formerly Known as Matt said:

-A drill with some bits

-a saw of some sort

-a sanding block ( with sandpaper)

 

This is all you need for a basic fretless build.

 

Now to get anything else, the list can grow exponentially.

 

AFKAM

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Permalink Reply by Seaman Jay on July 24, 2011 at 3:46am

also a square, a pencil (2B-HB) and a meter-/yardstick. They might not be considered "tools", but you'll be screwed without them ;-)

 

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Permalink Reply by John Stevenson on July 24, 2011 at 7:00am

Thanks for all the replies.  I do have a few of these things and could round up the rest. 

am making a list from all the posts to see what I have and what I need to get.

   To Dan Sleep: I do have a place to work with electic but space is a little limited for a band saw or drill press.

The reason for the Humbucker is that I just had two brand new ones removed from an Epiphone dot 335 clone.

Also my other CBGs use these so I assumed I could refer the wiring and design without worrying about the piezo placement and all that, but I could be wrong. 

     Will get a list and head for Lowes and look online for the other stuff. 

Thanks Again for the suggestions to all who replied.  John

 

ps are the clamps referred to above C-clamps or something else??

 

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Permalink Reply by ThePetty on July 24, 2011 at 8:34am

You could get away with just c-clamps, but bar clamps come in handy. If you don't have enough clamps, you could always make your own.

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Permalink Reply by Outhouse Instruments on July 24, 2011 at 3:05pm

Whats the deal with clamps?

You only need clamps if you are gluing something.

I can build a fretted instrument and never touch glue or clamps.

 

 

AFKAM

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Permalink Reply by Dan Sleep on July 24, 2011 at 3:06pm

And if you drink lots of water, you won't get them either.

Artist Formerly Known as Matt said:

Whats the deal with clamps?

You only need clamps if you are gluing something.

I can build a fretted instrument and never touch glue or clamps.

 

 

AFKAM

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