Picton's 2012 Challenge Build Thread -- COMPLETED

Why not? I was gathering parts for a build anyway.

Between this, the uke I'm finishing, the classical I'm building, work, and a busy little 2-year-old, who needs sleep anyway?

With all that going on, this should be an interested build. I can see it now... it starts out looking normal, but by the end when sleep deprivation has really kicked in, it's a Picasso :mrgreen:

Good luck, man!

who needs sleep anyway?

That's the spirit :lol:

Good to see ya' in, luck! :grin:

Dave

As long as you dont get mixed up by sleep depravation and make a 2-YO fretboard or something.:mrgreen:

Good luck!

I was thinking a tele with a classical FB, or a classical with a mistaken pickup. Both with drool varnish.

Should be fun and relaxing, actually. Those classicals require lots of concentration; hopefully, I can let loose a tad with the challenge build.

Thanks for the good wishes!

Looking forward to it.

It's official.
http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/01Startpic.jpg

There won't be anything particularly innovative about this; I'm not reinventing any wheels, going with the usual IKEA-shelf body and a neck sliced from a big chunk of moderately striped maple.

What might be unusual (I'm doing a good job convincing myself) is the paint scheme... I don't want to give it away, but I'll hint at my tentative plan by pointing out that I'm of Scottish heritage. If I go with that paint plan (option A), I'll go with simple abalone dot inlays. If I go with simpler paint (option B), then I'll dress it up a bit with my usual wood block inlays, in mahogany.

The goal is a hybrid for playing my two favourite styles, surf (on the bridge) and blues (in the neck). The middle position might sound... odd.

Specs:
- IKEA body, double-bound with white ABS.
- One-piece figured neck, 21 SS frets.
- Hot Rod truss rod, adjustable at the body end.
- Homemade bone (or aluminum) nut.
- Wilkinson split-shaft tuners.
- Ashtray bridge, cut on the treble side. Three brass saddles.
- Bigsby B50.
- Standard switching and control-plate configuration. White pearloid PG.
- Pickups: GFS ProTube lipstick in the bridge. I love Danelectro pups, and GFS make a tele-sized version. GFS P-90 in the neck.

Wish me luck... SWMBO is skeptical about Paint Option A, but the nagging thought just won't leave my noggin.

I was thinking a tele with a classical FB, or a classical with a mistaken pickup. Both with drool varnish.

Sounds like an interesting build to me. Looking forward to seeing it develop.

Interesting paint plan? Scottish heritage? hmmm. I wonder...:wink:

If it's what I'm thinkin', then I'll be watching this one like a hawk. I'm from Scottish descendants myself

It's official.
the paint scheme... I don't want to give it away, but I'll hint at my tentative plan by pointing out that I'm of Scottish heritage.

Ok :neutral: So, will you be spraying a tartan pattern or using fabric?

Luke.

I'm cordially opposed to fabric-covered guitars, especially when it's expensive, heavy wool fabric we're talking about.

But with some paint, say, and the right kind of masking tape... I'm enjoying this idea more and more.

Since I work routerlessly, I lack the sort of high-accuracy templates that others have. Also, I've only ever made one tele, so I laid out all my pickup and control rout locations by mocking up the top.
http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/02Mockedup.jpg
Some judicious work with a couple different kinds of saws...
http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/04Cuttingout.jpg
http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/05Routed.jpg
...yielded this. I'll be stacking three pieces of IKEA "Broder" shelving (15mm each), so I made my "routs" by running a saw along the layout lines of the top layer. I made the pup holes one layer deep, the control cavity two, and connected the cavity to the pup locations in the middle layer (these cuts will become wiring tunnels later). The neck pocket, quite rough at this stage, is going to need some 2mm or so removed from the middle layer, so I'll chisel that later.

I'm also making some room for hardwood inserts to give the strap button screws something to bite into; I know others will think that's unnecessary, but I don't fancy hanging my guitar from screws sunk into IKEA end grain. Besides, it worked on my last "stacked" build, so there's scant reason not to.

Finally, I've glued the middle half to the back on my nifty new go-bar deck, which I just put together because I'll need it for my classical build. Should work...
http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/07Middleandbackongo-deck.jpg

Can you tell I was getting impatient to start working? No sooner was my kid in bed than I was down in the basement making wood chips.

That's me up to date. Tomorrow I'll clean out all the "routs" with my chisels, glue the top to the rest, and do some more work on my classical.

This is going fast; I have to get my top glued into the deck before the Bruins start losing in a couple minutes.

Smoothing the pickup "routs" prior to gluing on the top...
http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/09Smoothingpupcavities.jpg

... and profiling the edges with my DIY drum sander. I haven't got a drum large enough to span the entire edge at three layers, so I'm roughly doing the first two and making the top a wee bit oversize.
http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/08Sandingbottomlayers.jpg

Should work.

The Braveheart award goes to you already , who needs a router when you have a claymore and a stone built workshop.

Have fun dear fellow. Mac

Have fun dear fellow. Mac

Oh, I am; SWMBO is out this evening, the daughter is asleep and, as predicted, the Bruins are losing, so I'm getting all my loud stuff out of the way. Tablesawing a neck blank, routing the truss rod channel... all my least favorite bits.

I want a drill holder like yours.. Grandad's old drill press is OK in making holes, but not so with a sanding drum - It can not take the side pressure well. Going to improvise a thing like that soon!

That's the best use for IKEA stuff I've ever seen, by the way!

I want a drill holder like yours.. Grandad's old drill press is OK in making holes, but not so with a sanding drum - It can not take the side pressure well. Going to improvise a thing like that soon!

That's the best use for IKEA stuff I've ever seen, by the way!

Thanks; I'm following your build with interest. You Northern Europeans got all of Southern New England's snow this year; there's nothing like building a tele to keep warm. I rigged that sander up from yard-sale finds totalling about five bucks; it does not work well, but it does what I need it to. I stabilized the bottom of the drum by lodging it in a hole in the work surface.

And the IKEA idea is far from original; it's cheap, though, so I can't complain.

Tonight I got the body cleaned up...

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/15Bodygluedup.jpg

Since I don't rout my edges and I lack the photographic skill to make edge-shaping with files and sandpaper look interesting, I'll just give you a couple of establishing shots to capture the mood.
http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/16Bodyshaping1.jpg
http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/18Bodyshaping3.jpg

I've now spread some urethane on the body to get an idea of how much more I need to do to make it smooth enough to rout binding channels. I'm not used to working with softwoods, and I find it's really difficult to see enough contrast to decide where to smooth next. My neck is good ol' maple, though, so I'll be doing some proper woodworking soon.

Ever have one of those days where you start bandsawing a long piece of stock, get sick of it in the middle of the cut, and just tell yourself you'll come back and finish it later? No? Well, when your bandsaw is as substandard as mine is, it happens a lot.

As I said above, I'm just happy to be working hardwood again...
http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/11Neckselected.jpg

Woodcraft sold me about 10' worth of 10/4 flamed maple for under 30 dollars, so I found a quartersawn edge with some nice figure and laid out a neck blank. A short trip to the router table gave me a truss rod channel... pay attention, 'cause this is the only routing you'll see on this thread.

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/12Trusschannelrouted.jpg

Back to my chisels to make some room for the truss rod nut. I'm using StewMac's two-way rod, adjusted from the body end.

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/14Cuttingthetrussnut.jpg

Then I got to do a little of what I enjoy most: handplaning. About 1/8" off the top exposed some nice figure for the fingerboard. You'll also see I had to add some headstock wings.

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/20Fingerboardexposed.jpg

I measured down an inch, leaving me about 1/4" to remove. I thought I'd bandsaw it...
http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/21Sawingnecktothickness.jpg
... which is where I got tired of being downstairs, alas. Back up here to put the kiddo to bed, and now I'm debating about heading back down. Either way, that's me up to date.

Beautiful maple.

