Ancoats Guitars - notes from the shipping container

Ancoats_Guitars

Hey there! Thanks for having me on your forum.  I thought I'd start this thread by introducing myself and give you a bit of background about my little guitar company.  

I’m Dave and I’m the designer and builder (and social media officer, marketing exec, chief brew maker, website builder and general dogsbody) at my small company, Ancoats Guitars www.ancoatsguitars.co.uk can also find me on instagram https://www.instagram.com/ancoatsguitars/?hl=en and facebook https://www.facebook.com/ancoatsguitars/ (instagram is probably the best place to get updates). 

I advanced from modding and making partcasters to building as a hobby about 6 years ago (been playing for about 25).  About a year ago, during a particularly difficult point of lockdown, I posted one of my original designs on a facebook group and it got really good feedback. Someone even asked if I was selling.  It was always an ambition of mine to start selling so…..I said yes! We worked out the spec of the guitar together and it turned out really well.  You can see his review of the guitar in the video below

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fKdje141Vk

Things have been going well and I moved into my own workshop in July. It's just a few minutes walk from my flat, in a place called Pollards Yard (it’s in Ancoats - hence the name). It’s a creative space full of repurposed shipping containers. Since then I have been working my ass off fitting it out, trying to fulfil my orders and keep up the day job (I also work full time at a hospital). I absolutely love it and can hardly believe how far I’ve come in a year.  

I haven’t stopped yet though.  I have enough orders to pay the rent for the rest of the year and to invest in my workshop. I have new designs to be built, a CNC machine on order and guitar shows booked for next year. I have tons of ideas! I’m also learning on the go how to run a business, which has probably been the most stressful bit!

Anyway, thanks for getting to the end. I’ll be using this fretboard thread as a sort of blog and to keep everyone updated about Ancoats Guitars and my journey from small, part time business to hopefully viable, full time job, if you’re interested that is.  I’ll also chip in where I can if anyone needs advice about either building guitars or starting a small business.

If you’ve got any questions then fire away! Attached are some pics of recent bulids and some soon to be completed (if i managed to post them right that is)

Thanks - Dave

Ancoats_Guitars

Obvioulsy didnt post the pics right. doh! will try harder next time

TTony

Welcome Dave!

Always really (really) good to see another new guitar building business appear here.  

Look forward to seeing the updates on this thread, and we always love photos.  

I also love the photo and concept of new businesses taking root and springing up in the shadow of that old mill!

Ancoats_Guitars

Thanks Tony,

That mill is Brunswick Mill. It's in pretty bad shape and will be redeveloped soon. Currently though it's home to a great rehearsal studio and I get the pleasure (and sometimes pain) of listening to the bands rehearse while I'm at my workshop. 

RustySpanner

Excellent!

Nice review and I like the guitar. 

I look forward to the Sankey's Soapbar and Dancing Weasel models with great anticipation....

Ancoats_Guitars

RustySpanner said:

Excellent!

Nice review and I like the guitar. 

I look forward to the Sankey's Soapbar and Dancing Weasel models with great anticipation....

Ha ha thanks. I do have a few new models coming out soon that I need names for so you never know. 

RustySpanner

Good luck with everything, will keep an eye on this and pass on your details to local friends.

Ancoats_Guitars

Thanks! I thought you might be local with that insiders information. I have an open workshop policy so if you ever want to pop round let me know. 

RustySpanner

Not so local anymore, but my first job was in the Express Building, second at Mays Pawnbrokers.

Lots of mates still in the area, will pop in when I'm next down at This'n'That. 

TrentGuitars

Hey Dave!

Great to see you here, 

love that guard and headstock!

gusman2x

Great looking guitar. And the dude's playing in the demo was awesome too!

Ancoats_Guitars

gusman2x said:

Great looking guitar. And the dude's playing in the demo was awesome too!

Thanks.  The dudes called Theo and he plays in two bands - Mister Lizard and Open Palms.

Ancoats_Guitars

TrentGuitars said:

Hey Dave!

Great to see you here, 

love that guard and headstock!

Thanks! 

Ancoats_Guitars

RustySpanner said:

Not so local anymore, but my first job was in the Express Building, second at Mays Pawnbrokers.

Lots of mates still in the area, will pop in when I'm next down at This'n'That. 

pick us up a rice and three while your there 

Scavenger

Keep it simple get it right, nice work! Just spotted the truss rod cover / headstock love it.

Ancoats_Guitars

Scavenger said:

Keep it simple get it right, nice work! Just spotted the truss rod cover / headstock love it.

Thanks!

Ancoats_Guitars

Hey. So in the past i've had a bit of a problem with delays getting materials in so recently I went on a big ordering spree to make sure I have the essentials in.
As you can see I'm quite well stocked for timber now.  I'm trying out some new body woods too because as much as I love the look and feel of Ash it is heavy and takes a lot of man hours to chamber it - it's also very hard so wears my tools down.  You can see some blanks of Obeche on the shelf, which I know Trent and Fidelity have been using - it's amazingly light - especially after using Ash! I've also got some Scandinavian Redwood on order.

One of my goals is to make this a full time business so I have come to the realisatrion that I can't always just be building guitars and I should take on some set up work.  Luckily where my workshop is there are a load of bands using the other containers as practice/recording studios so I've had some work thrown my way from them.  Below is a nice strat in for a full fret level and set up. 
\


I'm back in the shop tomorrow so will post some detaiuls of how I make my necks.

Dave

Ancoats_Guitars

So heres a few pics of how I make my necks.

1) start with a blank and rout out the truss rod channel


2) ill then rough cut the headstock angle and shape of neck


3) then ill plane the headstock face flat and rough cut the shape


4) I then use a number of templates to properly shape the neck, headstock and recess on the headstock


5) once the neck is all correctl;y shaped ill glue the fret board on (can never have too many clamps)

Ancoats_Guitars

6)Leave that over night to cure then trim the fret board flusdh with the neck and start the radius off with a hand plane, finishing with a radius sanding jig - this one is 9.5.



7) next is the fret dots.  I use MOP dots which i embed in a ring of brass.

Ancoats_Guitars

8) Next up is to level the dots and sand the fret board so it's nice and smooth.  I use a number of grits and change to mesh at about 300 and polish it up to 1000. 


9) Finally install the frets and file the fret ends down - I don't like to go too step on the fret ends - about 10 degrees is good for me. This is now ready for the next stage which is shaping of the neck.  I'll do another post about that next week.

Modulus_Amps

Dave, your images don't show.  I don't think you can load directly from your google content