My First Build

[rodneynolan]

Thanks to the Welcome Wagon for the prompt to post pictures.

The plan for my first build is to use African Mahogany for the body, Walnut for the neck and Red Marblewood for the fretboard. I intentionally avoided alder and maple for no other reason than to try to steer off the main road a bit.

I picked up everything in these photos from Exotic Woods in Burlington, ON. I only recently discovered them and they have a room dedicated to already kiln dried luthier woods. These pieces have been sitting in this room for about two weeks so the next step is to dust off my router and start changing that rectangle into something that looks like a Tele body.

This build will be a long, drawn out process because I'll likely be a weekends-only kind of builder.

I'm in total beginners mode at this point so if you have ideas that you think I should soak up, lay em on me.


Cheers,
Rod

 

[guitarbuilder]

There is a wealth of information in this particular forum. The search feature at the top can lead you to the whole process including all the mistakes people make. I drove to Exotic Woods before 9/11 and bought some cocobolo bass fretboards. That's a nice wood place. Now you need an enhanced license or passport to go across from Buffalo or the Falls and I have neither.

Pattern routing can lead to tear out...so unless you have a spiral bit, you may want to consider the cutting and sanding approach. Most internet videos won't show you that as they just repeat the same thing over and over.




Some people have found these useful:

Let's make a neck!

Since many of my threads are essentially useless now due to photo blackmail, I thought I'd start a new one while I make a neck that I need for a build. This will be a maple two piece bolt on neck with a hotrod truss rod. I went to order a hotrod and saw they were back ordered, so I...

www.tdpri.com

Let's make a neck ( volume 2)

This one will be kind of LP single cut like, which is my favorite kind of guitar to play. My first American made guitar was a Gibson LP Custom in the mid 1970's. I've had LPs and variants ever since. Thanks go to Leslie West, Paul Kossoff, Tom Sholz, Peter Frampton, and all the others 70's...

www.tdpri.com

Let's make a neck ( volume 3)

This neck involves a pre -fabricated fretboard, a neck blank, and a double action truss rod. I was looking through my parts and found a body that I made years ago for a pair of Peavey Ferrite pickups and I guess a Peavey neck I had. I think I sold the neck off and the pickups are around...

www.tdpri.com

Let's make a body !

I started this a while ago as a companion thread to my " Let's make a neck threads". Making a body isn't too hard with the right resources. First you need to get yourself some dry lumber. I have good local sources for a lot of common domestic woods. I use the internet for things that I...

www.tdpri.com

Let's make a pickup!

I've decided that the next couple of months when it is impossible to work out in the shed due to the higher summer temps, that I'd start to wind a pickup or 6. I decided since I've never wound a pickup before it could be useful to start this thread for others in the same situation.

www.tdpri.com

Let's make a fingerboard

I needed a different fretboard for a neck I want to make. It is different than the ones I made this past summer on the Xcarve. This is one approach to making it. First off I am making it out of walnut. I like quartersawn fretboards. In this case I am using a walnut turning square I...

www.tdpri.com

 

[Steve Holt]

Very nice! When I was learning to build (still learning) I would just try to figure out what the next step was and then read and watch videos on how to do that step with the tools I had on hand at the time.

Google will bring you right back to this forum with a ton of answered questions. Even better than that you can just ask questions and get live answers from the fine folk here.

Luthier Tips Du Jour also is a wealth of information, though it does cater more to acoustic building I recall it being one of the foundational lessons for me on building.

 

[RogerC]

My first bit of advice is to listen to Marty (guitarbuilder). He's been doing this since most of us were but little kids (not saying he's old, but he does remember a time before the internet ). As a matter of fact, the fretboard radius jig that most home builders use is his design.

And regardless of what shaping method you choose — routing or sanding — the first order of business is to cut as closely to your perimeter line as possible (no more than 1/16" of material left outside your line. Closer is better). A lot of beginners have the mistaken assumption that a router is a mass removal tool. In industrial cases, that's true, but in consumer-grade situations, that will end up with ruined wood and/or ruined hands.

 

[Freeman Keller]

Thanks to the Welcome Wagon for the prompt to post pictures.

The plan for my first build is to use African Mahogany for the body, Walnut for the neck and Red Marblewood for the fretboard. I intentionally avoided alder and maple for no other reason than to try to steer off the main road a bit.

I'm in total beginners mode at this point so if you have ideas that you think I should soak up, lay em on me.


Cheers,
Rod

Welcome Rod. You have already received some of the best advise you can get. A couple more things - I always recommend Melvyn Hiscock's book - he literally covers every step of electric guitar building on three different style guitars. But he also talks about things like geometry and tools and woods and safety and finish..... Its all there.

Second, if you haven't downloaded the TDowns plans at the head of this forum do so. Take the pdf to Kinkos and get about four full sized prints. You will be cutting a few of these up to make templates and such.

