New Build: redwood one-piece P-99 esquire

On a recent trip to see my dad, I swung through Philo, California, where I grew up. While there, I visited a small, busy sawmill, Architectural Elements, that specializes in salvaged redwood. The owner helped me find a block of wood big enough for a one-piece body, and sliced off a two-inch piece for me. Here it is with the rough outside surfaces sanded down:

http://i824.photobucket.com/albums/zz167/hankstank/redwoodblank.jpg

I don't have quick access to a planer. Question: except for weight, is there any problem with a little extra thickness?

I've ordered a wide, fat, one-piece maple neck from Warmoth, and most of the other parts from AZ Guitar parts. I'm going with a "P-99" pickup at the bridge, no neck pickup. Tung oil finish. I haven't decided yet about a pickguard, though I'm leaning toward a bakelite black esquire guard. I might skip the pickguard, but I think it will help tie together the maple and redwood visually.

Does anyone know where I might find a tele control plate with just V/T holes, no switch slot?

You can get a blank plate from GFS and drill your own holes.

My daughter-in-law is from Coos Bay...nice area!!

Does anyone know where I might find a tele control plate with just V/T holes, no switch slot?

I don't have quick access to a planer.

Do you have a router? If so, you've got access to a planer.

Question: except for weight, is there any problem with a little extra thickness?

the only issue with extra thickness is the neck screw length and how much it in the neck. I recall checking the other day and on a regular thickness guitar the neck screw's tip will be at the height of the top face of the body. So if your neckpocket remains the same, but the thickness changes, there will be less screw into the neck.

On the redwood keep in mind it likes to tear. Definitely use the downhill climb with a straight bit.

On a completely different note...since redwood and pine are really soft I was looking into ways of strengthening it... a cabinet maker buddy told be about this pour on epoxy that absorbs into the wood and hardens it. Anyone have experience doing that?

This is the stuff he recommended:WEST MARINE Penetrating Epoxy (http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10001&storeId=11151&productId=100202&langId=-1#.UA3kaKDjlGR)

I'd test a chunk of that with the tung oil first. It may not protect it enough and you'll see tons of fingernail dents after a short while.

I took my slab to a cabinet shop in town, and they planed it down for me with a really big belt sander. Good point, Phil. Next time I'll work up a sled and plane with my router.

This morning I used my neighbor's bandsaw to cut out the body outline. Here it is ready for routing.

http://i824.photobucket.com/albums/zz167/hankstank/readytorout.jpg

I'm not very fast, but it's looking pretty much like a guitar body. That's enough for today. I'll do some serious sanding tomorrow, and try to find the can of shellac I had around here somewhere, for sealer.

http://i824.photobucket.com/albums/zz167/hankstank/enoughfortoday.jpg

Looks really good. I just finished a old growth Redwood La Cabronita with a body from Marc Rutters. It sounds and looks fantastic :) Tru-oil finish, I recommend it.

All these tele builds look pretty simple, might try my hand at one after I finish my Firebird.

Nice to have leftovers. Ready to get started sanding and finishing.

http://i824.photobucket.com/albums/zz167/hankstank/leftoversforfinishing.jpg

I love clamps!

http://i824.photobucket.com/albums/zz167/hankstank/Iloveclamps.jpg

Sealed with 50/50 mix, Zinsser's Sanding Sealer and denatured alcohol.

http://i824.photobucket.com/albums/zz167/hankstank/50-50sealer.jpg

During sanding, looking at those tight end grains, I wondered where exactly this tree grew up, and what was going on in the world when each ring formed. Speaking of rings, the body makes a nice ring when you knock on it. I'm hoping for a nice-sounding player.

Now that this is sealed, I can slow down and take my time. I have lots to do, and have neglected several things over the past couple days.

What do you guys think: bakelite pickguard, some other pickguard, or no pickguard?

I am a big proponent of "no pickguard" on good-looking wood

Are you going to put lacquer on it? If so, I say a pickguard won't matter because it's just lacquer you're scratching and you can always polish it out and what not. I think pickguards are mainly aesthetics.

No pickguard would look nice, but I agree with you...a black Bakelight 'guard will tie the body and the maple neck together.

