Building a guitar. . . . Hummmm... - Page 4

need2retire · November 29th, 2007, 11:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ronkirn

Oppps . . my bad..... I just got nailed by Paul, I wasn't thinking, Seems there might just be a wee bit of consternation on Fender's part about something like that.....

Ron Kirn

darn ... I was excited about that thread. Would it be ok if you just walk us through the neck finish & setup (without the neck shaping) in this thread or a new one?

Ronkirn · November 30th, 2007, 11:19 AM

yeah, I'll take some shots and put something together.

rk

Nick JD · November 30th, 2007, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ronkirn

yeah, I'll take some shots and put something together.

rk

Ron - seeing just how little wood is actually removed from a USACG headstock to emulate a more well known shape, how do USACG manage to avoid breaking a particular company's registered trademark (especially with the level of variation of the said company's headstock shape over the years)? I would have thought going G&L would have been necessary to avoid costly conflict.

mojocasterman · November 30th, 2007, 04:50 PM

wow, fantastic stuff! That neck looks superb.

Ronkirn · December 1st, 2007, 05:46 PM

Welllll didn’t do much today, I messed around on the golf course this morning, but this afternoon, I spent a bit of time sanding the body getting it ready clear then a decal.

Wet sanding is not necessary at this stage, it only has clear sealer on ‘er and it is formulated to sand beautifully.

On to the neck. . ..

Ron Kirn

Ronkirn · December 1st, 2007, 05:50 PM

I shot a few coats of the nitro then added the decal; the Flame is really starting to “pop” now. Not too much to discuss about the process. Ya hold the neck, aim the spray gun and pull the trigger…

this bugger is NOT polished yet….. I’m even getting anxious to see how it comes out….

Ron Kirn

j_hunter_hkr · December 1st, 2007, 05:52 PM

My oh my, this going to be a beauty! Any chance of some more shots of that decal, Ron?

Jamie

Ronkirn · December 1st, 2007, 05:55 PM

Yeah, as it gets nearer to completion.... I'll move it under the studio strobes and shoot a few closeups...

Ron Kirn

bglaze · December 1st, 2007, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ronkirn

this bugger is NOT polished yet….. I’m even getting anxious to see how it comes out….

Looks polished to me... If that isn't shiny, I'm definitely looking forward to see what is!

alculader · December 2nd, 2007, 03:19 PM

WOW, this is going to be a beauty!!!!!
Thanks so much for sharing the process.
Now, you said $400.00 plus shipping right.
I'll take four of them right now.....LOL

Ronkirn · December 8th, 2007, 06:58 PM

Well in the past week, I have done nothing more than a little sanding, and a bit of clear. Y'all know how to sand, I'm betting, and spraying a few clear coats isn’t rocket science.

I darkened the back a touch because the clear over the original shade made it look kinda bland, now it has a museum piece quality to the coloring...

There was some discussion as to what pickguard, or if none at all, so here's a preview of what lays ahead...

Now, remember, this only has a few clear coats and a lotta fingerprints… I just did the dry setup so we could see what he would look like…. There’s plenty of work remaining..

and without..... I don't have a pickup bezel handy, I was going to make one out of Aluminum foil, but it still had Bar-B-Q sauce on it from the ribs, so I skipped that... use the imagination...

and this guitar will commemorate the addition of a new youngster to Brock’s world.

And here is that ratty old back, complete with dust and fingerprints…. dawggone static ‘lektricity.

More to come….

Ron Kirn

jwells393 · December 8th, 2007, 07:55 PM

Just an opinion .......... and you know what they are like. I think I like it with the pickguard.

Great place for putting a name.

mowcheeba · December 8th, 2007, 08:14 PM

Looks fantastic! I like it with pickguard but can't stop thinking about how it would look with a white/cream pickguard. Maybe even a tortoise pickguard.
But what do I know, you are the builder :)

bglaze · December 8th, 2007, 08:14 PM

Oh, wow! Ron, that is unspeakably gorgeous! I definitely like it with the pickguard. The black Bakelite is exactly what it needs. It's perfect. This truly is going to be a museum piece. Thanks for posting these pics!

Marco_NL · December 9th, 2007, 07:21 AM

Ron, first of all, my compliments on your work. This Tele looks amazing!!

Loose the pickgard. It's such a waste of that beautifull top !!

Thanx for the sharing.

hwestman · December 9th, 2007, 07:47 AM

Not a fan of "furniture" teles but this looks good.

I think it would look best without pg OR pickup surround since the routing seems very clean.

IMHO that is

telex · December 9th, 2007, 08:00 AM

That body reminds me of a Hummingbird.

It would look really cool with a Hummingbird pickguard!

