Members deafinoneear Posted July 23, 2009 Author Members Share Posted July 23, 2009 I've always liked the epiphone and collings offset style...maybe work off of that type of design? How would you go about that with a straight string pull head? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members magnido45 Posted July 23, 2009 Members Share Posted July 23, 2009 How would you go about that with a straight string pull head? I guess it wouldn't work if you're going with a straight string pull head...sorry...kinda skipped the part where you mentioned it...maybe get some ideas from the carvin, prs or heritage headstocks? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 9-Pin-Phoenix Posted July 24, 2009 Members Share Posted July 24, 2009 What about something more like the McInturff headstock? It has a straight string pull, and is a little more simple. The designs you have shown are so busy and intricate I would fear that it would clash with the simple and elegant design of the Les Paul. Just something else to thing about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members meandi Posted July 24, 2009 Members Share Posted July 24, 2009 Now on to the walnut. Here's what we wound up with after hacking out a bookmatch. You'll notice it's not really all that well matched because we unfortunately took out a ton of material while splitting the piece on account of we don't really have any good way to do a resaw. His bandsaw isn't big enough and while we have a friend that "might" be able to do it, he apparently borked up another friends $150 piece of maple with a resaw, so I'm not trusting him. I think for the next project I'll have to look around for some local hired help. Anyway, this is what we came out with. Looks kinda phallic, which I guess is good for a balls-out rock and roll machine: Here's a closeup of some of the flame. I think it's actually a tough decision when you have a large piece like this to decide where you're taking the piece from as you have to throw away so much good wood. I might be able to salvage some of it for another piece like the cavity cover, but I've got even better wood for that. Kinda tough. Here's us deciding where to take from, eventually deciding that the upper one would get the most of that beautiful flame wood in the lower bout. That's some great looking wood! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members meandi Posted July 24, 2009 Members Share Posted July 24, 2009 What about something more like the McInturff headstock? It has a straight string pull, and is a little more simple. The designs you have shown are so busy and intricate I would fear that it would clash with the simple and elegant design of the Les Paul.Just something else to thing about. agreed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Elias Graves Posted July 24, 2009 Members Share Posted July 24, 2009 I love the Benedttos. Sweet headstocks. Really all those designs you put out there are nice. Which one strikes YOU? EG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members diddybow Posted July 24, 2009 Members Share Posted July 24, 2009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mkoris Posted July 24, 2009 Members Share Posted July 24, 2009 I vote no inlays, gold hardware and bindings. Beautiful wood, good job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Zappa74 Posted July 24, 2009 Members Share Posted July 24, 2009 Cool thread. Can't wait to see more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members The Bear Posted July 24, 2009 Members Share Posted July 24, 2009 What about something more like the McInturff headstock? It has a straight string pull, and is a little more simple. The designs you have shown are so busy and intricate I would fear that it would clash with the simple and elegant design of the Les Paul.Just something else to thing about. I have to agree with this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Sean-Patrick Posted July 24, 2009 Members Share Posted July 24, 2009 I say benedetto-type headstock, not too thin. And put walnut on it to match the body! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mkoris Posted July 24, 2009 Members Share Posted July 24, 2009 I also believe a carved top would look great.Regarding the headstock, how about something with the curl from your most excellent looking avatar build? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DaveAronow Posted July 24, 2009 Members Share Posted July 24, 2009 Awesome project. You DO realize that you said phallic, and flame in the same sentence though, dont ya? I wonder how long it will be till some yayhoo suggests naming it 'The Flaming Penis" Oops, I think I just DID. Nice project. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members deafinoneear Posted August 17, 2009 Author Members Share Posted August 17, 2009 Ok guys and gals. I need help. Big time. This is the first project I've made with a set neck. And I'm intimidated as hell by it. I decided that instead of ruining that beautiful neck material that I should instead practice on scrap until I get it right. Thus far, I've made two necks (which I feel I've got down quite well), but about 5 mortis' now. Each time I make the mortise I wind up making the whole too big. At first I tried using thicker piece so that they would be stronger, but if you're using a 1/2 bit, you're not able to go down as far as needed with those as they're quite short. I could use a 3/4" bit, but then my corners aren't cut and I don't think doing that part by hand would be good. So because of the depth problems, I decided to plane some fir down to about 3/8-1/2" to use as a template. I don't like using shims because I think it's an imprecise method to get the neck angle, so instead I cut out an angle from the template (3.5 degrees) which ended with about 1/8" thickness at the skinniest part, where the body ends. I traced out the shape of the tennon onto it and cut, very carefully with the table saw, inside the lines in order to get a smaller image in the template, thinking I can do minute carves out of the body if it's too small. I then clamp it down with two clamps towards the back of the piece (using the angled scrap from template as a support underneath) and start routing. This is what it looks like: Well, using this method, it's left me with 5 seperate cuts that are all too wide, not to mention that I'm really at the end of depth that a 1/2' bit can do without too much chatter. Help. Please. This part is holding up the whole project and I just don't know what to do. I've gone through a lot of books and build threads and I just can't seem to find a truely magical bullet for what I'm doing wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members LaXu Posted August 17, 2009 Members Share Posted August 17, 2009 Can't help much because I know jack all about routing but even Gibson shapes the neck tenons and probably the holes a bit by hand, which is why their neck angles are all over the place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members deafinoneear Posted August 18, 2009 Author Members Share Posted August 18, 2009 PM crew bump? