Whoa dude that is so sick for your first build! I just moved from St. John's to Sydney Australia after being there 14 years. I always wondered if anyone else was into the whole ERG thing haha, as I have an 8 string myself.
8 sting attempt...
- Thread starter sk3ks1s
- Start date
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Rusti
Well-Known Member
wow good job man 
Ruins
Well-Known Member
beautiful build so far 
alexmurphy
Banned
cant wait to see whats next!
sk3ks1s
Djeff
Some updates:
Routed the truss rod channels and installed the rods.
Cut out the fret board and truss rod cover.
Trimmed the neck (kept the thickness to have a flat back to make it easier to work with).
Routed the binding channel.
Started installing some maple binding (not easy...).
Truss rod...
Fret board and cutting the neck...
Binding...
Hopefully finish my debacle of a binding job tomorrow... Possibly glue the fret board on, might wait on that one though.
Routed the truss rod channels and installed the rods.
Cut out the fret board and truss rod cover.
Trimmed the neck (kept the thickness to have a flat back to make it easier to work with).
Routed the binding channel.
Started installing some maple binding (not easy...).
Truss rod...
Fret board and cutting the neck...
Binding...
Hopefully finish my debacle of a binding job tomorrow... Possibly glue the fret board on, might wait on that one though.
Digideus
Well-Known Member
Is that really necessary? What you using for strings? Boat anchor chains?
Seriously, wont that make it really heavy AND give you problems keeping both rods at the same tension?
^Most 8 strings have dual truss rods. some argue it is unnecessary, but in the end it really doesn't matter.
darren
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You know all that stuff you skipped on your first attempt? That's all the stuff that turns it from a guitar-shaped sculpture into an actual playable instrument.
You may want to try following through on some of those details before you try it out on your more expensive wood.
You may have found it easier to slot the fretboard before it was tapered. It's now going to take a lot more care and patience to ensure the frets are perpendicular to the strings.
You may want to try following through on some of those details before you try it out on your more expensive wood.
You may have found it easier to slot the fretboard before it was tapered. It's now going to take a lot more care and patience to ensure the frets are perpendicular to the strings.
darren
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I wouldn't say "most". Of all the production 8s on the market, i believe the Agiles are the only ones with dual truss rods.
darren
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A lot of people use smaller hand-held laminate trimmers instead of full-size routers. They're a lot more maneuverable.
sk3ks1s
Djeff
Thanks for the tips guys. I do have a make shift jig rigged up to ensure that the frets are perpendicular. I did 2 truss rods cause what little info I could find out about 8's mentioned it... so I figured 2 would compensate for shotty work, haha. And it is all still a learning curve for me... So again, comments, criticisms, and everything are encouraged. (and I am planning on investing in a Dremel and router base)
(and I am planning on investing in a Dremel and router base) Digideus
Well-Known Member
Check the blackmachine site. When Doug built his first 8 string he went with 2 truss rods, but he found the weight made it neck heavy, which is why a lot of them have a single rod and carbon fibre rod reinforcement.
Still, the work so far looks great!
Still, the work so far looks great!
Thanks for the tips guys. I do have a make shift jig rigged up to ensure that the frets are perpendicular. I did 2 truss rods cause what little info I could find out about 8's mentioned it... so I figured 2 would compensate for shotty work, haha. And it is all still a learning curve for me... So again, comments, criticisms, and everything are encouraged.
I plan on making a 8 string in the future but why not route channels for a piece of aluminum to reinforce neck probably just as strong without the carbon fiber cost.
sk3ks1s
Djeff
Some more updates:
Finished binding on the body. There are a couple chips which I'm gonna fill. Also, I could not, for the life of me bind the tips of the horns. Tried a bunch of different things... Nothing worked. So I tapered them kinda like what I did with the forearm bevel. Not 100% what I wanted, but it didn't turn out too bad. That's what I get for starting with maple binding instead of plastic... ah well. Cut the headstock out... Went pretty swimmingly.
The headstock... which I'm gonna do with the same binding (taper the tips as well).