Ronkirn · December 9th, 2007, 08:04 AM

Thanks to y'all, for the nice words..... Doing something like this is so rewarding... all I can say, if you haven't built your own, why not, what's up wiff dat?

I still remember vividly the first I ever did, back in '62 or there abouts. I'd love to see that thing today, but time and circumstance, ya know, but, I never regretted doing it, so all y'all sitting on the fence, just do it.... don't let the cost dissuade you, it’s gonna cost several hundred bux at the entry level, so tell the little lady to skip the new curtains.

Now back to Brock's.... I'm into the clear coating. That takes several weeks of spraying, letting it sit, sanding and repeat. So it'll probably be after the holidays before I get back, to the heavy lifting, but then we'll be finalizing the project with plenty more photos to come....

Merry Christmas to all. . .

Ron Kirn

need2retire · December 9th, 2007, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ronkirn

Thanks to y'all, for the nice words..... Doing something like this is so rewarding... all I can say, if you haven't built your own, why not, what's up wiff dat?

I still remember vividly the first I ever did, back in '62 or there abouts. I'd love to see that thing today, but time and circumstance, ya know, but, I never regretted doing it, so all y'all sitting on the fence, just do it.... don't let the cost dissuade you, it’s gonna cost several hundred bux at the entry level, so tell the little lady to skip the new curtains.

Now back to Brock's.... I'm into the clear coating. That takes several weeks of spraying, letting it sit, sanding and repeat. So it'll probably be after the holidays before I get back, to the heavy lifting, but then we'll be finalizing the project with plenty more photos to come....

Merry Christmas to all. . .

Ron Kirn

Thanks, Merry Christmas to you!!! Can't wait till you get back to posting more pics.

LaRSin · December 13th, 2007, 07:27 PM

bglaze · December 14th, 2007, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LaRSin

looks close to my Parts

It sure does, that's a real nice guitar you've got there!

tkcrabby · December 14th, 2007, 04:01 PM

I just found this thread and it's great!

I like the guitar MUCH better without the pickguard NOR a ring for the neck pickup,,,, it looks FANTASTIC!!!!

Ronkirn · December 22nd, 2007, 08:24 PM

T’was a few before Christmas, and all through the house,
Not a creature was stirring, not even the spouse.
The Necks were all cured, by the buffer so slick
In the hopes that fat Ronnie would give ‘em a tick.

The wife’s all nestled, away to on the road
So it’s me and my wishes, and me, they do goad…
Out to the shop, with well a lacquered stick
A bottle of compound will make ‘em real slick

So we begin by leveling the frets…. I’m going to interject other photos to illustrate problems that may arise, so don’t panic…

I begin by mounting the neck firmly. . .

Then level the fingerboard, tightening the truss rod to pull it to the desired beginning point. I want it under a slight bit of truss rod pressure. No fancy hyper expensive or precise straight edge is needed; you just want to be sure it’s as level as reasonable to begin.

Now, using a good firm, rigid piece of about anything, with an abrasive strip begin “filing” the frets. I use a varying rotating motion, reversing directions often.

The tool will naturally follow the radius of the frets so that’s not a problem.

Ron Kirn

Ronkirn · December 22nd, 2007, 08:32 PM

Paying attention to the abrasion as it cuts the frets, watch for any irregular areas…
OH, this is not the new neck I’m doing, I just interject it here to illustrate what to watch for if doing a used well worn neck.

Mark the areas of interest ( I use a sharpie) and watch as the mark is cut away…

This is where it becomes labor intensive, because you must remove all the frets down to the lowest point as indicated here..

Once the lowest point is cut, it’s time to move on to crowning…

Ron Kirn

November 30th, 2007, 11:19 AM	#122 (permalink)
Ronkirn Friend of Leo's Join Date: May 2003 Location: Jacksonville, FL Age: 62 Posts: 2,403	yeah, I'll take some shots and put something together. rk __________________ Lord, give me a sense of humor. Give me the grace to see a joke, To get some humor out of life, and pass it on to other folks. The only thing necessary for evil to triumph, is for good men to do nothing......

November 30th, 2007, 04:50 PM	#124 (permalink)
mojocasterman Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 4,204	wow, fantastic stuff! That neck looks superb. __________________ Lentz HSL - McNaught SC Jr - Tom Anderson Cobra w/ 3 P90s - Crook Custom Tele w/ Lollar & TV Jones - Trussart Deluxe Steelcaster - Vinetto Legato - SRV Strat - Dr. Z. Carmen Ghia & Mini Z - Fender Tweed Blues Junior.