And at least you've got a band saw. The closest I've got is my scroll saw, which is not close really :lol:. I peruse CL everyday looking at band saws and planers. One of these days...

Yeah, I got the bandsaw on clearance at Sears many years ago. It's just a 9" Delta, more of a hobby saw really, but I wasn't sure what I would use it for when I bought it. It gets a lot of use since I took up guitar building. As you're searching CL, I really would suggest holding out for something in the 14" range.

I love flamed maple; it's going to wind up being a very "busy" guitar visually, what with the abalone dots, pearloid PG, and [probable] weird paint job, but what the heck? Sometimes, you've just got to live a little. :grin:

I've thought of Ikea's shelves as a guitar, I'm looking forward to see this one, looks mighty fine thus far!

Sometimes, you've just got to live a little. :grin:

Indeed :mrgreen:

I like the way you work and keep all the tools you might need in a handy pile next to you... just like I do!:razz:

I knew things were going too well...

One of the joys of working templateless and with minimal machines is that mistakes happen often. You do become pretty quick with fixes, though. Case in point:

I mocked up my PG and pups to make sure everything aligned on the centerline, and to ensure my 12th fret would be in about the right place.

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/22CheckingCLandscalelength.jpg

The good news is that the electronic pieces are sitting where they're supposed to sit. The bad news?

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/23Oops.jpg

I thought at first of just reshaping the horn flush with the PG, but I quickly realized how awful that would look. So I figured I'd shave the PG a tad on the tip and inside the apex of the cutaway, then match that by removing some wood on both sides of the horn. The PG came first, on my high-tech belt sander:

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/24ReshapingPG.jpg

If you look closely, you can see the pencil mark I made at the point of the PG. The tool is a handheld belt sander clamped into a bench vise. This part was easy; I remade the bevel along the edge with some files and fine sandpaper.

More later.

Now, it's the wood's turn.

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/25Hornrehabbefore.jpg

I'll do all of this with, first, a rasp...

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/26Hornrehabduring.jpg

...then a bastard file, and finally some sandpaper.

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/27Hornrehabafter.jpg

Then, I'll check again to make sure everything lines up.

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/28Betterfit.jpg

Could be worse. I'll be shocked if that's the worst mistake I make on this build; for now, it's time for some painting and binding tests.

Truss rod time!

I get nervous working for too long on necks that just have the channel routed out; with my luck, I'll splinter the whole thing clamping it, or something. So I spent today doing "light" woodwork (the repair in the previous couple of posts) and my truss rod.

I picked out a nice offcut I bought at a yardsale for a pittance; $.50, I think. I believe it's walnut.

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/29Trussrodstock.jpg

Making a skunk stripe is pretty basic, but I'm not sure how to do it without a handplane...

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/30Planingtrussrod.jpg

I installed it with epoxy. I know there are those who say HotRods can't work well with skunk stripes, but I've always used epoxy and I've yet to have a problem. Famous last words, no doubt.

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/31Trussrodepoxied.jpg

My next post will involve the unveiling of my long-awaited Plan A paint job. My inspiration?

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/Keith.jpg

It's the Keith tartan. That's the clan I'd be in if I were actually from Scotland. I've LONG thought about making a tartan guitar, so I spent most of today testing out spray paint techniques. More in a bit...

Very cool and on St. Patrick's Day to boot! Perfect timing.

There's not much about this build that's unique, but I don't see too many tartan paint jobs. So, if this helps anyone, great.

The Keith tartan is not too complex, fortunately. Four colours do the job, and Krylon makes it easy: for those keeping score, the base coat is Periwinkle Blue, the squares are Oxford Blue and Hunter Green, and the overlaid stripes are plain ol' black. I'm using three sizes of blue masking tape, and the 2" size of the thickest determined the size of my checks.

I should add, before I get too far into this, that I'm about 95% sure I'll use this as the finish. I'm not sure about the check size (I think I should go bigger), but I've talked myself into this idea by now and it's going to be hard to reverse course. Paint Option B would just be dark green.

If you refer to the sample in my last post, you'll see that the lightest blue shows up in 50% of the squares, while the darker blue and the green are each 25%. Ignore the black for now. Using some excess IKEA shelving, I primed and then basecoated in Periwinkle and let it dry well.

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/Paint%20test/001Basecoat.jpg

Then, it was on to taping. I was mostly just doing this today as a feasibility test, so I didn't measure as accurately as I will on the actual guitar. I laid out a grid of 2" squares, then sprayed them with the Oxford Blue.

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/Paint%20test/002Maskingforsquares.jpg
http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/Paint%20test/003Bluesquaresdone.jpg

After letting that dry a bit, I added the green in between the Oxford Blue. This was a matter of taping down a new grid of 2" squares, but offset so that the dark blue formed the intersections. The result?

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/Paint%20test/004Blueandgreen.jpg

While the green was drying, I tried to figure out what to do about the black. I've got a couple of kilts, and the black overstripes are really subtle until they intersect. This is especially true for the thinner, single black stripes that intersect in the green squares. I decided it would work best if I masked the black overstripes, then went over them with a very light, misty coat of black.

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/Paint%20test/005Firstblackoverlay.jpg

Worked well enough, but as you'll see in the final picture, I need to make the overstripes that cross the green squares MUCH thinner, otherwise it unbalances the entire tartan. After the green-intersecting overstripes were done, it was on to the double black stripes that intersect in the dark blue squares.

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/Paint%20test/006Blue-overlaymasking.jpg

And the result?

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/Paint%20test/007Finished.jpg

Not precisely right, but not too bad either. Even SWMBO thinks it looks nifty. At first, she didn't believe it was painted; she assumed it was contact paper. I think it's got definite possibilities, though of course YMMV.

Please feel free to tell me how foolish this idea is; like I said, I'm only 95% sold on it. :smile:

Very cool and on St. Patrick's Day to boot! Perfect timing.

Not to quibble, but Scotland ain't Ireland. Still, Celtic is Celtic, so thanks and slainte!

Brilliant! That's going to be an incredible paint job... says another with Scotsman blood :grin:

Not to quibble, but Scotland ain't Ireland. Still, Celtic is Celtic, so thanks and slainte!

You beat me to it !!!


Hey I'm digging the Tartan spray job. You do know that we have a full range of Tartan spray cans readily available :lol:
Another idea you might wish to pursue , I'm sure its been done before but what about a 'Tweed ' amp done with your favourite plaid. Or would that be OTT ?

awesome job...gonna be sweet:cool:

Aye, lookin bonnie Picton...

cool plaid...I liked the checkerboard look too....

It looks awesome, you spent alot of time and care masking those areas. You also made me feel 100% confidence about the striping/masking I'll do with my build. I can't wait to see your finished product!

I can't wait to see your finished product!

You're not the only one. Masking used to scare me, and I was shocked it went this well. Imagine how it'll look when I'm careful! Thanks, all, for the good wishes; my 95% is now up to 100%, so the Tartancaster is now officially conceived.

I bound the back this morning (pics later), so the body is untouchable for another 24 hours. Today, then, is Neck Day!

the last thing I did to the body before it went into the shop was to refine and trim the neck pocket. This was easily done with a chisel; the depth of a Broder shelf, at 15mm, is already right within tele specs. So I just had to deal with the sides.

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/32Neckpockettrimmed.jpg

Now, it's back to hardwoods as I do some neck shaping. By this evening, my plan is to have the neck slotted, cut to shape, and ready for neck profiling. We'll see.

It starts with getting the back of the headstock thicknessed. This gets done with two handplanes and about fifteen minutes of work. Before:

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/33HeadstockbackBEFORE.jpg

After:

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/34HeadstockbackAFTER.jpg

No big deal, but I do love making shavings rather than sawdust. The other day, I could tell I was sanding too much pine when I washed my hair in the shower; it was all matted and disgusting. Working hardwood with proper hand tools is much, much more pleasant. I'll post the back binding pics soon.

