vintage65's 2012 Challenge Build Thread -- COMPLETED

Well, I'm not a regular poster on this forum, but for the build challenge....,I want to make an exception :lol:

Nice, all the way from the Nederlands. Looking forward to the Oosterhout-a-caster.

Glad you've decided to jump in. hope you have a great time, and good luck!

Glad you're back!
I deeply admired your entry last year.

Nice, all the way from the Nederlands. Looking forward to the Oosterhout-a-caster.
Did you see his all metal tele from last year? The man has chops!

Good to see ya' back, good luck :grin:

Dave

Laat ze een poepie ruiken!

Laat ze een poepie ruiken!

Poopy? Is he allowed to say that?

:lol::lol::lol:
Sorry old friend, just couldn't resist :smile:

I am. You go wash y'r mouth out.

Go Jacko thats the spirit!

Thank's everybody, I hope you all enjoy the challenge.

Here are the materials I go to use. Yes, it will be another "real steel mean machine" :twisted:

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j297/Extra71/DSC09178.jpg
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j297/Extra71/DSC09177.jpg
The rosewood neck blank arrived today.

Subscribed...

had the pleasure of checking out your last years entry: impressive!!. have fun with this new build!
(aka barno)

had the pleasure of checking out your last years entry: impressive!!. have fun with this new build!
(aka barno)

Hi Barno, I didn't know you are a member on this forum. I hope you enjoy my build this year to.

Good luck mate and make us proud ! :mrgreen:

And we are on the road.

Today I strated with the neck.

First cut it out with the jigsaw, and routed it with the router.
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j297/Extra71/DSC09185.jpg
Made a router jig for the truss rod channel.
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j297/Extra71/DSC09186.jpg
Positioned the neck, checked it twice en routed the channel.
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j297/Extra71/DSC09187.jpg
Should have check it a 3th time, because the channel is a bit off centre:mad:
(Looks worse than it is).
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j297/Extra71/DSC09188.jpg
Radius the neck with a "vintage" 7,25" radius.
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j297/Extra71/DSC09190.jpg
Printed a fretboard, stick it to the neck, and cut the fretslots with a knife.
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j297/Extra71/DSC09191.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j297/Extra71/DSC09192.jpg

Tomorrow I will cut the slots with a fretsaw. Monday I hope to start with the steel body.

Great progress for the day. I like your "artsy" progress shot on the first pic :grin:

That must be the most wicked way to cut fret slots I've seen. Nice! Waiting to see more.

Nice...Indian rosewood neck?

Found !!!


s.

Found !!!


s.

Me too, but they are sold-out....:(

Haha, it was not about the rosewood neck, but because of an other name, I didn't know he was from GN ...


s.

Nice work on the neck... I'm looking forward to seeing your metal forming skills too!

Started with the body today, because I have to wait for the frets and truss rod to arrive.

Frirst I sprayed the front and backplate black. Normally you use a special ink for it, but I have a lot of spraycans which are half full, or half empty (what you want).
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j297/Extra71/DSC09244.jpg

While the paint is drying I started to bend the sides.
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j297/Extra71/DSC09245.jpg

Make sure there are no false nicks.
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j297/Extra71/DSC09246.jpg

And here's the first half.
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j297/Extra71/DSC09247.jpg

Looks good to me:cool:
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j297/Extra71/DSC09248.jpg

The two sides together.
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j297/Extra71/DSC09250.jpg

In the meanwhile the paint dried so I can draw the body on the front and back.
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j297/Extra71/DSC09251.jpg

Hmmm, one f-hole?
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j297/Extra71/DSC09252.jpg

Or perhaps two?
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j297/Extra71/DSC09253.jpg

looks great so far, glad to see you in this years challenge.

Good God that body is going to be fantastic with that metal! It already looks great. Nice choice with the wood for the neck. Its going to look great against the metal.

To be honest with you I was thinking about doing something similar but it's been about 25 years since I did any welding. (Holy crap that makes me sound old). Can't wait to see how you do it for future reference.

