Members Freeman Keller Posted September 4, 2014 Author Members Share Posted September 4, 2014 The fretboard is radiused at 16 inches, I've got this home made thingie that bends fretwire at about that radius (actually its 12 but that's fine) When I'm done I've got two pieces of fretwire that looks like this Because this is a bound fretboard I have to remove the tang at the very ends of the fret, just clamp it in between a couple of blocks and file it down Before starting I get everything together that I'll need. The frets are all cut to length and have their tangs trimmed back, the thing above the fretboard and to the left is a radiused clamping caul with inserts for various fretboard radii, the L shape thingie is a piece of fretwire that I've filed the barbs off the tang - its used to check the depth of the slot. That's a dental tool that I clean the slots out with. A little super glue, my favorite hammer - I think we are ready Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted September 4, 2014 Author Members Share Posted September 4, 2014 There are different ways to install frets - hammer 'em in, press 'em, glue 'em, I use a combination of all three - I wick a thin bead of CA into the slot, tap one end in with my hammer, then lightly tap across the fret. Then move it to my drill press where I have the caul - clamp it down and hold for 10 seconds. Do about half the board, then clamp it with a 16 inch radius sanding block for 15 minutes or so - let the CA work its way to the ends at the binding and cure After that I file the ends flush with the edge of the board, then give them a little angle - somewhere between 45 and 60 degrees. With a little jewler's file I round the edges of each fret - that is a draftsman's eraser shield protecting the binding Polish the ends of the frets (I haven't leveled or crowned them yet) and it looks like Those are basically the steps your repair guy would take in refretting your guitar (plus leveling and crowning) - now you know why it costs so much Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kwakatak Posted September 4, 2014 Members Share Posted September 4, 2014 I don't hang around the electric forum very much but frankly I'm kind of disappointed. One of the reasons that I thought I would post this thread here instead of HGAG where it probably belongs is that I figured you guys (and girls) were a bunch of bad-asses. I figured that since Jesse is kind of bad-ass and this guitar is a bit bad-ass that HCEG regulars would really like it. I kind of expected the reaction to the skulls to be "whoa, dud, that's really bad-ass, I dig it" but instead I've got a bunch of my buddies from HGAG over here saying "gee, I don't like the skulls". Well, whatever you think of the skulls, Time to move on OK then. You DID ask. You got a bone to pick or is it the customer? ;-) Personally I think you should do a goat inlay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted September 4, 2014 Author Members Share Posted September 4, 2014 OK then. You DID ask. You got a bone to pick or is it the customer? ;-) Personally I think you should do a goat inlay. LOL - the mountain goat is my personal talisman and that would make a great inlay. If I was doing a guitar for my wife it would be the Great Blue Heron. When I made my daughters it was her dragon fly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeepEnd Posted September 4, 2014 Members Share Posted September 4, 2014 Not saying the skulls aren't "bad ass," just not necessarily my taste and not given the fairly traditional look of the guitar. OTOH, I could easily see skulls on any of these: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kwakatak Posted September 5, 2014 Members Share Posted September 5, 2014 LOL! Is the Warlock considered "vintage" now or is does it have to be hot pink? If so, skulls on that would just be soooo HAWT like Lita Ford. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted September 6, 2014 Author Members Share Posted September 6, 2014 Back to the build. Glued a piece of ebony on the headstock and drilled and reamed the tuner holes Inlay my initials in the headplate Route a channel for the headstock binding and bind it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gp2112 Posted September 6, 2014 Members Share Posted September 6, 2014 I would never put a Grateful Dead sticker on a Lambo...I would not put one on a Yugo though. It would be insulting to the Yugo. The skulls are cool beans. To me it is like a subtle eff you to tradition. I am in awe of your abilities, and jealous too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members slvrsrpnt Posted September 7, 2014 Members Share Posted September 7, 2014 been watching the whole build. I'm not a big hollow body fan, but like how you spiced it up with the inlays. and awesome work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarcapo Posted September 7, 2014 Members Share Posted September 7, 2014 I'd love to hear sound clips when this baby is done. How are you going to finish it? Tru Oil? Nitro? French polish? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted September 8, 2014 Author Members Share Posted September 8, 2014 I'd love to hear sound clips when this baby is done. How are you going to finish it? Tru Oil? Nitro? French polish? Will try to oblige. The finish will be nitro - I'll do the prep and Jesse will shoot it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted September 8, 2014 Author Members Share Posted September 8, 2014 Had a productive weekend. Put some side marker dots in the fretboard Set the truss rod perfectly flat and glued the board to the neck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted September 8, 2014 Author Members Share Posted September 8, 2014 Sand the feet on the bridge to fit the contour of the top Double and triple check the neck angle - I'm not too familiar with setting up an archtop but I figure that if I set the fretboard plane to just hit the top of the bridge at its lowest position I will get a little bit of action from the string tension and I can set the rest with the little wheels on the bridge. We'll see.... Routed the binding channels on the top Laminated some b-w-b purfling Another cool little StewMac tool - you brush acetone on the strips of pufling material and pull it thru the little UHMW block which glues them all together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted September 8, 2014 Author Members Share Posted September 8, 2014 Glue the binding and purfling in place. With plastic binding you can tape it in place, then wick thin superglue in the crack - the glue will go down inside and hold it together. Scrape the binding back flush with the top and sides Last thing I did was make a pickguard out of ebony and bound it too - here are all the bits and pieces together I'll bind the back today, then there are about a zillion little details Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gardo Posted September 8, 2014 Members Share Posted September 8, 2014 Like the old saying goes "You know more tricks than a Philadelphia lawyer" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Surrealistic Posted September 8, 2014 Members Share Posted September 8, 2014 Looks fabulous - I can even forgive the skull inlays as the rest of it looks so great Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kwakatak Posted September 8, 2014 Members Share Posted September 8, 2014 Amazing! You make it look easy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted September 9, 2014 Author Members Share Posted September 9, 2014 I looked at those last pictures that I posted and I'm pretty ashamed of them. I keep a cheap little camera in the shop to document things that go on there - it looks like the white balance has gone to hell and the focus is terrible. I brought my good camera out today - lets see if these are any better. Routed out the ledge for the back binding A razor blade or box cutter blade makes a really good scraper for plastic binding Here is the back And here is a better picture of that cheap looking plastic binding on the top I think it looks OK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members t_e_l_e Posted September 9, 2014 Members Share Posted September 9, 2014 this guitar is sexy as hell...hmm would you mind making a lefty ES355 for me next? just kiddin, don't have the money to pay this great work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Preacher Posted September 9, 2014 Members Share Posted September 9, 2014 Wow, that's incredible. While I personally wouldn't prefer the skulls, you sure did a good job with them, and afterall that's exactly what your friend is expecting. Great work, and thanks for showing all the steps that you've shown thus far; I love the picture of the binding scraping in progress. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted September 10, 2014 Author Members Share Posted September 10, 2014 Details, details, details. Or should I say sanding, sanding, sanding. I'm afraid the next few days are going to be pretty boring with lots of sanding and little details. I'll try to post a few of the more interesting things. In addition, we're going over to Rainier for a few days so I'll be out of the shop (and away from a computer). Anyway, glued a little ebony cap on the heel and bound it Set the neck perfectly flat and filed the frets so they are too. The thing on the fretboard is a flat piece of steel the has some 120 grit sandpaper stuck to it with double sticky tape - I ran a mill bastard fill over the frets then finished them off with the sandpaper Each fret should have the top gently sanded flat - number three and four were a bit high and so there was more removed. Recrown them with a special file and give them a slight polish with 220 grit - we'll do a lot more work on the frets during the final setup Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted September 10, 2014 Author Members Share Posted September 10, 2014 More sanding on the neck - I'm close to the final shape based on the templates but I want Jesse to fondle it and make sure it meets his needs. I can always remove more wood but its pretty hard to put it back on Finally (for today, at least) we need a truss rod cover so some of the scrap ebony gives us And since we are a bit over the top with the skull theme, how about we put one in the truss rod cover and the pick guard? See ya all in a few days - be good now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kwakatak Posted September 10, 2014 Members Share Posted September 10, 2014 More skulls? *grroooooooaaaaan!* Just kidding. Water off a duck's back and all that you know. Not my guitar so my opinion shouldn't matter. I'm amazed at how quickly thus went together but you have a lot of practice and mad skills. You HAVE to put a goat in there somewhere, though. Given that this is an acoustic electric It's a tradition. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grant Harding Posted September 11, 2014 Members Share Posted September 11, 2014 Unbelievable work Freeman. You're a master! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mistersully Posted September 14, 2014 Members Share Posted September 14, 2014 can i have it?.... please? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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