No pickguard. That wood will darken up a bit within a year and will be stunning beyond your wildest dreams.

I am a big proponent of "no pickguard" on good-looking wood

+1, and great for LP's (like flame maple Gibson and Epiphone Slash Les Pauls), strats (ala Anderson or Valley Arts), and tele/esquire (this one and others). It doesn't matter if it's flame, quilt, birdseye, or just a nice plain top because there's something to be said for showing off nice wood.

I sanded with 230 and 400 grit, and drilled my bridge and string-through holes by hand. They look like I did 'em with a shotgun, but I think I can get strings through them, and the bridge will cover the scars. Here's my classy jig I made to help my holes stay straight:

http://i824.photobucket.com/albums/zz167/hankstank/string-throughjig.jpg

I put on one coat of oil. Pretty wood. I have time to change my mind a few times about the pickguard; the neck is probably at least 3 or 4 weeks from delivery. I ordered it with abalone dots, just for giggles.

http://i824.photobucket.com/albums/zz167/hankstank/firstcoatofoil.jpg

This wood is pretty soft, and I expect I will have some "character" marks on this guitar before long, perhaps before it plays its first note.

That's what I'm talking about, look at that wood with a nice coat on it, jeez.

Gotta ask, and forgive my ignorance, what is a P-99 pickup? Other than that, I have to say that is a fine looking piece of wood! Should make a dang fine guitar!

I've never heard of P-99. Maybe he meant P-90? Or maybe we're not as up to date as he is.

I've never heard of P-99. Maybe he meant P-90? Or maybe we're not as up to date as he is.

Looking at that route, I definitely thought maybe he meant P-90 too.

Maybe it's a secret compartment guitar and he's hiding a P99 in it.

http://www.azguitarparts.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=9&products_id=82&zenid=gav2gaor2mdmq4v6jv3383vve4

I got it from Arizona Guitar Parts, where I bought most of the rest of the hardware. Link above. It looks like a P-90 to me, too. I used one on my last build, which I recently gave to my son, and liked it fine. I especially liked its price.

DCzysz, we must be sharing psychotic brainwaves. I actually thought about making a secret compartment. Nice looking shootin' iron.

http://www.azguitarparts.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=9&products_id=82&zenid=gav2gaor2mdmq4v6jv3383vve4

I got it from Arizona Guitar Parts, where I bought most of the rest of the hardware. Link above. It looks like a P-90 to me, too. I used one on my last build, which I recently gave to my son, and liked it fine. I especially liked its price.

DCzysz, we must be sharing psychotic brainwaves. I actually thought about making a secret compartment. Nice looking shootin' iron.

I thought you meant P-100, which is a stacked P-90 but without the hum. Gibson used the moniker "100" so others with a stacked P-90 had to come up with creative names to convey the same concept. I don't know why Gibson doesn't use the P-100 more often.

DCzysz, we must be sharing psychotic brainwaves. I actually thought about making a secret compartment. Nice looking shootin' iron.

Where/what kind of secret compartment?

Where/what kind of secret compartment?

I know back in the day ('70s/'80s) people used to build herb compartments inside their guitars. I don't really know exactly how smart that is and is probably the first place the police would check.:lol:

I am in the skateboard business and some board makers have a little divot on the underside of the deck used expressly for rolling joints. Anyway, when it's all legal (probably in next few years in some states) people won't care one way or the other.

I like the whole compartment thing, but I think the only good thing to store is picks. For that though, I just make my own straps and sew little compartments into them.

Where/what kind of secret compartment?

If I told you, it wouldn't be a secret. :wink:

Very cool info. When I saw P99 the first thing I thought of was the new James Bond movies!

If I told you, it wouldn't be a secret. :wink:

Good point.

So are P-99s just like the Gibson P-100s? What's different about them?

I'm no expert, but it looks and sounds like a straight single-coil pickup to me. My guess is that its manufacturer (distributor?) didn't want to risk problems by calling it a P-90: is that a proprietary name?

Build update: put a second coat of oil on this morning. Not sure how many I'll do, probably at least six or eight, but there's plenty time while I wait for the neck, and a few things I haven't ordered yet.

Edit: now I'm wondering whether a mint green pickguard might look good. :?:

Mint green has the potential to look fabulous. What colour is your fretboard?