Thanks everyone.

Here is a recent metal guitar I made. It's a steel La Cabro.

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j297/Extra71/DSC08975.jpg
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j297/Extra71/DSC08968.jpg

The guitar for the challenge will be something completely different :twisted:

Thanks everyone.

Here is a recent metal guitar I made. It's a steel La Cabro.

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j297/Extra71/DSC08975.jpg
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j297/Extra71/DSC08968.jpg

The guitar for the challenge will be something completely different :twisted:

Wow ,thats got to be extra spanky !! Great work there.

Thanks macaroonie!

In the meanwhile I cut the front and back of the body. Also dicided to go for 2 f-holes. (I finally know which way I want to go with this guitar).

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j297/Extra71/DSC09254.jpg
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j297/Extra71/DSC09255.jpg

Mirror, mirror on the wall....
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j297/Extra71/DSC09258.jpg
Well, not a mirror but a piece of polished inox, which I maybe want to use for a pickguard.

Wow, La Cabro is so sweet/evil and that Thinline is going to be gorgeous too. I wonder if there's enough time in the rest of my life (which I'm hoping will be long ...) to learn how to weld?

cheers

.

so subscribed to this thread.

Nice, a fast build. That's the spirit :mrgreen:

I really enjoyed your build last year. Looking forward to this one as well.

Very cool - watching with interest!

Tody I start welding, so later this day (it's now 8.52 in the morning) new pics :twisted:

Wow,
A metal thinline will look awesome.
I loved your guitar last year as well.

Wow,
A metal thinline will look awesome.

Thinline:?::?: Who says it's gonna be a thinline :idea: :wink:

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j297/Extra71/DSC08128.jpg
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j297/Extra71/DSC08129.jpg
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j297/Extra71/DSC08127.jpg


Ssssst, it's gonna be a TeleGretsch, or a GretschCaster whatever you want.


http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j297/Extra71/DSC08130.jpg
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j297/Extra71/DSC08132.jpg

But where I was afraid for..., I run out of gas, so I could not weld the complete body (see the front lower horn). And I also have to do the neckpocket, so first I need a new cylinder with gas.

That is SICK! The dark rosewood neck with the shiny metal body is incredible!

But where I was afraid for..., I run out of gas

You ran out of gas ????

I think you generate lots of GAS with this build :mrgreen:

I want one of these so bad!

Well I want to make one, but still, this is so cool!

Do you put a block in for the bridge? I guess you wouldn't in this case, since it is a TOM style, but for the Tele style bridge?

And if you don't mind me asking, how thick are the sides/top and bottom? It is just aluminum? Sorry for the zillions of questions, but I just think it's awesome.

Wish I could check out your last years thread.

Yeah, the Steel Chicken, sister of the White Chicken
http://www.forevercaptive.com/blog/white_chicken/1.jpg

Got gas ? I sure do.

Hey, hold on a minute. I can barely operate the saws necessary to build one of these
from wood. NOW I need to learn how to weld? This is just too much for me.

Great job. I've always wanted to weld something...anything actually. But, since I can't
I think I'll just live vicariously through your build thread, so thanks.

@ RogerC: I don't think the body will stay shiny like this. I'm experimenting with candy apple orange paint.
@rapfohl09: It's metal Fe42, not aluminum. The material is 1mm thick. And yes, there will be a wooden block under the bridge, otherwise the body will collapse under the presure of the stings.
@ Ike & Kakihara: :mrgreen: That kind of GAS I have more than enough. When I everything build what's on my mind, I have to live for another 150 years:wink:
@emony: Welding is not as difficult as you think. I started welding with zero experience (but that is by now 21 years ago :rolleyes: )

Yesterday the PU's and tone/volume knobs arived. BLING BLING :mrgreen:

Another teaser.
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j297/Extra71/DSC09302.jpg

Note the DIY Bigsby hinge for the DIY "supershort" Bigsby.

Darn Jacko... that looks purdy, I don't like gold hardware but on this one...YUMMIE!

