I'm building a new guitar

[JCH]

I'm building this guitar almost entirely out of stuff I have on hand. I started a few days ago, but stopped because my band saw was dull. I finally got some new blades today and made good progress.

The body is made from some poplar that was left over from a stairway that I built. The neck is hard maple. All of the hardware is used except for the bridge. It's a cheapie that I threw in on an order a while back so I could get free shipping. The pickups are new, built from parts on hand. The list of things I'll need to buy is pretty small.

Specs. 25.5 scale, 22 fret, strat neck / tele bridge pickups, I cut out the body and neck today. I'll have to get a new belt for my table sander before I can move on (hopefully tomorrow)

 

[muttley600]

Am I reading it right? You wound the pickups?

 

[muttley600]

Also it would be good if you could do some in progress shots of your methods. Always good to see how others do things and may encourage others to have a crack.

 

[JCH]

Am I reading it right? You wound the pickups?

Yes, I've been making pickups for several years now. My little homemade winder works great. I sell a few here and there, and do repairs. Here's a video I made back in '07. The soundtrack is a 12 string Applause, MXL condenser mic's on the bridge and neck with the passive piezo blended in. I should have kept that guitar.

pickup winding - YouTube

Also it would be good if you could do some in progress shots of your methods. Always good to see how others do things and may encourage others to have a crack.

You bet, I'll take a few along the way.

This is a slideshow from the last one I built. I took pictures all the way through the process. If anyone's got questions. I'm happy to help.
https://photobucket.com/mahoganyguitar?albumview=slideshow

I do absolutely as much of it as I can in my garage. I make all of my own jigs, and templates as the need for them arises. I make my own truss rods, pick guards, nuts, and whatever else I can fabricate. I'm a minimalist by nature, so my guitars are kept relatively simple. I really enjoy building my own instruments, and plan to make a couple more this fall/winter. One will be a custom strat type thing, the other a cigar box.

You might remember this one from a few years ago. It was the first one I built from scratch.

 

[kip4]

Thats some bit of wood mate nice job. How does it play?

 

[JCH]

Thats some bit of wood mate nice job. How does it play?

Thanks man, it plays great.

On the new guitar I made and installed the truss rod today. The beat goes on.

 

[muttley600]

I'd be really interested in a thread or video that shows the mechanics of your p/u winder. On my to do list is a new winder as mine has proven to be a little hit and miss. Any chance?

I don't wind that many as I use a guy that makes pickups and lives a few miles away, but he is expensive and real busy. It's something I've always wanted to do more of.

Very nice and elegant design btw...

 

[JCH]

I'd be really interested in a thread or video that shows the mechanics of your p/u winder. On my to do list is a new winder as mine has proven to be a little hit and miss. Any chance?

I don't wind that many as I use a guy that makes pickups and lives a few miles away, but he is expensive and real busy. It's something I've always wanted to do more of.

Very nice and elegant design btw...

Thanks Man, It's elegant in it's simplicity. I'd be happy to share some pictures and ideas on a winder. I made that one six years ago not expecting it to work too well. At the time I was curious about winding, and wanted to give it a try without investing a bunch of money into the experiment. I built the winder for about $25. It's still going strong. I'll put some pictures up in the DIY forum with a description.

Here are a couple more pictures from yesterday. I make my own single action truss rods, but this is the first time I've used a vintage fender style adjuster on the heel of the neck. This was my solution for the fixed end of the rod. I made the barrel from some 3/8ths round stock which I drilled and then soldered to the 3/16ths truss rod. I located the barrel directly under the nut hoping that it might have a positive effect, and make the neck more resonant due to it's location. The mild steel rod threads easily to accept the 10-32 adjuster nut. I practically make them for pennies. You can see in the picture that I went too far with my router. I put a little plug in it when I glued the fillet. The other picture is of course the business end.

Meanwhile back at the ranch, today I tapered the neck, and sanded it very close to it's finish size. Thanks for the very cool trick of the guide pin drilled in the fret slot. I'll never attach another fingerboard without doing that. EVER. That makes it so much easier. I'm certain that I got an excellent join because I didn't fumble with it at all.

When I did the layout, to simplify things I cut the neck tenon 19 inches from the nut. It's the exact location of the front of the neck pickup on a strat. When I rout for the pickup It will cut slightly into the neck. The neck will join the body at the 16th fret, so it should be plenty strong.

With any luck I'll have some time tomorrow, and press some frets in.

 

[muttley600]

Watch out for that truss rod nut when you route the pickup cavities... I'm sure you've got it covered but we all forget stuff on occasion.

The guide pins is an old idea I picked up years ago when doing my apprenticeship at Rolls Royce for laying burr veneers on post forming molds. Another way is to drive a pin in and cut off all but a few mm's and clamp the piece in place so the pin remains but is hidden. That works well too and I use it on fretless boards.

The only worry I have with the fixed t rods at the headstock end is that it is the weakest part of the neck so I like to leave as muck wood there as possible. I'm sure you'll be OK though..

