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I have that second walnut blank.. And I also have nice spalted and flamed maple tops ive been dying to use.. The Korina was too nice to cover... BUT I do love this walnut and am thinking maybe I should just do another carved top but this time with the grain in the more usual orientation and I can then compare it directly with the one that im currently building with its vertical grain...
AND ive also been thinking about a one pickup guitar for a while now.. While they aren't for everyone, theres just something about the look that I like.
This is what I have in mind if I do a maple top BUT again the thing against that is its too thin to carve so will be a flat top.. And now ive started these carved builds im not sure I want to go back to flat tops just yet..
Decisions decisions What do you reckon?
https://i.imgur.com/2Qtzdku.jpg
These are my tops.
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Yeah its just a rough idea... The knobs will be moved forward from that position a bit.
And this is the thing, I wonder if I like the idea more just because of the look. Theres always a big part of me that thinks having more options is better or the guitar is limiting.. YET... theres just something about them that I like the look of... (and I don't own a single pup guitar either?)
http://www.rabswoodguitars.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/RabsWoodGuitars/
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Yeah ive heard similar things... I think maybe the next build I will do this.. That walnut is so nice I don't think it needs a top.. Plus the slab is nice and thick so makes for a good carved top... I will come back to that design above though as I do like the way it looks.
http://www.rabswoodguitars.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/RabsWoodGuitars/
My Youtube page
you know its funny you mention that.. Ive tried several different shapes now... And last night I was looking through them all to see what shape I prefer.. (the images above are just very rough ideas anyway)
The Korina one for instance has fairly symmetrical horns.. These next two are getting slightly longer top horns.. I found that the ones I like the most were when the two stubbier horns are equal it looks good and I also like it with the way ive done these two.. Which actually I think is more traditional.. The original LP Double cut specials look like that.
I cut the body today actually and have now (I think) decided on this design (roughly)
https://i.imgur.com/s9gshjT.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/Mp4yjBD.jpg
And the Korina one with the symmetrical stubby horns and actually I did it that way because the slab of wood wasn't quite wide enough to accommodate the longer top horn. Which I think looks pretty good.
https://i.imgur.com/kXtKs2P.jpg
http://www.rabswoodguitars.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/RabsWoodGuitars/
My Youtube page
Ok so I decided to just do another carved solid walnut build... I think it will be interesting to see it side by side with the first walnut build that has the body grain going the other way.
Got the body cut out today and I will be doing these builds side by side... So once I get the neck on this one done I will go back to the first one and do each job twice
Heres the body
https://i.imgur.com/COZFD1N.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/n1zFeVB.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/iFwozLL.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/G7VSaMz.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/Mp4yjBD.jpg
http://www.rabswoodguitars.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/RabsWoodGuitars/
My Youtube page
You have all seen the carve shots from the first walnut build.. So I wont bother posting in any detail since all of the work is just replicated from that build anyway..
So heres a bunch of shots where the body now has its carve...
https://i.imgur.com/PoGWJxD.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/pzCKhNr.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/2X0YiWK.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/zfFHGyi.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/ECp5p7Q.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/6S5FQRh.jpg
Tomorrow I will get on with the neck.
http://www.rabswoodguitars.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/RabsWoodGuitars/
My Youtube page
So the neck is almost done.. Trussrod is in and headstock wings are glued
https://i.imgur.com/Z7aeGoJ.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/zNdmIwY.jpg
And the body is pretty much ready.
https://i.imgur.com/bsB60fR.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/2czA4JW.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/IxS6cNz.jpg
http://www.rabswoodguitars.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/RabsWoodGuitars/
My Youtube page
its good to do two so similar except the sideways grain.
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yes well.... I still like the sideways grain
And yeah, this is one of the reasons I decided to do two side by side cos it should be quite interesting.. However I have some totally different pickups for this build.. From Axes R Us... I guess I could go and get some similar pickups to make it more interesting.
http://www.rabswoodguitars.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/RabsWoodGuitars/
My Youtube page
Haha. I like it
http://www.rabswoodguitars.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/RabsWoodGuitars/
My Youtube page
Todays update.
Started on the inlays today but it was right at the end of the day so didn't get much done...
