My archtop build

normH said:
Love it! Wish I had the equipment you do. Picture a guy sitting on the floor holding a chunk of wood with his feet while cutting it with a coping saw or carving a neck with a spokeshave and chisel. That is me.
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Sounds like me when I started doing this 10 years ago. :)
It's kinda like learning to play, in that, you start with some basic understandings/skills & build on that a day at a time.
Same with the equipment, I just added one item at a time over the years.
 
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It's been much more than just a refinish...basically a basket case when it arrived.
It had a non functioning truss rod...I've had the fb off of it & gave it the same treatment as I've done on this neck, etc, etc.
The paint booth I mentioned earilier is for the refinish on it, as well as my own builds.
It's moving kinda slow but steady.
When you do good work, the word seems to get around & I've currently got over 20 serious gigging players, a couple of them local full pros, who bring their stuff to me for maintenance/repairs.
These guys have all become friends, & I give them expeditious service...especially the ones who depend on their gear for their income...
 
Fingerboard is slotted.
My slotting jig keys off of a notched template that keys on a locater pin on the base of the jig & is very accurate...this guitar intonates as well, up the neck, as any that I own.
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Tapering jig is used for cutting the fingerboard.
I made the cuts on a piece of plywood to verify my set-up before proceeding with the cuts on the ebony.
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Marker dots are mahogany.
I use a plug cutter for producing the dots.
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:cool::)
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Used the plywood test cut piece as a clamping caul for gluing the fb to the neck.
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The neck was trimmed clost to the fb edge on the bandsaw.
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A block of maple was clamped to the end of the fb as a guide for cutting the nut slot with a file which has the teeth on the edge, specifically made for this purpose.
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You will notice that the saw marks are still present on the side of the neck...no need to spend time removing them, they will be removed when the neck back profile is shaped.
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Norcal_GIT_r said:
Awesome Ray!!!
Looking forward to another great build from you.!!!
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Thanks Bryan!
I really appreciate the compliment.
Since I've got you on the line, I felt I should mention our previous correspondence about P90s for my dot studio.
I was to the point of sending you a check for the purchase, when a set of Duncan phat cats was offered to me at a rediculuous price that I just could not pass up.
Howeve, I'm currently negotiating for an epi 56 goldtop reissue & if I get it...depending on how I like the epi P90s that are in it, may very well be back in touch with you for a set to install in it.
Best to you, sir!
 
Time to radius the fingerboard.
My favorite fb profile is a 12"-16" compound radius.
I'll be using the 12" block for the nut end, 14" in the middle of the neck & the 16 radius blocks for the initial forming.
White pencil marks acts as a guide coat to show me exactly where the sandpaper is contacting the wood.
I refresh this frequently for maximum accuracy.
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As I work with the 3 blocks, I overlap slightly & suppliment with the long level loaded with stick back paper to keep the fb surface straight.
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After I'm happy with the contour, I mark the board again & long board it one last time to make sure.
The long board is essential, in that it spans the entire length of the fb, insuring that it is perfectly straight.
If ya don't get it right here, you'll just be correcting this area by removing excess material from the fret tops when you level them...ultimately it has to be dead straight for a good playing neck.
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Fret time.
I do enough of this that I buy my wire in bulk...I've got several sizes to accomodate different requirements.
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Bending wire.
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I use to use super glue for frets, but it is somewhat difficult to clean up.
After watching Benedetto do frets, I changed to titebond, as it cleans up with a damp rag.
I put a bit of it in a syrenge & inject it into the slot...
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...wipe off the excess...
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...I overbend the wire slightly, as this helps to keep the ends anchored...
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I seat the ends first, & then work my way from the center out in both directions.
I have a fret press system, but with a compound radius fingerboard, there are so many areas where the pressing cauls do not match the fingerboard precisely that I end up working them down with a hammer...decided that it's just quicker to use the hammer only.
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After the glue has set in the slots overnight, I nip the ends close to the fingerboard & then clean up the edge of the neck on the belt sander, which still has the saw marks from when I trimmed it down previously.
At this point, everything is perfectly flush & aligned & straight.
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While at the belt sander, I also rough in the profile on the heel of the neck.
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Going to the spindle sander, I rough in the profile on the back of the neck, using a set of profile gauges that I built out of 1/4" maple, to monitor my work.
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When it starts getting close, I work by hand using blocks & closet rod dowel to hold the sandpaper & marking with pencil for guide coat for visual access to the work.
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meandi said:
Going to the spindle sander, I rough in the profile on the back of the neck, using a set of profile gauges that I built out of 1/4" maple, to monitor my work.
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that's a great idea...

what did you use to create the template? some existing necks ?
 
Built myself a better jig for holding the neck.
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At this point the neck is pretty much ready to go on the body...so that's next
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73Custom said:
that's a great idea...

what did you use to create the template? some existing necks ?
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Benedetto uses full round neck backs on his builds & I wanted to do the same.
I just measured the width of the fingerboard at various points...set a compass to these dimensions & drew a half circle on my maple...shaped the maple on the spindle sander.
 
73Custom said:
that's a great idea...

what did you use to create the template? some existing necks ?
Click to expand...

Benedetto uses full round neck backs on his builds & I wanted to do the same.
I just measured the width of the fingerboard at various points...set a compass to these dimensions & drew a half circle on my maple...shaped the maple on the spindle sander.
 
Simply incredible work. My attempt at a guitar would look worse than one of your jigs. I can't wait to see the finished project.
 
I just keep reading it...it is like my bible for my newest project and neck building as a whole.

If you didn't have a neck to get the back profile from how would you make a jig to measure and clamp for correct shaping. I am going to try for a soft V asymetrical neck, and hadn't even thought of how I was going to measure the taper.
 
Tiltsta said:
Simply incredible work. My attempt at a guitar would look worse than one of your jigs. I can't wait to see the finished project.
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Thanks, I appreciate the compliment...enjoy.

newbuilder said:
I just keep reading it...it is like my bible for my newest project and neck building as a whole.

If you didn't have a neck to get the back profile from how would you make a jig to measure and clamp for correct shaping. I am going to try for a soft V asymetrical neck, and hadn't even thought of how I was going to measure the taper.
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wave0 :) Is the new project the neck through that you mentioned with the bocote fingerboard?

I went to the trouble of building jigs & fixtures on the archtop because I intend to build more of them...currently have 3 necks glued up & waiting till I get GD's blacktop finished before proceeding.

If you recall the link I sent you about the strat style neck that I built for the Jackson body, I freehanded that neck since it was a one-off.
The strat/jackson is an asymetrical profile & my method is to get a mental picture of what I want & proceed slowly with the shaping...stoping frequently to just put my hand around it & simulate my grips & hand moves that I use while playing...identify the areas where it doesn't feel right for additional cautious material removal...I will, when I think the profile is getting close to what I want, attach the fingerboard to the neck with double stick tape for a more accurate indication of what it'll feel like when finished.

The one dimension you should really pay attention to is the amount of material below the truss rod channel at the nut area.
I use the stew mac double action rod in my necks, & I think the minimum recomended material thickness below the rod at that point is 3/32"...hard to remember all the dimensions from memory, so do your homework before you make your cuts.

With the 3/32"? number in mind, a taper on the neck between the nut area & the 10/12 fret area on the neck that is frequently used is also 3/32".

Keep me up to date on this project, as I'm excited to see it come together.
Best to you, my friend!
 
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