The trimmed pickguard is better proportioned and the design makes the overall look better balanced.

This thread made me suddenly notice this guy for the first time in the Late Show band...

That's the color pretty much. I don't like the tortious shell though. Copper might be cool.

Bruce, just the angle and that blue is the complimentary color to orange, so it makes it look more orange when it's next to it.

Planning stages of the next guitar. I joined 2 more pieces of the poplar I used for LC001, but when I planed them flat, I was left with a pretty thin body blank. 1.56" or so. I need 1.75 finished to fit the cavities and controls for the S type body. So i ordered a top to glue on to the poplar. It's Birdseye Maple.

Attachment 66571


I'm not going to fuck with the flame shaped head on this one... probably. I have Birdseye maple fingerboards to go with this top, so it might look cool. Thinking of doing a Strat type body, but with Telecaster pickups..... I'm not quite sure yet.

OooOOOooohhh... I gotta tell you, I have very little appreciation for all the technicalities of construction going on in here--but Bird's Eye Maple is gorgeous.

Wood porn: anyone wanna guess how much this is listed for? It's 1 3/4" thick by 16x22"


https://www.northridgehardwoods.com/...tock/ps702.jpg

Ima guess . . . your left nut.

close. $475!


and the prices are relatively reasonable on that site. I got this for $110:


Attachment 66573


granted, this is only 7/16" thick and it's 2 pieces...but still....

Yep always look for a good deal.

Sent from my moto e5 supra using Tapatalk

Damn! Crazy expensive, but soooo beautiful. :)

Or buy one. :lol2:

this is roasted hard maple. I love it. I'm gonna get 2 necks out of this board if I can. If i can't I'm going to make something else cool.


Attachment 66593


it's 1-3/16"x6-3/4"x38"
Attachment 66594




This is a wood porn site if ever there was one. scroll up top and browse the different woods he has. OMG... I'm going to have to show some restraint.

I may actually get my strat back today.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...5a80d93310.jpg
My heating the neck caused a couple other small issues, but we're correcting those. The finger board was lifted near the 12th fret bass side. Super glue and clamps for a while, then hopefully I can take it home.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...ed1957725f.jpg

I did take it home, and I gotta say, it plays better than it ever did. Ever. The action is wicked low and light, intonation is on point (he uses the 1st & 13th to set that, btw. I asked why and he said that occasionally you've got a nut in the wrong spot, but the octave is more reliably perfect from one fret to any other 12 steps away.)

So in all it cost me $400 total. I've got to let it adjust to having strings on again for 2 weeks and then take it back for a 'little kiss' on the 13th fret.

Happy

Pretty cheap for the pleasure you get. :thumb:

Less than buying a new neck and having it set up. And a new neck would halve the value of the guitar.

Now, consider the money I've spent on my new hobby as a result of this repair kindling my interest.... It's gonna take some time to get in front of that.

If I can sell a couple some day... Maybe

If I ever needed to buy one, I'd buy it from you.

Ditto

Sent from my moto e5 supra using Tapatalk

Great news !!! Maybe a couple post-op pics of the patient?

PhatPix, you sound like an unindicted co-conspirator in this guitar business. :lol:

This made me happy today!

There's I little blister in the lacquer on back
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...0551e7c08a.jpg

I want to let that alone for a bit and see what it does before I file it down.

Stainless frets
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...e9b9f20786.jpg
They're like butter
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...50bd497a90.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...982f12dde7.jpg
I'm keeping it in the case with a humidity pack while it settles

The last piece of wood I ordered (the orangish long one ^) turned up first. The guy was super nice and quick responding to my initial inquiry. He threw this into the box :

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...0c76c3b0d1.jpg

This is very similar to the flamed Maple neck blank I have.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...7084500cde.jpg

Installing the tuners. I finally figured out why 3 of them had green dot stickers. They're just a bit shorter than the others. I'll use them for the thinner strings because they're very....

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...0a593394d8.jpg

streamlined...

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...82cf1ac8a5.jpg
You can see the extra 3/32 of post between the two in focus here


And the thick strings might pop off the top. Good thing they're locking tuners.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...954f6e4502.jpg


There is a post inside the post that's threaded. On the left the post is up, middle is halfway etc.. It's got a dome top and it rises on its thread as you dial the knob on the back.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...4b2ebcccc6.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...275d3b82e5.jpg

Faraday Cage
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...77db38374e.jpg
The pick guard has aluminum under it.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...645d7bddb5.jpg
The copper is one piece that will contact the aluminum and surround the pickups.

I did the back too, but it probably has no effect. Who knows.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...0d7d51eb1d.jpg


I laid out the pick guard and jack plate, then taped them in place. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...8a0d89bff5.jpg

Did you notice that I added a hole to the pick guard where I cut the horn off?
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...17ccde4292.jpg

I had picked up an old style drill recently because the Crimson guitars videos convinced me I'd need it. Turns out I did.




I forgot to acknowledge Digr when I had words coming out of my mouth in meat space.

I was busy posting you may get a copyright crackdown from YouTube when you noted it yourself!

Maybe they'll leave it alone because I credited the band?

lol. nope



Forgot about the song that followed Iron Horse.

They monitor for incidental background music?!?

Damn.

ETA: It's probably best to not acknowledge any association w/me to the general public.:p:

Have you seen the Steve Vai collection, pictures of 400 guitars.

https://www.vai.com/steves-guitars/

I was surprised how many don't have pick guards.

