A different "tele" adventure...

[anyone]

Hmm...



Should I stay?



Or should I go!


Either way, I'm pretty darn stoked on Kevin's generosity!


Cheers!
Chris

[Bentley]

Good advertising!

[adirondak5]

Originally Posted by anyone

Either way, I'm pretty darn stoked on Kevin's generosity!


Cheers !
Chris

Yep . Kevin at Curly Maple Wood is a class guy , I bought the top for this build from him



He sent this piece along with the top and a note thanking me for the purchase and if I could use the extra piece it was mine free



Which I sliced in two and used on this



Sorry for the highjack Chris , stay or go , either way you got 2 cool looking choices

[anyone]

Hey Herb,
Feel free to hijack anytime - especially to show such fantastic fiddles!
But please, oh please, make sure that Jet 16/32 isn't in anymore pics: jealousy saps all my creativity (haha).

[anyone]

Originally Posted by Bentley

Good advertising!

Nothing like a happy customer!

[R. Stratenstein]

I vote for a hybrid: Mostly stay, only without a pickguard to cover the beautiful figured wood, like go. If you're going to paint it, they both look good to me, and I'd have no preference.

And, gee. thanks a lot You got that song runnin through my head and now I got to go pull it out and listen to it again.

[anyone]

Originally Posted by R. Stratenstein

I vote for a hybrid: Mostly stay, only without a pickguard to cover the beautiful figured wood, like go. If you're going to paint it, they both look good to me, and I'd have no preference.

And, gee. thanks a lot You got that song runnin through my head and now I got to go pull it out and listen to it again.

At least I didn't say I was staying at the Copacabana... or Going Crazy from the Heat... haha.

Okay, whatever I do, I won't cover up any wood with plastic (or at least only if I have to...)

[ModerneGuy]

Stay or go it's all good for me - though I'm leaning towards "stay" - including the pickguard. It is possible to have too much wood on show you know ...mmm that doesn't sound right does it?

Looking forward to seeing another of your builds - always cool and quirky.

Cheers

[crazydave911]

I like body #2, but then again I love double cut-aways of all kinds

[anyone]

Originally Posted by ModerneGuy

Stay or go it's all good for me - though I'm leaning towards "stay" - including the pickguard. It is possible to have too much wood on show you know ...mmm that doesn't sound right does it?

Looking forward to seeing another of your builds - always cool and quirky.

Cheers

Thanks, MG! I know what you mean about too much (double entendre and all...haha.) Restraint is in order, but it's so hard to find sometimes...

Originally Posted by crazydave911

I like body #2, but then again I love double cut-aways of all kinds

If I go, there will be double! (cutaway that is)
Hey Dave! I think I am leaning more toward the double cut away too.

[michael0703]

Yep. I ordered a plank from Kevin myself. He gave me a freebie too. I will not order from anybody else. Great guy-quality product-fast friendly service. Cant beat it!

[Colt W. Knight]

I've ordered a lot from Kevin. The freebies are great!

[anyone]

Originally Posted by michael0703

Yep. I ordered a plank from Kevin myself. He gave me a freebie too. I will not order from anybody else. Great guy-quality product-fast friendly service. Cant beat it!

Originally Posted by Colt W. Knight

I've ordered a lot from Kevin. The freebies are great!

Glad to know I'm in good company!

[anyone]

So... I'm sure by now no one is wondering what's going on with this (haha).

But, rest assured, I haven't forgotten!

Since I mysteriously acquired enough lumber for 6 body blanks (thanks again James!), I decided to pursue both options! This is TDPRI after all, and I remember reading the signature of a wise poster that said, "If the question begins with 'Should I build...' the answer is 'Yes!'" So there ya have it!

I don't know why I bother with templates anymore - it's not like I ever build the same thing twice! I guess it's more of an essential brainstorming stage for me...

Here's some brainstorming on the pickguard:

Sketch on masking tape stuck to the outline.


Transfer the masking tape to some scrap mdf.


Cut out the new pickguard template and try it on.


I also work with actual wood! (I know, I know... crazy...)






