Smaller ES-335 (ES-337?) build

Andyjr1515

Super work all round

davros

Thanks Andy!

WezV

That looks very cool.

I like that we have a lot of hollowbody builds on the forum currently.  I will have to start a thread for my next one soon, I'm currently in wood gathering stage

davros

Thanks Wez, looking forward to seeing another of your builds! I stole the drilling technique from your first hollowbody build for carving the inside of the top - very useful

I've made a start on the first f hole. Made a vinyl template on my wife's cricut, and cut out the bulk with a drill and coping saw. Refining with files and my new tool - tongue depressors with superglued sandpaper. Works well for the tight spaces, has a nice flat surface and I can work up through the grits.

The top is currently around 6 to 7 mm thick around the f holes, so will thin a little from the back to give the right look.

WezV

davros said:

Thanks Wez, looking forward to seeing another of your builds! I stole the drilling technique from your first hollowbody build for carving the inside of the top - very useful

I stole it from Benedetto's Archtop book

WezV

davros said:

The top is currently around 6 to 7 mm thick around the f holes, so will thin a little from the back to give the right look.

6-7mm is likely fine for a solid wood semi like this, so don't make life too difficult for yourself if you don't need to.

   

davros

Yeah, I'll get the first f hole fully shaped and see how it looks. Not a difficult job to run the orbital sander over the area if it's a bit chunky.

davros

Knocked up a set of 20 spool clamps in preparation for joining the top to the back. I think they cost less than a pound each in parts, the maple is offcuts from a previous build. Just waiting on some heat shrink to arrive to cover the threads for a bit of protection.



The top is now done, f holes thinned. I'm just waiting on pots and switch to arrive. I want to ensure everything fits perfectly before gluing the top on, as it will be much harder to fix afterwards!

SteveRobinson

That looks fantastic

davros

Thanks Steve!

Glue up time, remembered to get the label in there first!

Spool clamps worked a treat but should have made 30 or 40!

WezV

You can never have enough spool clamps

davros

This morning got the top trimmed back, routed for binding and got it glued in. More gaps this time for some reason, so have some binding melting in acetone for patch ups.

To give a flat back, I cut a cradle from 12mm MDF. Seemed to work pretty well, only about 0.5mm variance in binding depth all the way around, so pleased with that.

Just need to get the binding cleaned up now, then onto the neck. That will be a relatively simple one piece mahogany with binding and dot inlays. This will have a more traditional tenon, so that will be a first for me.

davros

Body is done, now to move onto the neck.

Faber bridge and tailpiece on the way too, so I can start to work out the neck angle.

WezV

Stunning

davros

Thank you Wez!

richman6100

Amazing. I'm frankly in awe of your woodworking skills. Can't wait to see this finished. :-)

normula1

Very much worth a wow

davros

Thanks for the nice comments, enjoying this one and taking my time, but equally want to get a neck on it and see how it sounds and plays!!!

davros

Gratuitous through the jack hole shot. Annoyed I nicked the maple on the centre block with the angle grinder when thinning the f-holes, but that'll never be seen from the outside and isn't that visible inside!

Corvus

Dead nice.. lovely crisp work too.

^^ looks like something off Grand Designs with an f-hole rooflight