December 1st, 2007, 05:46 PM	#125 (permalink)
Ronkirn Friend of Leo's Join Date: May 2003 Location: Jacksonville, FL Age: 62 Posts: 2,403	Welllll didn’t do much today, I messed around on the golf course this morning, but this afternoon, I spent a bit of time sanding the body getting it ready clear then a decal. Wet sanding is not necessary at this stage, it only has clear sealer on ‘er and it is formulated to sand beautifully. On to the neck. . .. Ron Kirn __________________ Lord, give me a sense of humor. Give me the grace to see a joke, To get some humor out of life, and pass it on to other folks. The only thing necessary for evil to triumph, is for good men to do nothing......

December 1st, 2007, 05:50 PM	#126 (permalink)
Ronkirn Friend of Leo's Join Date: May 2003 Location: Jacksonville, FL Age: 62 Posts: 2,403	I shot a few coats of the nitro then added the decal; the Flame is really starting to “pop” now. Not too much to discuss about the process. Ya hold the neck, aim the spray gun and pull the trigger… this bugger is NOT polished yet….. I’m even getting anxious to see how it comes out…. Ron Kirn __________________ Lord, give me a sense of humor. Give me the grace to see a joke, To get some humor out of life, and pass it on to other folks. The only thing necessary for evil to triumph, is for good men to do nothing......

December 1st, 2007, 05:55 PM	#128 (permalink)
Ronkirn Friend of Leo's Join Date: May 2003 Location: Jacksonville, FL Age: 62 Posts: 2,403	Yeah, as it gets nearer to completion.... I'll move it under the studio strobes and shoot a few closeups... Ron Kirn __________________ Lord, give me a sense of humor. Give me the grace to see a joke, To get some humor out of life, and pass it on to other folks. The only thing necessary for evil to triumph, is for good men to do nothing......

December 1st, 2007, 05:52 PM	#127 (permalink)
j_hunter_hkr Tele-Meister Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Hull, England Age: 21 Posts: 107	My oh my, this going to be a beauty! Any chance of some more shots of that decal, Ron? Jamie

December 2nd, 2007, 03:19 PM	#130 (permalink)
alculader TDPRI Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 20	WOW, this is going to be a beauty!!!!! Thanks so much for sharing the process. Now, you said $400.00 plus shipping right. I'll take four of them right now.....LOL

December 8th, 2007, 06:58 PM	#131 (permalink)
Ronkirn Friend of Leo's Join Date: May 2003 Location: Jacksonville, FL Age: 62 Posts: 2,403	Well in the past week, I have done nothing more than a little sanding, and a bit of clear. Y'all know how to sand, I'm betting, and spraying a few clear coats isn’t rocket science. I darkened the back a touch because the clear over the original shade made it look kinda bland, now it has a museum piece quality to the coloring... There was some discussion as to what pickguard, or if none at all, so here's a preview of what lays ahead... Now, remember, this only has a few clear coats and a lotta fingerprints… I just did the dry setup so we could see what he would look like…. There’s plenty of work remaining.. and without..... I don't have a pickup bezel handy, I was going to make one out of Aluminum foil, but it still had Bar-B-Q sauce on it from the ribs, so I skipped that... use the imagination... and this guitar will commemorate the addition of a new youngster to Brock’s world. And here is that ratty old back, complete with dust and fingerprints…. dawggone static ‘lektricity. More to come…. Ron Kirn __________________ Lord, give me a sense of humor. Give me the grace to see a joke, To get some humor out of life, and pass it on to other folks. The only thing necessary for evil to triumph, is for good men to do nothing......

December 8th, 2007, 07:55 PM	#132 (permalink)
jwells393 Doctor of Teleocity Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Albuquerque, USA Age: 64 Posts: 11,691 101 Photos	Just an opinion .......... and you know what they are like. I think I like it with the pickguard. Great place for putting a name. __________________ Jack's Disclaimer: When I say something.... always ask yourself ..... "What the hell does he know?" _ Guys - learn to disable the flash on your digital cameras.

December 8th, 2007, 08:14 PM	#133 (permalink)
mowcheeba Tele-Holic Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Cochiguaz, Elqui Valley Age: 31 Posts: 525 23 Photos	Looks fantastic! I like it with pickguard but can't stop thinking about how it would look with a white/cream pickguard. Maybe even a tortoise pickguard. But what do I know, you are the builder :)

December 8th, 2007, 08:14 PM	#134 (permalink)
bglaze Tele-Holic Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Indiana Age: 24 Posts: 509	Oh, wow! Ron, that is unspeakably gorgeous! I definitely like it with the pickguard. The black Bakelite is exactly what it needs. It's perfect. This truly is going to be a museum piece. Thanks for posting these pics!

