IKEAcaster #3: the double uncut Tele build

[tuuur]

Originally Posted by Edutainment

How are you gonna finish it? I think it'd be a shame to hide the grain, not that it's the most beautiful grain in the world, I just think this guitar would look better stained or transparent, not solid.

I imagined it to be black first, but I agree with you on the grain. It is indeed nice, given the plank that it comes from.
I imagine to give it a solid brown or black back and sides, and a sunburst top, maybe. But I'm not sure.

I never did a sunburst finish yet, but then again... one time you got to do your first...

[boneyguy]

Originally Posted by tuuur

Thanks!



Ah, but that bridge was bought by me, because when I got the guitar it was missing the bridge, strings, and the nut. If I recall correctly it was originally some kind of banjo bridge. This was all at a time when I knew nothing about guitars, and looked for parts in the wrong music store (where they also knew nothing about guitars).
I even made the nut out of a piece of oak.

Actually I meant to say the tailpiece rather than the bridge. I've personally never seen a nylon string guitar with a tailpiece like that. The tailpiece looks to me like it's designed to take the ball end of a steel string rather than tying on a nylon string. So I'm still sticking with my original best guess and saying the neck will be fine strung up with steel strings.

[crowden]

Originally Posted by tuuur

I imagined it to be black first, but I agree with you on the grain. It is indeed nice, given the plank that it comes from.
I imagine to give it a solid brown or black back and sides, and a sunburst top, maybe. But I'm not sure.

I never did a sunburst finish yet, but then again... one time you got to do your first...

+ 1 on a sunburst top!

You could test out the "poor boy's sunburst" technique on some scrap - even cardboard and see if it will work out. Never done it myself but it doesn't look that hard to do.

[tuuur]

Originally Posted by crowden

+ 1 on a sunburst top!

You could test out the "poor boy's sunburst" technique on some scrap - even cardboard and see if it will work out. Never done it myself but it doesn't look that hard to do.

Thanks for that link, crowden!
I was more thinking of a sort of gibson type sunburst, as TDPRI member Andy Woods did over here:
http://www.tdpri.com/forum/bad-dog-c...-10-build.html

But... I guess that would look different without binding. I don't know if it would look good... but then again, this is still a learning piece.

[JasonRobert]

Originally Posted by boneyguy

Actually I meant to say the tailpiece rather than the bridge. I've personally never seen a nylon string guitar with a tailpiece like that. The tailpiece looks to me like it's designed to take the ball end of a steel string rather than tying on a nylon string. So I'm still sticking with my original best guess and saying the neck will be fine strung up with steel strings.

i agree. I cant see any tieing of the strings, unless the strings are tied behind the bridge (which I very much doubt). anyway, as long as tuuur keeps a close eye on the neck after he has put the strings on he should be ok. it more than likely has a non adjustable truss rod like on martin guitars.

[TheBends]

Slap a tele neck on there, and you're good to go.

[Edutainment]

Originally Posted by TheBends

Slap a tele neck on there, and you're good to go.

That would give it a completely different vibe. Plus, he'd have to get rid of that dovetail somehow.

[tuuur]

Originally Posted by TheBends

Slap a tele neck on there, and you're good to go.

I'm actually considering that a bit, given that there are some (a lot of) mess ups already happening that have taken the flow out of this build.
On the other hand... this won't be the last guitar I build, so a good chance I'll make a double uncut with regular tele hardware and neck. We'll see...

[mroll]

Hi Tuuur,

As I just finished my first Partscaster and have started working on my own Ikeacaster (pics to follow), I was wondering if there's a reason why you didn't route the body pieces before gluing them together? I've done one piece so far (following jwells routing directions and do-it-yourself routing table, of course) and it came out fine. I'm expecting that using the same template on each should result in a good match-up of the three pieces. I'm making a Thinline that going to be painted, so I'm not too worried if I make a mistake.

Anyway, your finished products look terrific. Keep it up.

[ghosttour]

This is cool, Tuuur! I'm enjoying following your progress...

[ste993]

Originally Posted by ghosttour

This is cool, Tuuur! I'm enjoying following your progress...

Yeah, any updates?

[rednwhiteblues]

mroll: speaking from my own experience, its a better idea to glue up your body first and then do a final routing of the body shape from your template, the main reason being that if you route your three pieces to shape and then glue them up and one (or more) of them "shifts" while the glue is drying, then you have a dilemma of "do I start over or fix it an dhave a non-standard tele shape for my body." my advice is glue your one piece that is already cut to size on top of the other two and use that piece as the template.

[mroll]

Originally Posted by rednwhiteblues

if you route your three pieces to shape and then glue them up and one (or more) of them "shifts" while the glue is drying, then you have a dilemma of "do I start over or fix it an dhave a non-standard tele shape for my body." my advice is glue your one piece that is already cut to size on top of the other two and use that piece as the template.

Thanks. While this is the first guitar body I've made, I have done a lot of woodworking with glued pieces and never had a problem with misalignment occurring during drying. To help avoid that, I was planning on gluing two pieces first, then adding the third, so there's only one glued surface drying at a time. I do like the idea of using the first piece as a template for the other two.

BTW, great job on the walnut thinline.

[rednwhiteblues]

thanks, i haven't done anything on it in months (college finals and taking care of my unemployment problems have seen to that quite thoroughly) but i hope to starting on the neck very soon.

tuuur, have you given any thought to the electronics you'll use on this one?