Third, mahogany is my favorite body wood. Keep all the cutoffs for experimenting with finishes - mahogany does finish beautifully. When thinking about cutting and routing and all I think it is important to do everything in a logical order. I build the neck and body at the same time and don't route the bridge or pickup cavities until they are mated up. I am constantly checking the geometry as I make the neck and neck pocket. Its a good idea to have your bridge in hand as you build so you can keep checking against it.

I'm not sure I've seen a walnut neck but no reason it won't work fine. Many builders here do the traditional curved skunk stripe truss rod - that requires some jigging to route the channel. Hiscock shows how as does Marty in his neck building threads. I've used double acting truss rods on all of mine - they go in from the top and the route is much simpler. I also like how they work, but both are fine.

Lastly, have fun and don't be afraid to ask for advice.

 

[crazydave911]

I cut and spindle sand instead of route, but YMMV

 

[Peegoo]

The best advice I can offer is Take Your Time.


Be patient. Think through each operation before you do the operation. If you get in a hurry--which is normal--your work will look rushed. There really are no shortcuts. Take your time, ask lots of questions, and learn from your mistakes. Many of us have been building for many years and we all still goof up once in a while.

Also: wear eye pro and ear pro. A small flying wiod chip or a broken drill can hit you in the eye and it will be Life Changing.

 

[Freeman Keller]

To add to what Peegoo just said, respect your router.

 

[ChicknPickn]

The best advice I can offer is Take Your Time.


Be patient. Think through each operation before you do the operation. If you get in a hurry--which is normal--your work will look rushed. There really are no shortcuts. Take your time, ask lots of questions, and learn from your mistakes. Many of us have been building for many years and we all still goof up once i a while.

Also: wear eye pro and ear pro. A small flying wiod chip or a broken drill can hit you in the eye and it will ba Life Changing.

"Bob always said he didn't need safety glasses. Now, he doesn't."

 

[chaosman12]

Plans are good, and try to build to them, however, there will be deviations in every part you make and buy, and it's possible these deviations can all stack up in the same direction to cause set up problems. If you take the time to really understand the geometric relationships between the neck, body, bridge and strings you will be able to make adjustments as you go.

This thread by @Freeman Keller should help with the geometry:

Building for playability

Geometry 101 I’ve been thinking about doing this thread for quite a long time but several recent threads tell me this might be the time. If any of you have followed my ranting, er posting, you know that I am quite focused on the geometry of the guitar. I frankly don’t care what your guitar...

www.tdpri.com

It's not as complicated as it first appears. My simple mental model is that the body is a mounting base for the neck and the bridge. Your goal is to mount the neck and the bridge such that the surface of the fret plane, if extended towards the saddles, meets the saddles at their midpoint of adjustment. Thus, as you raise the saddles, you raise the strings off of the frets to get the desired action. Keep in mind that to raise the action at the 12th by X, the saddles must be raised by 2x.

I've only recently finished my first electric, so my naivety may be showing, but it also may resonate with a fellow rookie.

Get a digital caliper. Learn to use the depth gauge too. I've been using a $30 caliper (Harbor Freight) for years and it's still spot on (check by measuring the diameter of the smooth part of a drill bit, or even a guitar string.

This site is filled with truly helpful people, so ask questions and show your problems and progress. Solving problems is where the learning occurs.

 

[chaosman12]

tdpri.com is loaded with examples, techniques and solved problems. The search function at the top of the page however, frankly sucks. Instead use Google to search this site.

To do is, at your favorite google search field, preface your search with

site:tdpri.com <your search terms>

For example

site:tdpri.com walnut neck

You get Google quality results including pictures!

 

[rodneynolan]

There is a wealth of information in this particular forum. The search feature at the top can lead you to the whole process including all the mistakes people make. I drove to Exotic Woods before 9/11 and bought some cocobolo bass fretboards. That's a nice wood place. Now you need an enhanced license or passport to go across from Buffalo or the Falls and I have neither.

Pattern routing can lead to tear out...so unless you have a spiral bit, you may want to consider the cutting and sanding approach. Most internet videos won't show you that as they just repeat the same thing over and over.




Some people have found these useful:

Let's make a neck!

Since many of my threads are essentially useless now due to photo blackmail, I thought I'd start a new one while I make a neck that I need for a build. This will be a maple two piece bolt on neck with a hotrod truss rod. I went to order a hotrod and saw they were back ordered, so I...

www.tdpri.com

Let's make a neck ( volume 2)

This one will be kind of LP single cut like, which is my favorite kind of guitar to play. My first American made guitar was a Gibson LP Custom in the mid 1970's. I've had LPs and variants ever since. Thanks go to Leslie West, Paul Kossoff, Tom Sholz, Peter Frampton, and all the others 70's...

www.tdpri.com

Let's make a neck ( volume 3)

This neck involves a pre -fabricated fretboard, a neck blank, and a double action truss rod. I was looking through my parts and found a body that I made years ago for a pair of Peavey Ferrite pickups and I guess a Peavey neck I had. I think I sold the neck off and the pickups are around...

www.tdpri.com

Let's make a body !