I think the paint is awesome and hereby side with the missus (which is always wise)

I think the paint is awesome and hereby side with the missus (which is always wise)

Thanks! I was half expecting folks to be convinced it was a horrible idea, but I'm feeling pretty good about it now.

My views on binding changed recently. For a few years I believed in thick, bent wood bindings, with thick channels to accommodate them. So I made the channels with a pair of chisels, which was fun and rewarding. I got a commission recently from a guy who wanted ABS binding, so I thought the time might be right to go electric, like Dylan at Newport. Hence, the StewMac Binding Trimmer for a Dremel-type tool.

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/Binding/0002Attachment.jpg

I gave it props when I first used it a couple months ago, and I still say that as long as you pay attention and try not to rush it, this is the quickest and most accurate way to cut narrow binding channels.

I started with a test chunk of pine; I was unsure how well the binding would adhere, so I set this up a couple days ago.

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/Binding/0001Test.jpg

Tape removed, cement held fine... no complaints. So, now it's on to the body! The Dremel leaves a nice, even ledge that looks like this:

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/Binding/0003Examplechannnel.jpg

When I used it before, on a uke, I could go all the way around with no real difficulty. Alas, though, the Tele's bass upper bout proved just barely too narrow to fit the cutter, so it was back to a chisel after all. Not to complain; again, I find that kind of work relaxing.

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/Binding/0004Handwork.jpg

Once the channel was routed, it was time to affix the binding. ABS works with a solvent-based glue, so you can only do 6 or so inches at a time before it evaporates. Blue tape holds it while it sets, about 24 hours. I've always just done halves, with a seam at the foot of the instrument, but I figured that with so much binding, I could wrap the whole body at once, then join the strips underneath the neck pocket.

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/Binding/0005Bindingduring.jpg

Little by little...

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/Binding/0006Halfway.jpg

Eventually, I just had the bit beneath the neck pocket.

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/Binding/0007Readytoclose.jpg

I made sure everything was sitting nice and snug in the channel, then trimmed the two ends flush with the wood, and glued a single strip across the back to join them. The cement dissolves the ABS and, in theory, results in a seamless bond.

Tomorrow after school, I'll remove the tape, fill in any gaps and gouges behind the binding, and scrape the whole thing flush. Then, it'll be on to the top for the same process.

I would go even bigger with the painted part. 1 / 1.5 "block" I think that would look the best.

I would go even bigger with the painted part. 1 / 1.5 "block" I think that would look the best.

"Bigger" was my original thought, but the blocks you see are two inches... I was thinking three.

Today, though, as I've worked on my headstock, I'm thinking I'll keep it at two; I'm painting the headstock as well, and I don't want it to look too overscale.

The grain in the neck is outstanding! I'm going to have to try binding one day. There are so many cool builds going on, and so many good ideas, I may have to make several more guitars. This stuff is addicting!

I like the tartan finish. I'm not much on finishing (need lots of practice) but I've got about 47 different ideas.

Nice build , that tartan paint job is gonna look great.

You're posting a lot of pictures. That's a good thing. However, if you're using a free PhotoBucket account you may use up your alloted monthly bandwidth because of your large picture size. Once your alloted bandwidth is exceeded, non of your pictures are visible until your monthly PhotoBucket anniversary date. If you have one of the paid accounts ........ nevermind.

Thanks, all, for the encouragement on the paint job. I'd had my doubts.

I figured I should document the fret slotting, since that seems to be the big addition to the rules this year. Not that fret slotting is all that exciting...

StewMac helped me out with the fret calculations. They're helping me more now by sending me some replacement abalone fret dots, since I'm TWO short. I thought I had enough... Anyway, we're doing a 25-inch (635mm) fret scale today.

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/35Fretlayout.jpg

My ghetto fret slotting system consists of marks along the centerline, a shoddy-but-accurate miter box setup, and a pretty good pullsaw.

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/36Fretslotting.jpg

Once I finished slotting, it was over to the bandsaw to do a little rough-tapering and headstock shaping. I smoothed everything down with planes and a spokeshave, of course.

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/37Neckroughshaped.jpg
http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/38Headstocksmoothing.jpg
http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/39Necktapering.jpg

I'm not sure what my FB radius will be; I get my SS fretwire from LMII, and they ship it rolled. So it arrives with a radius I liked on my last build. It does make layout a PITA, though... Forgive the orange shirt. I'd just come back from a run around the lake.

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/40Radiuslayout.jpg

I radius with whatever handplane seems to fit the bill; this does most of the work, at which point I stop, install the fret dots, and finish with some 220 sandpaper.

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/41radiusing.jpg

Only this time, no fret dots today. It's going to slow me down, but I've got nobody to blame but myself. I guess I'll work on the back, instead...

You're posting a lot of pictures. That's a good thing. However, if you're using a free PhotoBucket account you may use up your alloted monthly bandwidth because of your large picture size. Once your alloted bandwidth is exceeded, non of your pictures are visible until your monthly PhotoBucket anniversary date. If you have one of the paid accounts ........ nevermind.

Hmmm... hadn't thought about that... Is there a way to check on photobucket and see how close I am to an overload?

EDIT: Never mind. Thanks for the heads-up, Jack; it seems I'm at 3% of my "account bandwidth used." It says I've used 374 MB out of 10GB max... does that mean 10GB per month, or 10GB total? Either way, I'm probably okay...

EDIT 2: It's 10GB/month. So I should be fine, but I'll keep on monitoring it. I've learned more about photobucket over the past five minutes than I ever thought I would.

The forum displays your photos 800 pixels wide. There's really no reason to use photos larger than that unless you want to show some detail. If you resize your photos to 800 pixels wide before uploading to PhotoBucket you'll use less bandwidth. Your pictures contain 786,432 pixels. If you resized them to 800 they would contain 480,000 pixels .......... a substantial difference.

In the 2010 Challenge, I posted a total of around 275 photo most of which were 640 x 480 pixels. I ran out of bandwidth and had to find other means of posting new photos and the earlier photos were unavailable for some time.

Bandwidth is determined by the size of the photos, the number of photos on a web page and the number of times that page is viewed.

The forum displays your photos 800 pixels wide. There's really no reason to use photos larger than that unless you want to show some detail. If you resize your photos to 800 pixels wide before uploading to PhotoBucket you'll use less bandwidth. Your pictures contain 786,432 pixels. If you resized them to 800 they would contain 480,000 pixels .......... a substantial difference.

In the 2010 Challenge, I posted a total of around 275 photo most of which were 640 x 480 pixels. I ran out of bandwidth and had to find other means of posting new photos and the earlier photos were unavailable for some time.

Bandwidth is determined by the size of the photos, the number of photos on a web page and the number of times that page is viewed.

Thanks, but I'm fairly illiterate technologically. Should I change my camera resolution, or is there a simple way to resize pictures in Windows without doing them one at a time?

Thanks, but I'm fairly illiterate technologically. Should I change my camera resolution, or is there a simple way to resize pictures in Windows without doing them one at a time?

I downloaded a batch resize utility from CNet. You can transfer a bunch of pictures from your camera to the computer and resize all of them in one operation. Pick the 800 x 600 size and medium quality - it will take your pics down to a manageable size.

http://download.cnet.com/Free-Picture-Resize-Starter/3000-12511_4-10297789.html

If it's not kosher to include the download link, I apologize in advance.

Metalworking is not my forte, but I need to modify the bridge. I'll add a treble cut (I've done this before on my bench grinder) and six channels in the back of the bridge for the strings as they come from the Bigsby.

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/46Bridgeduring.jpg

Some judicious filing afterward left me with this:

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/48Bridgecutdone.jpg

Then, I assumed it would be a quick and easy filing job to cut my six string grooves. A half-hour later, I'd gotten just one of them done. I think, for the rest, that I'll wait until my Dremel's set up for metal cutting.

