It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Subscribe to our Patreon, and get image uploads with no ads on the site!
Base theme by DesignModo & ported to Powered by Vanilla by Chris Ireland, modified by the "theFB" team.
Comments
Ignore the fact the the body carve isn't finished yet, but I'm thinking ahead. Bear in mind that the fretboard will tint down a touch, but this is presently the sort of look:
Thing is, is the contrast good or bad
Would it be better with a macassar ebony fretboard this kind of colour, or is that going too conventional?:
Partly because it's a personal preference but it also looks brilliant!
Whether that makes it better or not is another matter.
The lighter fretboard wood would match the rest of the (through) neck, and might give a nice contrast to the dark pickups.
Let's face it, it's going to look awesome either way!
When I first built it, it had a dark fretboard and looked quite ordinary. The maple made all the difference.
BUT, the amboyna on the new build is going to be quite a bit darker than the yew, hence me having second thoughts.
I could, of course, ask Jane (who I'm building it for) but I wanted the finished article to be pretty much the first she sees of it...
You see...I'm now swinging back to the top one.
At least it's given me some decent practice on the fretboard radiuser
So this is where I'm heading:
Thanks for the suggestions folks - I think the dark fretboard was pretty much the favourite.
If I ever get round to building a version 2 there are a few improvements I would make but, to be honest, it seems to do the job. Here it is after one pass (cutting the radius and then indexing it forward 3mm or so each time):
I'm pretty sure the lines on the righthand side is that the two radius ends of the jig a slightly out with each other, causing one corner of the router bit to dig in. You see the effect more here - but decent first pass rough radius? :
After 15 mins or so with the radius block it was like this:
I think this was the right decision
I've sorted the slotting routine with the G&W mitre box - it works quite well once you've got your head around what to clamp where to make sure nothing moves!
And 1/2hr or so later it's all ready to trim to width:
Looking at the weather, there'll be plenty of time to make a bit more progress tomorrow
As I was redoing the fretboard, I've added the extra couple of fret slots to 24. The body shape has been designed, on the other hand, for full access and thumb anchor point for bends up to the 22nd.
When it's all glued up and I can air-guitar it, I'll decide whether to provide the extra cutout area to the 24th or whether that would spoil the look. I don't think Jane will be doing three-semitone bends on the 23rd and 24th so - for this one - it doesn't matter too much
I cut out a couple of swifts for the 12th and routed the shapes with the dremel precision base:
Then glued them in with epoxy mixed with fretboard sanding dust and added the MoP dots for the other positions:
Then a quick sand with the radius block:
Also, for this one, I've decided to skip the bound board.
My method of actually installing the frets is the same, though. I run a tiny bead of titebond along the tang, then hammer, then immediately clamp using the radius block as the shaped caul:
One new thing for me is that I've bought a pair of fret tang nippers - very pleased with those so far...
I have to say, I found inserting the frets, trimming the fret ends, filing the fret ends and the bevels SO much easier done before gluing the fretboard onto the neck.
I had a prejudice against doing it that way round, but I think I've just done a flip!
I worked on this off and on over the day. Still not glued onto the neck but looking pretty good, even close up, in terms of straightness of sides and seating of the frets:
The two jobs to do before I can do that is to fit the truss rod and to add the demarcation lines to the mating edge of the fretboard.
Although for the maple board I was going for a bound fretboard using a binding already incorporating the feature lines:
...for the macassar, I've decided to go unbound. Hence, I need to create the demarcation lines with veneer.
I've glued a maple veneer to the bottom of the macassar and then a black veneer to the bottom of that.
To make sure it's flat, I've clamped the fretboard tightly over the veneers using radius blocks as cauls and the whole caboodle sitting on a very flat and sturdy plank: