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

New guitar/bass projects (lots of pics)

I finished 2 hand planes and I meant to update this a while back but here they are. A convex bladed one and a short block plane for smoothing:

I designed a new instrument a while back for either thin-line electrics (sort-of retro feel) or for a deep body chambered jazz guitar with a laminate top and an "f" hole like on old 335s or other archtops. I am super pleased with my plans - I really do like to draw. My design:

I trued up some Sepele and Tulipwood to build this from, here is the result (the Sepele (Mahogany) one will be a deep jazz guitar, the Tulipwood will be the thinline - both neck through, both with that Les Paul neck relief):

Here are the projects that I am working on, from left to right;

1) 8 string, 27" scale laminate through neck. Planned tuning of F# B E A D G B E or F Bb Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb - the longer scale should sustain this with heavy strings and still sound tight. Emg 45DC 6 string bass pickup being used - seem to be highly recommended by luthiers - active electronics. Ash body, Walnut top, Maple/Walnut laminate neck. Fingerboard not ordered yet.

2) (under the 8 string) 4 string semi-acoustic fretless bass. 34" scale, through neck. Tulipwood body, Ash top. Vintage bridge with brass saddles, Jazz bass pickups.

3) 4 string, 34" scale, neck through (maple). Music Man Kent Armstrong pickup. Active or passive.

4) 6 string bass, 34/35" scale, laminate through neck. Planned tuning of B E A D G C on standard guages. I have a Wilkinson 6 string Music Man pickup coming from the States for this :D Active or passive.

5) Thinline electric guitar, 24.75" scale. The neck relief is in contention due to the thinline design, it may end up being straight with a recessed bridge - I will plan when my parts arrive. PAF style pickups, wound with more wire for a bit of a hotter output, but ultimately a super versatile pickup.

6) Jazz guitar - deep body, through neck, chambered, Walnut top, PAF Jazz pickups with 12 individual adjustable pole pieces on each... maybe un-necessary, but sure they come recommended.

My dad found a very simple but AWESOME idea for a router jig which will level even bad planks, it is just a set of parallel guides, bars for the router to run on and a level bottom surface. It works VERY well, so I will do a post entirely on that, but here is it in use:

Maple:

Sepele (how beautiful is this wood!!!):

It leaves you with a super finish and a planar board:

Couple of shots of a couple of laminate necks that I am building:

I am levelling the neck out in this shot:

I am super pleased with the joints - tight :)

Here are the 6 neck blanks. 2 Maple, 2 Sepele Mahogany, 2 Maple/Walnut laminates:

I levelled out the 8 string body and prepared the laminate to create the laminate tops on this. Note that the design is old; the overall shape is ok but I am going to redesign it within its current size so that I don't have to build again - that would be pretty wasteful. Just a couple of curves I don't like. Can be totally sorted!

This is 1 of the 2 wings, both currently in the front room hardening in the warmth - wood glue is useless beneath 10*c.

That is all for now. I am expecting parts this week, so I can get on with cutting the necks to shape and get some things looking more like instruments!

God bless all :)

Mike