LumberJocks Woodworking Forum banner
41K views 110 replies 43 participants last post by  LeeJ 
#1 ·
First time making a guitar...

Late last year, the boys at the local hardware sent a young bloke over to buy some timber so he could build a Guitar… Electric Bass that is…

It even has a name

CHERRY DEMON….cool hey

And so does he… Johnathan…

He had never built one but was going to give it a try…

Today we finally got together to build it… you got it… He and I are going to build our first electric bass guitar.. together….

Found a nice piece of Hoop Pine… only bit big enough… and light to boot…



Using his prototype for a template, marked out the blank and then went to the band saw to rough out the shape.



Smoothed the curves on the Disc sander and the Spindle sander…NOTE that is a pencil mark for the centre line not a glue line… it is one solid piece of Hoop Pine..


Routered all edges top and bottom with a 1/2 inch round over bit and off to the ROS to smooth the blank all over…


I figured that Jonathan would like to be able to say he made it….... so I did a little and then he did the rest..


Back to Johnathan's house and a little grain filler to smooth out some small defects…

This Guitar is going to be sprayed Cherry…so we need to make sure it is a smooth as a bowling ball…

As this is almost pro bono, I figure he can do most of the work…

Once each week for a few hours… next week it is the Neck… better watch some videos to see what I have to teach him next… learning curve for both of us… I may even learn to play the guitar when it is finished…
 
See less See more
7
#32 ·
Joenathan maybe a lucky young man by having you as a good master, but I'm worry he may start drinking twice and would'nt bother to play music.
I'm sure you're heading to a very good result, my friend.
 
#33 ·
Well done, Larry. I'll bet you can build just about anything if you put your mind to it. I really enjoyed your blogs on cutting boards and saved them in case you never do another one!!
 
#35 ·
Contouring... or shaping the body...

As you will see from the following pics the back of the body of the guitar blank has been scarfed out with the bandsaw.. this is for comfort when the guitar is tilted out from the guitarist


When played the contour would be at the back of the guitar and to the top… I know I am preaching to the choir but some of my readers are even less knowledgeable than me…


Using a ROS and 80 grit the contour is smoothed and shaped for comfort… Sanding willcontinue through to 220 grit..
Starting to look like a guitar…

This photo shows the contour after sanding.
And a quick comparison… bought guitar that is the basis for this build … and the homegrown version.. with variations.
All the pickups, bridges, controls are set in place to see how it will look..



And one more from a slightly different angle…
 
#48 ·
Larry,

That's really looking SUPER GOOD!

I think you've found a New field for your woodworking!

Are you sure about possible Patent infringements? You don't want to get into a bunch of legal BS…
 
#55 ·
Now for the neck...

My fellow first time Luthier, Johnathan, arrived yesterday with a large lump of Hard Rock Maple over his shoulder…

Here it is running through the sanding thicknesser…


Being flat sawn, we need to rip it into thinner strips and then rotate and reglue to make it appear to be quarter sawn… much more stable..

Before taking it to the table saw for ripping, it was a few passes on the jointer to make a nice edge to go against the T/S fence…



Stips are cut…



After rolling on the glue. it is into the clamps for at least 24 hours…probably more…


Progress is slow but then Rome was not build in a day..
Next post will be routing a groove for the truss rod and beginning the cutting and shaping of the next and head stock…

Stay tuned…
 
#68 ·
Last weeks efforts..

It is this week already and have not posted pics of last weeks efforts…



















Well that is all the holes drilled for the knobs and pots…all done last week.

This week we cut the pocket for the neck… using the TWC… stay tuned…
 
#77 ·
Yesterday...

Marked out the shape of the headstock…


Off to the band saw cut the relief on the headstock… sliced off the excess…[will be smoothed at the TWC]





I find having the resaw guide [MagSwitch brand] is easier on the other side of the blade…


And now for the Demon shape….