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/49Stringgroovebyhand.jpg

For my last act on a productive weekend, I started on the neck profile. The fixture I've got it clamped into was something I got for my 13th birthday, for making model airplanes. It clamps tapered stock really effectively. I first did the headstock transition with a rasp and some files, then leveled the back.

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/42Profiling1.jpg

Lastly, I rasped out the profiles at either end of the neck. Tomorrow, I'll use a spokeshave to remove the material in between, then it'll just be a matter of waiting for my fret dots.

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/44Profiling3.jpg

Drilling and pre-threading the tuner screw holes is something I always forget to do until I'm impatient at the end of a build, so this time I did it well ahead of time.

And that's me done. I've got to say, I've never done so much so fast. My goal is to get to the finishing and setup stages ASAP, since I usually run into problems doing those.

Happy building!

Nice tartan idea. That will look really cool and Robbie Burns will be proud. Keep up the great work!

Cheers

Murray

Thanks, sfcmark! I'll check it out.

And thanks, Murray. Hopefully it won't look as wild as I think it might, but you never know until you try.

You can actually subscribe to the photobucket pro account for about 2-3$ a month. OVer the last 4 years, there have been two occassions when I needed to upgrade to pro because I exceeded my bandwith. Both times, I only bought 1 month subscription. After the build challenge, the bandwith was substantially reduced, and it was not an issue.

Thanks, but I'm fairly illiterate technologically. Should I change my camera resolution, or is there a simple way to resize pictures in Windows without doing them one at a time?

Change your camera's resolution to 640x480. The photos will be great still, but they'll load faster for everyone, use less bandwidth on photobucket, and you'll upload them super fast.

And you'll use less electricity on the internest! Which seems to be a passion of yours :mrgreen::razz:.

If you have a Cannon, it's the "S" setting. And remember, if the lens is within 2 feet of the thing you are photographing ... press the macro button.

Thanks, Nick; I think I figured it out, but we'll only find out for sure when I post more stuff. The only time I ever use photobucket is when I'm busy here, so the Pro subscription would be lost on me.

My students regularly mock me because I lack things like an XBox and a cell phone, but then I can build better guitars than they can. So who wins in the long run?

Thanks, Nick; I think I figured it out, but we'll only find out for sure when I post more stuff. The only time I ever use photobucket is when I'm busy here, so the Pro subscription would be lost on me.

My students regularly mock me because I lack things like an XBox and a cell phone, but then I can build better guitars than they can. So who wins in the long run?

The only way I would use the pro subscription is if you exceed your bandwith and your pics dissapear. The build contests generate enough traffic that it is possible. If it does happen, you can simply buy a single month subscription. Chances are, after a few days or weeks, the bandwith will go down, and you will not need to update the subscription. Basically, its a back up plan.

Doing your fb radius with a hand plane? I'm very impressed. Are you able to get a good, consistant radius across the entire board?

Change your camera's resolution to 640x480. The photos will be great still, but they'll load faster for everyone, use less bandwidth on photobucket, and you'll upload them super fast.

And you'll use less electricity on the internest! Which seems to be a passion of yours :mrgreen::razz:.

If you have a Cannon, it's the "S" setting. And remember, if the lens is within 2 feet of the thing you are photographing ... press the macro button.

yeah, I went ahead and started loading my pics to the forum here since we have 25Mb of space...I'm 65 pics in at 640x480 and I'm almost up to 4.5Mb...maybe should have gone with the photobucket upgrade. I wasn't even close to my bandwidth limit last year, but thought I'd play it safe this time. Looks my 25Mb will only be good for 1 challenge. Maybe the rest I'll go back to photobucket....sorry for the de-rail...

yeah, I went ahead and started loading my pics to the forum here since we have 25Mb of space...I'm 65 pics in at 640x480 and I'm almost up to 4.5Mb...maybe should have gone with the photobucket upgrade. I wasn't even close to my bandwidth limit last year, but thought I'd play it safe this time. Looks my 25Mb will only be good for 1 challenge. Maybe the rest I'll go back to photobucket....sorry for the de-rail...

I'll check my photobucket stats when I get home; If I'm at just 3% after all this activity, I can't see myself going over before 31 March. But I'll shrink my photos, all the same. Jack's right; there's scant need for quite so much detail.

My problem with resolution was fixed by the camera settings as mentioned above.

Sure glad I slowed down on my build while I watch those with experience carving a neck.

The forum displays your photos 800 pixels wide. There's really no reason to use photos larger than that unless you want to show some detail. If you resize your photos to 800 pixels wide before uploading to PhotoBucket you'll use less bandwidth. Your pictures contain 786,432 pixels. If you resized them to 800 they would contain 480,000 pixels .......... a substantial difference.


Use Flickr, you can upload detailed pics, it'll provide you with images of various sizes you can link and we can click to get a bigger version, and yeah, I hate searching the forums only to find that the images were on photobucket and don't exist anymore.

Luke.

Sure glad I slowed down on my build while I watch those with experience carving a neck.

Here you go! My neck jig is disgustingly simple... it allows access to the whole thing, and since I mostly use a block plane and two spokeshaves, it does what I need it to do.

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/50Neckinjig.jpg

During...

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/51Neckduring.jpg

And after...

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/52Neckrough-carved.jpg

Lots of sanding is still needed; as usual, I was able to grasp it while carving and I just stopped when it felt right. It's pretty baseball bat-esque, which I've learned I like.

Also, I got the top binding attached, meaning I could take the Dremel apart and stick a cutting disc in there; as expected, that made short work of the string slots in the ashtray bridge.

And StewMac shipped my dots today, so I can do some fretting this week hopefully.

Less than a week, and I'm mostly done with construction. StewMac's got my neck progress stalled, and I'm at the filling-and-sanding stage on the body... so not much to do at the moment. I did get the binding scraped flush, although with some difficulties.

Waiting for filler to dry, now, and catching up on everyone else's builds. Good work, all!

Maybe it's just the angle of the picture but that offset on the headstock looks about 2X what it should be and you may run into trouble with keeping strings on the first couple tuners.

Maybe it's just the angle of the picture but that offset on the headstock looks about 2X what it should be and you may run into trouble with keeping strings on the first couple tuners.

Yes and no; you've got good eyes. The first time I made a 1-piece neck, I messed up and made the offset too large (not by 2x, more like 1.5); I liked it so much I'm doing it again. It gives my hand a more positive stop underneath, sort of like a volute, while keeping the headstock at the right thickness. I also discovered I like resting my thumb there.

As long as it works!

Thanks, Santa.

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/53Fretmarkersarrived.jpg

So the way was open tonight to do some more stuff to the neck; I couldn't fret until I sanded, and couldn't sand until I dotted. But that's all done now.

While I was at it, I went ahead and drilled the neck screw holes. Mocked up, everything seems to line up on center (which is usually a problem for me). So no complaints there, and the 5mm abalone dots dropped right in.

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/54Neckholesdrilled.jpg

Then it was time for frettin'. 21 medium-sized stainless steel frets, on the way...

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/55Fretting.jpg

... and, to follow, the obligatory down-the-throat shot.

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/56Fretted.jpg

I also primed the body, more to see whether it was smooth or not than because I'm planning on painting real soon. I do think I'll go back to wood bindings after this; my earlier confidence about the ABS stuff seems to have been a little misplaced. Still, live and learn.

what's going on with the binding? i've never used wood but is the texture of the ABS bothering you? the workability of it, or lack of? my only advice would be try to celluloid at some point. it's alot better than ABS.

the neck looks great btw, dig the double bound body too.

Yeah, the ABS has a tendency to melt if I scrape it too vigorously, and stretch... also, the glue StewMac sold me seems to do far worse on pine than on mahogany. It's nothing I can't fix, but I'm finding it's more time-consuming than doing them out of wood... or maybe I'm just more used to wood. I've got a sneaking suspicion that the results won't be quite what I was after.

Thanks for the celluloid tip!

