Acoustic Build - GS Mini Style

WezV · March 2023

I picked up a acoustic neck angle jig from Radius Dish UK. It arrived yesterday.

It does both dovetail and mortice and tenon neck joints, so I fancied trying my first dovetail.

That may have been a mistake as I overshot the body route for it by a mm each side, .. but i was then able to use the jig to recut it wider and make a filler piece. I made the filler piece wider than the original cut to ensure it was strong enough. I was then able to reroute at the correct dimensions. You can see it is the darker mahogany fill either side of the re-routed dovetail here.

Next time I will do the body route first and cut the neck to match. It is easier to do fine adjustments on the neck part of the jig.

I should have practiced with the jig on scrap a bit more first, but I'm quite happy with my save. Everything feels nice and solid

with oversized fretboard blank

The bridge is an aftermarket one, but i quite like it's design

WezV · March 2023

I've been avoiding that rosewood fretboard blank for a few years. It is quite pale, and therefore the back of it had been used as practice for staining paler fretboards

But now I've put it through the planer and added a radius and slots, it's actually not as pale as I thought.

WezV · April 2023

The body has been bound.

Nothing fancy, just simple cream

BigMonka · April 2023

That's looking beautiful.
Your stream of photos from the different stages really hides the effort and craftsmanship that it must take between each step!

Andyjr1515 · April 2023

Looking really good @WezV ;

TTony · April 2023

Had to add a comment rather than just another wow.

The comment is “wow”.

Looks like another great piece of work Wez. Lovely timbers and a great save from the fireplace.

WezV · April 2023

i've not been totally happy with the soundhole decoration on this. The cavity cut fine, but some of the walnut strips were not evenly thicknessed, leaving a gap here and there

but the purchase of a laser cutter brings new opportunities

The first thing to do is a jig to fit he sound hole and allow me to accurately cut a new channel.

so i cut this

the 3 bits on the bottom will be laminated together. The smaller circle will allow the jig to sit straight in the soundhole. i've done two layers of the main template to allow extra thickness

i then designed a simple rosette and cut a load of walnut and cedar from the offcuts of this body

i put some double side tape on one of the jig offcuts and started piecing it together

it's possibly a bit too fancy and i may just go back and cut some new strips... but this new toy is fun!

WezV · April 2023

that got soaked in super glue overnight, giving a solid rosette which fits really nicely in the matching template

still bumpy with glue, but should be nice once levelled off

WezV · April 2023

I went with the rosette, also used a headplate cut from the spare bits of back wood

The neck is rough carved too

WezV · April 2023

fretted, neck glued in, and sealer coats on

WezV · April 2023

Also, now there is lacquer on it I think the mystery neck wood is likely Dark Red Meranti, not mahogany.

BillDL · April 2023

It's amazing the difference when even the first sealer coats are on. It was lovely before in the bare wood, but is really beautiful now. I like the figuring in the neck, the bookmatching of the back, and that rosette is something else.

WezV · April 2023

Yeah, I got pretty lucky with the woods.

The neck figuring is very subtle until the light hits it, then it just pops.

I was going to add a walnut heel cap, until I realised that orange patch in the walnut led nicely into the neck wood.

WezV · May 2023

Nearly done

I still need to buff out back and sides but couldn't resist getting some strings on

Initial impressions are good... just need a slightly taller saddle as it's too low action and choking out higher up the neck... but I would rather a little too much neck angle at this point than not enough

drofluf · May 2023

Looks great!

DartmoorHedgehog · May 2023

That's looking really good - nice use of the laser cutter as well. Did you do the engraving on the trough in the background as well?

WezV · May 2023

Nah, that's the brand.

roberty · May 2023

This looks amazing @WezV. The rosette is so pretty

normula1 · May 2023

Have a wow, looks fantastic

Jez6345789 · May 2023

Lovely work as always
Did I miss abit as have had a few glitches lately as you zipped the box up quickly did you just do a basic x brace based of Martin or did you do more work to tune the top scallop braces etc.

looking good

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Acoustic Build - GS Mini Style

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