Not quite. I still have a ways to go on the peghead transition and general scraping and sanding.
Thanks... you are seeing it from a few feet away...LOL.
1959 Mechanix Illustrated Electric Guitar Build
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Not quite. I still have a ways to go on the peghead transition and general scraping and sanding.
Thanks... you are seeing it from a few feet away...LOL.
BluesBlooded
Friend of Leo's
Nice work Marty!
Nice project.
A word on aluminum truss rods. I made a short scale guitar with a mahogany neck and used an aluminum u-channel and filled the U with a strip of maple. Still flexes more than I would like even with 9 ga strings and 23.5" scale.
A word on aluminum truss rods. I made a short scale guitar with a mahogany neck and used an aluminum u-channel and filled the U with a strip of maple. Still flexes more than I would like even with 9 ga strings and 23.5" scale.
Zepfan
Doctor of Teleocity
You really have to consider the shape and thickness of the aluminum. Say you used a 1/2" piece of channel, a 1/2" square tube or solid square bar would be stronger with not much added weight.
Thanks Andre!
Yeah...I probably wouldn't use aluminum unless it was solid and bar shaped.
This is going to be more body heavy with the walnut running through it.
jimdkc
Friend of Leo's
I have some 3/8" cold-rolled steel square tubing that I'm going to try sometime. Stuff's very rigid and pretty light.
slick4772
Tele-Meister
Very interested in seeng the finished product.
I glued up the second two pieces for the back. Then the weather got lousy. I managed to thickness sand both sections to 3/16" thick and processed them into a top and back. The nicer of the two will be the top.
Continue with the neck shaping. I have found this to be a useful tool. It is a 50 grit, 3 x 21 abrasive belt with a piece of surfaced wood inside. It's rounded at one end and square at the other. I stick some popsicle sticks ( 4 of them here) in there to take up the space. It is a bit hard on the hands since it is is so coarse, but works nicely. I see people shoe shining this step... I think going with the grain is the way to do it.
Drilled and glued in plastic dot rod.
Tatercaster
Friend of Leo's
Nice! I need to make one of those blocks.
I sanded the fretboard lightly with my radius beam at 220 grit and used a small triangular file to chamfer the slots. I only like to do it for 2 strokes each slot. Reason... the fretwire is extruded and where the bead meets the tang produces a fillet ( fill - it.....not filet...that's a steak ) or small radius between the surfaces. The chamfer allows the fret to seat more easily. It's worth the effort in my opinion.
My first and best fretwire radius jig
The frets get pressed in. 12-14 were harder than usual due to the heel.
I press and trim off the ends on one side to keep the fret from popping out during that task.
and they are in and trimmed flush.
My first and best fretwire radius jig
The frets get pressed in. 12-14 were harder than usual due to the heel.
I press and trim off the ends on one side to keep the fret from popping out during that task.
and they are in and trimmed flush.
Barncaster
Doctor of Teleocity
Mmmmm filet! You had to type that didn't you. And the neck is looking sweet!
Thanks! I wouldn't mind a couple of those Wal-Mart bacon wrapped tenderloin filets right now myself.
My fretboard clamping caul doubles as a fret gluing caul. Two tiny shots of dollar store glue per fret on each side.
4 Cat Slim
Poster Extraordinaire
Off subject,I know, but I was just curious about what vehicles were tested by MI's
Tom McCahill in that issue...
One of the best things my father ever did was subscribing to both Mechanix Illustrated and
Popular Mechanics. It's probably why I am the way I am today, taking apart things and building things all my life.
Tom McCahill in that issue...
One of the best things my father ever did was subscribing to both Mechanix Illustrated and
Popular Mechanics. It's probably why I am the way I am today, taking apart things and building things all my life.
Tatercaster
Friend of Leo's
My first and best fretwire radius jig
I used a similar device to straighten strip of electrical contacts when I ran a stamping press. Adding an adjustment screw to the middle post would allow you to fine tune the bend for a different neck radius.
This is true. I believe when I built it, I put a slot behind one the rollers for that purpose. It's been about 31 years though...and all I've done is a 12-14" radius radius on my fretboards. This is set to bend about 11" R or so..just a hair tighter.
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