Just a brief update: I'm trying to get better at finishing in general, so I've been steadily scraping, sanding, filing, filling, and priming for a couple days. Between that and taking a leisurely few minutes here and there to run a file up and down the neck (those SS frets really can take a licking), there's not a whole lot of exciting progress to report these last few days. I'm enjoying catching up on everyone else's builds, to tell the truth.

Ready to do some color coats...

I'm currently torn between doing a tartan front/back and continuing the tartan around the sides (keep in mind, they're bound in white), painting the edges black (the original plan), or doing a "blackburst" on the top and back. I'm inclining toward the burst, but I'm not sure how well I'll pull it off with rattlecans.

I think I'll start by continuing the pattern. That way, I can see how it looks before doing any black.

Somewhere around here is a idiot proof way of doing a burst, don't remember where I've seen it.

You put your body template on "stilts" above the body and spray around the edges. The template masks the main portion of the body and allows a mist to make a good burst along the edges.

Anyone remember where this is posted?

I think it's on Youtube, but it's pretty simple. Cut a cardboard 'template' of the body, just
a smidgeon shorter all the way around (depending on how big you want the burst), use
anything to suspend it above the body, (stacks of pennies works well) and spray the edges.
The 'template''s raised sides will create overspray which will result in the burst.

Stacks of pennies or inverted push-pins seem to be the way to go with that. That's Option 1; Option 2, from StewMac, goes at it freehand some 18" above the body, with mucho overspray.

I'm not sure which method gives me less heartburn. More practice is needed, clearly.

I think I'll start by continuing the pattern. That way, I can see how it looks before doing any black.
I think that's a sound plan.

I dislike waiting for paint to dry, so I figured that since I'd eventually need a nut anyway, I might as well knock one out tonight. I cheerfully lack all the expensive StewMac nutmaking products, except for a .010 file I got some while back. My method is to use some Vise-Grips as a holding tool, use conventional files to do the shaping, lay out the slot depth with the usual half-pencil, sink the slots with the StewMac file, then use welding tip cleaners to widen those slots.

It's worked just fine in the past; I flipped a coin between bone and aluminum, and the latter won.

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/58Roughnut.jpg

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/59Refinednut.jpg

Pretty straightforward. As for the body, I got the first color coat on today and will start with the dark-blue checks tomorrow afternoon.

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/57Colorcoat1.jpg

Things are moving again!

(stacks of pennies works well)

Gave em all to Stew Mac though. My kids have lots of Lego's, those are height adjustable you know :mrgreen:.

Great job so far Picton, not that my vote counts but I would say no burst and just black sides. Burst with binding never looked right to me, but you'll probably prove me wrong.

guitarbuilder remarked, WAY back in post #34, that he liked the paint job with just the three-color checkerboard (prior to the black overspray). Well, this one's for you!

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/60Checked.jpg

I'll admit, I kinda like it too. I'm back to thinking the sides will look fine with the carried-over tartan; problem is, the math didn't work quite right when I tried to reconcile the demands of a two-inch pattern on the sides and the need for the stripes to "continue" themselves as they went around. But I'm sure it'll look about right, once I figure out how to do that.

Black stripes tomorrow (hopefully), then I'll be able to figure out how much blue tape I went through.

Damn that's cool!

That is looking great , REALLY great !

That does look pretty cool - what colour is the pickguard?

guitarbuilder remarked, WAY back in post #34, that he liked the paint job with just the three-color checkerboard (prior to the black overspray). Well, this one's for you!

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/60Checked.jpg

I'll admit, I kinda like it too. I'm back to thinking the sides will look fine with the carried-over tartan; problem is, the math didn't work quite right when I tried to reconcile the demands of a two-inch pattern on the sides and the need for the stripes to "continue" themselves as they went around. But I'm sure it'll look about right, once I figure out how to do that.

Black stripes tomorrow (hopefully), then I'll be able to figure out how much blue tape I went through.

Thats going to be splendid , keep with the original plan , it'll work out.

Very nice. Great job of masking. This is going to look really neat with the black stripes.

That does look pretty cool - what colour is the pickguard?

White pearloid. When I ordered it, I wasn't seriously thinkling about doing the tartan pattern. Now I'm thinking mere white might have been wiser, or even black. Bygones, though. The problem is that there aren't a million PGs out there cut for a P90, and even fewer that cost as little as what I could afford. I like pearloid, plus it was the cheapest, so...

The only checkering problems (wait... there's a "finish checking" pun somewhere...) are inside the cutaway and on the bass bout, where the strap button will go. You can see them clearly in the pic: they're more like rectangles than squares. I'm thinking through what to do about that. I need a tele to have just about 1.5 inches less circumference... why wasn't Leo thinking about this????

Leo wasn't Scottish perhaps , otherwise it would have worked out. 8<))













<-------------------- LOOK 999 posts !!

I love it! My original idea for my strat (before I saw the body blank) was a plaid. So I'm watching this one with great interest.

guitarbuilder remarked, WAY back in post #34, that he liked the paint job with just the three-color checkerboard (prior to the black overspray). Well, this one's for you!

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/60Checked.jpg

I'll admit, I kinda like it too. I'm back to thinking the sides will look fine with the carried-over tartan; problem is, the math didn't work quite right when I tried to reconcile the demands of a two-inch pattern on the sides and the need for the stripes to "continue" themselves as they went around. But I'm sure it'll look about right, once I figure out how to do that.

Black stripes tomorrow (hopefully), then I'll be able to figure out how much blue tape I went through.


That's the ticket...It has a Cheap Trick kind of Rick Nielson vibe to it.

That's really looking great! Keep up the good work.

I love it! My original idea for my strat (before I saw the body blank) was a plaid. So I'm watching this one with great interest.

I'm lucky my tartan is a simple one; some of the more complicated patterns would have made my head spin. Plus, some are red-themed; I like blue and green, so everything worked out perfectly.

If I were making a bunch of these, I'd find a way to do some stencils; the taping worked fine, but it was really tedious and none too cheap. I reckon I used about $15 worth of blue painter's tape. To put it into perspective, that's just slightly more than what my pickguard cost.

As always with me, there's some touch-up to do later, and I did make a gross masking error that, thank God, will mostly be hidden by the PG and control plate.

All in all, I'm happy. If I could do it over again I might choose some darker blue for the base coat, or some lighter green. There's a lot of contrast as it is right now.

Well, another tedious day of getting to know masking tape QUITE well: I timed it, and on average it took me about 10 minutes to mask each side and 15 seconds to spray it.

Anyway, the idea was to spray all the "vertical" black stripes, then let them dry, then tackle the "horizontal " ones. We're having an ongoing pity party over at dilbone's thread about what a PITA masking can be, and I decided a couple days ago that I was sick of masking 1/4" binding time and again. So, for these overstripes, I masked off the entire sides (binding included) and treated them as a separate project. Here's the back all masked up; you can see that the sides are completely covered.

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/61Overspraymasking.jpg

I did the top and back this morning, then finished up the sides this evening. I fudged the stripe width along the sides in order to try to conceal the fact that the 2" stripes don't go evenly around. I'm not sure I got it right, but frankly it's such a bizarre paint job that I doubt anyone will notice.

I cut a paper shopping bag into two large masks for the top and back, then taped them in place such that the tape that held them down was also masking the bindings.

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/62Sidemasking1.jpg

After that, I applied short lengths of tape to define the "vertical" pattern around the sides. These masks were a pain to apply, but they were a far greater pain to remove.

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/63Sidemasking2.jpg

Once those short black stripes dried, I did my last masking trick: the pattern called for one continuous black overstripe around the entire body, about 1/3 of the way down from the top.

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/64SidemaskingRC.jpg

Result! I'm incredibly relieved to be done with masking tape for awhile; all that's left on the finish is some touch-up, then a few coats of satin clear poly (glossy guitars aren't my favorite thing). Incredibly, I could well be setting everything up next week, and playing it around Easter. IF I stay motivated, that is...

And, for those keeping score at home, I'm at 30% of my photobucket bandwidth. So all's well.

