First Build Update

RAHAZ · #1 01-08-2008, 09:13 PM

Well, after a little financial break for Christmas I have received my Fretboards, truss rods and tuners. I can't tell you how stoked I was when I opened up the box from LMI and saw my Cocobolo fretboard. Absolutely gorgeous.

Next step: Route truss rod channel, set truss rod, glue on fretboard with slight relief, cut rough neck profile and glue on the wenge wings to headstock.

After that I need to order the remainder of my body wood from Larry at Gallery Hardwoods then the bridge and electronic components.

Anyone have pictures of their spoke truss rod install before and after the fretboard glue up?

Here are some new pictures:

Here is the fretless guitar fingerboard:

stedtale · #2 01-08-2008, 09:14 PM

looking nice.

eleonn · #3 01-09-2008, 09:40 AM

Am I wrong or those laminated are thick enough to get 2 necks at least from each? They look really really good.

Rickett Customs · #4 01-09-2008, 09:53 AM

Sweet, I like the Cocobolo.

RAHAZ · #5 01-09-2008, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eleonn

Am I wrong or those laminated are thick enough to get 2 necks at least from each? They look really really good.

I probably could if I wanted to mess with doing a scarf joint. They are 2 1/4" tall 3" wide. With this being my first build I wanted to have plenty of "fluff" just in case I screw up.

eleonn · #6 01-09-2008, 10:40 AM

Well if you dont screw things up and you dont want/need the other laminate and send it away, lets say sending it to South America I can help you getting rid of it

DanielM · #7 01-09-2008, 02:44 PM

That Coco is wild! looks fantastic. can't wait to see it done.

RAHAZ · #8 01-09-2008, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eleonn

Well if you dont screw things up and you dont want/need the other laminate and send it away, lets say sending it to South America I can help you getting rid of it

<lol> You aren't the first in line.

Thanks for the comments everyone.

RAHAZ · #9 01-17-2008, 02:10 PM

Alright. I feel like I am getting somewhere now!

The rough profile has been cut for the neck, truss rod channel routed, tuner holes punched in. I hope to get some carving done on the neck once I borrow my Pop's belt sander.

Still waiting for the funds to get the wing wood. bridge & the Electronics purchased.

Anyone use scrap Cocobolo for the Nut before?

Down the neck...

Headstock without edge "wings" glued on. I had a slight amount of wander and tearout on the first (upper/ center) tuner hole.

The rest went perfect. It's Always gotta be the first one...

The rough profile... A "little" wavy.<lol>

T2W · #10 01-17-2008, 02:38 PM

So it was your intention to get the purpleheart to show at the upper frets? Those blanks look really good ! I don't think it was a good idea to drill the holes for the tuners on blank, you should have waited till the headstock angle was shaped, maybe the angle wont be too right when you put in the tuners, hopefully it wont be a tight fit and youll have some room to compensate for the bad angle. Dont forget to wipe down the coco with Acetone before you glue it up ! lookin good buddy, good luck !

RAHAZ · #11 01-17-2008, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by T2W

So it was your intention to get the purpleheart to show at the upper frets?

Yeah it was. Wilser had mentioned that it looked like a mistake to his eyes. I wanted to see the purpleheart as the neck tapered.

Quote:

Originally Posted by T2W

I don't think it was a good idea to drill the holes for the tuners on blank, you should have waited till the headstock angle was shaped, maybe the angle wont be too right when you put in the tuners, hopefully it wont be a tight fit and youll have some room to compensate for the bad angle. Dont forget to wipe down the coco with Acetone before you glue it up ! lookin good buddy, good luck !

The headstock angle has been cut it is at 9* the tuner holes are perpendicular to that. I would have to agree, it would have been smarter to wait on the tuner holes until the headstock thickness was finished since the angle may change slightly.

T2W · #12 01-17-2008, 03:20 PM

looks great nonetheless, lookin forward to seeing progress on your build(s). Hope you (and others) dont mind postin pics of the guitar too.

JSPguitars · #13 01-17-2008, 10:57 PM

Is that fretless 'guitar' a 27.5" scale? Is that what those numbers mean on the red fretboard?......just curious as I'm building one (with frets) close to that scale.

That sure is one pretty laminated blank, man! Love the color scheme...

eleonn · #14 01-18-2008, 07:32 AM

Are you guys now into piccolo bass building now?

RAHAZ · #15 01-18-2008, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSPguitars

Is that fretless 'guitar' a 27.5" scale? Is that what those numbers mean on the red fretboard?......just curious as I'm building one (with frets) close to that scale.

That sure is one pretty laminated blank, man! Love the color scheme...

Yeah. The fretless guitar has a 27.5" scale and a 12" radius on the fretboard. That will be my second guitar building project. Thanks for the compliments. Once I start on the guitar I will post it up and see how much heckling I get.

RAHAZ · #16 02-08-2008, 09:53 AM

Hey All,
I decided I should get a little more work done on the bass last night. I cut the headstock and started working on the neck taper. I need to find someone with a drum sander.

At first the low B string's tuner would not fit. I looked down the head and noticed a taper from high G to B so I shaved it down.

Anyone have progress pictures of their volute carving? I did a search and saw some different methods described but no pictorials.

-RAHAZ

RAHAZ · #17 02-09-2008, 06:06 PM

Anyone?

Bueller? Beuller?

T2W · #18 02-09-2008, 08:20 PM

I do all my volute carving with a belt sander, I actually shape most of my necks with it too. I bought a cheap one for 119$, does the job right. Dont know what else to say, but good luck on the rest of your build, i wanna see more progress !

eleonn · #19 02-09-2008, 08:55 PM

I've carve two so far and on both the tools I used were a rasp, a file and sand paper. I draw the volute on both sides of the neck and on the top and then start to carve.

RAHAZ · #20 02-09-2008, 09:06 PM

Is your belt sander stationary or a hand tool? I have one that is the hand type and even with 40 grit it takes FOREVER to remove much wood. Looks like I am doing this the hard way, by hand with rasps and files then the sander to smooth it out before hand sanding...

Gotta wait for the kids to fall asleep so I can work on it some more.