Special Edition build-off: OctoPhoenix

[Dark Horse]

I made a guide block that I clamp onto the body and it keeps the drill bit at a preset angle.... that way I can easily drill from pickup cavities, under the bridge, etc..
Ill try to remember to take a pic tomorrow.... I used a 2x4, drilled a hole, and then used my miter saw to set the angle

simple guide block......

1) get section of 2x4
2) drill a vertical hole through the 2” (1.5”) section
3) go to mitre saw and set for 10 degrees, 15degrees, whatever angle you want
4) chop off end, bisecting the hole.
5) chop off about 2” above it

now you have a easy to use drill guide. I just clamp it on the body , aiming the hole in the lower corner of the pickup cavity (or under the bridge) and drill away .....

a couple pics ...

 

[ctmullins]

Sanding.....

I got the neck sanded, re-profiled, and also got the neck heel shaped on the body.

Up top, things got a little thin. I think I’m going to have to route a one-degree slope in the neck pocket. I’ll take some more precise measurements tomorrow.

 

[ctmullins]

Yep.

Minimum height on the bridge (with the saddles all the way down) is 12mm.

The plane of the frets is only 7mm above the plane of the body, and thus the bridge mounting surface.

With a zero neck angle, there's no way I'll be able to get decent action this way.

One degree should do it.

 

[ctmullins]

One degree angle in the pocket is done. Bridge height is perfect now.

Sanded the top and am applying color. I’m going with the same color as the original, to match the headstock. I’m doing a subtle burst, with more dye towards the edge for a lighter center.

This is gonna look nice I think.

I’m gonna do the exposed maple edge “faux binding” trick again. After the color dries I’ll block sand the edges, so I’m not really worried about bleed over.

 

[Dark Horse]

Digging that Deep Raspberry Burst !

 

[Reedt2000]

Color really woke up that top!

 

[Gilmourisgod]

Wow! That popped! Dig that red. Did you pop the grain with black first, or is that just straight dye?

Also, how did you do the 1 degree pocket? That's tough to measure unless you have a long jig. Photos of said Jig?

 

[BioWeapon]

Mmmmm... purple!

 

[ctmullins]

Wow! That popped! Dig that red. Did you pop the grain with black first, or is that just straight dye?

Just the burgundy, which was (if I recall) a combination of red and purple TransTint dye.

Also, how did you do the 1 degree pocket? That's tough to measure unless you have a long jig. Photos of said Jig?

I have an extremely high-tech and precise methodology - router rails made from scrap wood with the angle cut on one side.

 

[Scoops]

I have an extremely high-tech and precise methodology - router rails made from scrap wood with the angle cut on one side.

Actually, I was more intrigued by the sun dial scribed into your workbench

 

[ctmullins]

Actually, I was more intrigued by the sun dial scribed into your workbench

Lol, thank Black & Decker for that....

 

[ctmullins]

Got the edges block-sanded. Full disclosure - I didn't use a block. I put a fresh 100 grit disc on my ROS and used that, being careful about keeping it perpendicular to the body. In the interior of the horns I wrapped some sticky-backed Fre-Cut paper around my robo-sander and went slow. Worked great. The maple edge is nice and white again, and there were some spots in the sapele that needed attention anyway.

That left a nice sharp edge, so I then wrapped some Fre-Cut around a sanding sponge and did a small roundover on the perimeter by hand. This will make the edge slightly more comfortable when playing, and it also makes the faux binding a bit more visible from various angles.

Yeah, I'm pretty happy with that!

 

[ctmullins]

Let’s see:

• Body routing - check
• Body sanding - check
• Neck shaping - check
• Neck sanding - check
• Color applied - check

I guess it’s time to glue that neck in!

Oh wait, almost forgot - need to drill the strap button hole inside the upper horn first - much easier to do without the neck in the way!

All systems go!

 

[TerribleTim68]

Curious about your reasoning on the strap button placement. Why not just go in the end of the horn?

 

[dwizum]

Hard to go into the very end on such a sharp horn. I've been putting buttons on the backs of sharp horns but I think I like that placement better. A button on the back can dig into your chest if you use big straplocks.

 

[dwizum]

Also, that top is amazing with the stain on it!

 

[TerribleTim68]

Interesting, now I'm curious how the strap "sits". Won't it have a tendency to go "behind" the horn?

 

[ctmullins]

Curious about your reasoning on the strap button placement. Why not just go in the end of the horn?

Interesting, now I'm curious how the strap "sits". Won't it have a tendency to go "behind" the horn?

I'll let the jammie pants and TB tee photo answer that:

See how the strap is pulling sideways on the button? That's what you want. If it were at the tip of the horn, it would be trying to pull the button out. It might even slip off the button entirely, which you don't want.

Also, this is what the Gibson factory did on their Ripper/Grabber/G3 basses.

 

[TerribleTim68]

Very interesting.

 

[Dark Horse]

That’s looking fantastic !