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Winter Build-Off 2026 - Guitar with Barn Wood

BishopJP

BishopJP

Apr 5, 2019
1,293
4,718
North Carolina
#1
This is my entry in the "Unfinished Business" category.

This an "F" style instrument, though a bit of a mash-up. The body is somewhere between a JM and Toronado, 25" scale, with a Tele bridge/pick-up and controls, and a neck humbucker.

100+ year old(?) barn wood body and cherry neck with an inlaid granadillo fret board.

20260112_133133.jpg


The body is mostly complete, the neck needs frets and shaping. This has been stalled a bit while I focused on other projects.
Time to get it finished!
 
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#2
One of the items on the punch list are the string anchors to go with the tele bridge. Instead of individual string ferrules, I want to use an anchor plate.

I've got some aluminum plate, about 0.1875" thick. Same stuff I used to make the neck plate...
20260105_155336.jpg

I marked the end holes referencing the string holes in the body...20260105_161557.jpg
...then laid out the 6 string holes and 2 mounting screws holes using dividers and then a center punch.

I drilled out all the holes, drilled a counter-bore for the ball ends and a counter-sink for the mounting screws holes...
20260105_164229.jpg
...that should work.

I didn't like how wide the plate was, so I cut off the mounting screws holes, cutting the ends at 15 degrees, making it a trapazoid.

The plate needs to be recessed, so I used scraps of 1/2" ply to make a perimeter template...
20260112_140453.jpg
...and used a 3/8" template bit to route the small pocket. Routed a little deeper so the plate will be slightly recessed.

I decided to round the corners of the plate instead of squaring the pocket...
20260112_142143.jpg
...and, finished! I didnt press it in completely in case it was difficult to remove.
 
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#4
BishopJP said:
This is my entry in the "Unfinished Business" category.

This an "F" style instrument, though a bit of a mash-up. The body is somewhere between a JM and Toronado, 25" scale, with a Tele bridge/pick-up and controls, and a neck humbucker.

100+ year old(?) barn wood body and cherry neck with an inlaid granadillo fret board.

View attachment 7408751

The body is mostly complete, the neck needs frets and shaping. This has been stalled a bit while I focused on other projects.
Time to get it finished!
Click to expand...
Can't wait to see this finished. I love the old wood and that fretboard is gorgeous. What a great match between the two.
 
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#6
13ghosts said:
Nice!
Click to expand...
Thank you!

Clark W said:
Can't wait to see this finished. I love the old wood and that fretboard is gorgeous. What a great match between the two.
Click to expand...
Thanks! I deliberated over fret board wood for a long time....
I hope you like where this goes, once I get into finish!

postalflunkie said:
That looks great! I like the anchor plate better than individual ferrules (even though I use them)
Maybe some day I'll have to give this method a try
Click to expand...
Thanks! I dont have any issues with individual ferrules, but the ones I've found are either chrome or stainless and there is no other instance of either finish in this project. Couldn't do it!
 
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#9
I've been a bit sick the last couple weeks so work on this has been sporadic and I haven't gotten around to posting pics.

Full disclosure, some of this work occurred before the first pic in this thread, but on the same day.

The fretboard was glued into the neck with epoxy; to avoid getting epoxy in the fret slots, I packed the end of the slots with candle wax...
20260105_132559.jpg
...I'd say it was about 85% effective. I used a fret slot clean-up saw and an X-acto knife to clean up the other 15%. I have a piece of fret wire with the barbs filed off to check the slots.

I used the ubiquitous spindle sander to sand the headstock transition...
20260105_141418.jpg
...I may need to sand a little more to get the strings to clear the end of tje fretboard.

I used a long 1/4" drill bit amd an aluminum sleeve to clean out the trus rod access...
20260105_151252.jpg

...and cut the nut slot. No pics of that process.

I think the next step will be pressing frets.
 
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#12
I did a test assembly to check alignment of strings, hardware, etc...

For your consideration...
20260119_121319.jpg

The tape in the weiner plate is where I need to drill an additional hole. I'll be putting the V/T knobs and the jack in the plate.

20260119_121330.jpg


20260119_121343.jpg


All the hardware will be Gotoh "Cosmo Black". I even found a humbucker cover in the same finish, but not made by Gotoh.

Also, planning gold frets.
 
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#13
Before I start fretting, I need some fret markers. Almost forgot!

I'll be using a 9/32" brass tube with a cherry dowel stuck in with CA glue.

Fret board marked and drilled...
20260302_164416.jpg
...and little brass and cherry pucks cut.

Fret dots stuck in with CA glue...
20260302_165053.jpg
...I cut the pieces a little tall, I guess I have some filing to do.

I haven't decided what to do at the 12th fret, yet.
 
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#17
Using the neck fixture to taper the neck...
20260316_110928.jpg


Approx 0.83" at the first fret...
20260316_112513.jpg
...I am liking g how the ray flecking is showing up in this neck!

Oily fretboards...
20260316_142239.jpg
...seems I only took one pic at this point, of both necks.

And fretted...
20260316_172335.jpg


The grain pattern on the fretboard is not as wild as on the bass neck, but I think it's still nice, but more subtle.
 
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#19
BishopJP said:
Using the neck fixture to taper the neck...
View attachment 7454696

Approx 0.83" at the first fret...
View attachment 7454697...I am liking g how the ray flecking is showing up in this neck!

Oily fretboards...
View attachment 7454698...seems I only took one pic at this point, of both necks.

And fretted...View attachment 7454699

The grain pattern on the fretboard is not as wild as on the bass neck, but I think it's still nice, but more subtle.
Click to expand...
on the necks, wood nuts?
 
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