[Freedom Fries]

Love the concept!!

[tuuur]

Just got back from vacation, no updates yet.

Still thinking about doing a sunburst finish. The sides are pretty rough and uneven; maybe I'll use filler to mask the worst dents and paint them black. Then have a sunburst top from black to brown to yellow from outside to center.

The fretboard is going to sit too low on the top of the body. Maybe I need to make a wedge or so; but I can't figure out how to get that as straight as possible, having only the most basic woodworking tools at hand.

[iansmitchell]

bump?

[tuuur]

This project has been on hold for a looong time due to lack of funds...
but the $100 telecaster threads, and especially the Scatter Lee thread have been an inspiration to go on.

I just have to find some time and a neck, tuners and a pickup.

[tuuur]

Look what TDPRI member Geisha brought at the TDPRI NL Jam today!


A neck! From his Jagocaster project. Many thanks and good karma and mojo for him!

It needs a bit of work. First of all it has a weird headstock... second, there is a little chip out of the fretboard:


My guess is that that can be fixed with some synthetic wood repairing stuff.

Seems the Double Uncut is on the road again!

[iansmitchell]

Hmmm
Could just leave it be, shouldn't get in way of playing, I don't think.

[Bikersluggo]

Leave the headstock shape as is... it will be a Double Uncut Deluxe!

Way Cool

[tuuur]

Major progress today.

I made a template for the neckpocket. First drew it on paper, then sprayglued that on a piece of MDF, then jigsawed it. First try had too much room, second time around was better:


First I drilled some random holes in the neckpocket space to ease the routing:


Turned out pretty OK!

[tuuur]

A nice tight fit from the left:


... and the right:


... but still too much room in front:


Took a few moments with a file to get that sorted out.
All in all, not bad for a first routed neckpocket!

[tuuur]

Here it is in its current state next to my Caliber:

[Jef]

Very nice, Tuur,

Makes me think of Man Ray

[tuuur]

Originally Posted by Jef

Very nice, Tuur,

Makes me think of Man Ray

I know that pic!
Which leaves me with the eternal question: to pickguard or not to pickguard?

[Jef]

A Danelectro style plexi pickguard with the Man Ray picture underneath!

[chromaken]

Originally Posted by tuuur

I know that pic!
Which leaves me with the eternal question: to pickguard or not to pickguard?

This is Bryn, She really does have that tattoo. she plays upright bass.

[tuuur]

Did some shopping at Guitarfetish...


Hot Lead Alnico Overwound Tele Bridge Pickup


Wilkinson Compensated Tele Bridge Brass Saddles


Nickel Vintage Tuner Conversion Bushings


Nickel Vintage Fender-Style achines/Press fit Bushings

Vintage Nickel Tele Circular String Retainer

[tuuur]

At ca. 3:10, in the clip from Thomas Dolby's song She Blinded Me With Science, there also is a f-holed girl dancing:

[Lucretia]

Originally Posted by tuuur

At ca. 3:10, in the clip from Thomas Dolby's song She Blinded Me With Science, there also is a f-holed girl dancing:

Ah Magnus Pyke! Lest we forget!

[Jef]

Cool!
But the f-holes are upside down!

Jef

[tuuur]

Progress is slow and will remain slow for a while.

Made some decals today:

[olaftheholy]

Mooi wark tuuur!!! ik blijf dit wel volgen!
Nice work tuuur!!! i'll follow this thread!!!

Hihi

[TheDev01dOne]

I like it, looks great with no cutaway and 2 F holes. Almost archtop but not.

[tuuur]

Some small progress.

The decal is on the headstock:



Furthermore I cleaned up the body and rounded the edges.

[tuuur]

Couple mock up shots:









On to the next step: lots of sanding, and painting...
I plan to do a sunburst, but have no idea how to do it. Can it be achieved by rattle can or do I need stains? also, How do I prevent the paint from leaking into the f-holes? Questions, questions... I mean, learning objectives... :-)

[Derek McNelly]

Originally Posted by tuuur

Couple mock up shots:









On to the next step: lots of sanding, and painting...
I plan to do a sunburst, but have no idea how to do it. Can it be achieved by rattle can or do I need stains? also, How do I prevent the paint from leaking into the f-holes? Questions, questions... I mean, learning objectives... :-)

If you want to do a two tone SB, stain the body (I think a violin burst on this one would look great, so use Minwax Sedona Red for a true violin color. Brown with a twinge of red).

Once the stain is dry, mask off the top (and bottom if you want to burst the back), and spray the sides of the guitar black. Then once that's dry, remove about two or three inches of top masking from the outside perimeter of the body, and point the can toward the outside of the body (gives you more control) so that along the edge gets a solid stream, and the inside gets the fade, and follow along the body shape. Clear coat to taste. Well, don't really taste it.

That'll give you an awesome violin burst finish.

Also, don't put a pickguard on there. If you do a sunburst finish, it's going to look a thousand times better without a pickguard. Heck, any finish will look better without a pickguard on that guitar.

[homerzeppelin]

Originally Posted by Derek McNelly

(I think a violin burst on this one would look great,

+1

Esquire, no pickguard, violin burst!

[tuuur]

Been shopping and got me some ingredients:



- Sanding paper in 180, 250 and 320 grit
- Ecoline stains, colors Dark Ochre, Burnt Siena, and black
- pads to apply the stain
- grain filler

All set.

But wait...

Grain filler says: applicable on surfaces already primered...

Seems I bought the wrong one.