Involving Johnathan in each part of the build… it is his after all … I am just providing the workshop.. and some tuition…
NB…. the offcuts were taped to the blank so we could cut the shape…
Smoothing the headstock at the TWC… [the ability to thickness part of a project with out interferring with the rest…]




The tapers of the neck are also cut on the bandsaw…


Rough shaping is done…

The TWC allows us to smooth the headstock…

This the headstock ready for final shaping…next week…

But while we had the TWC working… we set a pocket in the body to accept the neck…

Rather simple actually…

Clamp the body on the machine…set some parameters by eye… and then fine tune..


Using a half inch straight flute cutter and sneaking up on the depth..


A little closer….


Final depth achieved…


Quick check with the sample neck…


Looks like a nice fit..

Zoom out…


I know this post is a little longer than I normally put up… but we did get a fair amount done yesterday… and I know that there are a lot of peoples watching… and hopefully learning…

Next jam session …lol… will be next Tuesday… due mainly to the Brisbane Timber and Working With Wood Show… this weekend…

Unfortunately I will not be demonstrating at the show….as Ned Kelly said…

SUCH IS LIFE…
 
#90 ·
Late update...

For those who are following this blog… I apologise for the delay in posting progress reports… if you want to be updated first check out my blogsite… or wait and see it here… sometimes a little after the fact…

Marked out the shape of the headstock…


Off to the band saw cut the relief on the headstock… sliced off the excess…[will be smoothed at the TWC]





I find having the resaw guide [MagSwitch brand] is easier on the other side of the blade..


And now for the Demon shape….


Involving Johnathan in each part of the build… it is his after all … I am just providing the workshop.. and some tuition…

NB…..taped the offcuts back to the blank… to cut the shape…

Smoothing the headstock at the TWC… [the ability to thickness part of a project with out interferring with the rest…]




The tapers of the neck are also cut on the bandsaw…


Rough shaping is done…

The TWC allows us to smooth the headstock…

This the headstock ready for final shaping…next week…

But while we had the TWC working… we set a pocket in the body to accept the neck…

Rather simple actually…

Clamp the body on the machine…set some parameters by eye… and then fine tune..


Using a half inch straight flute cutter and sneaking up on the depth..


A little closer….


Final depth achieved…


Quick check with the sample neck…


Looks like a nice fit..

Zoom out…


I know this post is a little longer than I normally put up… but we did get a fair amount done yesterday… and I know that there are a lot of peoples watching… and hopefully learning…

Next jam session …lol… will be next Tuesday…
 
#91 ·
Nice going!

Very interesting!

I think you could make more money making & selling Guitars instead of Cutting boards, etc. etc. LOL
(really!)
 
#102 ·
Shaping the neck

Very quick update on the guitar… Johnathan has been rather busy galavanting around the South East and down to the Gold Coast…
Got him back into the workshop on Wednesday and started the final shaping of the back of the neck…..
Hood Grille Wood Rectangle Automotive exterior

Used a half inch radius round over bit to scarf out the rough shape… leaving quite a large quirk…
Wood Publication Artist Engineering Art

I gave Johnathan a rasp and told him to remove all the timber that did not look like a guitar neck… HMM sound a little like Mr Miyagi
Beard Gesture Facial hair Wrinkle Moustache

He had a lot of fun
Shirt Wood Engineering Artist Tool


and the end result was impressive.
Wood Rectangle Tints and shades Hardwood Wood stain

Getting so much closer…
So until next week….
 

Attachments

#103 ·
Shaping the neck

Very quick update on the guitar… Johnathan has been rather busy galavanting around the South East and down to the Gold Coast…
Got him back into the workshop on Wednesday and started the final shaping of the back of the neck…..
Hood Grille Wood Rectangle Automotive exterior

Used a half inch radius round over bit to scarf out the rough shape… leaving quite a large quirk…
Wood Publication Artist Engineering Art

I gave Johnathan a rasp and told him to remove all the timber that did not look like a guitar neck… HMM sound a little like Mr Miyagi
Beard Gesture Facial hair Wrinkle Moustache

He had a lot of fun
Shirt Wood Engineering Artist Tool


and the end result was impressive.
Wood Rectangle Tints and shades Hardwood Wood stain

Getting so much closer…
So until next week….
Very well done ,WAX on dude
 

Attachments

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top