December 9th, 2007, 07:21 AM	#135 (permalink)
Marco_NL TDPRI Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Netherlands Age: 32 Posts: 14	Ron, first of all, my compliments on your work. This Tele looks amazing!! Loose the pickgard. It's such a waste of that beautifull top !! Thanx for the sharing.

December 9th, 2007, 07:47 AM	#136 (permalink)
hwestman Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Stockholm, Sweden Posts: 324	Not a fan of "furniture" teles but this looks good. I think it would look best without pg OR pickup surround since the routing seems very clean. IMHO that is

December 9th, 2007, 08:00 AM	#137 (permalink)
telex Tele-Holic Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: New Hampshire, USA Posts: 503	That body reminds me of a Hummingbird. It would look really cool with a Hummingbird pickguard!

December 9th, 2007, 08:04 AM	#138 (permalink)
Ronkirn Friend of Leo's Join Date: May 2003 Location: Jacksonville, FL Age: 62 Posts: 2,403	Thanks to y'all, for the nice words..... Doing something like this is so rewarding... all I can say, if you haven't built your own, why not, what's up wiff dat? I still remember vividly the first I ever did, back in '62 or there abouts. I'd love to see that thing today, but time and circumstance, ya know, but, I never regretted doing it, so all y'all sitting on the fence, just do it.... don't let the cost dissuade you, it’s gonna cost several hundred bux at the entry level, so tell the little lady to skip the new curtains. Now back to Brock's.... I'm into the clear coating. That takes several weeks of spraying, letting it sit, sanding and repeat. So it'll probably be after the holidays before I get back, to the heavy lifting, but then we'll be finalizing the project with plenty more photos to come.... Merry Christmas to all. . . Ron Kirn __________________ Lord, give me a sense of humor. Give me the grace to see a joke, To get some humor out of life, and pass it on to other folks. The only thing necessary for evil to triumph, is for good men to do nothing......

December 13th, 2007, 07:27 PM	#140 (permalink)
LaRSin TDPRI Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Pickering, Ontario. Posts: 46	looks close to my Parts __________________ 1973 Fender Tele. 1997 Fender Tele Squire Pro Series 2000 Partscaster Tele ------------------------------- 40 Watt Traynor Amp YCV40 -------------------------------

December 14th, 2007, 04:01 PM	#142 (permalink)
tkcrabby TDPRI Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Western Ky, USA Posts: 42	I just found this thread and it's great! I like the guitar MUCH better without the pickguard NOR a ring for the neck pickup,,,, it looks FANTASTIC!!!!

December 22nd, 2007, 08:24 PM	#143 (permalink)
Ronkirn Friend of Leo's Join Date: May 2003 Location: Jacksonville, FL Age: 62 Posts: 2,403	T’was a few before Christmas, and all through the house, Not a creature was stirring, not even the spouse. The Necks were all cured, by the buffer so slick In the hopes that fat Ronnie would give ‘em a tick. The wife’s all nestled, away to on the road So it’s me and my wishes, and me, they do goad… Out to the shop, with well a lacquered stick A bottle of compound will make ‘em real slick So we begin by leveling the frets…. I’m going to interject other photos to illustrate problems that may arise, so don’t panic… I begin by mounting the neck firmly. . . Then level the fingerboard, tightening the truss rod to pull it to the desired beginning point. I want it under a slight bit of truss rod pressure. No fancy hyper expensive or precise straight edge is needed; you just want to be sure it’s as level as reasonable to begin. Now, using a good firm, rigid piece of about anything, with an abrasive strip begin “filing” the frets. I use a varying rotating motion, reversing directions often. The tool will naturally follow the radius of the frets so that’s not a problem. Ron Kirn __________________ Lord, give me a sense of humor. Give me the grace to see a joke, To get some humor out of life, and pass it on to other folks. The only thing necessary for evil to triumph, is for good men to do nothing......

December 22nd, 2007, 08:32 PM	#144 (permalink)
Ronkirn Friend of Leo's Join Date: May 2003 Location: Jacksonville, FL Age: 62 Posts: 2,403	Paying attention to the abrasion as it cuts the frets, watch for any irregular areas… OH, this is not the new neck I’m doing, I just interject it here to illustrate what to watch for if doing a used well worn neck. Mark the areas of interest ( I use a sharpie) and watch as the mark is cut away… This is where it becomes labor intensive, because you must remove all the frets down to the lowest point as indicated here.. Once the lowest point is cut, it’s time to move on to crowning… Ron Kirn __________________ Lord, give me a sense of humor. Give me the grace to see a joke, To get some humor out of life, and pass it on to other folks. The only thing necessary for evil to triumph, is for good men to do nothing......

December 22nd, 2007, 08:41 PM	#145 (permalink)
Ronkirn Friend of Leo's Jo