And So It Begins - Build Thread - Strat

[Dennis Peacock]

Another update.....more work done on the necks.....



And

[Julie Moriarty]

I didn't realize you had laminated two woods on the neck. What is the backing wood? When you get the back shaped, please post pics.

[Dennis Peacock]

Julie,
One neck is backed with Black Walnut and the other neck is backed with Black Cherry.

[Dennis Peacock]

Chuck and I spent several hours in the shop yesterday working on the guitars. We are really enjoying the process and each others company in the shop. Here are some pics for proof.

Both Guitar Bodies...side by side:
20150425_172020_web.jpg

Chuck's Guitar Neck:
20150425_171833_web.jpg

My Guitar Neck:
20150425_171807_web.jpg

The back of my guitar neck (Arkansas Black Cherry):
20150425_171744_web.jpg

The backup of Chuck's guitar neck (Black Walnut):
20150425_171707_web.jpg

Me carving on a neck with a spoke shave:
20150425_141054_web.jpg

Chuck refining the shape on a guitar body:
20150425_140935_web.jpg

[Mike Sherman]

Looking good, Dennis!

[Shawn Pixley]

Looking good. it also appears that you are enjoying the process!

[Dennis Peacock]

Looking good. it also appears that you are enjoying the process!

Shawn,
Way too much fun in this process. I will be doing another guitar after this one.....probably a Telecaster.

[Dennis Peacock]

Update:
Well, Chuck came by after work for us to work on the guitars for a bit. We routed the neck pocket on Chuck's guitar to lower the neck in the pocket by about 1/16" and then remounted the neck. Put the bridge on, strung up a few strings and checked a few measurements and we were close to "spec" right off the bat. Decided to take his guitar in the house, fully string it up, tune it up, and see how things went from there.
Put on all new strings, tuned it up, strummed on it a bit....re-tuned due to string stretch....checked the neck and it needed just a touch of help from the currently slack truss rod. Applied just a very slight bit of truss rod and the neck was perfect. Tuned it up again and started playing some music. Love the action and even the sound of it...even though no electronics were installed yet.

Excited..??? We are !!!!

BTW, can anyone tell me where I can get some radius cutters for my molding machine? I'm thinking about buying radius cutters to form my finger boards with instead of doing it all by hand. Thoughts?

[Chuck Raudonis]

Just a warning, that excitement thing you just referenced? THAT is what is going to have each of you making the second one....and the seventh.....

��

[Dennis Peacock]

Update:
We decided to use what dyes and finishes we had on-hand or locally available. Just trying to keep our cost down is all.
Chuck's guitar body is Transtint Dark Vintage Maple and his walnut laminated neck is simply clear coat. Clear finish coat is polyurethane. The finishing on his guitar has started. My neck is clear gloss poly as well but laminated with the Arkansas Black Cherry. Today I applied the color to my guitar body (no pic of it yet) and I used a Transfast Brown Mahogany dye on it. I had several different dyes on-hand and just chose something that I thought we'd both be happy with. And so....the finishing part begins.

My guitar neck.
20150524_213404_web.jpg

Chuck's guitar neck.
20150524_213339_web.jpg

Chuck's guitar body.
20150524_213312_web.jpg

20150524_213252_web.jpg

So....that's where we stand at this time.

OH.....and BTW.....I've already ordered the hardware and electronics for the coming Telecaster build.

[Dennis Peacock]

Well...call me a big dummy for even trying it.....but I tried polyurethane on the guitar bodies. When it came to wet sanding.....I found what I had always read about....ghost lines due to breaking through a single layer of finish to the next layer of finish. Sooooooooo.....I sanded it all off of my guitar body and I will recolor and then clear coat with gloss lacquer.

This is Dennis....kicking himself...over and over and over and over........

[John Coloccia]

I don't recall specifically telling you so, but I'm sure someone else told you so...LOL. I've made worse messes than that.

[george wilson]

The layers showing up is called gassing. Each layer has a coating of microscopic bubbles that show up when you sand through them.

This is what is bad about polyurethane varnishes. You cannot rub them.

[Chris Hachet]

Good on you two! Pace yourself. There is a tendancy to want to rush through the build. (At least for me)

I do not play but both of my sons (16 and 21) do. I want to build a guitar someday. Actually, I would like to build both an accoustic and an electric guitar.

[Art Mann]

I'm not interested in musical instruments at the moment but I think it is exciting to make some new product or use a new build technique just for the pleasure of mastering a new skill. Take time and enjoy every moment.