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DaveAronow Posted August 18, 2009 Members Share Posted August 18, 2009 PM crew bump? P.M. A.J.coholic., or mEANDI. These two guys can help you out. P.S. Ask them to respond in THIS thread so we can all see their answers and solutions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members deafinoneear Posted August 18, 2009 Author Members Share Posted August 18, 2009 Good idea! Done'd. Lets see where this goes. Thanks for the tip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Sean-Patrick Posted August 18, 2009 Members Share Posted August 18, 2009 Or just make it a bolt-on. Nobody will know but you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members orourke Posted August 18, 2009 Members Share Posted August 18, 2009 I wanna see where this goes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members deafinoneear Posted August 18, 2009 Author Members Share Posted August 18, 2009 Or just make it a bolt-on. Nobody will know but you. Ahhhhhhhhhhh no. Not my thing. But I lol'd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Sean-Patrick Posted August 18, 2009 Members Share Posted August 18, 2009 Well... How about something like this- A bolt-in neck? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ajcoholic Posted August 18, 2009 Members Share Posted August 18, 2009 Ok guys and gals. I need help. Big time. This is the first project I've made with a set neck. And I'm intimidated as hell by it. I decided that instead of ruining that beautiful neck material that I should instead practice on scrap until I get it right. Thus far, I've made two necks (which I feel I've got down quite well), but about 5 mortis' now. Each time I make the mortise I wind up making the whole too big. At first I tried using thicker piece so that they would be stronger, but if you're using a 1/2 bit, you're not able to go down as far as needed with those as they're quite short. I could use a 3/4" bit, but then my corners aren't cut and I don't think doing that part by hand would be good. So because of the depth problems, I decided to plane some fir down to about 3/8-1/2" to use as a template. I don't like using shims because I think it's an imprecise method to get the neck angle, so instead I cut out an angle from the template (3.5 degrees) which ended with about 1/8" thickness at the skinniest part, where the body ends. I traced out the shape of the tennon onto it and cut, very carefully with the table saw, inside the lines in order to get a smaller image in the template, thinking I can do minute carves out of the body if it's too small. I then clamp it down with two clamps towards the back of the piece (using the angled scrap from template as a support underneath) and start routing. This is what it looks like: Well, using this method, it's left me with 5 seperate cuts that are all too wide, not to mention that I'm really at the end of depth that a 1/2' bit can do without too much chatter. Help. Please. This part is holding up the whole project and I just don't know what to do. I've gone through a lot of books and build threads and I just can't seem to find a truely magical bullet for what I'm doing wrong. First of all - get it out of your head that a set neck is somehow "hard" or "harder" than a bolt on. There are ways to do it - all I can tell you is how I do it (or see some of the build threads here I have done) Question: you say all 5 attempts were too wide? Is your template too wide or do you think it is possible it is slightly shifting? Even a 1/4 shank router bit has little flex, as the shafts just arent flexible. You think they are chattering, but its everything else (like your template) that is moving slightly - usually. WHwen I do a set neck I generally like to size the neck tennon and then cut the mortise undersize and finish it up by paring the sides with a sharp chisel. But of course you need to have a good, flat sharp chisel that is able to pare off a thin sliver of wood and even cut end grain. Dull tools dont work... they make messes! If you are set on using a template and router, then you might be best to try and size your tennon to it. Cut the pocket at least 1/16th undersize and then carefully and slowly size down the tennon to fit. If worst case, the fit is looser than you would like it to be, remember you can always resort to using a slow setting epoxy, which will fill any small gaps or imperfections. I have done this many times and the only drawback is that you will never get the neck off again... a regular woodworking glue can be released with heat. But you are making your own guitar so whatever you want to do is OK right? There is no detriment to the tone/sustain,etc withg epoxy. Assuming of course the tennon is pretty good and not sloppy loose. AJC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members deafinoneear Posted August 18, 2009 Author Members Share Posted August 18, 2009 Awesome! Thanks for the words. What I don't get is this. In this thread I see you using a forstner bit do take out the bulk of the pocket. How in the world are you getting a correct angle at the bottom of the pocket? I mean, I can see how you can take out the sides as it's just a straight down throw, but the 4 degree incline seems impossible to do it accurately. I'm talking like this: I want the bottom, but are you telling me that you don't really go for that? It seems like if you could take care of it with the router and template method it would be such a clean, precise surface that would maximize surface area contact. Am I just being picky or is that a valid point? In regards to your first question, well, that's just my question. I'm not exactly sure what it is that's failing, so I was hoping someone could tell me. I would welcome pictures of someone else's neck templates for a router and how they clamped them down without having to move them to accommodate the router base. The body doesn't seem to provide a large enough area to clamp to. My father in law suggested screwing the template to the face, but that's not something I'm prepared to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members xoeo Posted August 18, 2009 Members Share Posted August 18, 2009 Carved top,chrome hardware. Maybe for the headstock you could do something like a cole clark headstock with the 2 different woods matching the back of the body with a skunk stripe on the neck. Maybe some of that sweet scroll work like on the guitar in ur avatar on the headstock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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