BR10N
Well-Known Member
That fretwire is enormous by the way. The biggest that allparts sells, with the smallest tang size, go figure.
Props for attempting to dress those frets!
My first build
- Thread starter Themadcow
- Start date
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Props for attempting to dress those frets!
This site may earn a commission from merchant links like Ebay, Amazon, and others.
adrock
long ball larry!
wow. a crown height of .102", and a width of .170". that's pretty much twice the size in every direction versus "standard" guitar frets. jumbo is quite the understatement...
Themadcow
Well-Known Member
I love a scalloped fretboard, but I'm not sure I'll even bother if I decide to use those on the 8.
Themadcow
Well-Known Member
So back to the garage this afternoon for a couple hours, I'd really like to see my old man's guitar ready for finishing by the weekend
First I installed the tuners. Nothing magic here, just make sure the headstock is the right thickness, and drill the holes where you want them
Then I pulled out the smoked black ebony stain, because the ebony isn't black enough for my taste
That's more like it. I love the look of ebony, I like it even more when it's black as the night sky
I stopped by the engraving store today to see what kind of material I needed to build an engravable truss rod cover. He gave me a piece of scrap for free, told me to cut it out and they would engrave it for me.
Black on the top, aluminum on the bottom, should look awesome. Not sure what I'll engrave on there yet. Something sentimental for the fact that my dad has had to put up with my shit for the last 33 years
That's it for this weekend, expect more updates soon........
First I installed the tuners. Nothing magic here, just make sure the headstock is the right thickness, and drill the holes where you want them
Then I pulled out the smoked black ebony stain, because the ebony isn't black enough for my taste
That's more like it. I love the look of ebony, I like it even more when it's black as the night sky
I stopped by the engraving store today to see what kind of material I needed to build an engravable truss rod cover. He gave me a piece of scrap for free, told me to cut it out and they would engrave it for me.
Black on the top, aluminum on the bottom, should look awesome. Not sure what I'll engrave on there yet. Something sentimental for the fact that my dad has had to put up with my shit for the last 33 years
That's it for this weekend, expect more updates soon........
Themadcow
Well-Known Member
Whats this Output jack style called? i know it seems like a dumb question but i cant think of the term. i kinda want one instead of using a football or square outer plate.
They are called a barrel jack, or something else depending on the manufacturer. They are awesome, they look cool and take up very little real estate.
The only down side I have heard of them is that they wear out faster than regular jacks, because of the variance in size of different guitar cables.
Now that fretboard looks bitching! I was thinking to myself that you had like some kinda of glue residue left on it or something but I guess it was just a really pale piece of ebony.
Themadcow
Well-Known Member
Ya, it definitely wasn't as nice as the one that I used on the 8 string. I think I may stain that one too, the blacker the better I say.
ryantheyetti
Well-Known Member
i just wanna say i just read through everything in this thread and i was thinking about buying a new guitar this summer but instead you have inspired me to just build my own!
and i dont care what anybody says that 8 string looks bitchin man, i will be very closely following this thread
keep up the great work!
and i dont care what anybody says that 8 string looks bitchin man, i will be very closely following this thread
keep up the great work!
SW Davion
Well-Known Member
Themadcow
Well-Known Member
Small update, finished sanding the body with 120, mounted up the hardware to see what it looks like installed. I like it. Tomorrow I'll finish sanding the body to 220 and that's finished. Ready for shellac.
The stain on the neck doesn't hold up to sanding so it obviously isn't penetrating the ebony that deep. I'm gonna have to wait till it's scalloped and completely sanded then I will stain it again.
There's a plastic film on the truss rod cover, so it looks like ass in the picture, but trust me, it looks good. Have to drop it off for engraving this week sometime
Oh and just a heads up on my next project, once I get the 8 string done, I have decided that an 8 string xiphos would be awesome. I want to learn how to build a neckthru anyway.
That one will kick ass, but not until I get these 2 done. Dimarzio's 8 string pups are available april 22nd, so I wont be able to route the pickups till I get them.
Stay tuned for more updates.
The stain on the neck doesn't hold up to sanding so it obviously isn't penetrating the ebony that deep. I'm gonna have to wait till it's scalloped and completely sanded then I will stain it again.
There's a plastic film on the truss rod cover, so it looks like ass in the picture, but trust me, it looks good. Have to drop it off for engraving this week sometime
Oh and just a heads up on my next project, once I get the 8 string done, I have decided that an 8 string xiphos would be awesome. I want to learn how to build a neckthru anyway.
That one will kick ass, but not until I get these 2 done. Dimarzio's 8 string pups are available april 22nd, so I wont be able to route the pickups till I get them.
Stay tuned for more updates.
Themadcow
Well-Known Member
No not headless. I have no idea what headstock shape I'm gonna go with. I wish I had some drawing talent....
That's how I do my carves, though I don't use a handheld grinder, I attach my flap wheel to a chock and attach it to my drill press, that way I'm in control of the body, the flap wheel is stationary.
Notice the 5" grinder with the flap wheel. It's my favorite tool now
Decided to do the top with it instead of the belt sander this time. What you see in the pics is as far as I'm gonna go with it. It's a dangerous way of doing it cause if you slip you can destroy your work piece. The advantage is that it took me less than 5 minutes to get the guitar to that point
Fiction
For Mod
That 8 looks awesome, But i'm really digging the body shape of your dads build. I need a new guitar so i'm looking into buying a S-Prestige, but I think after this I will consider attempting to build a prs styled. Being 17 I don't have many tools... except for a grandad with his own workship 
So I'll make this like a project with him, and get one badass guitar out of it, can't wait for more updates just loving reading this, progress is great.
