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After speaking with a fellow Lumberjock and good friend about building an electric Guitar I decided to post the progress of how to build one here.

Since this is not a "Full-time" gig at the moment I am not doing this full time but I can get you through this as I build one (or 4 as the case may be).

In the first part of the building process you need to determine what kind of Giutar you want to build. The things to consider is Bass vs. 6-string. And then you need to decide whether you want a bolt on neck, a "set-neck" (which I havent done yet, but have a few Luthier friends that can help or a "Neck-Through" where the neck runs the entire length of the guitar.

In these first photos I have a Bass Neck with truss rod and fretboard already put in/on (truss rod has been put "in" the dado slot in the neck and the fretboard has been glued on).

One more thing you need to consider is what "style" of fretboard to use. There are several, what I call styles, ranging from 3 different Gibson fret layouts, a Fender layout and a Paul Reed Smith layout. All these are common on these different makes of guitars and the fret layout template can be purchased from Stewart=MacDonald ( from here on referred to as "Stew-Mac".

The fretboard that im using on the Bass is a 34" scale bass layout.

To get started on this design I used a 3" x 3" piece of laminated Maple/Purple Heart/Brazilian Cherry neck and it should be 40" long (just to be safe).

There is no room for anything short of perfect as harmonics are very important. Everything must be square, strait and perpendicular.

After The neck is laminated, I cut a 12 degree rake 7" from the head of the guitar.

By placing a piece of self adhesive 60 grit sandpaper on a perfectly flat object and making sure that there are three lines (approximately 1 16th" apart from where the rake in the neck starts I turn the neck top-down and make sure that the head piece is perfectly strait, square and perpendicular.

this is all for now, you can e-mail me at obiwan_themonk@yahoo.com if you have any questions, and I'll do my best to answer them. Or bounce there from here

I'll try to get some more pictures as soon as I find someone who can operate a camera.

Gallery

Comments

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Cool looking headstock on the middle one.
 

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That was quick… and thank you.
 

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Hey, I follow all the luthier threads. I am looking forward to following this. I've never tried building an electric.
 

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Building an electric seems much easier. An Accoustic seems too fragile. This thread might take a while to complete. I have about 5 bodies already cut out, five fretboards already slotted, now I just gotta catch up with the necks.
 

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I'm with Rikkor. Sort of a semi-professional luthier myself (semi-amateur?)

I'll be watching, for sure-looks good so far, and some wild colors!
 

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Looks great so far. I'll be watching.
 

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looks fun…i will be watching…then listening???
 

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Cool, I am really interested in your project.
 

· In Loving Memory
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Nice project Obi, where you been keepin yourself? mike
 

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This should be an interesting blog.

The neck looks like it's going to be a beauty.

I've made a guitar, but it'll be nice to see your process.

Don't worry about how long it takes, I've got patience.
 

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Mike… I've been in the shop. Between the guitars and the cam clamps I hardly ever take time out for anything else. Oh, wait… after I made the first guitar , which I guess Dick missed, I learned how to play it. Took me 30 days to learn how to play it well enough to play it every Sunday at church so I also have practice on Thursday evenings.

And I bought 40' of 1/4" steel so I got started on a project to make 40 cam clamps. SO figuring the cost of making them it turns out basic cost of materials is about $2.00 and once I start mass producing them I can probably make 20 pair a day.

So I guess I have been a little busy.

Oh and I got a Bass that is across town at a friends I'll get pictures of it to post.
 

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obie…amazing…one more thing to think about in terms of your true genius…you are were waaaaaay ahead of the rest of us in terms of efficiency…the gas savings along on your transportation to work and back would afford me a new set of tools and materials a year…
 

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Matt,
It wasn't accually by choice as much as it was neccessity.
 

· In Loving Memory
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Again nicely done For my particular way of thinking a jock or woodworker should make as much as he can for these luthiery and not rely on buying bridges etc already made. The stew catalogue is well done but most iof his jigs even, could be home made with a litlle ingenuity.Please keep them coming and good luck you're a trre lumberjock regards Alistair
 

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Nice Job!
 

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I guess I should post some more pictures of this… It's down at the church in the Musician's closet… still needs a little work.
 

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I look forward to following your blog. Good job!
 

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I guess it's been a while so I added a picture of the progress as of today on the middle neck. This is actually the third body for this neck. Mahogany back with a Quilted Maple top. I'm still working on the front so I'll post more pictures when I finish sanding.
 
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