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Hopkins
Commercial User
- Feb 28, 2015
- 2,922
- 9,028
- Disclosures
- Owner/Builder- RockHewer Custom Guitars LLC
Got a little bit more done on the hippie sandwich laminations. Now the bubinga is on & wide belt sanded to about twice as thick as the wenge. Next will be the hard maple that will be taken down thin like the wenge.
I found a solid piece of wenge to use for my fretboard.
The two strips I was going to bookmatch for the fretboard, that are perfectly flat sawn... Are going to be laminated into the neck where the straight grain on edge will do more good.
As to the configuration of the neck, I decided it will be a 1/4" hard maple center stripe, then bubinga pin stripes, followed by the wenge strips at about 1/4" ea. then bubinga accent strips (maybe 1/8") and flame maple on the outside of all that. So a 9 pc. neck, alot like my last build but with the bubinga & wenge reversed.
I found a solid piece of wenge to use for my fretboard.
The two strips I was going to bookmatch for the fretboard, that are perfectly flat sawn... Are going to be laminated into the neck where the straight grain on edge will do more good.
As to the configuration of the neck, I decided it will be a 1/4" hard maple center stripe, then bubinga pin stripes, followed by the wenge strips at about 1/4" ea. then bubinga accent strips (maybe 1/8") and flame maple on the outside of all that. So a 9 pc. neck, alot like my last build but with the bubinga & wenge reversed.
- Apr 18, 2008
- 16,013
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- 31,725
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- I'm highly opinionated and extremely self-assured
Maybe one day I can get a bandsaw so I can make sandwiches too.... 
- Feb 28, 2015
- 2,922
- 9,028
- Disclosures
- Owner/Builder- RockHewer Custom Guitars LLC
Here's what the neck is gonna look like... I had to go with 1/2" on the center strip
This isn't glued yet though.....
This isn't glued yet though.....
- Feb 28, 2015
- 2,922
- 9,028
- Disclosures
- Owner/Builder- RockHewer Custom Guitars LLC
Managed to come into the shop early enough this morning to get my neck glued up before my shift started. 
I made these big a$$ cauls during my last build. They really help to keep everything straight.
I made these big a$$ cauls during my last build. They really help to keep everything straight.
- Feb 28, 2015
- 2,922
- 9,028
- Disclosures
- Owner/Builder- RockHewer Custom Guitars LLC
Got a bit more accomplished this weekend.
With the hours I have been working lately it's a wonder I've found any time for luthier-ish pursuits.
Got the neck front & back jointed flat and the sides trimmed slightly to final dimension.
I did a scale drawing of the string spacing to find exact neck width at the body. I determined that with 17mm spacing at the bridge & a 1 7/8" nut. The neck will be 2 3/4" at the 24th fret (and on through the body).
So this proceeded to turn into a scale drawing of the entire bass, which I didn't think I needed because I have those "plans" ( which I'm kinda starting to mistrust for other reasons.) But since I decided to make this a 5 string and the plans are for a 4... I needed to slightly widen the body. I also lengthened the top horn slightly because I like the look, and for even better balance.
And since I already had a MDF pattern traced out, (but not cut yet) to use as a template, but it was at the 4 string size... I said screw it, and cut the wings off my drawing and taped them directly to the laminated core pieces.
Then I carefully cut out the body shape with my trusty razor knife which made a nice fine line to follow when I cut and sanded the core pieces to their finished body shape.
So now when I glue on the rough cut top & back plates I can just run the follow bearing of a flush cut bit on the core, instead of having to clamp down an MDF template.
Next up.... neck work stuff
With the hours I have been working lately it's a wonder I've found any time for luthier-ish pursuits.
Got the neck front & back jointed flat and the sides trimmed slightly to final dimension.
I did a scale drawing of the string spacing to find exact neck width at the body. I determined that with 17mm spacing at the bridge & a 1 7/8" nut. The neck will be 2 3/4" at the 24th fret (and on through the body).
So this proceeded to turn into a scale drawing of the entire bass, which I didn't think I needed because I have those "plans" ( which I'm kinda starting to mistrust for other reasons.) But since I decided to make this a 5 string and the plans are for a 4... I needed to slightly widen the body. I also lengthened the top horn slightly because I like the look, and for even better balance.
Then I carefully cut out the body shape with my trusty razor knife which made a nice fine line to follow when I cut and sanded the core pieces to their finished body shape.
So now when I glue on the rough cut top & back plates I can just run the follow bearing of a flush cut bit on the core, instead of having to clamp down an MDF template.
Next up.... neck work stuff
- Feb 28, 2015
- 2,922
- 9,028
- Disclosures
- Owner/Builder- RockHewer Custom Guitars LLC
Besides. ....if I have a full body template, it would be tempting to use it to cut the heart omega shape directly to finish shape with a router bit.