Looking good so far and looking forward to more pics.

I'm about to start thinking about pickups for the HR design build and it would be cool to collaborate on a set of our design so get that thread started. Looks like you have more experience than I on that one so I'll be picking your brains.

 

[JCH]

Watch out for that truss rod nut when you route the pickup cavities...

lol..ya think

I'm about to start thinking about pickups for the HR design build and it would be cool to collaborate on a set of our design so get that thread started. Looks like you have more experience than I on that one so I'll be picking your brains.

That sounds like fun. We'll have to poll the masses, but it seems most prefer some sort of single coil tone. Surf rock is a pretty broad genre. From Jan and Dean to Link Wray to Agent Orange, and everything in between.

On this telebastard thing I'm building I'm using a strat pickup at the neck for a Dick Dale tone, and the tele bridge for sort of an early Ventures/Nokie Edwards vibe. I'm thinking of setting it up with 11's, for even a little extra spank.

I didn't have time to work on the new guitar today. A real job came up fortunately. I'll have plenty of time to work on it this weekend.

 

[muttley600]

lol..ya think




That sounds like fun. We'll have to poll the masses, but it seems most prefer some sort of single coil tone. Surf rock is a pretty broad genre. From Jan and Dean to Link Wray to Agent Orange, and everything in between.

On this telebastard thing I'm building I'm using a strat pickup at the neck for a Dick Dale tone, and the tele bridge for sort of an early Ventures/Nokie Edwards vibe. I'm thinking of setting it up with 11's, for even a little extra spank.

I didn't have time to work on the new guitar today. A real job came up fortunately. I'll have plenty of time to work on it this weekend.

Yeh, I know what you mean. I had no time yesterday either, nor today. People seem to want their work done first and as they are paying I guess they are right.

The consensus for the surf build seems to be some sort of underwound p90. We could start from there. I still want to see your winder whn you get time. I'm putting a bit of thought into mine at present. The counter is the main issue. I've looked into a few options but none seen like what I want. The one I want is only available in the States or so it seems.

Look forward to seeing more of the build.

 

[Milnoque]

Hello JCH,

The build looks great so far. I hate myself for my lack of gumption. I've got a couple of designs of my own that I never seem to find time for.

I'm looking forward to the pickup discussion when it gets going. Thanks for your contributions.

 

[JCH]

Yeh, I know what you mean. I had no time yesterday either, nor today. People seem to want their work done first and as they are paying I guess they are right.

The consensus for the surf build seems to be some sort of underwound p90. We could start from there. I still want to see your winder whn you get time. I'm putting a bit of thought into mine at present. The counter is the main issue. I've looked into a few options but none seen like what I want. The one I want is only available in the States or so it seems.

Look forward to seeing more of the build.

I'll get something up on the winder later today. In the meantime, if you spouse has a sewing maching, think motor

Hello JCH,

The build looks great so far. I hate myself for my lack of gumption. I've got a couple of designs of my own that I never seem to find time for.

I'm looking forward to the pickup discussion when it gets going. Thanks for your contributions.

Thanks Trey, I have a hard time getting started, but once I do I'm usually obsessed with getting done.

The design and build prototype Is really looking good. It's fun to be involved even on a minor level. I'm really anxious to see how it all turns out.

 

[muttley600]

I'll get something up on the winder later today. In the meantime, if you spouse has a sewing maching, think motor

I'm ahead of you there. I have an old one I picked up a few years back waiting for this project.

As I say it's the counter that I'm hanging on.

 

[JCH]

I got back to work on it today. I started out by trimming the fingerboard on the router table. I got it close with the flush trim bit, and finished it on the belt sander.

I doodled around 'til I came up with a head stock I liked. After cutting it on the bandsaw I cleaned it up on the spindle sander.

I've got a little arbor press that I use for fretting. The cauls I made from rosewood.

My secret weapon for shaping necks is a dremel with a planer attachement. It only takes a few thousandths on a pass and is very controllable. I use it and the spindle sander to get the neck close, and then go at it with a sanding block.

The neck's almost done. I'll finish it tomorrow with eye's that aren't so tired.

 

[Guitargodgt]

That looks pretty sweet. I would love to have a go at doing one, but don't trust myself to make a neck worth a heck.

 

[JCH]

That looks pretty sweet. I would love to have a go at doing one, but don't trust myself to make a neck worth a heck.

Thanks, You never know 'til you try.

I finished the neck today. It's time to concentrate on the body.

 

[JCH]

I did the neck mortise, and cut the back side of the neck tenon today. I made a router template for the body. The final cut is made with a bit that has a guide bearing, so the template can be made the exact size, and fit to the neck. I also planed the back of the neck by clamping boards on the sides, and using the same router bit. This makes it easy to keep it parallel with the fingerboard.

It's starting to look like a guitar.

 

[Guitargodgt]

What did you go with for fret wire?

 

[JCH]

What did you go with for fret wire?

Medium .045w Nickel Silver