That Claro is insane!
Thanks! I snagged it from Wood From The West | High Quality Lumber and Acoustic Guitar Wood
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WBO 2022 - Luna's Last Opus
- Thread starter SpaceJockey
- Start date
Thanks! I snagged it from Wood From The West | High Quality Lumber and Acoustic Guitar Wood
I'm hoping to wrap this build up before the end of the year but there is a lot of work left to do.
Got the ebony binding glued to the fretboard last week. Some of the fret slots had to be deepened. The slotting jig we used worked well enough but it needs some refinement to make it less fussy to use.
I forgot to snag a pic once we were done, though there's not much to see, just lots of tape...Tomorrow we will radius the board, then get it glued to the neck.
Got the ebony binding glued to the fretboard last week. Some of the fret slots had to be deepened. The slotting jig we used worked well enough but it needs some refinement to make it less fussy to use.
I forgot to snag a pic once we were done, though there's not much to see, just lots of tape...Tomorrow we will radius the board, then get it glued to the neck.
Didn't get around to radiusing the board, but I did get the f hole in the top cut out
And here's a pic of the fretboard with binding. I ended up going with a flatter shape for the fretboard end. The binding wasn't flexible enough to wrap around the tight bend on the bass side of the board.
Even tried persuading it with some veneer softener, which helped but still wasn't effective enough.
And here's a pic of the fretboard with binding. I ended up going with a flatter shape for the fretboard end. The binding wasn't flexible enough to wrap around the tight bend on the bass side of the board.
Even tried persuading it with some veneer softener, which helped but still wasn't effective enough.
Got the board radiused yesterday. Ultimately decided on a 16" radius. I had considered doing a compound radius but since this is my first rodeo, I opted to keep it simple.
The radius beam came from Philadelphia Luthier Tools. Compared with the Stewmac offerings, the price was much easier to swallow (though still not cheap!). Also, it was a bit too narrow for my specs so getting the wide end of the fretboard dialed in took some real careful work. Next time around, I'll hunt down a wider block.
Sanding the board revealed some small voids that will need filling.
I think I will use some black CA glue since it won't shrink.
The frets slots also need to be cleaned out still, as glue from the binding crept in to some of them. Other than these small issues, this thing is ready to be glued to the neck
Next pic is unrelated to the build but too cool not to share:
One of the guys who runs this shop has a pair of beautiful old Harleys.
I forget the exact years but I think this green one is from the early 1940's, and the red one inside the shop is a 1930s model.
Absolutely stunning machines and this picture does not do them justice.
The radius beam came from Philadelphia Luthier Tools. Compared with the Stewmac offerings, the price was much easier to swallow (though still not cheap!). Also, it was a bit too narrow for my specs so getting the wide end of the fretboard dialed in took some real careful work. Next time around, I'll hunt down a wider block.
Sanding the board revealed some small voids that will need filling.
I think I will use some black CA glue since it won't shrink.
The frets slots also need to be cleaned out still, as glue from the binding crept in to some of them. Other than these small issues, this thing is ready to be glued to the neck
Next pic is unrelated to the build but too cool not to share:
One of the guys who runs this shop has a pair of beautiful old Harleys.
I forget the exact years but I think this green one is from the early 1940's, and the red one inside the shop is a 1930s model.
Absolutely stunning machines and this picture does not do them justice.
Attachments
Got the board radiused yesterday. Ultimately decided on a 16" radius. I had considered doing a compound radius but since this is my first rodeo, I opted to keep it simple.
The radius beam came from Philadelphia Luthier Tools. Compared with the Stewmac offerings, the price was much easier to swallow (though still not cheap!). Also, it was a bit too narrow for my specs so getting the wide end of the fretboard dialed in took some real careful work. Next time around, I'll hunt down a wider block.
View attachment 4894939
Sanding the board revealed some small voids that will need filling.
I think I will use some black CA glue since it won't shrink.