I started this a while ago as a companion thread to my " Let's make a neck threads". Making a body isn't too hard with the right resources. First you need to get yourself some dry lumber. I have good local sources for a lot of common domestic woods. I use the internet for things that I...

www.tdpri.com

Let's make a pickup!

I've decided that the next couple of months when it is impossible to work out in the shed due to the higher summer temps, that I'd start to wind a pickup or 6. I decided since I've never wound a pickup before it could be useful to start this thread for others in the same situation.

www.tdpri.com

Let's make a fingerboard

I needed a different fretboard for a neck I want to make. It is different than the ones I made this past summer on the Xcarve. This is one approach to making it. First off I am making it out of walnut. I like quartersawn fretboards. In this case I am using a walnut turning square I...

www.tdpri.com

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction, Marty. Soooo much to absorb and I'm loving it!

Re: routing vs. sanding... I don't have a spiral bit but I also don't have a spindle sander. After the first read of the body thread though, I realize that shaping the body will come much later than I was originally thinking it would.

 

[rodneynolan]

Very nice! When I was learning to build (still learning) I would just try to figure out what the next step was and then read and watch videos on how to do that step with the tools I had on hand at the time.

Google will bring you right back to this forum with a ton of answered questions. Even better than that you can just ask questions and get live answers from the fine folk here.

Luthier Tips Du Jour also is a wealth of information, though it does cater more to acoustic building I recall it being one of the foundational lessons for me on building.

Luthier Tips Du Jour... added to my ever growing list of channel subscriptions. Thanks for the heads up, Steve.

 

[Steve Holt]

Robert O'Brien has a really calm voice too

 

[rodneynolan]

My first bit of advice is to listen to Marty (guitarbuilder).

Sold!

And regardless of what shaping method you choose — routing or sanding — the first order of business is to cut as closely to your perimeter line as possible (no more than 1/16" of material left outside your line. Closer is better). A lot of beginners have the mistaken assumption that a router is a mass removal tool. In industrial cases, that's true, but in consumer-grade situations, that will end up with ruined wood and/or ruined hands.

A band saw just isn't in the cards for the foreseeable future so I'll have to choose between a hand saw and a jig saw (which I've only used for rough work on softwood) for this first build.

 

[Steve Holt]

I'm building a mahogany telecaster currently over here if you want to check it out and follow along.

The Mahogany Rosewood Telecaster

Well it's a new year, cancer treatments are over (knock on mahogany and rosewood) and it's time for a new build. A friend of mine has been pestering me endlessly for this one. Just kidding. He's here reading this, but he won't speak up so I have to tease him a bit. I had surgery back in...

www.tdpri.com

 

[Freeman Keller]

Robert O'Brien has a really calm voice too

Sold!


A band saw just isn't in the cards for the foreseeable future so I'll have to choose between a hand saw and a jig saw (which I've only used for rough work on softwood) for this first build.

Robbie is a great resource but he is primarily an acoustic builder. His classical guitars are beautiful.

You can cut out solid body guitar bodies with a jig saw but bodies are typically8 1-3/4 thick so that is pushing it. A band saw just makes it so much nicer - you might want to ask any wood working friends if they would help you with that part of the build.

Oscillating spindle sanders are very popular with the guys here but I didn't buy one until I had built a couple dozen guitars and frankly I don't use it much since I got it. However a good router is vital and early on I bought a small router table which I frankly could not live without.

If you aren't completely overwhelmed with reading build threads, here is another one - a chambered (for lightness) tele looking guitar made out of mahogany

A chambered tele-ish sort of thing

I'm at kind of a bitter sweet moment in a current project. Some of you might have looked into my Chambered LPish thread - that guitar now has all the finish on it and is hanging quietly in my shop/garage. If I am good, it will hang there for two or three weeks (four would be even better but...

www.tdpri.com

 

[mjr428]

Sold!


A band saw just isn't in the cards for the foreseeable future so I'll have to choose between a hand saw and a jig saw (which I've only used for rough work on softwood) for this first build.

I've used a jigsaw for every body I ever cut out (no bandsaw either) with no problems, just take your time.

 

[Wheelhouse]

There you go, on the first page, you got about all the necessary reference threads.

My first build thread took months because I did the same - weekend building after summer ended, and a number of skipped weekends. And I didn't even make a neck! I'm in to check anybody's first build thread. Everybody above does great work. Looking forward to your progress. Congrats on starting a build. I thought it was the most fun thing I've done in many years, and I can't wait to do a second.

 

[crazydave911]

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction, Marty. Soooo much to absorb and I'm loving it!

Re: routing vs. sanding... I don't have a spiral bit but I also don't have a spindle sander. After the first read of the body thread though, I realize that shaping the body will come much later than I was originally thinking it would.

I built my first spindle sander (dearly wish I still had it) but in the present day you can't really beat Harbor Freight. Bought my first one 5 years ago with the extended warranty. Just last year it went belly up and although extended warranty is only two years I left with a new sander only paying for another extended warranty .
For cutting out my bodies I use my DeWalt saber saw (with Bosch metal cutting blades). Much more accurate than the affordable desktop bandsaws I've used