I was asked to post some work in progress pics so here's some pics of the build in various stages - I actually build two but the maple/walnut one is not 100% done yet.
Both roughed out on the band saw after laminating the necks
Maple / Steamed Walnut
Air dried Walnut
A little further along
The first one is a 1 5/8" thick solid body maple and steamed walnut, the neck will be bound in black. The second one is 1 1/4" thick semi hollow body air dried black walnut, the neck on it will be bound in ivory.
A few mile stones reached on the maple/walnut one The neck is now bound and shaved, the wings are glued on, nut fitted, bridge routed in - I got to string it and it intonates fine. I still have some cleaning up at the heel where the wings join the neck (last picture) and of course there's lots of block sanding... but she'll be ready to have the fretboard radiused, fret markers and frets pretty soon.
Here I finally got the Maple/Walnut one cleaned up and scraped enough for a seal coat, which means major wood working is over on that one I also radiused the fretboard to match the bridge (10 degrees) installed the fret markers and medium jumbo frets. I think it's starting to look more like a guitar now...
Couple more pics of the all walnut one - Bound all the way around, the back of the neck is hand drawn to a thin profile, neck tilt set, wings glued on and leveled, 1st seal coat. Really wild colors in this walnut... The bridge is on back order
There is a little clean up work to do around the heal area and the end needs to be trimmed, but other than that this one will be ready to have the fret board marked, radius and frets installed soon.
More WIP pics... Are you sick of me yet? Heal is cleaned up, tail is trimmed, clay fretboard markers installed, fretboard radius-ed. Next comes routing in the bridge (which was shipped today) and installing the frets. Then I can string it for the first time.
Installed, leveled and dressed the medium jumbo frets
Routed in the bridge, installed the tuners, strung, adjusted truss rod - plays really nice not much black walnut heartwood showing on the face side, but I like it. Still a ways to go till complete but I think it's starting to look more like a guitar now.
My back ordered bridge came in finally, So I installed it and set it up. Here's a few pics of them together... Still a lot more to do till they are both completed, but it's nice to have the both strung.
A few profile pics
Getting there - installed 2 mini-humbuckers pickups, independent volume/tone for each pickup, 3way pickup selector switch, mono or stereo output. Plays nice, sounds nice - I'm happy with this one so far... just the truss rod and electronics covers left to make. Then it will be disassembled, block sanded and finished.
Spaghetti - Seems like I always cut my wires to long - I guess longer is better than shorter ... Anyways sounds really good and everything is working like I knew what I was doing or something.
Truss rod covers printed with logo / model numbers and Made in USA
Installed 2 mini-humbuckers pickups, independent volume/tone for each pickup, 3way pickup selector switch, mono or stereo output. Plays nice, it growls. Different woods sure make different sounds that's for sure. I have some sharp edges to round over and side dots left to install - then it disassembled, block sanded and finished.
Pic of first the owners nameplate design, it sits between the end of the fretboard and the bass pickup
Last pictures on the all walnut one before disassemble, block sand, finish and buff.
Thanks