So I'll make this like a project with him, and get one badass guitar out of it, can't wait for more updates just loving reading this, progress is great.
Themadcow
Well-Known Member
Well, it had to happen eventually, I fucked up, and not in a good way.
Somehow I managed to snap the fretboard off right behind the 21st (last) fret on my dad's guitar...........
Now some people would find this extremely frustrating, but I saw it as an opportunity for an upgrade. I headed down to W.G. Chanin hardwoods to take a look and I found me a beautiful chunk of Indian rosewood.
First the pencil lines are drawn. I use fretfind 2d to print out a template, then use the lines as a guide. I haven't managed to find a ruler with 64th increments, and besides, my eyes suck anyway.
Now all you need to do is triple check the measurement to where the 2 pieces of paper line up. Then transfer the lines onto the fret board
You might be able to tell from that pic that my little arrows don't line up on the opposite sides of the fretboard. This is why we never trust that the paper template is 100% lined up. I make sure to square the edges of the fretboard and use a square to mark out the lines. That way everything is perpendicular to the center...no more fuck ups
My $13 home depot miter box, cause my wife won't let me buy the Stewmac one yet.
I did get this though
Best money spent so far. I struggled to radius the other board, the block I built wasn't perfect and it was hard to get it level across the board.
Well that's what I managed in a couple hours today. I also removed the fretboard from my dad's neck. Just used a palm router to get rid of most of it , then I got out the trusty flapper wheel and ground off the rest.
Tomorrow I'll glue the new board on and hopefully fret it monday night. then I'll pop the nut on and see what it sounds like before final sanding and finish. Getting close. The new D-activater 8 string pups are supposedly out in a week, so I'll be getting back to work on the 8 string soon, in case you guys are interested in how that one is coming along.
Cheers
Somehow I managed to snap the fretboard off right behind the 21st (last) fret on my dad's guitar...........
Now some people would find this extremely frustrating, but I saw it as an opportunity for an upgrade. I headed down to W.G. Chanin hardwoods to take a look and I found me a beautiful chunk of Indian rosewood.
First the pencil lines are drawn. I use fretfind 2d to print out a template, then use the lines as a guide. I haven't managed to find a ruler with 64th increments, and besides, my eyes suck anyway.
Now all you need to do is triple check the measurement to where the 2 pieces of paper line up. Then transfer the lines onto the fret board
You might be able to tell from that pic that my little arrows don't line up on the opposite sides of the fretboard. This is why we never trust that the paper template is 100% lined up. I make sure to square the edges of the fretboard and use a square to mark out the lines. That way everything is perpendicular to the center...no more fuck ups
My $13 home depot miter box, cause my wife won't let me buy the Stewmac one yet.
I did get this though
Best money spent so far. I struggled to radius the other board, the block I built wasn't perfect and it was hard to get it level across the board.
Well that's what I managed in a couple hours today. I also removed the fretboard from my dad's neck. Just used a palm router to get rid of most of it , then I got out the trusty flapper wheel and ground off the rest.
Tomorrow I'll glue the new board on and hopefully fret it monday night. then I'll pop the nut on and see what it sounds like before final sanding and finish. Getting close. The new D-activater 8 string pups are supposedly out in a week, so I'll be getting back to work on the 8 string soon, in case you guys are interested in how that one is coming along.
Cheers
scherzo1928
has wood for you
Glad you got it fixed. That new board looks really nice!
Themadcow
Well-Known Member
Thank you. I think it will look better than the ebony did, and kinda flows with the walnut color.
Themadcow
Well-Known Member
Well I suppose I'll detail this so any one trying to learn.
First....Don't remove an existing fretboard
Second....Don't remove an existing fretboard
Third.....You get the Idea
I won't bore you with the detail. Let's just say I needed to pull the router out to deepen the truss rod channel after I finish leveling the neck. Don't use an angle grinder to take the fretboard off if you want a perfectly level surface to reglue a new board to.
So first I clamp the fretboard on with light clamps.
Then I drilled through the frets at 4 spots with some small drill bits. You can see them on the table in the above pick
Then I turn the bits upside down and use them to anchor the fretboard in the spot I want
Then I add as many clamps as many clamps as I can fit, and some titebond glue.
I should mention that I dry clamped everything first to make sure there were no gaps at all. Gaps = Glue lines, and we don't want that.
If I get the chance, I will pull it out of the clamps tonight so I can bring the neck home. That just leaves fretting and installing the nut.. so close.
First....Don't remove an existing fretboard
Second....Don't remove an existing fretboard
Third.....You get the Idea
I won't bore you with the detail. Let's just say I needed to pull the router out to deepen the truss rod channel after I finish leveling the neck. Don't use an angle grinder to take the fretboard off if you want a perfectly level surface to reglue a new board to.
So first I clamp the fretboard on with light clamps.
Then I drilled through the frets at 4 spots with some small drill bits. You can see them on the table in the above pick
Then I turn the bits upside down and use them to anchor the fretboard in the spot I want
Then I add as many clamps as many clamps as I can fit, and some titebond glue.
I should mention that I dry clamped everything first to make sure there were no gaps at all. Gaps = Glue lines, and we don't want that.
If I get the chance, I will pull it out of the clamps tonight so I can bring the neck home. That just leaves fretting and installing the nut.. so close.