I mounted the controls to the pick guard.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...029991c403.jpg

Pretty straight forward. The pickups have springs that allow adjustment of height once it's strung.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...5f3264ea06.jpg

I have not yet noticed the upside down pickup in this picture.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...ee2d5360ef.jpg

Time to solder shit.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...365fb8a03c.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...b0ebb008f8.jpg


The red white and black wires were soldered on according to the diagram the control rig came with. 1960s Jimi Hendrix schematic.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...0588881fe0.jpg


What's wrong with this picture?
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...2f1d7a4319.jpg

Derp. I always do something like that when I build things. Always. I was trying to put the pick guard on and it wouldn't go. That bridge pickup wasn't lining up with the cavity... And I couldn't really see what was touching. Once I removed and rotated the bridge pick up 180° I was able to fit the fucking thing on flat. But another faux pas was revealed.

I should not have drilled the holes for the pick guard without the junk hanging from it. The switch kept me out of alignment with the pre drilled holes. Next time I'll wait. Not a big deal, as the holes were tiny and they were far enough off without being visible that I simply re-drilled all but 3 of them.

After correction:
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...7b8947ad6f.jpg
I hung the bridge and springs and stepped back to admire it.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...dff18b590f.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...95e73a8d70.jpg

I'm going to have to take the neck back off before I string it. I need to drill the hole for the upper strap button and the neck is in the way... Maybe I can get that hand drill in there though...
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...a7763125b5.jpg

Knobs
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...93d0ab1e62.jpg
Tomorrow is going to be a big day
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...2cc70a868b.jpg
Christ. Look how clean my bench was

What's left to do...

1. Button
1a. Date on the heel.
2. Nut slot filing
3. String it
4. String trees
5. Drill holes for back cover
6. Set up the saddle height and radius.
7. Set intonation
8. Tune it
9. Think of what song I'm going to play first (try to talk me out of doing Whole Lotta Love)
10. Post triumphant youtube video

Yay! I can't wait.

ROCK N ROLL!!!

I always thought he was exclusively a Les Paul guy but forums say the first album was recorded with a Telecaster. Game on

http://cellar.org/img/youneedcoolant.jpg

You were in the enviable position of being able to acquire any tools, hardware, and material you needed/wanted, without waiting more than a few days.
That shortens the time line, but makes the learning curve steeper where you may have to make two or three decisions before learning the result of the first one.
Neither does it allow you to bypass the blood, sweat, and tears, or the slivers, cuts, cold, and frustration, nor the hours of research.
Certainly some of the accolades for your stunning success goes to your patient and supportive roommate. A winning team. :notworthy

Hmm. Maybe I should do purple haze instead. It is a Jimi wiring schema.

Star Spangled Banner's opening notes.

In the front yard, through a full stack.

At 6 a.m.

Whut? That's how Jimi woulda done it.

:devil:

In the rain?

She is so hot, you do need an epic launch.

This. Except the 6am part. Glad I asked for ideas. Thanks Digr.

Can Amanda make the video?

:shred:

I'm sure she'd be willing. Not as sure she'd want to appear in it. She's in Tony's neighborhood having a day out with the girls today. One of them is knocked up, after a lot of science and vitamins. So she'll be gone all day. I'm going to have to re learn that riff. Hopefully I have time to finish it enough to play it and film it tonight. I'm thinking about asking Pete to teach me his technique for setting up a guitar. The strat is so butter that I want this one the same way. He gets $80 for a set up, so I was thinking of offering him $150 to teach it.

I've got the ground wire put through and soldered to the claw,
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...30776fc9b2.jpg
the button mounted on the top horn...
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...5e54dc1916.jpg
And I'm breaking for lunch.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...b4ffca4469.jpg

I hate to say it, but my nut might be too short...

Short or low? Shim it?

I'm reserving judgment for now. I think it's ok.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...4dd8b99266.jpg

Holy shit. I built a guitar.

~~~ *applause* ~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Goddamn, man. You built a fucking guitar!

Très chic and very sleek.

I played it! No specific song, just some purple haze groove. It still needs to be set up. I'm going to spend Wednesday over at Pete's. He's doing set ups that day. He's going to diagnose whatever issues I have. Then I'm going to watch and help do set ups and whatever else he's doing. Then we'll do mine. Then I'll make the video. I've got to learn the song in the meanwhile.

Yeah. It's "ok."

LOL

Can't wait to hear you play it.

Full stop, did you build a guitar?

He built a GUITAR!

He did indeed, and it's a beautiful thing... except the strap doesn't do it justice.

it was out in the garage when I went to test it. It's since been changed to a black one. Amanda wasn't having a pink strap.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...dca942c02b.jpg

It all came together pretty quickly at the end there. I'm mildly surprised that I didn't fuck it up in any major way. I might be wrong about that though, lol. We'll see once a pro has a look over it. I might need to replace the nut with a slightly taller one, is the only thing I see.

Awesome! Congrats! It looks great!

:devil:

Now ya gotta get one of those lighted hang 'em on the wall display cases to showcase LC0001.

To show ppl where it all began.:cool:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Hvo3yXvPnTx1QduD9

That's just a bunch of pics of the build. Probably a few I didn't put in here.

It's all taken apart again now. We have to take a sliver off of the control cavity so I can move the pick guard over 1/16" and maybe shave. 001" from the heel. The string height at the nut is about as low as it can go, but when you 'fret' (hold down the string) the first fret, the strings sit too high above the fret board. That's typically due to an incorrect neck angle. That can be caused by a difference in thickness of the heel from front to back, or the pocket being not flat. In my case, the pick guard was interfering with the bridge lying flat on the body. That was caused by the 3 way switch being up against that side of the cavity. So the cavity needs to be nudged back a bit to allow me to re set the guard location.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...531c8346e5.jpg

Nervous work, free hand routing the body after its finished, but I want this to be perfect, so I'll do what I need to do.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...533c6554b8.jpg

Can you just use a sharp chisel if you only have to take off a little bit?