The frets slots also need to be cleaned out still, as glue from the binding crept in to some of them. Other than these small issues, this thing is ready to be glued to the neck
Next pic is unrelated to the build but too cool not to share:
One of the guys who runs this shop has a pair of beautiful old Harleys.
I forget the exact years but I think this green one is from the early 1940's, and the red one inside the shop is a 1930s model.
Absolutely stunning machines and this picture does not do them justice.
View attachment 4894942
Very nice. If the green livery is correct the foreground motorcycle is a 45 cubic inch WLA army model. HD and, on their version, Indian made a blue jillion for the military during world war 2 and spare parts for approximately 2 jillion more. At one point you almost couldn’t give a 45 away. Naturally, I wish past me had taken a few of those offers up because they have gone up quite a bit. I can’t see the back one well enough to tell more then that it’s a flathead. Possibly another 45” but it could be a 74” or 80” UL.
I'm going in again today, so hopefully I'll be able to get some more details and better pics. The owner is an interesting guy, you could say he lives a double life. When's he's not off on the road playing guitar in the Army Reserves band or participating in WWII reenactments, he's here in the shop working on restoring all manner of vintage instruments.
Every single time I'm in there, I see something cool come in for service. I'm not a vintage instrument (or motorcycle) aficionado by any means, but I still appreciate getting to see old instruments be given a new lease on life. The owners' reactions when they come to collect is always like a kid on Christmas morning
Another major milestone completed today! The fretboard is now attached 
A combination of clamps and a couple really long rubber strips were used to secure it.
Also, to keep it from shifting under clamping pressure, a set of locating pins was used.
With the fretboard clamped in its final position, a tiny 1/32" drill bit was used to place holes in two locations - in the first fret slot slot and the 22nd fret slot, penetrating about through the fretboard and about 1/8" into the neck wood.
The locating pins were then driven in using a small dead blow hammer. And before glue was applied, a strip of tape was placed over the truss rod to prevent glue from seeping into the channel.
A combination of clamps and a couple really long rubber strips were used to secure it.
Also, to keep it from shifting under clamping pressure, a set of locating pins was used.
With the fretboard clamped in its final position, a tiny 1/32" drill bit was used to place holes in two locations - in the first fret slot slot and the 22nd fret slot, penetrating about through the fretboard and about 1/8" into the neck wood.
The locating pins were then driven in using a small dead blow hammer. And before glue was applied, a strip of tape was placed over the truss rod to prevent glue from seeping into the channel.
Oh I almost forgot! Here's a better pic of the other Harley @Matt Liebenau
Unfortunately I wasn't able to gather any additional details yet because the owner was absent today
Unfortunately I wasn't able to gather any additional details yet because the owner was absent today
Very nice! Flatheads are cool. HD, Indian and Ford V8’s.
The shop owner recently picked up a benchtop mill from Little Machine Co.
Nothing too fancy, but it is well made and the price was right. We decided to put it to use to make the router template for the neck cutout in the top.
It took a lot of careful measuring to make sure we accurately matched the width and taper of the neck, the angle of the end of the fretboard, and their placement in relation to the centerline.
Here's the end result, with the body clamped down to flatten it out. We managed to get a pretty perfect fit, thanks to the new mill. Normally making perfectly straight lines on the inside edge of routing templates is a PITA.
I don't know if this is normal for highly figured walnut like this, but sometime after thickness sanding the bookmatched halves, joining them together, and cutting the shape out, the top developed a slight arch to it. Thankfully it was in the "right" direction, becoming convex and not concave. I neglected to take a picture...If it had warped the opposite way, I think this would be more of an issue.
The curve was only slight so we continued on with clamping up the top to the body:
This has been the most satisfying part of the build so far. Once it comes out of clamps, the final shaping of the neck and body will commence
Nothing too fancy, but it is well made and the price was right. We decided to put it to use to make the router template for the neck cutout in the top.
It took a lot of careful measuring to make sure we accurately matched the width and taper of the neck, the angle of the end of the fretboard, and their placement in relation to the centerline.