Wow, that's a LOT of work. You have a ton of patience my friend. Great job!

been a while since I checked in...the paint looks incredible...I wasn't sure how you'd pull it off, but I would play that guitar any day!! Love it:cool:

^^Thanks!

My tartan touch-ups are now drying, so I figured I'd tint the neck. I'm a huge fan of TransTint dye concentrates, thinned with water; they're expensive (and, apparently, StewMac has stopped carrying them), but they last awhile and they allow you to adjust the amount of tint you're after. Plus, the cleanup is a breeze.

I was afraid I'd end up with a massively figured neck to compete with my massively figured paint job, so I tried to cut the neck from a part of the board that had a little less flame. Then, I mixed a fairly weak dye solution, and...

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/65Necktint.jpg

I'll hit it with some 220 grit this afternoon, and hopefully that'll be that. I finish my necks with 1-2 coats of Zinsser shellac, so I may well have the neck totally done by tonight. That would be nice. As for the body, I'll scrape the overspray off the bindings later today, then embark on my clearcoats.

I'm starting to get anxious to play this sucker...

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/64SidemaskingRC.jpg
Holy smokes... beautiful!!

Holy smokes... beautiful!!

Thank you, sir! Did you mean the paint job, the thick layer of dust on my old flak jacket, or my nifty slippers?

It came out better than I was hoping it would.

that is awesome! kudos to you sir for all of that masking work. I will never complain about masking bindings again. I can't wait to see this thing finished.

Ahhh someones finaly made a bay city rollers guitar..lol
Good work fella, keep up the good work.

Hey now... nothing wrong with the Rollers. "Biggest group since the Beatles," someone once said; could be worse. They played Strats and Ricks, though, so I think I'm in safe territory.

Poly has been sprayed; all I need to do now is wait around for 24 hours.

...and it's starting to look like a guitar.

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/66Neckmounted.jpg

That'll do for tonight.

That is beautiful. Everything from the tartan paint to the subdued flame in the neck. Great looking guitar!!!

That pattern came out fantastic.

Good job , that paint job came out great .

That is a cool paint job. I have no idea how you got it so straight and perfect. Looks great.

Very well done so far!

GREAT job on the paint! Very unique and cool.

Looks awesome!

But will it sound like bagpipes?

Looks awesome!

But will it sound like bagpipes?

Tune most of the strings to the same note and you'll be half way there:razz:

Maybe you should play It's A Long Way To The Top If You Want To Rock and Roll for your video - both guitar and bagpipe parts of course.

Nice build too. Cheers

Truly impressive! If i did not see it with my own eyes i would swear it was a photo-finish. Keep up the great work!

Dam dude! That's cool!!

Wow! Thanks, everybody. It's been a fun build. I'll be honest, though: I cringe at the pics on here because strong light, it turns out, makes the tartan look a lot more like blocks of color, rather than a cohesive pattern. I promise some flashless pics soon.

And with my talent, yes. It may well sound like bagpipes.

It has come out very well indeed ..... congrats M

I especially like the way that you did not center the pattern.

And with my talent, yes. It may well sound like bagpipes.
Just wear a Tam O' Shanter with a mini-skirt, no one will notice :lol:






BTW, that is one damn fine paint job :wink:

Normally i don't dig matching headstocks, but this is cool!

:grin:

That looks amazing!

Do you ever lose tools in there?

That looks amazing!

Do you ever lose tools in there?

All the time, actually. It's a good excuse to go buy new ones; I've lost count of the number of brad-point drill bits I've bought. Sad, really.

Excellent job!

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/67Naturallight.jpg

That's closer to what it looks like in person. I'm soldering now, and tonight I might actually be making some tunes...

Sweet ! What a nice paint job and a beauty of a guitar . :smile:

That's terrific, man!

Thanks again! It flatters me that anyone's paying attention, with so many fan-freaking-tastic builds going on. Makes me sorry I didn't play ball last year; following the threads is informative and fun, but it's twice as nice when one of them's yours.

It's difficult to think I'm almost done already; I got my wiring done, installed all the fiddly bits like strap buttons and string trees, and strung it up. It's now hanging on the wall, getting used to being a guitar.

Now for the most time-consuming part (to me): setup. I'll let it get acclimatized for a couple days before I do anything. I already know the neck will need shimming, and that's just the beginning.

That looks awesome man!!!

Wow, I've been lurking and ogling the build threads. Just have to see, this is one of the coolest finishes ever. I couldn't imagine masking and painting a tartan, but now that I've seen it done, I want to try!

Is this a family tartan, or just a personal favorite? I think it needs a complimentary tartan pickguard (or just a clear one).

Very cool. Well done!

Wow, I've been lurking and ogling the build threads. Just have to see, this is one of the coolest finishes ever. I couldn't imagine masking and painting a tartan, but now that I've seen it done, I want to try!

Is this a family tartan, or just a personal favorite? I think it needs a complimentary tartan pickguard (or just a clear one).

Nah, this is the Keith tartan; that's the clan I'd be in, technically. Clans all seem to have subsets of families (they're called "septs") that acknowledged their authority back in The Day, and the Dixon family are a sept of the Keiths. I've already got a couple of kilts, and I wear them on special occasions. It's also a cool-looking pattern (IMHO), and thankfully not as difficult to mask as some. For example, if my name were Anderson (or Andrews, or Gillander)...

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/ppe6f4c3fc.png

Ouch. I think I got off easy. Provided you've got a reasonably simple tartan, the whole painting process was tedious, but pretty easy.

Glad you like the build.

I'm inspired by your thread to paint a surfboard in an argyle pattern. Warn me off it - please!

Very nice work on the paint! Unique and beautiful!

The guitar looks really great Picton and I bet it sounds great too. I also have a lot of admiration for the way you approached this whole build - I'm glad all your hard work has paid off so handsomely.

I'm inspired by your thread to paint a surfboard in an argyle pattern. Warn me off it - please!
Just order some argyle cloth and glass it into the surface of the board.


Picton,

The guitar looks awesome!

I figure everybody wants to know, but they're afraid to ask.

What, exactly, is the guitar wearing under that tartan? :shock:

I figure everybody wants to know, but they're afraid to ask.

What, exactly, is the guitar wearing under that tartan? :shock:

OMG ! I just busted a gut :D

I figure everybody wants to know, but they're afraid to ask.

What, exactly, is the guitar wearing under that tartan? :shock:

I'll never tell.:wink:

Bear with me, as I try to figure out how to embed a Youtube video; I've only done it once before, and I'm still quite nervous from recording it.

As for the argyle surfboard... nah. We wouldn't want to get carried away, I would think.

Yeah, it's not really letting me embed. I'll try back later... might still be "processing."

If you need help, post the link and I can embed it for you.

Wow..that's a nice looking guitar.

I think I got it...

N6xWxYF5dmI

Forgive the crappy playing. I'm bashful. So... am I done?

AWESOME! That right there is a wonderfully executed vision.

Congrats Picton. You have a very cool guitar. Great job.

Congrats picton , great build , great thread , and great guitar :smile:

Thanks, guys! Sorry about the playing, but I swear I sound great when nobody's listening. :oops:

My first tele looked and sounded fine, but it needed LOTS of setup. With this one, all I ended up needing was to ramp the neck a tad and to hit one of the frets with a diamond file. That's it. I'm super impressed with this thing; my goal was to make a new #1, and so far it's looking like mission accomplished.

Even SWMBO is impressed, and where guitars are concerned, that's not easy. She usually just sees dollar signs.

For those keeping score, the final cost was $213 (plus about $40 shipping), $78 of which was the Bigsby. She took an even 22 hours of work, including 5 hours 25 minutes on finishing.

Looks awesome Picton and I love that surf sound.

Fantastic job. Looks good , sounds good and in double quick time too.

Well done Mac

Terrific looks, and sound. I really like the tartan with the bigsby, and I'm a huge fan of soapbar P90's! Congrats on a great build!

