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First Ever Build - Special Edition Build off
- Thread starter Birdswing
- Start date
I submit these links to my two Ric builds, not as an example of what went right, but a catalog of what went wrong, which is ultimately more useful. The lessons learned can be boiled down as follows:
1. Don't count on the holding power of double-stick tape.
2. Bondo is you Friend. (see lesson 1 above)
3. Binding isn't as easy as it looks.
4. Routers are scary. Have a little Respect, for God's Sake.
5. Painting basses sucks. Tru-Oil is easy.
The Hossenfeffer Bass Build
The Hossenfeffer II Build
I'm a poorly groomed Primate, if I can pull this off with a minimum of blood and endless oceans of time, so can you.
1. Don't count on the holding power of double-stick tape.
2. Bondo is you Friend. (see lesson 1 above)
3. Binding isn't as easy as it looks.
4. Routers are scary. Have a little Respect, for God's Sake.
5. Painting basses sucks. Tru-Oil is easy.
The Hossenfeffer Bass Build
The Hossenfeffer II Build
I'm a poorly groomed Primate, if I can pull this off with a minimum of blood and endless oceans of time, so can you.
Coming up with an order of operations is helpful. Plan out what you are going to do beforehand. As Ben Crowe says “measure measure cut.” You can never have too many clamps. And don’t use power tools when you’re tired.
I have like 2 clamps, my intention is too make some, or too make a jig for them
You probably don't want to go out to get it, but Harbor Freight has some incredibly cheap clamps that are more than adequate for guitar building, most less than $4.00 or so, less on sale. Hard to screw up a C-Clamp.
Unfortunately not planning going out anywhere, in the UK too so Harbor Freight is probably a little to far for me to travel
I use bicycle inner tubes for gluing on fretboards and binding. It can be a little awkward to pull them tight as you wrap, but it's super effective (not to mention FREE if you have a cycling habit that results in a steady stream of punctured tubes!)
If you're going to use those templates you drew with a router, consider making the template nice and big so you have plenty of room to clamp it to your body and still have clearance for the router (without it hitting the clamps). You can use double-stick tape on smaller templates, but double stick tape sometimes lets go. Routers can be your best friend when building a guitar - I use routers more than any other tool, by a large margin. But if you're new to routers, they can be dangerous both to your person and to your project, and many of the "basics" in terms of using them safely and effectively aren't intuitive. It can be easy to mess up and tear out a chunk of wood. Really, the biggest tip is probably to take small bites. Don't try to route anything in one pass. For a pickup cavity, you will usually start by drilling out the majority of the wood, then using a router with a template to bring it to it's final shape. Even then, the routing should be done in multiple passes - if you've got a cavity that's 5/8" deep, it might be typical to do it in at least 3 or 4 passes. Smaller passes means less workload on the router, which means smaller chip size and significantly reduced chances of tearout. Smaller passes also means less "resistance" and a router that's much easier to control.
If you're going to use those templates you drew with a router, consider making the template nice and big so you have plenty of room to clamp it to your body and still have clearance for the router (without it hitting the clamps). You can use double-stick tape on smaller templates, but double stick tape sometimes lets go. Routers can be your best friend when building a guitar - I use routers more than any other tool, by a large margin. But if you're new to routers, they can be dangerous both to your person and to your project, and many of the "basics" in terms of using them safely and effectively aren't intuitive. It can be easy to mess up and tear out a chunk of wood. Really, the biggest tip is probably to take small bites. Don't try to route anything in one pass. For a pickup cavity, you will usually start by drilling out the majority of the wood, then using a router with a template to bring it to it's final shape. Even then, the routing should be done in multiple passes - if you've got a cavity that's 5/8" deep, it might be typical to do it in at least 3 or 4 passes. Smaller passes means less workload on the router, which means smaller chip size and significantly reduced chances of tearout. Smaller passes also means less "resistance" and a router that's much easier to control.
So, some random router tips, since we’re talking routers.
I use router template guides to control how big a bite I take. I have a set, and combined with a big 1/2” bit on a 1/2” shank (because it’s sturdy and has a 1 1/2” cut depth), I can work my way down to a 1/8” margin for final trimming with a top bearing bit. I hate that last step because any wobble means an ugly divot, but leaving a small margin minimizes risk.
if you are doing something opaque for a finish (paint or fancy veneer) my preferred way if attaching the template is flat-top wood screws countersunk into the template. This is highly reproducible, so if you remove it and reinstall it, it’s in the same place. It is also immobile so that you can clamp and unclamp the whole unit while doing the outer edge without worrying about alignment. Obviously the screw holes need to be filled before paint/veneer or concealed under a pickguard, so this doesn’t work for all applications
Also, if you go the countersunk screw route, the neck pocket and pickup routs can be added to the same template for guaranteed perfect alignment.
I use a Forstner bit in a drill press to remove 95%+ of the neck pocket and pickup routs, a template guide for most of the rest, and then just skim with the flush bit.
I use router template guides to control how big a bite I take. I have a set, and combined with a big 1/2” bit on a 1/2” shank (because it’s sturdy and has a 1 1/2” cut depth), I can work my way down to a 1/8” margin for final trimming with a top bearing bit. I hate that last step because any wobble means an ugly divot, but leaving a small margin minimizes risk.
if you are doing something opaque for a finish (paint or fancy veneer) my preferred way if attaching the template is flat-top wood screws countersunk into the template. This is highly reproducible, so if you remove it and reinstall it, it’s in the same place. It is also immobile so that you can clamp and unclamp the whole unit while doing the outer edge without worrying about alignment. Obviously the screw holes need to be filled before paint/veneer or concealed under a pickguard, so this doesn’t work for all applications
Also, if you go the countersunk screw route, the neck pocket and pickup routs can be added to the same template for guaranteed perfect alignment.
I use a Forstner bit in a drill press to remove 95%+ of the neck pocket and pickup routs, a template guide for most of the rest, and then just skim with the flush bit.
I'm going to need to wait for the maple and ash to arrive for the build, as I suspect these boards are of particularly high quality however I just realized these old fencing boards will make a very useful workbench!
I think that could be handier for accuracy than my current 3 wheelie bin set up
I think that could be handier for accuracy than my current 3 wheelie bin set up
If I were making templates, I’d make one just for the pickups, because that can be used on many basses. Then I’d make a separate one for the extended cavity.
A front rout is WAY easier than what I’m doing at the moment, which is drilling for a neither front NOR back rout.
A front rout is WAY easier than what I’m doing at the moment, which is drilling for a neither front NOR back rout.
that sounds genuinely terrifying!
and to think I was getting confused assembling my plunge router!
I am, frankly, a nut job who tries things way beyond his skill level. But I do a many small tests and build custom jugs and so on.
The Mermaid bass has a 1/8 hole through the point where the hair meets the tail to run wires from the pickup cavity to the pots and jack (which is on the edge between the pot holes).
Because I’m crazy.
Screwfix is still up and running, they delivered my last order in 2 days!Unfortunately not planning going out anywhere, in the UK too so Harbor Freight is probably a little to far for me to travel
So I did check with the mods before posting and that bass is approved (juuuuust barely, and frankly to my surprise) on the grounds of being a mythical creature.
The other bass in this pair is equally mythical but—totally NOT to my surprise—was not approved. I mean, my wife doesn’t really approve either.
