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What's On Your Workbench?

#2,741
I woke up yesterday morning and decided to build a guitar, and this is where I stopped at dinner time.
IMG_20201206_184812.jpg


Fretboard is just laid in place for now. I already had the laminated neck blank glued up so I suppose that is a little bit of a cheat...
 
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#2,745
Jeff Siddall said:
Beauty!

You get more done in a day than I do in a year.
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Thanks! I think there's a few secrets. One, it's a design I've built before so the templates were all ready to go, and the measurements and process steps were all done and written down on my phone. All I had to do was cut and glue, I didn't have to think. I've been really surprised at how much difference this makes. I write stuff like "use 1/2" router bit set to 3/8" depth to square off end" so nothing is left to chance. It really points out how much time in a typical new build I am spending on thinking instead of doing.

Two, multi tasking! There were a couple times where I took this to an extreme just to see how far I could get in a day. I clamped the binding on the sides of the fretboard and then drilled and glued in the position markers while it was still in clamps for the binding. I cut and glued on the ears for the headstock while the body wings were in clamps being glued to the body, then cut and glued the veneer on top of the headstock at the same time, just using lots of clamps to hold the ears and the veneer all in place and aligned at once. Stuff like that. I don't really have a need to build fast like this, this guitar doesn't even have a home or a customer in mind - but sometimes I like to challenge myself just to see how efficient I can make the process.
 
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#2,747
dwizum said:
I didn't have to think. I've been really surprised at how much difference this makes.
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I think you nailed it. Every build I have done, or have planned, ends up being largely new challenges for me. I spend an enormous amount of time researching how to do things, then designing, then getting tools, parts and supplies sourced/ordered/picked up, setting up jigs or creating my own custom tools, testing various procedures, before measure measure (sometimes measure again) cut, fix inevitable problems, etc. However, I keep doing this to myself so there must be something enjoyable about eventually [hopefully!] succeeding.
 
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#2,748
Building 8 ukuleles at once was a very different thing for me. It helped me realize the simple pleasure of doing repetitive work without needing my brain at 100% the whole time. It becomes almost meditative. I really think everyone should try doing multiples at least once, it's a very different experience. That influenced me to do a repeat of this guitar design, since I already had it figured out, instead of starting something totally new for a next project.
 
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#2,750
...this gu***r is still workbench adjacent, as I find it difficult to stop playing it. :)

Because I got the guitar so inexpensively I can reasonably throw a little money at it, but I am on a budget so leaning towards simpler, i.e. VVT with a 3 way switch. Not sure about cap values with SC and HB pickups, though.

The back of the neck is unfinished and has acquired an aged "patina" of greyness, I think that's not going to leave, so did my best to detoxify that. It feels really good, though.
There are a couple of DIY plastic neck shims, I'd like to remove or improve on that with a full sized shim if necessary. I'm still undecided between leaving the Kahler blocked or embracing the vibe... we shall see.

The finish is a genuine relic, in that it is covered in dents and scratches and wear from use and abuse... Part of me wants to refin the whole thing (and make the peghead match :D) and part of me wants to embrace it as is. Maybe I'll post some pics in @JIO's Distressed thread... The color is called "Candy Red" apparently, but I keep calling it "Electric Blood", because I am an idiot. It does have a certain appeal, and it also very comfy. This Westone body makes my Strat feel chunky.

Again though, I mostly just want to play it, and record with it, so mostly focused on electronic options atm. Any suggestions for good inexpensive pots, caps and switches that aren't from the amazonians?




wraub said:
After some setting up, taking apart, re-setting up, a seemingly broken pickup, communicating with Seymour Duncan peeps and learning the pickup has an odd design and works fine, then a lot of time looking at wiring diagrams and switching options, I have finally decided the future of this guitar.
I think the neck was disagreeable because it's so different from my experience, but, it's a keeper, and this should be a fun one. :D
Click to expand...
 
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#2,751
wraub said:
Any suggestions for good inexpensive pots, caps and switches that aren't from the amazonians?
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Inexpensive you'll have to shop and see, I guess, but Mouser, Digi-key, and Newark electronics are the three suppliers I look at first for full-line electronics parts, which include all of those parts, not narrowed down to "guitar parts" and priced up to match; but the prices don't always make sense, either - in both directions. Or in some cases onesy-twosy is expensive, 25 or 100 at a whack is very reasonable.

Parts-express is an example of a more audio-focussed but still doing good deals and not amazon.

There are still a few surplus (or "surplus") places around, but surplus is always something of a gamble - they may have what you want at a great deal, they may have nothing you want. mpja.com would be an example. sciplus.com did better at it when they were still JerryCo.

If you are brave and have a Very Highly Developed sense of Internet Smell, you can sometimes find good deals on ebay, as well as scams, crap, crap from china that says it isn't, crap from china that says it is, counterfeit crap, etc... [I've done well there in the past. Recent experiences have generally degraded to the point that I don't shop there much anymore]
 
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#2,758
ctmullins said:
Sod the other hole.
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Nothing like a knob that's connected to nothing for making those all important adjustments where you don't change a thing and it sounds so much better to whatever idiot is asking for a change.

But I guess growing a tiny plot of grass in the hole would be another option :D.
 
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#2,759
T_Bone_TL said:
Nothing like a knob that's connected to nothing for making those all important adjustments where you don't change a thing and it sounds so much better to whatever idiot is asking for a change.

But I guess growing a tiny plot of grass in the hole would be another option :D.
Click to expand...
Or, lay one of those bullet hole decals over it (believable relicing if you play country in a dive bar).
 
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