Awesome job picton! That surf tone is right on.

Grats on your new tele! I just watched the vid, and it looks and sounds very cool, great work! Should have some sort of effect for your middle switch position that sounds like a bagpipe - I jest (or do I?)

Grats on your new tele! I just watched the vid, and it looks and sounds very cool, great work! Should have some sort of effect for your middle switch position that sounds like a bagpipe - I jest (or do I?)

I hope you do jest.

The original idea was for a simple 2-position toggle switch, but that just strayed too far from the Tele ideal for me.

Thanks, all; you can tell that I'm ecstatic that this thing came out as it did. Most of my builds "get there" eventually; this one seems to be fine right out of the box, as it were.

Though it is weird not to have anything else to do on it...

Well done Picton but damnit, that was the surf tune I was going to demo with. Well I guess there will just have to be two versions. Now that I've said this, everyone will demo with that tune. :mad:

Barncaster

Looks great, and a fun combination of sounds. :-)

GREAT JOB, Picton!!! An, you've got more than a month to spare. Heck, you could
build another one by the time I'll be done. And your playing was just fine. Congrats!!

Well done Picton but damnit, that was the surf tune I was going to demo with. Well I guess there will just have to be two versions. Now that I've said this, everyone will demo with that tune. :mad:

Barncaster

That was about my 15th take. I also do some Dick Dale, but I find the Bigsby throws the picking off. It sounded awful. So "Walk, Don't Run" had to trump "Misirlou," alas. It's going to be fun learning how to play this thing; the Bigsby is more comfortable than expected to lean my hand against, but I'm still getting used to it.

sweet

Great job, Picton. Another Scot Heritage for tartan finishes. MacDonald, though, one of those complex red ones.

very cool picton. i took me way too many takes last year for the video. i'm really impressed with the dollar and time totals too. i don't dare keep track of the time.

Excellent results!!! Well done on the video too.

That is one nice guitar Picton...congrats!!!!!

Truss rod time!

[
My next post will involve the unveiling of my long-awaited Plan A paint job. My inspiration?


It's the Keith tartan. That's the clan I'd be in if I were actually from Scotland. I've LONG thought about making a tartan guitar, so I spent most of today testing out spray paint techniques. More in a bit...

Hey I'm a Dixon too, I may not be from scotland but my fore fathers were.I am Proud to say I am from the Keith Clan. You don't need to live there to belong. :) Great job on the tele.

That looks absolutely amazing.

I'm McLovin It!

So glad I subscribed to this one. Very cool guitar. I am most nervous about the video, I can barely play scales and cowboy chords :)

Great job on the build and playing!!!

Thanks! It's weird and extremely humbling to be getting props from people I've been in awe of for so long on here; I appreciate it immensely.

Pulling for you, czook; your build is one of the ones I've been watching most closely.

jdacamper, nice to meet you. Paint up your own; it's not as hard as it looks! Just time-consuming.

Looks great and sounds great. Mission accomplished.

Nice job on everything!

Great job all the way around man! You should be proud. It looks and sounds wonderful! For what its worth I liked your playing. Congrats on a sweet build.

Now that the Guitartancaster can take its rightful place among its Tele brethren, here it is...

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/Teles.jpg

That's three different scale lengths, five different pickups, and a whole mess of different sounds. And they all get along, even though they share a room.:wink:

This next pic is a little bittersweet, as it's the only time these four will be together. I'm taking the Dano clone into work tomorrow; it'll live there now. I'm completely staggered to think that li'l ole me built each of these, and it's all because I joined TDPRI. So, thanks everybody. They're in chronological order from the archtop on up.

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/Buildswithflash.jpg

That's definitely a family to be proud of :wink:

Beautiful AND it sounds great!

really like the finish and great job!

Very nice! I think it looks even better with you playing it. Great job.

Great job!
How are you liking the P-90?
If I ever finish the builds I have going now I want to try one.
Love the paint.

You STARTED with an archtop?:shock: Where's the :impressed whistle: smiley?

You STARTED with an archtop?:shock: Where's the :impressed whistle: smiley?

Well... like many of us, I didn't really imagine I'd keep going once I built the first one. I wanted an archtop, and building things is always easier to justify to SWMBO than buying them.

FWIW, it's a guitar I don't often play. I put the wrong frets on it, and then I busted a solder connection while stuffing the electronics through the S-holes. One of these days I keep meaning to get it put back together correctly, but in the meantime I just enjoy playing the teles more and more.

A gorgeous group! :smile:

Good stuff Picton, I like your attitude to building. I also started with just one lap steel after I smashed my wrist up so that I couldn't play my normal Fender Tele. Then, for reasons unknown, I just kept building and am now working on the fifteenth build.

Not sure if I've got to keep updating this to avoid disqualification... so...

The Guitartancaster has developed slight string buzz on the A and D, 'round about frets 7-10.

And that's my update. Carry on!

Meanwhile, here's what I'm working on (again) after its construction was rudely interrupted for the Challenge; should be another 2-3 weeks to my very first classical build. Back should go on this afternoon...

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/19Heelblockandneckgluedin.jpg

I think if you're done you're done. The classical looks nice but don't put too many pics in here or the mods might think you're showing another build. Loving the plaid
:grin:

Cool! :cool:

Really like the plaid tele.

Please post some pics of the classical (perhaps in another thread if the mods don't want more than the challenge tele build in one thread). Did you use solid or kerfed lining? I'm starting to use laminated solid lining and the benefits are amazing.

Really like the plaid tele.

Please post some pics of the classical (perhaps in another thread if the mods don't want more than the challenge tele build in one thread). Did you use solid or kerfed lining? I'm starting to use laminated solid lining and the benefits are amazing.

My first uke had solid lining, but I get bored with too much bending. So, to kerfed! I did try to save a buck by manufacturing my own kerfing; having done so, I now think that StewMac actually puts kerfing at about the right price point. And it's so much easier that I just can't say no. What benefits do you notice with the solid linings?

I'll put up a build thread if people are interested, but it's not even remotely tele-related. I've been taking pics of the whole process, since it's a birthday present for my brother and I like to include a little storybook with each instrument I make for others. I'll probably put up a quick one once everything's done.

Thanks, nosmo; I wasn't planning on putting up more classical stuff, but I figure one can't hurt. You're right to be worried.

Actually, I think the mods are pretty cool as long as you keep to the 'spirit' of the game. I just thought I'd mention it. I bet you can talk about it all you want :wink:

The classical will get disqualified anyway - it isn't telecaster shaped :lol:
And while I am here - great finished result!

Nice work Picton - I really admire your workmanship and especially your hand tool skills and knowledge. Hopefully one day after a few builds I'll have enough guts to tackle an acoustic too - it's looking very cool.

Nice work Picton - I really admire your workmanship and especially your hand tool skills and knowledge. Hopefully one day after a few builds I'll have enough guts to tackle an acoustic too - it's looking very cool.

Thanks! You can perhaps see, in the pic above, how the sides don't quite match up in height, right at the neck... there's about 3/16" difference there. I was just downstairs leveling the whole thing with a chisel. I can't imagine another way of doing it so quickly, or so smoothly; took about three minutes. It literally took longer to figure out and draw the tapering layout line all the way round the body. Some folks would have sanded the whole thing; I can't think of a worse way to spend a morning.

We've all got our little crusades; Herb's thread has a lot of good-natured ribbing about peoples' opposition to snakeheads and/or Caribbean bursts, but in reality it's all about exposing ourselves to new ideas and ways of doing things. If I can get just one person to think "chisel" or "handplane" where they used to think "sanding block," then it's a good day. :grin:

Hand tools are elegant, simple, and totally efficient; they just take some practice, is all.

Dazzaman, I'm loving your build. It's totally different than what I'd make, but that's the fun of the Challenge.