Very nice!

Bling bling indeed ...

Note the DIY Bigsby hinge for the DIY "supershort" Bigsby.

You've got my attention! :eek: I'm very interested to see what you come up with; the progress is already looking amazing.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm, have to mill a lot of aluminum :roll:

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j297/Extra71/DSC09303.jpg

Wow, you're going to make a Bigsby out of that block of aluminium? Quite a challenge !!

That's gonna be cool. bigsby? we don't need to BUY no stinkin' bigsby! :cool:

Looks great so far, nice build!

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm, have to mill a lot of aluminum :roll:

[IMG]

Bandsaw as much as possible... Been there, Took me more than a day with my mini-mill...

Bandsaw as much as possible... Been there, Took me more than a day with my mini-mill...

:mrgreen: I can use a industrial milling machine, but only for half an hour per day. It will take a few days.....

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j297/Extra71/DSC09306.jpg
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j297/Extra71/DSC09309.jpg
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j297/Extra71/DSC09308.jpg

The "supershorty" will be fully competitive with an original Bigsby, so parts such as bearing, handle and axle will be interchangeable.

Wish I could check out your last years thread.

Oh but you can! :smile:

Click on his profile name in the upper left corner of his post, click "view public profile". The click on the tab labeled "Statistics". From there click on "Find all threads started by vintage65". Then from there, click on "vintage65 2011 TDPRI Build Challenge Thread". Hidden is relative :lol:

Daily update.

It starts to look like a Bigsby.
Hopefully I've done all the rough work next Friday.
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j297/Extra71/DSC09314.jpg
Working on the Bigsby half an hour a day, and in the evening I can do something on the neck. It's allready fretted en shaped.

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j297/Extra71/DSC09313.jpg
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j297/Extra71/DSC09312.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j297/Extra71/DSC09315.jpg

Voila!!!

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j297/Extra71/DSC09316.jpg

Maybe I will engrave the same G and arrow as in the buttons

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j297/Extra71/DSC09317.jpg

Also bought a gas-cilinder today, so I can start welding again.

That is so awesome! I like your whammy better than Bigsby's!

Beautiful work!

-- david

killer!!

Unbelievably COOL ! :cool::cool:

That's gonna be one tough guitar. Very cool the way you milled your own base plate for the vibrato. I wouldn't gretschify it too much if I were you. It's your's. It's probably better... You should be real proud of the work you do. It deserves your name on it.

This is a cool one.

Very cool! Outstanding work!

Wow- do you expect it to have extra jangle?

Thanks everyone, I'm verry happy with the result :grin:

BTW here's another "White Chicken", just a few minutes old, and number 4 of this day.
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j297/Extra71/DSC09320.jpg

There's at least one chicken in white, if it is a female we will keep her and name her Fender, so I will have a real Fender White Chicken:rolleyes:

I haven't seen this thread - the guitar looks totally wicked... I wish I had your skills! I think I like everything about it - the brass knobs look fantastic and the pickups you selected and the tail piece really set the guitar off. Really Tasty! and the milling work is wow as well.

I want one :cry:

Heel Mooi

Pa's paaskuiken.

Didn't do much this week. Only started finishing the neck and polished the bigsby.
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j297/Extra71/DSC09333.jpg

Today the pickup rings arrived. Ordered the rest of the parts, which I will pick up tomorrow.

Is it to early to dub this year's lot of guitars, the best ever?

Wow there are a lot of great guitars, and that is right up there at the top.

any chance you could draw up some plans for that bigsby? (to push my luck even more in metric mesurements?) i am studying fitting turning and tool making (so machining) so i have access to a couple of very good mills to use and i can make random things if i want haha.

any chance you could draw up some plans for that bigsby? (to push my luck even more in metric mesurements?) i am studying fitting turning and tool making (so machining) so i have access to a couple of very good mills to use and i can make random things if i want haha.

I took an original Bigsby, coppied the mesurements and only make it a lot shorter.

Here's the last mockup picture.

