First acoustic build

AustrianJohn · November 2018

Andyjr1515 said:

Looking good. The mockup looks great.

How are you planning to set the neck angle?

Great question. I've watched the Bailey video on attaching the neck several times and will follow it precisely. I'll make many minor adjustments (sanding the inside of the tenon joint) until the angle gives the correct string height at the bridge. One benefit of doing a bolt on design is that if I screw it up it's easy to fix.

The part that concerns me more is glueing the bridge on as there's no margin for error there. Any words of wisdom for that?

Kalimna · November 2018

Once you have located and marked the correct position, a couple of small nails (smallest you can find) tapped into the gluing surface of the bridge and snipped at about 1-1.5mm will help to prevent slippage when clamping. There is also the 'stick a couple of drill bits through string holes' technique to prevent slippage also.

Wood glue works best with appropriate clamping pressure and perfectly mating surfaces that are from a blade rather than abrasive. Also, the practice of scoring the gluing surface will not improve adhesion, for this reason.

Adam

AustrianJohn · December 2018

With the neck clamped to the body and the fingerboard clamped to the neck, the neck angle looks to be about right. So next step will be to attach the neck and check the angle is right before attaching the back.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/qcauqiepg41tuv7/IMG_2138.jpeg?raw=1

AustrianJohn · December 2018

I bolted the neck on, not because I thought the joint was perfect, but so I could see how imperfect the joint is.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/m5nrfseut9s9f3n/IMG_2139.jpeg?raw=1

The neck is about 4mm (at the bridge) away from being straight. I could live with that, but it's no problem to sand one side of the join to get it straighter.

The neck is flat with the top, which is fine as the string height can be adjusted at both ends by the nut and the bridge.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/6ha9qimnrbnbwe3/IMG_2140.jpeg?raw=1

The neck is ever so slightly higher at one side, but it would be easier to just sand down the fingerboard a little at one side than adjust the joint, so that's what I'll do.

I've got a gig on Friday where I'm playing for the main band and the support act (well, it seemed a good idea at the time), so the rest of this week will be taken up with practice.

Andyjr1515 · December 2018

It will only take a tiny tweak of one side of the heel to correct the angle and give you a 4mm movement back to centre.
It's looking very good from here

AustrianJohn · December 2018

Here are some pictures of how the bolt-on mortice and tenon joint works. It's a bit like a piece of IKEA furniture!

https://www.dropbox.com/s/flsdtui2b16sazu/IMG_2149.jpeg?raw=1

https://www.dropbox.com/s/04n7ymj30bs66al/IMG_2150.jpeg?raw=1

https://www.dropbox.com/s/vjenkt93cve6vqw/IMG_2151.jpeg?raw=1

For me, the wonderful thing about this style of joint is that you can put the guitar together and check that the fit, neck direction and neck angle are all ok, then take it apart and fix whatever is not quite right. There may be better ways of doing it for more experienced builders, but it's a great method for your first acoustic build (and probably my second and third as well).

Kalimna · December 2018

If I may offer a piece of advice, for the bolts, try and find ones that have a hex head, as an allen key would be much easier to manipulate through a soundhole than a flat-head screwdriver.

Great build photos

Adam

ArchtopDave · December 2018

The neck joint was the scariest bit of my Acoustic Build with Mark, though I had the advantage of him setting up the jig for the initial routing. Even so, I did all the fine adjusting myself before the neck was glued to the body. I agree with you, having something to take apart, and readjust, has it’s advantages.

AustrianJohn · December 2018

Kalimna said:

If I may offer a piece of advice, for the bolts, try and find ones that have a hex head, as an allen key would be much easier to manipulate through a soundhole than a flat-head screwdriver.
Great build photos
Adam

Advice is always welcome! So far I've been putting the neck on and off without a back on the guitar, which is easy. My local hardware store only had these screw-bolts that fitted the piece they screw into - but I'll look for bolts with a hex head. Thanks!

AustrianJohn · December 2018

Kerfing for back attached.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/qw4cqfvko892et9/IMG_2196.jpeg?raw=1

and most of the neck carve completed.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/nsowghw3ixyyct2/IMG_2197.jpeg?raw=1

Andyjr1515 · December 2018

Splendid

AustrianJohn · December 2018

Body/neck join has been sanded flat. Kerfing looks ok. Just waiting for Allen key bolts to arrive and I'll glue the back on, connect the neck and fingerboard, then spend several days sanding.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/0ku3gp4r0652tku/IMG_2200.jpeg?raw=1

Sesh · December 2018

Fretboard calendar shot ^

Andyjr1515 · December 2018

Sesh said:

Fretboard calendar shot ^

Yes - I agree. I like that shot

AustrianJohn · December 2018

Fretboard (TM) glue to neck.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/vdwmi2eqfvxuby4/IMG_2258.jpeg?raw=1

Body is still in the process of being sanded.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/pavsg5o4gdnxllt/IMG_2259.jpeg?raw=1

https://www.dropbox.com/s/6ke0ddr8joyu651/IMG_2260.jpeg?raw=1

https://www.dropbox.com/s/q4g69ssmm5650t0/IMG_2261.jpeg?raw=1

AustrianJohn · December 2018

I thought I'd put it together to see if it fits. It certainly looks like a guitar.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/injt6klp9knr6mg/IMG_2267.jpeg?raw=1

The neck angle is almost, but not quite right (the strings would be a tad low at the bridge). I'll rejig the neck angle to get the strings a bit higher.

Andyjr1515 · December 2018

Those sides look pristine

AustrianJohn · December 2018

Andyjr1515 said:

Those sides look pristine

Thanks, I don't make guitars, I make sawdust.

Limehouse_Blues · December 2018

Looking good!

AustrianJohn · December 2018

Neck now has frets and dots.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/wh8oqnqzpph8pxj/IMG_2273.jpeg?raw=1

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First acoustic build

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