Called HipShot and got the measurements of the bridge so I can go ahead and start shaping the fretboard and neck.
Finished binding on the body. There are a couple chips which I'm gonna fill. Also, I could not, for the life of me bind the tips of the horns. Tried a bunch of different things... Nothing worked. So I tapered them kinda like what I did with the forearm bevel. Not 100% what I wanted, but it didn't turn out too bad. That's what I get for starting with maple binding instead of plastic... ah well. Cut the headstock out... Went pretty swimmingly.
The headstock... which I'm gonna do with the same binding (taper the tips as well).
Called HipShot and got the measurements of the bridge so I can go ahead and start shaping the fretboard and neck.
paintkilz
Banned
i think your gonna end up unhappy with the heel joint and the alignment to the rest of the body. i was using a body from a different guitar for 8, and the layout wasnt right and the neck would of sat funny...by looking at it, it looks like the neck is pushed up to the top area, and shoulder curve portion of the guitar...the symmetry is off.
unless you were going for this in your design, then i apologize.
serious question though.
love the build and headstock, but is the headstock going to live up to the tensions youre putting it under? Especially near the F#, B, E, and A tuners...o
and ive never seen truss rods where the actual adjustment nut was visible...usually they were further down the actual neck...not sure if this will affect your build or not..
unless you were going for this in your design, then i apologize.
serious question though.
love the build and headstock, but is the headstock going to live up to the tensions youre putting it under? Especially near the F#, B, E, and A tuners...o
and ive never seen truss rods where the actual adjustment nut was visible...usually they were further down the actual neck...not sure if this will affect your build or not..
Wow, I have to say I'm impressed for a first-timer! I still haven't tried doing this (one day I will
), but my first time will probably be just a deformed piece of wood hahaha but I will give it a try some time I definitely want to keep track of this project! 
), but my first time will probably be just a deformed piece of wood hahaha but I will give it a try some time I definitely want to keep track of this project! sk3ks1s
Djeff
The neck is actually going to be sitting off the heel a little bit... Kinda like a super access neck. I wanted something like that originally, but I think it might be off a little bit too much. I'm pretty sure if I position the bolts right it should still be structuraly sound. Might take a while to get used to... but I don't spend much time up there anyways (as my playing is sub-par to say the least).
As for the headstock... I've worked out the amount of tension the strings will be putting on the neck and it should be fine (I think).
sk3ks1s
Djeff
Updates:
Headstock binded
Fretboard scored (not sawed)
Fretboard glued
Neck carved (90%-ish)
Had to bind the headstock the same way I did the tips of the horns. Just tapered them into the walnut (anyone know how its done properly???). Couple of teeny tiny gaps which will be filled.
Fretboard was scored and glued with surprising accuracy. Still waiting on a fretsaw. Anyone know if any household blades have roughly the same kerf?
The neck is carved and sanded to about 150 grit... still a bit more to go. 20mm at the nut and kind of compounds to 25mm at the 19th. Tried a volute... started with the basic cut-out and kept reshaping and reshaping until there was nothing left... So yeah. As you can see, the neck sits well off the heel... I wanted that a little. Not this much. My question is will this affect the structural integrity? Still planning on doing 5/6 bolts. Anyways...
Headstock binded
Fretboard scored (not sawed)
Fretboard glued
Neck carved (90%-ish)
Had to bind the headstock the same way I did the tips of the horns. Just tapered them into the walnut (anyone know how its done properly???
). Couple of teeny tiny gaps which will be filled.Fretboard was scored and glued with surprising accuracy. Still waiting on a fretsaw. Anyone know if any household blades have roughly the same kerf?
The neck is carved and sanded to about 150 grit... still a bit more to go. 20mm at the nut and kind of compounds to 25mm at the 19th. Tried a volute... started with the basic cut-out and kept reshaping and reshaping until there was nothing left... So yeah. As you can see, the neck sits well off the heel... I wanted that a little. Not this much. My question is will this affect the structural integrity? Still planning on doing 5/6 bolts. Anyways...
sk3ks1s
Djeff
Continued...
