update 8> 03_29_12 >Goal: Status Building of my Custom HS>Photo diary (Page 2 of 2)

cindyron wrote:

cindyron wrote:

This is a photo diary of the building of my custom les paul type guitar by two young guitar builders Adam and Chris. This will log it's construction ending with me bringing them to meet Joe in May to have him see what they have created and provide his feedback.

This is installment one
http://s1221.photobucket.com/albums/dd4 … ?start=all
Here's the top on the body, neck pocket routed, inlay channel cut on the body
and the binding glueing on the fretboard.

details:
Neck------Bolivian Rosewood w/ black and white fiber center stripes
fingerboard- Brazilian rosewood (the legal kind!!)
top -------one piece flamed maple
body -----one piece Honduran mahogany
headplate---brazilian rosewood
binding----- cream plastic

next steps(2 weeks)
routing neck mortise and tenon
cutting/inlaying fingerboard
gluing neck

Installment two as of 1/24/12
http://s1221.photobucket.com/albums/dd4 … %20Guitar/
Above link is pics of the status of the build as of yesterday. Also pic of the young luthers. If you click on their picture there is a bio. So far looking pretty good. I have not decided on the pups yet, maybe BB2 & 3 ,WCR American Steel or Klein "wicked". These guys are putting their heart and soul into this. Stay tuned for update three.
Cheers Ron

Hi all
This is installment three of the build. The pic numbers with todays date in the photobucket reference the narrative supplied by Adam below. Man this guitar is REALLY starting to look great. they are doing an outstanding job. I may have more this afternoon or tomorrow cheers ron
http://s1221.photobucket.com/albums/dd4 … %20Guitar/
From Adam 2/04/12>

2/04/12 pic 1
-----------
selecting the abalone pieces for the inlay. i love working with shell and i especially love working with abalone. the contrasting colors of abalone and darker woods is absolutely stunning, and the chatoyancy and luster make it pop out of any medium its inlayed into. the inlay concept for this guitar is based off of my previous archtop build. the falling leaves scattered down the fingerboard, and the headstock with the tree emerging from the inside of the guitar. inlay materials will be made up of abalone, mahogany, and mother of pearl.

2/04/12 pic 2
------------
binding the body! once the top is glued and final body shape and thickness are set, i use a router with a bearing guide to route the ledge around the guitar. a cream colored plastic strip is then glued down snug around this lip. using specialty glues and incredibly sticky tape, i work around the body of the guitar, starting in the most difficult area, the horn of the cutaway. this will set overnight to guarantee the glue cures before scraping.

2/04/12 pic 3
-----------
once the binding has dried over night, i use several different shaped cabinet scrapers to bring the top of the binding down flush with the top of the body. minor cleanup of glue and tape residue and its looking more and more like a tuxedo wearing, tone rocking les paul

2/04/12 pic 4
----------
months ago when me and ron began discussing options on his dream guitar, he brought in one of his les pauls with a heel contour. i thought the feel was more comfortable than a standard les pauls neck joint, but i felt we could retool and reshape to make it hug the hand even more. using rasps and the old spoke-shave, we sped this thing up and brought it down to a comfortable level.

2/04/12 pic 5
------------
the neck mortise and tenon are now cut and fit tight together. this begins one of the funnest and most difficult parts of the guitar building process, shaping the neck. il start by working the heel of the neck to line up flush with the body, then contour it until its only half a millimeter to finished thickness. i generally use knives and razor blades to do most of my shaping, but with this bolivian rosewood, the knives just wont cut it.... literally! the best tool here is gonna be the rasp (a file with wicked big teeth) once the heel is shaped, i focus then on the area behind the first fret, again bringing it down to +1 millimeter final thickness. then the real fun begins with shaping the entire length of the neck.

This project is really starting to be killer!  I can't wait to see it tomorrow for an update.

cindyron wrote:

cindyron wrote:

Hi all
This is installment three of the build. The pic numbers with todays date in the photobucket reference the narrative supplied by Adam below. Man this guitar is REALLY starting to look great. they are doing an outstanding job. I may have more this afternoon or tomorrow cheers ron
http://s1221.photobucket.com/albums/dd4 … %20Guitar/
From Adam 2/04/12>

2/04/12 pic 1
-----------
selecting the abalone pieces for the inlay. i love working with shell and i especially love working with abalone. the contrasting colors of abalone and darker woods is absolutely stunning, and the chatoyancy and luster make it pop out of any medium its inlayed into. the inlay concept for this guitar is based off of my previous archtop build. the falling leaves scattered down the fingerboard, and the headstock with the tree emerging from the inside of the guitar. inlay materials will be made up of abalone, mahogany, and mother of pearl.

