Learning how to build an electric guitar

[lumberjim]

Ok, I learned a lot.

I jointed and glued a 2 piece body
I routed the cavities and neck pocket using template
I learned the super glue and masking tape trick
I made several jigs starting with the truss rod trench set up
I routed that
I learned to pay attention when I glue the fret board onto the neck and to use a caul. Which I learned to make with the table saw.
I learned how to install frets
And to level them and dress them
I learned a lot about different finishing techniques
I got much better at soldering
I carved the body and the neck
I learned that I don't want so much drop on the head stock, so start with a thinner blank
I learned how to wire it
I learned how to set action and intonation

And a thousand other little things along the way.

I am starting the next phase now. I had previously glued the body boards for one of the next two. It's chilling under my bench waiting for me to glue the top on.


Well first I had to joint that top and glue it.

Didn't take much. Just a few passes with a hand plane on each piece.



Pretty frigging tight



I clamped it all up dry so I knew what clamps I'd want and have them laid by near to hand. You only have so much time before the glue sets.



The bright blue thing is my super straight straight edge. It's good to go. Tite bond 3 went on, and I quickly replaced the clamps.



Straight edge at an angle says it's flat as your mom's chest



I just hope it stays that way when the clamps come off


This will get glued on to the top of the body blank. They'll be 2.04"thick together plus whatever the glue adds. That will give me some wood to work with for the contours.

[lumberjim]

I was going to do mash ups using the fender routing and scale length, but I've decided that's adding complexity that will introduce too many new opportunities for error. I'm going to order the templates for these two Gibson bodies

My dad chose the SG

Which I love. Jerry played one, and it's wicked cool looking

Pat (brother in law) has always loved the Rd Artist



And he wants that silver burst finish, so that'll be new knowledge I'll learn.

The SG is 24.75" scale, the Rd is 25.5" like the Stratocaster. The one departure will be the head stocks. I'm not doing tilt back. They break. I'll do a drop and trees to give the strings tension across the nut.

Doing 2 at once will save time setting up the shop for the steps I take.

This is the other top I have. Birds eye maple



Not sure I want to use that on either of these.... Maybe the SG. I can't see a burst over that figuring. I guess I could over the curly maple that's gluing up tonight.... The birds eye pieces are going to need a lot more work jointing then. I can't decide how to configure them, and the way I've got them above leaves huge gaps that will have to be corrected.

[Undertoad]

Got people lining up already

If you would like to put a bass unit into the queue, I would fund that... scale length 34"...

[lumberjim]

You're on. What else do you have in mind? I'd like to have a bass myself. After these, I could make a pair. You got any design elements in mind? I figure you'd know what you like and don't like in a bass. I could make myself a second copy of your design.

....Unless your design is ugly .

[Undertoad]

The Geddy Lee Jazz bass is my jam, and has what I like a bass to have:

Relatively light
A thin maple neck
Painted (!) block inlays
Fender custom shop 65' pickups
Passive (I don't believe in depending on having a 9v in the instrument)
High mass bridge
NOT string-thru (basses use these really thick unbendy strings)

Things it doesn't have that I would want:

satin finish neck
zero fret
built-in Schaller strap locks, i guess

The thing is, the Geddy neck often needs adjusting + truss rod access is at the heel of the neck. You have to remove the neck to adjust it! I'm against that.

In bass, there is a problem with "neck dive" where the neck is too heavy for the body, because the tuners and strings weigh a lot. The Ged doesn't suffer that, but just in case, I think lightweight tuners are a good idea.

In fact I love a headless neck where the tuners are at your right hand.

And then there are the electric uprights...

But all that said, right now, I am actually in need of a bass with a single P-bass pickup to get the 60s Precision bass sound.

[lumberjim]

That looks like a whole bunch of new tasty knowledge.

I've got a carbon fiber rod... Well... Strip? That could get sunk into the neck along side the truss rod to enhance the rigidity of the neck.

This will be fun

[Undertoad]

Unfortunately headless gear is $$$$$$$$$$

Allparts has a headless bridge and headstock connector... for $490!!

Ned Steinberger has the best and sexiest headless designs (he's the guy that makes the electric upright too, and the dude who makes the original "thin" Steinberger basses and guitars that were popular in the 80s.)

I had a Hohner copy of the Steinberger thin bass for a while... then I figured if I was gonna be fat, I could not play a thin bass, because that wasn't a good look.

[lumberjim]

If you go headless, you have to put the stings in backwards, and all your notes will be upside down.

[Undertoad]

They have double ball strings for that ! But no left-handed strings.

[lumberjim]

I'm not a fan of how they look, actually. I like those huge paddle tuners like the Fender Jazz bass. but if that's what you want, we'll figure it out. Check on reverb, you might find used gear you like for cheaper than $500

[Undertoad]

For the price, the paddle tuners are fine. Hipshot makes an "ultralight" tuner...

These tuners weigh 1.8 oz. each, compared to approx 2.3 oz. for a sealed Gotoh tuner and 3.5 oz. for a Schaller-style tuner.

Leo Fender was just copying the big tuners on string basses, I think

[lumberjim]

there ya go. we could relieve some weight from the headstock in other ways as well. as long as it's designed strong enough, we could cut away sections inside, or I could fuck up and take a huge chunk out of it with the routing table, and make a skinny one out of what's left.

[lumberjim]

What shape body do you like? Traditional or one of those Les Claypool wild ones?

And are we just doing 4 strings? Ever played on 5 or 6?

[Undertoad]

Claypool's basses have that nice big sexy curvy top horn. This is his latest, and I dig it, but I would be totally happy with something more trad.



I think with the ultralights, and a thin neck, the balance wouldn't be a problem. But look how small the body is on that Claypool.

I play only 4s. I have played 5s but I don't like them. I just tune down to D on the spot if I need an extra note.

[Undertoad]

I wonder if Claypool needs the longer horn for balance purposes.

Also, check it out, fuckin' guy has a TREMELO system on his BASS. That is outrageous. And I love it.