There are quite a few times when hand tools are absolutely the way to go. I'm just too lazy so I usually spend three times as long trying to figure out how to do it with power tools:roll:

Here's the official portrait, plus a re-tread of the vid for the compilation thread.

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/DSCN0234.jpg

N6xWxYF5dmI

Good job, everyone!

This is great, nice style nice options ... top job ... :!:

This is great, nice style nice options ... top job ... :!:

Why thanks! It's been so long since I finished it that it almost seems as if it's been in my stable forever. I've never bonded so quickly with any of my other builds.

I keep having to come up with excuses not to play it.

I agree with Allroy, very nice style. Looks great Picton, I still can't believe how perfect you got the stripes, that's amazing.

Thanks, all, for the encouragement on the paint job. I'd had my doubts.

I figured I should document the fret slotting, since that seems to be the big addition to the rules this year. Not that fret slotting is all that exciting...

StewMac helped me out with the fret calculations. They're helping me more now by sending me some replacement abalone fret dots, since I'm TWO short. I thought I had enough... Anyway, we're doing a 25-inch (635mm) fret scale today.

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/35Fretlayout.jpg

My ghetto fret slotting system consists of marks along the centerline, a shoddy-but-accurate miter box setup, and a pretty good pullsaw.

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/36Fretslotting.jpg

Once I finished slotting, it was over to the bandsaw to do a little rough-tapering and headstock shaping. I smoothed everything down with planes and a spokeshave, of course.

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/37Neckroughshaped.jpg
http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/38Headstocksmoothing.jpg
http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/39Necktapering.jpg

I'm not sure what my FB radius will be; I get my SS fretwire from LMII, and they ship it rolled. So it arrives with a radius I liked on my last build. It does make layout a PITA, though... Forgive the orange shirt. I'd just come back from a run around the lake.

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/40Radiuslayout.jpg

I radius with whatever handplane seems to fit the bill; this does most of the work, at which point I stop, install the fret dots, and finish with some 220 sandpaper.

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af46/picton/Challenge%20Build/41radiusing.jpg

Only this time, no fret dots today. It's going to slow me down, but I've got nobody to blame but myself. I guess I'll work on the back, instead...

So I'm sitting here relaxing in my living room, the Champcaster is hanging in it's stand and I am reflecting, with great satisfaction, on the build. My 1st. and I log back on to look at whats been going on after the contest and I see that Picton used a hand plane to radius his fretboard...:shock:
Gosh! I have a LOOOONG way to go. Dude, You did a SMOKIN' job on your guitar! My wife is a McClerren and we've wanted to use her family's tartan for something but our simple minds were thinking about tablecloths or curtains...silly us!:razz:

Thanks, muzikp; FWIW, your build is my wife's favorite. She said teh same thing I did when she saw it: "Classy."

dannyp, I'm liking your build as well; I didn't have as much time to get over there during the Challenge, but I stopped by every once in a while. I developed a love of handplanes during junior high shop class, and if anything that love has grown; I've currently got seven of them in regular use. I just find that they can do so much in the shop; I'm always surprised they don't get more love. I do my final radiusing with sandpaper, but the handplane reduces most of that work immensely. It's just a matter of drawing arches at both ends, and making a few passes with the plane; it's a lot quicker and more fun than grinding it all down with sandpaper.

The gospel's spreading, though: Brian "Henderson is Go" used the same technique on his build, and he's more talented than I am. So I'm not in bad company.

That's a great idea! Would I ever be game enough to try it? Probably not. :rolleyes:

I can see that I am gonna HAVE to get a hand plane. I've never used one but I like that if used properly the that the wood is much smoother(don't know if that's the right word) than with sandpaper. maybe it's that the pores aren't as packed with sawdust

I can see that I am gonna HAVE to get a hand plane. I've never used one but I like that if used properly the that the wood is much smoother(don't know if that's the right word) than with sandpaper. maybe it's that the pores aren't as packed with sawdust

Opinions vary; most high-end furniture makers seem to use the word "clarity" when describing the surface left by a plane. In other words, both a planed and a sanded surface are plenty smooth; the difference, as you pointed out, is microscopic on the level of the pores.

I like them because they do the job much faster and less tediously. There's nothing like three hours of hand-sanding to make me feel like I'm wasting time I'd rather be spending elsewhere.

As always, I'll take the opportunity to recommend Taunton Books' The Handplane Book, by Garrett Hack. I'm not affiliated; it's a wealth of practical information, fascinating and complicated planes, and beautiful photos of old tools. I've pretty much got it on permanent hold at my library; I've taken it out so often that the librarians tease me about it when I come in.

Picton, very nice guitar. I have been thinking I would like to do one with a Bigsby. When I do, I will be researching your thread for how to do it. Looks great sounds great!

Sorry I'm so late to tell you how much I like your builds. You're one of the few people I know who uses hand tools. My latest addition is a #5 Union built a few years before Stanley swallowed them. It has a tool steel iron that's almost 1/8 of an inch thick! I'm definitely going to have to try using a plane and some judicious marking to cut a fretboard radius. Which brings me to my question: you will use a table saw, but avoid the router; why?

I have to admit I thought the Tartan was going to be really awful, but I think it came out but incredibly good - especially with the silvery metal of the Bigsby. The P-90 sounds great; it's one of my favorite pickups in any position! I've been working on my 1st build, complete with all the beginner mistakes like letting the plates slip when gluing and having to flatten the out-of-registration result. Something you don't want to do with the #7 plane in central Texas in the summer.

And I agree with you about The Handplane Book. I have the Kindle version, and I find myself reading it kind of like an adolescent with "inappropriate reading material" inside his math text. From across the room at looks like I'm almost working!

Fantastic build; and I loved that you did it with hand tools! By the way, what do you teach?

Echoing doctorockets post - I'm pretty sure I've mentioned how much I liked your build before - but just in case I didn't it was a cool build and I really liked the watching the process and the great result at the end.

I also share your fondness of hand tools although I'm not quite as proficient with them as you.

Thanks, guys!

BR0, you'll have no trouble with the Bigsby; the hardest part was trying to print online instructions I could read. The font they use is weird.

Doctorrockit: I teach history and psychology, both intro and AP. It's a satisfying job, and every day's different. My dislike of routers is based on how loud they are, and on the fact that I've yet to get good results with one used by hand. I don't blame the routers; I blame their user. I guess I'd just rather not put in the time to get proficient with handheld routers, especially when I like my handtools so much better. I'm pretty experienced with chisels, rasps, etc; so far, I'm a lot happier with them. I prefer making shavings to making sawdust.

I do use a table-mounted router for truss rods, but for very little else.

Spread the hand-tool gospel!

I, too, prefer the shavings. And yes, routers are loud, and work correctly and predictably only when mounted to a table! That so, I will spread the gospel, although I have quite a way to go to reach mere competency.

Many of my family are teachers; I'm married to a teacher. You do good work! I live in Texas where I can't teach, at least easily or well (my degree was in anthropology - say that three times south of the Mason-Dixon and see what happens!).

Hey! Wait a minute. Your initials stand for Mason-Dixon! Or as Robin Williams said: that old Manson-Nixon line!:cool:

The gospel's spreading, though: Brian "Henderson is Go" used the same technique on his build, and he's more talented than I am. So I'm not in bad company.

I don't know if I'm more talented than you, but thanks for the shout out :arrow: I love handplanes, if you can avoid cutting your fingers while sharpening or using them, they are among the most enjoyable tools you can use.

http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac255/hendersonisgo/6007f041.jpg?t=1335576803

This is true; I've nicked a finger or two, but then don't router bits and planer blades get dull as well? Fine Woodworking had a LONG article this month about a jig you could build to sharpen your jointer knives; it seemed like a much more fiddly operation than I use on my chisels.

Brian, that classical I'm building is nearly there; I've got about five hours left on it, probably. It's WAY off the center line (like, by over a centimeter), but it's my first try at a flattop guitar, and that's its only real issue. Hopefully, I'll get around to posting about it soon-ish.