Barncaster's 2012 Challenge Build Thread -- COMPLETED

[Barncaster]

Hey Ho Let's Go!

[RogerC]

Good luck! Glad you jumped in.

[Barncaster]

Originally Posted by RogerC

Good luck! Glad you jumped in.

Thanks Roger! I promise it will be a little different than most.

Barncaster

[crazydave911]

Originally Posted by Barncaster

I promise it will be a little different than most

Of this, I have nooo doubt

Welcome, and good luck!

Dave

[adirondak5]

Hey Rob , a winder, your own pups , and now a challenge build . Exciting huh ? Glad you are in :)

[Barncaster]

Originally Posted by crazydave911

Of this, I have nooo doubt

Welcome, and good luck!

Dave

[Barncaster]

Originally Posted by adirondak5

Hey Rob , a winder, your own pups , and now a challenge build . Exciting huh ? Glad you are in :)

Hey Herb,

Truth be told, I've put a lot of guitars together but have never made my own body or neck before so this will be quite an experience. I cant wait to see what everyone starts cooking up. Thanks for helping me to the next level! I'm off to the local high-end wood place for some body wood at lunch today. We'll see what speaks to me.

Barncaster

[PapaLion]

Let's go buildin' now
Everyone's learnin' how
Come on Safari with me
Buildin' Safari
buildin' safari

yaddayadda yadda and some
Good luck Amigo

[Barncaster]

Originally Posted by PapaLion

Let's go buildin' now
Everyone's learnin' how
Come on Safari with me
Buildin' Safari
buildin' safari

yaddayadda yadda and some
Good luck Amigo

For you Papa, I will play a surf tune on the completed guitar. I love surf music!

[Barncaster]

Game on!

Went to the local exotic wood place today, searched and searched. I love the way they smirk at the wood rappers. Anyway, I have decided to use a flavor of mahogany for the body called Sipo. After tapping and lifting and checking out grain on 20 different species, I settled on the 6/4 7 footer in the picture. When I rapped on this plank, the tone was bell-like and the whole thing rumbled with sustain. It also is unusually light. $26 later it was mine. Lucky my Jetta TDI has a pass-through through the rear seat!

The pile of ebony fretboards are from an LMI sale (just up the road in Windsor, CA) that I got for $2 each. They are seconds, all full of little holes but easily fillable.

The body will be a 3 piece. The rock maple blank is from the same place. It is flat sawn with some decent figure in it and DENSE. Leo knew what he was doing. I rapped on some ash planks while there too and they rang very well. So there it is, mahogany body, capped in ebony with a maple neck with ebony fretboard. At least that's the plan As for the hardware, well ya'll will just have to wait and see!

Barncaster

[crazydave911]

Originally Posted by Barncaster

So there it is, mahogany body, capped in ebony with a maple neck with ebony fretboard. At least that's the plan

I..............like it!

Dave

[Maricopa]

I love the way they smirk at the wood rappers.

Yep, been on the receiving end of that look before.

They also love it when I pull out about 500 bdft off the rack and pile it all over the floor...because I just KNOW those bastids have stashed the good stuff at the back.

[Barncaster]

LOL, I'm from Connecticut, "bastid" brings back memories. I still let a "quata" instead of "quarter" slip ever now and then and people stop and stare... busted.

Barncaster

[adirondak5]

Brilliant ! That is going to look fantastic , mahogany capped with ebony , it even sounds beautiful.

[Barncaster]

Thanks Herb,

Yeah, LMI had a warehouse sale last year. I saw all that ebony for pennies and said hmmmmmmm. :-) Black is beautiful baby.

Barncaster

[Barncaster]

Hey All,

Cut some mahogany this AM. Here is a picture with a little mineral spirits on it for a preview. Butterscotch! And for all of you with jointers out there, I am officially jelous but am getting Arnold arms!

Barncaster

[sfcmark]

Originally Posted by Barncaster

...So there it is, mahogany body, capped in ebony with a maple neck with ebony fretboard. ...

No half measures for you. Sounds gorgeous! Can't wait to see.

[adirondak5]

Originally Posted by Barncaster

Hey All,

Cut some mahogany this AM. Here is a picture with a little mineral spirits on it for a preview. Butterscotch! And for all of you with jointers out there, I am officially jelous but am getting Arnold arms!

Barncaster

I love my jointer , while it is not the most used machine I have when its needed 2 minutes and the jobs done , keep your eye on craigslist Rob , every once in a while there are some good buys .

[Barncaster]

Morning All,

Got the jointing sanding done just in time to notice my aluminum "L" fence wasn't quite square so a little gentle persuasion with the plastic dead blow hammer, verification with a square, more sanding and all wood was square. Good upper body workout.

Next onto glueing. Always has been a lot of talk about glues here. I saw this in the local hardware store and home it came. I know it's not hot hide glue but it's pretty close for me. Per Preeb, no creep and it chrystalizes possibly resulting in improved sonics. Well, at 47, with a touch of tinnitus and four Ramones shows in really small clubs under my belt means any sonic improvement is probably in the dog whistle category.

So the three pieces are glued together..... finally

Hey Ho Let's Go!
Barncaster

[Barncaster]

Hey All,

I'm about to rough out my neck blank. It's flat sawn hard maple. Looking at the end grain, it forms either a perfect smile or frown depending on the orientation. Is there any school of thought concerning this orientation in relation to the fret board? The fret board I'll be using is ebony.

Thanks,
Barncaster