It'll be a one-piece maple neck, probably with a bit of an amber tint, and abalone face dots. I ordered it from Warmoth.

When the neck gets here, I'll be making my first nut. I hope I do a better job on it than I did on the string-through holes. :smile:

Edit/update: Third coat of oil this morning. Also, I impulsively ordered a mint green pickguard. I think it will look great.

I'm no expert, but it looks and sounds like a straight single-coil pickup to me. My guess is that its manufacturer (distributor?) didn't want to risk problems by calling it a P-90: is that a proprietary name?



https://www.google.com/search?q=p90&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=S-gTUPODEYeRqQGxioH4AQ&biw=1011&bih=567&sei=TugTUIncFYH7qAGnp4DYCg

I think the gun people seem to have that all over the pickups in terms of search order on Google images.

I've put on five coats of Formby's polymerized tung oil finish so far, and between each coat I scuff the surface with very fine steel wool, according to directions on the can.

Here's the problem: I really like the look and feel of the wood when I've knocked the gloss off it with the steel wool. Would I be foolish to go with that (after maybe a couple more coats), and leave off that last glossy coat?

http://i824.photobucket.com/albums/zz167/hankstank/tungoilsteelwool.jpg

Edit/update: I have the silly habit of giving names to the guitars I build, though oddly, I don't name my storebought ones. This one has a name already: Philo.

Also, while I'm editing, could someone post a good wiring diagram for me, with the single pickup, volume and tone controls? I could also use some advice about caps and pots--I haven't bought any wire or capacitors yet, though I have some 250k pots--the choices of values and their respective effects, etc. This will be my first time wiring things myself. I'm kind of nervous about it.

I've put on five coats of Formby's polymerized tung oil finish so far, and between each coat I scuff the surface with very fine steel wool, according to directions on the can.

Here's the problem: I really like the look and feel of the wood when I've knocked the gloss off it with the steel wool. Would I be foolish to go with that (after maybe a couple more coats), and leave off that last glossy coat?


Not foolish at all; it should look wonderful.

Actually that's how I finish all of my bodies I like the satin look a ton more :)

http://www.**********************/c=dDza7d9OcS0uz6ZQ0ziy8QbqV/category/wiring_resources_guitar_wiring_diagrams.1_pickup_g uitar_wiring_diagrams/

I somehow messed up when ordering, and received the tele pickguard instead of an esquire one. I have the right one on the way. I like the color, though.

http://i824.photobucket.com/albums/zz167/hankstank/wrongpickguard-1.jpg

That little spot next to the G-string hole troubles me. It's the very end of a hole that I drilled from the other side. I "fixed" it from the front side so I can see through it and it lines up with my bridge plate, so I think it will be possible to put strings through, but from the backside the easier path is through this bad hole. The white stuff is some wood putty I tried to fill the bad hole with (had my drill bit in the good hole to plug it against the putty), but that didn't stick. Any suggestions for a better fix? Right now it looks like a tricky-string-change situation at best.

That little spot next to the G-string hole .. Any suggestions for a better fix?

Will it not be concealed by the bridge? You could easily do a plug-and-pellet in it and re-drill the string hole, but for the plug and pellet to blend almost invisibly a drill press would be important, so that the hole is plumb.

It will hide under the bridge. However, my concern is that the string will want to follow the bad hole, which will run it into the back of the bridge, but I think I'll be able to work it in the right direction, perhaps by bending the end a bit, as I get used to it.

I wish I had a drill press. I should have borrowed the use of one.

Could you make a small dowel, in effect a pin, and push it up or down the bad hole with some glue. Once the glue has hardened, re-drill the good hole from the top, so that the string will only run up the good hole - if that makes any sense!

That's a very fine idea. Thanks, JCJCJC, I'll give that a shot.

might have to just leave it and fish out the string from the top?

:oops: Hope I don't have to top-load that one string. :oops:

How often do you even change strings? My last set lasted for more than a year. I know I should have replaced them, but really, a good set (Ernie Ball FTW) will last for a long time.

