Routing for the archtop pickup - Video

This is what I was at yesterday - I am taking a day off because I woke up feeling head-coldy and I am too tired to be doing important things on the instruments - I will resume tomorrow or Monday.

This is a picture of the removal of the most of the pickup cavity wood - less work for the router to do, it will help the blade last longer due to less unnecessary cutting.

I will sign off here, I am relaxing to Stravinsky's Rite of Spring. That boy could write a wee tune liek... :)

Be well,

Mike

Neck shaping videos / Fretting tips and technique

Shaping the headstock and neck transition area.

Bear with this one - the video glitches, but my short commentary at the end will still be heard, just out of sync! Apologies on behalf of technology everywhere!

Neck heel/body transition area.

Rough neck contour completed.

Fretting tips and technique.

God bless you,

Mike

2 more videos - Thicknessing

I am near paralytic with tiredness tonight, here are 2 videos - #2 and #3 of 3, showing some thicknessing. Video #1 is 12 minutes long and therefore too much for youtube to handle, I will be trimming it soon... I assume that everyone waits with bated breath...

#2

#3

I was super productive today, hence paralysis... more videos to follow. More pics to follow, and just to round this off...

Blessings!

Mike

Building is progressing.

I am very tired, words will be few and pics many. There are videos on the way, stay tuned :)

The pics are all out of order, and I really haven't got the energy to sort this. I am sure you can work out how this progresses.

This is my main interest - everything just sitting in place, but I will be gluing soon! Looking nice.

6 necks and 1 to-be neck.

The fretless was in to get a finger rest fitted.

7 bodies.

2 bass necks.

6 string musicman bass pickup. Weaponry.

6 string bass headstock planning.

8 string guitar headstock.

8 string guitar, parts and body set on to visualise.

New electric body design. I like this. See above.

8 string headstock design.

2 necks in progress (now nearly complete).

Laminating the top onto the hollow body.

The "f" hole - free hand sketch, then cut with a coping saw. Super pleased with this!

working on the 8 string headstock.

Working on chambering the hollow body - not complete here, all neat now.

Rear of 8 string.

Rough cutting the 8 string neck. Bandsaw.

Affixing the headstock wood. Doing measurements here, gluing uses 4+ clamps.

Now to get some sleep!

Blessings,

Mike

Videos from the workshop.

Here are a couple of videos from the past week or so.

A quick recording

Another music related instalment - but only to be succeeded by many building related instalments...

My friend Jeremy asked me to throw down a quick old style blues, like 1930's era so I wrote a head chart with some horns to simulate a small big band. I say simulate because I don't play reeds, so I used a marching baritone for bass trombone and tenor trombone sounds, flugel for top trom, 3 trumpets and melody doubled on cup muted trumpet and harmon mute (no stem). I haven't worked out my "drummer"... that all time favourite joke pops to mind:

What's the difference between a drummer and a drum machine?

You only have to punch the rhythms in once on a drum machine!

There are too many... onwards...

The recording itself is OK - I am happy for what it is, but since I don't play the baritone horn often I find it hard to keep in tune, furthermore, this is basically the take of the 2nd read through. The playing is deliberately in an older style but I still need to shed the blues big time! Well, here she is; "Blues for Jeremy":

http://www.box.net/shared/8yr51b1fx4

I got to use my new Rode NT2A mic - really beautiful. Multi-pattern, high SPL capability, ultra low noise design, large capsule. On the trumpet it sounds super smooth if you roll off a little around 8k - there is a peak here, I roll off from about 6k onwards, and maybe 1/2dB boost across the 100-1000Khz range for a little more body. I am going to have some fun recording more with these - I will post about this later!

Should anyone want the chart, I can send a PDF if you like... you probably have no need :)

I am taking a day away from the guitars - I am seriously wrecked, so I will just make mistakes! Back to that tomorrow, and perhaps a post outlining my newest work. I am now building 7 instruments... lots to do!

Blessings,

Mike

A little playing

I realise that my blog is often about everything bar music. I suppose building guitars is related, but whatever. Over the past while I have...

In no particular order...

Recorded a couple of tunes for Rory O'Connor and Amy McGarrigle (links later):

My gear:

Recorded a CD with the KJJO (Ken Jordan Jazz Orchestra):

Played a 2 week production of Sweeney Todd at the Millside Theatre (I really miss this, I would have loved to have done another month. Loved every night!!) Peter Corry and Nuala McKeever as Sweeney and Mrs Lovett.

Sorry for stealing your photos, Kate, I was playing and didn't have time to snap any...

Actually I did... final show, standing ovation, sold out. Excellent!

Lovely building!

Recorded with Ricky Graham and John King "Signals Under Test":

I played with them on a couple of gigs, 1 in the Black Box:

KJJO Gig, Errigle Inn:

I have to start writing more music, making more time for that and trying to get an average of 1-2 hours of un-productive practice a day into 2 hours of solid grind. Linear patterns won't learn themselves. Fact.

Night!