Members thick_mike Posted October 9, 2010 Members Share Posted October 9, 2010 So, I've been thinking about building a guitar for about 4 years (ever since reading ajcoholic's epic LP Jr build)...and I've finally gotten around to it. I decided to make something that I couldn't buy/afford in my wildest dreams. My son is a massive Beatles fan so I thought I'd try to make a Rickenbacker Capri-type guitar. I read a couple of threads where proper luthiers went to the nth degree in recreating John Lennon's guitar: http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/luthiers-corner/83997-1958-325-capri-build.html http://williamyoungguitars.com/32501.htm I thought I'd be a bit less ambitious for my first attempt. I've always thought it would be good to make a guitar from recycled wood, so I bought a mahogany table: It was meant to be a Capri: Planed down the edge to see the direction of the grain: Doh! ...so I bought some proper wood: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members thick_mike Posted October 9, 2010 Author Members Share Posted October 9, 2010 The idea was...ash body, maple and walnut laminated neck with a padauk fretboard. I made a template by copying a good picture of a Capri body onto a powerpoint slide and then projecting it at the right size onto a piece of card using a digital projector. I then traced around the image to get a template: and copied it onto a sheet of MDF: and cut it out with a jigsaw: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members poolshark Posted October 9, 2010 Members Share Posted October 9, 2010 Doh! Oops. Best of luck with the project. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members thick_mike Posted October 9, 2010 Author Members Share Posted October 9, 2010 Had to joint the body blank, so it's important to get the edges perfectly(ish) square. I set up a flat 90 degree fence (from a glass coffee table bought with the original mahogany (veneer) table!) and stuck some sandpaper to it. Lots of pushing later, I had a good joint: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members NHLfan2010 Posted October 9, 2010 Members Share Posted October 9, 2010 Sweet!!! Keep us all posted!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members thick_mike Posted October 9, 2010 Author Members Share Posted October 9, 2010 I don't have any sash clamps, so I had to use a low-tech approach. I nailed along the side of one half of the body blank and did the same along the other side after resting it on a 1/4" lath: Glued up the joint with Titebond: Pushed both halves of the blank down: Then piled as many heavy things as could put my hands on on top of the blank and pulled the lath out (don't forget the greaseproof paper to stop the heavy stuff sticking to the wood!): Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members thick_mike Posted October 10, 2010 Author Members Share Posted October 10, 2010 Blank looks pretty good with even squeeze out along the whole joint: Next comes the scary part. I traced the outline of the body onto the blank and started cutting round it with my cheapo jig saw. Managed to break 3 or 4 blades in the process: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members thick_mike Posted October 10, 2010 Author Members Share Posted October 10, 2010 When you're doing a project like this health and safety is paramount. The correct protective equipment is essential. I am wearing safety spectales that comply with EN 166 1.F, ear plugs that comply with EN352-2 and have a SNR rating of - 37db and a pair of old underpants! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cobalt Blue Posted October 10, 2010 Members Share Posted October 10, 2010 OMG, Man, I'm on the edge of my seat.I couldn't even begin to entertain the notion that I would be capable of such craftsmanship, and I am looking forward to following your project to its successful completion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members thick_mike Posted October 10, 2010 Author Members Share Posted October 10, 2010 Cut the body out reasonably well: Except for one bit where the blade slipped off 90 degrees: Joint looks good and tight though: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members thick_mike Posted October 10, 2010 Author Members Share Posted October 10, 2010 OMG, Man, I'm on the edge of my seat. I couldn't even begin to entertain the notion that I would be capable of such craftsmanship, and I am looking forward to following your project to its successful completion. I'm not at the end of the journey yet! I've waited a long time before sharing this with everyone because I was a complete noob at this type of thing (just check post1!!) I'm a bit further along the way now, so I feel a bit more confident, but I'm in no way a craftsman!! (as you'll see later). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members thick_mike Posted October 10, 2010 Author Members Share Posted October 10, 2010 Routed the body to the template, but had a couple of problems: Looks like this Ric is going to be pre-reliced! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members thick_mike Posted October 10, 2010 Author Members Share Posted October 10, 2010 Needed a way of sanding the curves, and since I don't have a spindle sander, I needed a low-tech version which I made from a couple of pieces of waste pipe: I have decided that hand sanding is the slowest and most frustrating way of making a piece of wood smaller. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members thick_mike Posted October 10, 2010 Author Members Share Posted October 10, 2010 Next step was one of the most satisfying so far, carving the ramp. Had to sharpen my chisels before attempting this! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members thick_mike Posted October 10, 2010 Author Members Share Posted October 10, 2010 Seem to have lost some photos of the process of hollowing out the body. Lots of drilling, chiseling and routing. Next step was the neck. Laminated the walnut and maple: Then cut out the headstock angle: and routed the trussrod channel and drilled the access: Lovely... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members thick_mike Posted October 10, 2010 Author Members Share Posted October 10, 2010 Then it's cutting out the rough shape of the neck: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dc* Posted October 10, 2010 Members Share Posted October 10, 2010 Wish I had the tools, talent and balls to attempt a build - looking good so far:thu: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BG76 Posted October 10, 2010 Members Share Posted October 10, 2010 I'm impressed by your work with lack of tools. Looks great:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members lachupakabra361 Posted October 10, 2010 Members Share Posted October 10, 2010 this is awesome! im lovin the lowtech approach. cant wait to see this thing really take shape! (and its not a les paul, a tele, or a strat build!! GASP!!!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Unto The Sky Posted October 10, 2010 Members Share Posted October 10, 2010 I'm excited to see more! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members thick_mike Posted October 10, 2010 Author Members Share Posted October 10, 2010 Wish I had the tools, talent and balls to attempt a build - looking good so far:thu: Thanks dc. The lack of talent will show later I'm sure! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members thick_mike Posted October 10, 2010 Author Members Share Posted October 10, 2010 I'm impressed by your work with lack of tools. Looks great:) Cheers, that means a lot. Your builds and posts over the years have inspired me to have a go myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members thick_mike Posted October 10, 2010 Author Members Share Posted October 10, 2010 this is awesome! im lovin the lowtech approach. cant wait to see this thing really take shape! (and its not a les paul, a tele, or a strat build!! GASP!!!) Low-tech is my middle name. Sometimes I'd rather have a problem than a solution, just so I can work out how to fix it! I could buy a good LP/tele/strat copy for cheaper than the parts/tools/wood and certainly time I'd spend making one. I could never afford a Ric...so here I am. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members thick_mike Posted October 10, 2010 Author Members Share Posted October 10, 2010 I'm excited to see more! Me too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members thick_mike Posted October 10, 2010 Author Members Share Posted October 10, 2010 Lost my photos of the body hollowing out process, so here are a couple of shots of the final thing. It's not too neat, but it'll never be seen, so I didn't sweat on it too much. It was mainly drilling hundreds of overlapping 13mm holes with my cheapo drill press and then chiselling out the bits that were left sticking up. After that I routed out the lumpy bottom (which is actually the front of the guitar). Had a couple of mishaps: Firstly, my router bit slipped in the collet while I was routing and started cutting a bit lower than I wanted (1/4"). I managed to stop it before too much damage was done. Secondly, I was a bit over-zealous in removing wood from around the neck mortise which meant that I had to make it a bit narrower than the neck needs to be. I think I've worked out how to get around that (it's made easier because the Ric neck is going to butt up against the body anyway). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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