Here's the end result, with the body clamped down to flatten it out. We managed to get a pretty perfect fit, thanks to the new mill. Normally making perfectly straight lines on the inside edge of routing templates is a PITA.
I don't know if this is normal for highly figured walnut like this, but sometime after thickness sanding the bookmatched halves, joining them together, and cutting the shape out, the top developed a slight arch to it. Thankfully it was in the "right" direction, becoming convex and not concave. I neglected to take a picture...If it had warped the opposite way, I think this would be more of an issue.
The curve was only slight so we continued on with clamping up the top to the body:
This has been the most satisfying part of the build so far. Once it comes out of clamps, the final shaping of the neck and body will commence
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Body is out of clamps!
I got started adding the contours to the body but I didn't get very far yet. Here's where I stopped with the upper fret access cutaway:
Hard to see in this photo, but the carve starts at the chalk line. There is still a bit more carving to do, I want to reveal more of the spruce and get the purpleheart layer as close to that carve line as I can without putting a hole in the top...
I also started on the belly carve. Had a good laugh with the guys in the shop as they watched me repeatedly carve and compare the progress with my belly directly - this is the true meaning of ergonomic design!
Aside from the belly cut, that's all the heavy carving for the body itself. The edges will get rounded over in such a way that the purpleheart layer will be the "binding".
I got started adding the contours to the body but I didn't get very far yet. Here's where I stopped with the upper fret access cutaway:
Hard to see in this photo, but the carve starts at the chalk line. There is still a bit more carving to do, I want to reveal more of the spruce and get the purpleheart layer as close to that carve line as I can without putting a hole in the top...
I also started on the belly carve. Had a good laugh with the guys in the shop as they watched me repeatedly carve and compare the progress with my belly directly - this is the true meaning of ergonomic design!
Aside from the belly cut, that's all the heavy carving for the body itself. The edges will get rounded over in such a way that the purpleheart layer will be the "binding".
That's gotta be the coolest piece of black and white ebony I've seen!
Thanks! I feel lucky to have come across it for sure. Nicest thing I've ever bought on ebay, that's for sure.
Initially I had three others left from the same board, but as part of the payment for letting me use his workshop, I offered up two of them as tributes to the shop owner.
Here are the results of another long day of carving:
Belly cut is done
Started on the neck heel but ran out of time
There is still a good amount of wood to remove, but I checked the weight just to see where it's at. Currently just under 10 lbs. By the time all the pickups/electronics/hardware is installed I expect this weight won't change too much.
Belly cut is done
Started on the neck heel but ran out of time
There is still a good amount of wood to remove, but I checked the weight just to see where it's at. Currently just under 10 lbs. By the time all the pickups/electronics/hardware is installed I expect this weight won't change too much.
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Your dog looks nonplussed about the whole situation.
So far this build is shaping up to be my favorite that purple heart is gorgeous I don't usually see it that vivid in color
Hah so I uploaded that pic unintentionally.
She is on her 16th revolution round the sun. Its painful to acknowledge, but she will soon shuffle off this mortal coil. Naturally, she isn't interested in doing much but resting. Her current state means she can't be unattended for long so the owner brought her in today. Unfortunately for her, we had lots of colorful characters come into the shop yesterday, giving her little opportunity to rest.
There was the usual pair of retired police officers, whose wit and vulgarity are unmatched. I'd give examples, but I don't like lawsuits! They really have a way with words. Anyways, before this place was a guitar shop, it was a drug store. One of the cats who used to work there taught these officers to play guitar, some 40 years ago. Funny that it would become a guitar shop in the end. They said they find themselves drawn to this place for that reason, stopping in once a week or so to share stories and Pabst Blue Ribbon.
Our next guest, a friend of the owner with a thing for needles, was here for the dog specifically. Whether or not acupuncture is a valid medical science is beyond me, but they both believe in it enough to administer the treatment to this 16 year old husky. And this is the reason for her nonplussed look. You can see the needles on top of her head if you zoom in a bit.
To my surprise, she seemed to perk up quite a bit following the treatment. So there may be a good reason to let people stick you all over with needles after all.
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