2/04/12 pic 2
------------
binding the body! once the top is glued and final body shape and thickness are set, i use a router with a bearing guide to route the ledge around the guitar. a cream colored plastic strip is then glued down snug around this lip. using specialty glues and incredibly sticky tape, i work around the body of the guitar, starting in the most difficult area, the horn of the cutaway. this will set overnight to guarantee the glue cures before scraping.

2/04/12 pic 3
-----------
once the binding has dried over night, i use several different shaped cabinet scrapers to bring the top of the binding down flush with the top of the body. minor cleanup of glue and tape residue and its looking more and more like a tuxedo wearing, tone rocking les paul

2/04/12 pic 4
----------
months ago when me and ron began discussing options on his dream guitar, he brought in one of his les pauls with a heel contour. i thought the feel was more comfortable than a standard les pauls neck joint, but i felt we could retool and reshape to make it hug the hand even more. using rasps and the old spoke-shave, we sped this thing up and brought it down to a comfortable level.

2/04/12 pic 5
------------
the neck mortise and tenon are now cut and fit tight together. this begins one of the funnest and most difficult parts of the guitar building process, shaping the neck. il start by working the heel of the neck to line up flush with the body, then contour it until its only half a millimeter to finished thickness. i generally use knives and razor blades to do most of my shaping, but with this bolivian rosewood, the knives just wont cut it.... literally! the best tool here is gonna be the rasp (a file with wicked big teeth) once the heel is shaped, i focus then on the area behind the first fret, again bringing it down to +1 millimeter final thickness. then the real fun begins with shaping the entire length of the neck.

Hi All
Ron here this is installment four:
http://s1221.photobucket.com/albums/dd4 … %20Guitar/
the neck is set and monday they will be gluing it to the body, and headstock inlay will be getting cut out

Hi All
Here is installment 5 follow the pics in link cooresponding to date. They are doing an amaszing job. Narrative by Adam Hanson>
http://s1221.photobucket.com/albums/dd4 … %20Guitar/

02_14_12_pic 1
---------
here we are bending the cream binding around the curves of the headstock. the binding plastic was pretty stiff and after 2 test pieces, the best way to maintain the shape for gluing was to boil the binding to soften it up a bit. worked perfect!

02_14_12_pic 2
----------
here we have a fully bound headstock, scraped level and awaiting some abalone foliage for decor.

02_14_12_pic 3
----------
the fingerboard is getting glued on!!!!!!

02_14_12_pic 4
routing out the pickup cavities.

02_14_12_pic 5
here we are shaping the belly bevel, using the same methods as the heel contour, we remove a comfortable amount of wood with the spoke shave

cindyron wrote:

cindyron wrote:

Hi All
Ron here this is installment four:
http://s1221.photobucket.com/albums/dd4 … %20Guitar/
the neck is set and monday they will be gluing it to the body, and headstock inlay will be getting cut out

Hi All
Here is installment 5 follow the pics in link cooresponding to date. They are doing an amaszing job. Narrative by Adam Hanson>
http://s1221.photobucket.com/albums/dd4 … %20Guitar/

02_14_12_pic 1
---------
here we are bending the cream binding around the curves of the headstock. the binding plastic was pretty stiff and after 2 test pieces, the best way to maintain the shape for gluing was to boil the binding to soften it up a bit. worked perfect!

02_14_12_pic 2
----------
here we have a fully bound headstock, scraped level and awaiting some abalone foliage for decor.

02_14_12_pic 3
----------
the fingerboard is getting glued on!!!!!!

02_14_12_pic 4
routing out the pickup cavities.

02_14_12_pic 5
here we are shaping the belly bevel, using the same methods as the heel contour, we remove a comfortable amount of wood with the spoke shave

Hi all
Here is installment six: Man take a look at pic 02_15_12 _pic 1  WOW it looks incredible.Go to photobucket below
http://s1221.photobucket.com/albums/dd4 … %20Guitar/

02_15_12 pic 1
-----------
it just needs tuners and the bridge drilled and this bad larry is almost ready for finish.

02_15_12_pic 2
------------
the leaves are inlayed into headstock and filed flat. next is the grover locking tuners installation.

Incredible work - but I have to ask... what would the boys charge for a custom build like this?  You know, before taxes!

kestrou

Love the "comfort carve" on the back of the single cutaway for easy upper fret access