Now...that might work fine if I hog out most of the material first, and router super slow & carefully. But since it will be almost all endgrain cutting, and if my router bit isn't totally razor sharp...and ... (heaven forbid)... I slip somehow and..... yeah, that little point in the middle is gonna be fragile!
So... just to be safe I'm going to cut that feature the hard way. By cutting close to a line and spindle sanding the rest of the way!!
I don't even really have the shape of that thing finalized yet anyway. It's not "perfect" in the above drawing....yet.
Now...that might work fine if I hog out most of the material first, and router super slow & carefully. But since it will be almost all endgrain cutting, and if my router bit isn't totally razor sharp...and ... (heaven forbid)... I slip somehow and..... yeah, that little point in the middle is gonna be fragile!
So... just to be safe I'm going to cut that feature the hard way. By cutting close to a line and spindle sanding the rest of the way!!
I don't even really have the shape of that thing finalized yet anyway. It's not "perfect" in the above drawing....yet.
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- Feb 28, 2015
- 2,922
- 9,028
- Disclosures
- Owner/Builder- RockHewer Custom Guitars LLC
Well, given the fact that the USD is currently a little bit stronger than it used to be against the Euro ...
A few years ago I might have taken that deal.
Ich würde gerne wissen, was du denkst?
I will make sure they don't protrude so much as to get into the bubinga/wenge neck strips.
But the tips of those protrusions being neck wood, is one of the things I really like about the omega feature.
But something I'm seriously considering, is gluing in a thin accent veneer vertically between the wing cores and the neck, so there's some delineation between the flame maple of the core, and the more flamier maple of the neck
A few years ago I might have taken that deal.
Ich würde gerne wissen, was du denkst?
I will make sure they don't protrude so much as to get into the bubinga/wenge neck strips.
But the tips of those protrusions being neck wood, is one of the things I really like about the omega feature.
But something I'm seriously considering, is gluing in a thin accent veneer vertically between the wing cores and the neck, so there's some delineation between the flame maple of the core, and the more flamier maple of the neck
- Feb 28, 2015
- 2,922
- 9,028
- Disclosures
- Owner/Builder- RockHewer Custom Guitars LLC
here's a shot of the edge of the core since all the veneers are on.
it should look pretty cool after I get the top & back on and round over the edge.
it should look pretty cool after I get the top & back on and round over the edge.
Does Alembic orient all the various veneers the same direction where they form the heart omega tips? I was wondering if you could rotate laminations 90 degrees to make what amounts to plywood at the tips. Not sure how you'd deal with edge vs End grain reveal in that scenario.
Lordy how I love that body shape. Have to build one of these before I croak.
Lordy how I love that body shape. Have to build one of these before I croak.
Perfekt german, better than my english I supposeIch würde gerne wissen, was du denkst?
Just wanted to share my thoughts because I've already seen some Alembics Omega shapes where exactly these two edges were broken along their lamination lines. I guess the double edges are misleading to be used as a temporary stand and get most of the accidential hits.
BTW: love your craftmanship
- Feb 28, 2015
- 2,922
- 9,028
- Disclosures
- Owner/Builder- RockHewer Custom Guitars LLC
Thank you for the compliment on craftsmanship!Perfekt german, better than my english I suppose
Just wanted to share my thoughts because I've already seen some Alembics Omega shapes where exactly these two edges were broken along their lamination lines. I guess the double edges are misleading to be used as a temporary stand and get most of the accidential hits.
BTW: love your craftmanship
I can not take credit for the German however...that was from google
yes it is going to be fragile, ...I see a good guitar stand and much carefulness in my future!
Great work, this is coming along really nicely. Are we going to possibly see some stonework incorporated somehow? 
- Feb 28, 2015
- 2,922
- 9,028
- Disclosures
- Owner/Builder- RockHewer Custom Guitars LLC
Thanks!Great work, this is coming along really nicely. Are we going to possibly see some stonework incorporated somehow?
No stone on this one.... I wanted to do as faithful a repro of an Alembic as I could manage.
(with the exception of the pickups, electronics, and that I'm gonna use my own headstock design ).
Although I was thinking about cutting up a raw abalone shell into slabs to use for some fretboard inlay.... That's the closest to anything even resembling lapidary work I'm planning.
- Feb 28, 2015
- 2,922
- 9,028
- Disclosures
- Owner/Builder- RockHewer Custom Guitars LLC
I picked up some more figured walnut, and just finished resawing & sanding it....
Anyone want to help me decide on a possible change to the top wood for this build?
My original choice:
And the NEW top:
should I change to this one, or leave it be the original choice?
Anyone want to help me decide on a possible change to the top wood for this build?
My original choice:
And the NEW top:
should I change to this one, or leave it be the original choice?
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That second one is pretty sexy....will the knot in the neck be a problem?....the figure on the second one almost looks like butterfly wings....perhaps making a Madame Butterfly?
- Feb 28, 2015
- 2,922
- 9,028
- Disclosures
- Owner/Builder- RockHewer Custom Guitars LLC