I LOVE this new dish carving bit!


Good thing I remembered to drill the locating holes for the f-holes!


What you don't see is the iocaine powder, eating the f-holes through the mahogany!

(Or the Bosch jigsaw that preceded the files and sandpaper...)

And, of course, I feel compelled to make a third fiddle with a carved top and back. So, of course, I sketched out a little carving guide:

I also used an exacto blade to make a bunch of perforations, so I could play 'connect the...' um... 'dashes'. (See the light?)

How about now?


Anyhow... Oh yeah! Connect the dashes:


Then, of course, erase and draw some more.... um... interesting lines:


And the whole shebang:

I used my inset template and a template guide bushing to rout the perimeter. This way (hopefully) the outline won't be lost when I rout in the terraces for the carve.... I'm really curious to see how this works out (haha).

[kwerk]

I've spent the last 10 years building up a tolerance to iocaine powder.

That's one crazy looking piece of Mahog. The body shape is tres cool too.

[crazydave911]

Originally Posted by anyone

I'm really curious to see how this works out (haha).

Nice rack............er..................tracing




On a non-related subject.............there's gotta be a law against owning that much mahogany, right?

[anyone]

Originally Posted by kwerk

I've spent the last 10 years building up a tolerance to iocaine powder.

That's one crazy looking piece of Mahog. The body shape is tres cool too.

I knew it! With all those mad skills, you just have to be a CDPR (Certified Dread Pirate Roberts)!
Thanks, Phil.

Originally Posted by crazydave911

Nice rack............er..................tracing




On a non-related subject.............there's gotta be a law against owning that much mahogany, right?

Ya know, Dave, I had a feeling posting that new Freud bit would somehow lead to trouble... but I just stuffed it down inside like all my other feelings...
Rock on, my repressed Brotha!

Cheers Fellas!

[dazzaman]

Originally Posted by anyone

And the whole shebang:

I used my inset template and a template guide bushing to rout the perimeter. This way (hopefully) the outline won't be lost when I rout in the terraces for the carve.... I'm really curious to see how this works out (haha).

Ah, looking forward to this. I see the similarity with your challenge build. But why do I have a funny feeling there will be a few curve balls along the way...

[Muzikp]

I'm glad you are doing "stay" and "go". I missed this until now but I would have voted for go. I'm looking forward to this thread developing, reading your writings makes me wish I would have paid attention in English class , I always enjoy the clever wording.

That Mahog looks great now that you have planed it, I wouldn't have guessed the grain looked like that underneath the rough exterior it had when I saw it.

Are these both going to be bolt-on necks with a bigsby? I don't know why I automatically think angled set necks when I see mahogany.

[anyone]

Originally Posted by dazzaman

Ah, looking forward to this. I see the similarity with your challenge build. But why do I have a funny feeling there will be a few curve balls along the way...

Hey Daz! Thanks, man. I think morbid curiosity compels you to watch... I'm bound to make some mistakes, and when I feel I've got nothing to lose...well then I just start throwin' the curve balls... Either way, it'll be fun!

Originally Posted by Muzikp

I'm glad you are doing "stay" and "go". I missed this until now but I would have voted for go. I'm looking forward to this thread developing, reading your writings makes me wish I would have paid attention in English class , I always enjoy the clever wording.

That Mahog looks great now that you have planed it, I wouldn't have guessed the grain looked like that underneath the rough exterior it had when I saw it.

Are these both going to be bolt-on necks with a bigsby? I don't know why I automatically think angled set necks when I see mahogany.

Hey James! Funny you mention it - I'm currently having a terrible time trying to pay attention in English class (haha). I don't know why I can't focus... (I'm actually enjoying my classes this time around.)

Yeah, I was pretty stoked to see that grain coming through. I know what ya mean about mahogany and angled set necks. But, yeah, these will be bolt necks, albeit with slight angles... I'm just stuck on the no-truss-rod thing, so I want to make it easy if a neck goes south. At least one will have a Bigsby...maybe both... Speaking of mahogany and angled necks -- those Telepaul Lescasters look fantastic!

Cheers, man!