But heres how I do it.
This is the first time I have used an inlay shape like this.. So far its been mainly dots or blocks.... But the method is the same (as blocks, obviously dots are easy)....
So first thing to do is obviously get it centred and then use a scalpel to draw around it but only do it lightly.
https://i.imgur.com/8E9T1vG.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/RWjK2Er.jpg
Then once that's done, deepen the cut by going over each line several times
https://i.imgur.com/nUDTnmN.jpg
Once that's done, you need to angle a chisel and cut around the inside of the shape.. Because you have the lines cut around the edges it comes out really easy and neatly.
https://i.imgur.com/IRwgPBk.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/NCveybB.jpg
Then you simply take out the middle
https://i.imgur.com/0SOnRUl.jpg
And its in
https://i.imgur.com/zgW3ABS.jpg
Now I said just before simply.. It is a bit fidgety getting in the corners so I need to tidy it up a bit and maybe make the hole slightly deeper
https://i.imgur.com/yt57s5N.jpg.
Now I just have eight more to do :P
https://i.imgur.com/RGyj0QM.jpg
I was also testing out the hardware position as I was a bit worried that the knobs wouldn't fit on the flat areas in a pleasing position but it looks like it will be fine
https://i.imgur.com/igfRe3V.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/3X2a4MP.jpg
More soon
http://www.rabswoodguitars.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/RabsWoodGuitars/
My Youtube page
Hello.. well these builds are still going on.. Ive had such little time to work its almost silly. But theres not a lot I can do about that.. I was hoping to get these ready for finishing by the end of this week but that's not going to happen now.
Anyhooo...
The inlays are all in and I have glued around the edges of each one but have yet to sand that down, Hopefully I will get a few hours tomorrow to do that and glue it to the neck. Then I will get the necks ready and glue them in.
The binding is also done on both builds now (that's how little time I have had).. usually I wouldn't care so much but id really love to have these done for the show which is on the 6th Oct.. There is still a small chance but im not sure now.
https://i.imgur.com/jcAoGQB.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/ymnLMZr.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/PVtkhVP.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/r3Xv9KF.jpg
More as soon as I can
http://www.rabswoodguitars.co.uk/
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My Youtube page
And quickly.. Sanded the board down and glued to the neck.
Theres still a small bit of glue left but I will be radiusing it so im not going all the way as its going to get more sanding anyway.
https://i.imgur.com/2AjC2wi.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/zdZgZBy.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/i1DXZTx.jpg
And glued
https://i.imgur.com/AvfTtt8.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/kEhkqvV.jpg
more soon.
http://www.rabswoodguitars.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/RabsWoodGuitars/
My Youtube page
Right..
So back to this build today..
Neck is almost done.. The same state as the other walnut build.. Just need to do the tenons and then I will glue it on.. I do the carve when the neck is joined.. Always done it that way.
Also gave the back a small round over
https://i.imgur.com/NUdE6og.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/yCi7hFh.jpg
First I shape the neck a bit to get the board to the correct dimensions
https://i.imgur.com/wrm4YyL.jpg
Clean and radius the board
https://i.imgur.com/uHg79cH.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/XUPQy7B.jpg
Give it some lemon
https://i.imgur.com/qMZMmV9.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/yzUUn7Y.jpg
Frets and side dots
https://i.imgur.com/D2yZllO.jpg
Gotta fill the fret slot holes... So I rub some rosewood dust in and a bit of glue on top
https://i.imgur.com/7mink2w.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/9wImE3F.jpg
Sorted
https://i.imgur.com/4ByEQFg.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/helLo4b.jpg
And get the frets ready for the final fretwork which I always do at the end before I put the hardware on
https://i.imgur.com/79qp1FQ.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/G1UDK9j.jpg
So here we are two bodies and two necks ready to bond for life
https://i.imgur.com/PMcsYvI.jpg
More soon.
http://www.rabswoodguitars.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/RabsWoodGuitars/
My Youtube page
Body and neck are glued Always a good day.
https://i.imgur.com/d7me7hs.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/nFjv7iV.jpg
http://www.rabswoodguitars.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/RabsWoodGuitars/
My Youtube page