Sprayed the body with primer/filler. One of these days I will spray some color on it. Still not sure what collor, so suggetions are welkom (I would say metallic orange or green).
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j297/Extra71/DSC09339.jpg

Got all the parts, so will start to assembling very soon.

why doesnt the steel effect the magnetism of the pickups?

Wow, such an incredible guitar. Endless cool details, I could stare at it all day.

That looks good even in the cream colored primer.

I second MadJack but my vote would go for either a metallic green or that pale (non metallic) green that Gretsch use that reminds me of 50s kitchen cabinets.:smile:

oh yeah I nearly forgot .....WOW.

Hey Vin,

I have a jones for a Filtertron equipped Tele. I just have to hear this thing. I second the vote for that creamy Gretsch light green color. Great build!

Barncaster

Would that be the Smoke Green, as seen here?:
http://media.fmicdirect.com/gretsch/images/products/guitars/2411001871_frt_wlg_001.jpg
That would be a good classy look, especially with the gold hardware. I don't think he'll get the binding on there though.

Would that be the Smoke Green, as seen here?:

That would be a good classy look, especially with the gold hardware. I don't think he'll get the binding on there though.

Hey, MadJack,

Yes, that is the color and is it sweeeeet!

Barncaster

Yep. That color would make a great, low-key guitar, but if you really wanted to stand out-- metallic orange ftw :mrgreen:

You've already primed it, but you could have done engine turning and sprayed an orange tinted clear on top. That would look really good and emphasized that this is a metal body.
http://i41.tinypic.com/34fz2fm.jpg

That's gonna be one tough guitar. Very cool the way you milled your own base plate for the vibrato. I wouldn't gretschify it too much if I were you. It's your's. It's probably better... You should be real proud of the work you do. It deserves your name on it.

+1

Great work!!

Thank's everyone, for the color sugestions.

Unfortunately, I couldn't work on the guitar this week. Because of an eye injury, I lived like a mole in the dark for 3 days.

@Ryden, thats nice what you did. Photoshop? A good idea for the next one. I did something similar 25 years ago for a school project (not a guitar).
@Those who suggested the pale green. Nice, I know that color. Mostly the bodies were 2 tone with darker green sides and back. Nice, but not for this one :mrgreen:
@Madjack. Bindings......, hmmmm. Wait and see....
@52Tele_lover. I don't know why the steel doesnt effect the PU's. Normally your bridge plate is steel to, so see the body as a huge brigde plate.
It shield perfect, that's what I know for sure :lol:
@The rest. Thanks for the compliments :!:

And now, back to the guitar.

Here we are again.
finally made ​​some progression today :twisted:

First I sprayed the body ORANGE
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j297/Extra71/DSC09349.jpg

In the meanwhile made a wiring harness.
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j297/Extra71/DSC09350.jpg
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j297/Extra71/DSC09351.jpg

Sprayed the cream binding, and painted a small black stripe.
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j297/Extra71/DSC09352.jpg

And finally clear coated the body.
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j297/Extra71/DSC09353.jpg

Maybe some assembling tomorrow

Wow. Nice paint job, nice color, nice details.

Overall: NICE !!

Wow! Love the paint job on this!

Not to mention the roll-yer-own Bigsby!

Should be another awesome guitar!

very nice guitar - that orange is great

What were those people suggesting green thinking? :oops:

Looks awesome - love the faux binding too, really sharp.

Crazy cool!

Oh my!!! I'm really really liking that. Just curious what did you spray it with that it can be assembled so quickly?

Excellent work! Someday I'm gonna build an Orangesiclecaster. Just beautiful. I can build my own Bigsby, too. It's easy. You just get a block of metal and remove everything that doesn't look like a whammy mechanism.

Seriously, you've done a fabulous job, Vintage 65. Congrats!

This is how far I'm now. But I don't have a lot of time this and next week, so I hope I will finish on time:sad:
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j297/Extra71/DSC09427.jpg

Wow Vin!

Very nicely done!