My neck arrived yesterday from Warmoth. I love the feel of it already. I put an amber tint on it last night, and a first coat of tung oil this morning. At the risk of looking like the goober my wife knows I am, I put all the parts out and took this picture:

http://i824.photobucket.com/albums/zz167/hankstank/PhiloParts.jpg

Now I'm kind of scared. My last two builds, once I finished finishing the neck, I've packed in a box and taken to George, my favorite luthier in the world, and he's put them together. They both turned out beautifully. Two problems with that, this time: 2) George has parted company with the music shop where he worked before, and I'm not sure I can find him; and 1) it's time for me to learn to do this myself, and quit being such a chicken.

These are the scary areas for me, at least the ones I anticipate, where I have no experience, and where I formerly "let George do it":

--fixing my boo-boo (thanks JCJCJC) on the string-through hole

--wiring and soldering the pots, pickup, jack, capacitors, ground

--drilling holes in the right place for the neck to line up right

--shaping and slotting the nut from a bone blank

--installing the pickup correctly, and adjusting it

--fret leveling and dressing

I appreciate the tips I've received already from JCJCJC and guitarbuilder. Those will help me. I'd also appreciate links to good threads that address the scary areas above--of course I'll be doing some archive searches myself--as well as how-to tips from those of you who have been there before. Come next week (first payday since school let out), I plan to order necessary nutmaking tools. Suggestions about that?

School's about to start, and my time is more limited now, but I plan to take my time anyway about putting this together. I have guitars to play while I'm waiting.

This should be a great little guitar, if I don't screw it up!

I think JC3 is right on the money. A match or round toothpick will do the job nicely I reckon.

JCJCJC's suggestion for the string-through hole worked swimmingly, I think. I whittled a dowel from a leftover scrap from the body blank. The fix is nearly invisible under the bridge.

The link that guitarbuilder posted earlier referenced humbucker pickups, and they seem to have more wires than mine, so I'm translating from a diagram for 1 pickup, volume, and tone.

In the picture below, the volume knob is on top, closest to the neck, tone on the bottom. I don't know if you can see it, but the white wire from the pickup is wrapped around what appears to be a ground wire, and soldered. I'm assuming (?) that this wire goes to ground.

http://i824.photobucket.com/albums/zz167/hankstank/Pickupwires.jpg

Here's my plan: 1) solder the red pickup wire to the volume-pot tab nearest the pickup, and a wire from the white pickup wire to ground on top of the volume pot. 2) Solder a wire from that tab to the center tab of the tone pot. 3) Solder another wire from the center tab of the volume pot to the tab on the output jack, and a ground wire from the output jack sleeve tab to the ground terminal. 4) Solder a capacitor to a side tab on the tone pot, and to the top of the tone pot, from which a ground wire goes (?) to the grounds on the volume pot. 5) Connect all the grounds on the volume pot to ground at. . .

Tips would be appreciated here. I've never soldered a wire in my life, though I've soldered copper pipe, with a propane torch. . . .

TA-DAAAA!

http://www.tdpri.com/forum/tele-technical/349763-first-tele-wiring-job-ground-wire-question.html#post4433980

Thanks to those of you on this thread who offered help along the way. I appreciate it very much. Thanks to the guys at Tele-Technical, too, for help this morning with the wiring, and to Stew Mac for the really cool slotting files, with which I made my first nut. The strings all went through, the guitar makes noise, and the noise changes with the volume and tone knobs! I threw on an Italia Leather "twofer" strap I've been saving for this one; the whole outfit feels like it's ten years old, and I mean that in a good way.

I still have to adjust the bridge height and pickup height, and put on the string trees, but that will have to wait. I've dawdled away the whole morning, and now I'm 'way behind on my paper-grading. That will never do, especially this week, the first week of the year.

May I present "Philo". That's Ol' Simple in the background.

http://i824.photobucket.com/albums/zz167/hankstank/Philodone.jpg

Sorry about bringing up this zombie thread.................but that's a fine job you've done there :grin:, don't know how I missed this the first time :oops:

My first attempt with string through holes didn't come out much better and I used a drill press. Here's what I did to feel better about my build. It's a little pricey, but very nicely machined. You make a template and route a cavity for it.

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t141/deejayfatcat/cc2796d358f49768ea9cd2a95261b960.jpg