Barncaster

That is so incredibly hot! I love orange guitars, and the look you've put together on this one is superb!

This is how far I'm now. But I don't have a lot of time this and next week, so I hope I will finish on time

Well, there are 24 hours in a day, so ... :mrgreen:

You'll finish in time !!

Great job so far!!

Doggone it... another build that's left me speechless.

Gloriously Gretschy; this is a fantastic-looking build.

Wow, that is very much dead-on to your initial idea. Great work!

holy cow...this makes my build look like a 7th grade shop project:lol:

That is beautiful...just amazing...

Beautiful, simply beautiful - nice attention to detail and great aesthetics - I am curious - how ever will it sound :) - the location of the master volume is especially interesting (as is the existence of a master volume on passive pickups (curious about that as well). Love it - will attempt an aluminum tele myself - so sorry to steal, but so happy to try :)
(Thank you)

Stunning ! Hard to believe its all hand fabricated aluminum. Awesome build!

Wow, just Wow. You make it look easier than using wood. Impressive skills and imagination.

Well, there are 24 hours in a day, so ... :mrgreen:

You'll finish in time !!

Great job so far!!

What he said ! Or maybe you can ask Chuck Norris to put another 24 hours in a day. :wink:

Ready or not, this is already quite stunning.

Doggone it... another build that's left me speechless.
You got that right :lol:

[QUOTE=dilbone;4133331]holy cow...this makes my build look like a 7th grade shop project:lol:

That is beautiful...just amazing...
I feel your pain brotha'. Makes you wonder, if this stuff is making us, who are here everyday, go gaga, what are newcomers and passersby thinking? I'll bet they've had to change their drawers :lol:

Thanks for those words guys. Now I could do only one thing...., finish this guitar:lol:

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j297/Extra71/DSC09448.jpg
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j297/Extra71/DSC09449.jpg
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j297/Extra71/DSC09450.jpg

I only have to cut the aluminum nut a bit deeper and swap the old rusty strings for a set of Optima 24 carat gold strings

Had a little delay responding to these pictures........I had to change my drawers!

Great result mate!
Glad you made it in time. Don't forget the video!

congrats man! great skills!

Had a little delay responding to these pictures........I had to change my drawers!

Me too I had to mop the floor..:mrgreen:

Absobloody beautiful! I probably missed it what does it weigh? Cannot imagine it any other colour now!


Say's to himself............." gotta get out the welder and practice-practice-practise "

That is absolutely gorgeous! That, that, tha.....

What can I say!:shock:

:shock: I had no idea I wanted any guitar that bad. That is one of the coolest, beautiful-est, rockin-est...

Sweet mother, it's hot!

Good Grief! Incredibly cool and so well done! Love it.

Gimme! :lol: Seriously that is amazing! I love it.

I want that really bad.

These are the last pics I will show you before uploading the video.

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j297/Extra71/DSC09457.jpg
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j297/Extra71/DSC09456.jpg
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j297/Extra71/DSC09459.jpg
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j297/Extra71/DSC09460.jpg
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j297/Extra71/DSC09453.jpg

That guitar looks amazing! Nice work. What pickups are those?

Awesome shots!!!

Great pictures!

Guitar looks more yellowish compared to the previous photos.

Having a train in the back yard always comes in handy :mrgreen:

I can't even wrap my head around how difficult getting those parts in must have been...

Amazing color too!

Today made a video. The guitar is played by Willem Gerritsen, just like last year. Willem ownes my last years build challenge telecaster, and is still very satisfied with it.

Well, here's the video.
GacHJQ3UDG0

And the picture.

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j297/Extra71/DSC09459.jpg

I really enjoyed the 2012 challenge, and would thank everybody for there interest and positive reactions.

Wow wow wow! What a job. Well done.

Wow wow wow! What a job. Well done.

+1 Man builds guitar - gets chicks - first time I've seen that too!! :lol:

Must be the bigsby!!!

Awesome build and beautiful guitar - Wow.

You just can't beat an orange guitar. Outstanding work. Well done sir.