RabsWood Ash/Black Walnut Nech through... Complete build

Rabs

As some of you may have read in my posts, ive been working on a custom build for a customer which I didn't want to post until it was delivered and he was happy.. Well that happened today so I am now happy to post the build details.

Its my own shape called a Hammer which is kind of a cross between an SG and a LP and its a black walnut neckthrough with ash wings.

Now since its finished I could just post it all right now.. Or I can post each days work on a separate post on a daily basis...

So how do you want it?

This is the VERY rough mock up which I made at the start of the project (my photoshopping skills are average). I always do these mock ups so that everyone knows whats going on.. The customer told me from the start that hes not too good at using his imagination to fill in the blanks do so I wanted him to feel as safe as possible.

https://i.imgur.com/eKKRAzC.jpg

Ohh and for anyone who doesn't want to go through all those pics, I have made a video of the build so its in a more compressed format 

AustrianJohn

Post it all - the suspense is too much!

Rabs

Lol...  Ok I will do it in sections.. It will be way too long for one post anyway..

So heres the wood..  As mentioned. Black Walnut and Ash

https://i.imgur.com/rIy0GrU.jpg

Ebony board

https://i.imgur.com/Hxx0a3y.jpg

First thing I do while its all still square is to do the truss rod channel.. Which I  do by using a straight edge behind the router..

https://i.imgur.com/lTNn0oJ.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/v5XSPz3.jpg

Then I cut the neck piece to rough shape

https://i.imgur.com/6FCFYiO.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/5Il8HjB.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/WJyZD3y.jpg

Testing for body angle and bridge height

https://i.imgur.com/7kz95qT.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/ecT6KjX.jpg

Truss rod access hole

https://i.imgur.com/BJ2Z1wl.jpg

Ash wings glued

https://i.imgur.com/ifkyn47.jpg

And cut to shape

https://i.imgur.com/k6TxnHy.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/9kwTURD.jpg?1

https://i.imgur.com/KaQm04J.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/NMEHBCP.jpg

The customer didn't want binding rather instead a roundover with a small ledge bit (or what ever you call it )

https://i.imgur.com/hrNxUlX.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/EMi39hj.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/uHsuE7X.jpg

And a normal roundover on the back

https://i.imgur.com/BKKbVE5.jpg

Fretboard on

https://i.imgur.com/Rsxsiy0.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/TSCzViL.jpg?1

And lastly for this post the fret markers

https://i.imgur.com/GM8XHXD.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/vv7f7f6.jpg

More soon

Rabs

Ok heres part 2

Routing pickup holes with my template and router

https://i.imgur.com/JhUgqxB.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/MRQYUCF.jpg

Radiusing neck with block..  Just stick some sandpaper to the bottom.. I start off at like 80 grit until I have it pretty much to shape, then I go through the grades 120, 240, 320, 400, 600 then 1200..

https://i.imgur.com/Nds6aGn.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/WtKI29Q.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/4v8W1ht.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/lnxzPZH.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/LDyKktV.jpg

Always collect the dust to be used later

https://i.imgur.com/tNQ6cIV.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/JwECxkQ.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/1Ax5CHE.jpg

9.5" radius

https://i.imgur.com/Ty2yTql.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/MJfZ837.jpg?1

Fretting time.. So I usually file the tops of the frets slots with a triangular file.. This is done so that if it were ever to need a re-fret, they should come out without chipping so much

https://i.imgur.com/iKJ5EwE.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/ciZIrZF.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/SgFXVtv.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/pK6OuHZ.jpg

Then its time for some neck shaping

https://i.imgur.com/4MekzVW.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/TXWGjMF.jpg

Nice upper fret access like an Sg

https://i.imgur.com/lTctLDx.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/UwHdRGu.jpg

Then I fill the fret slots (went a bit saw happy with them)

https://i.imgur.com/LZQlbWm.jpg

Fill with some of that Ebony dust

https://i.imgur.com/OccsFE8.jpg

Add super glue

https://i.imgur.com/JiO6qZ5.jpg?1

Hey presto

https://i.imgur.com/2HOBHU2.jpg

So we are looking good.. More tomorrow 

https://i.imgur.com/DIBvere.jpg

Andyjr1515

Lokks nice.  Some eye catching features too.  Looking forward to the next post

munckee

You've done this before haven't you : )

Not my style of guitar but top skills.

Sarge

Now that's my kinda guitar, lovely work there bud. 

Rabs

Cheers guys    ..  I know my guitars arnt to everyones taste but the same could be said for almost any guitar...  Id say 90% of the guitars I have built so far have a natural finish.

I will post the rest of the build a bit later this evening.

stringsthings

I like those fretboard inlays.  Also looking forward to the next post.

Rabs

Ok... So here is part 3

Neck profile done

https://i.imgur.com/usdUXat.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/Dw45fVK.jpg

Then I tidy the frets up with one of these files you can use two ways.

https://i.imgur.com/vUzo2uZ.jpg

90 degrees to get them flush to the board

https://i.imgur.com/NJXbzdi.jpg

And then I think its about 45 degrees for the top of edges

https://i.imgur.com/o4noU6X.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/karUj2i.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/P7FwPuo.jpg

Then the wiring holes

https://i.imgur.com/YyW4T0k.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/UygUx0Q.jpg

Back plate done

https://i.imgur.com/xbnfCLp.jpg?1

https://i.imgur.com/B3YEzEr.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/hGdu5iO.jpg

Then the final sanding before oiling starts 

https://i.imgur.com/jRsM77J.jpg

All ready for finishing

https://i.imgur.com/KJVcIhI.jpg

Finishing on the next post

Rabs

The first thing I do in this case because Ash has such deep grain is rub Ebony dust into the grain to help highlight it

https://i.imgur.com/2CAhdcj.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/7ToS3FE.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/rvlTGJy.jpg

And on goes the first layer  (always an exciting moment in a build)

https://i.imgur.com/Qop2enO.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/GLKUBXn.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/d069Gfr.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/upE1smC.jpg

On with the decal

https://i.imgur.com/I5CwfdN.jpg

I use this Mirco Set solution which helps soften the decal very slightly and allow it too set better

https://i.imgur.com/oGRwrUS.jpg

Once the decal is in place I roll the air and excess liquid out VERY carefully with a cotton bud

https://i.imgur.com/VULq012.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/eaNxjZd.jpg

Getting shiny

https://i.imgur.com/pJ6whW1.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/Y7ooqeI.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/gKfkWUl.jpg

Wiring done

https://i.imgur.com/Jqhd8Xh.jpg

I always do this just before final assembly..  The final fret work.. After im done shaping I sand to 1200 grit then use the dremel tool with some jewellers rouge.

https://i.imgur.com/wZyxukq.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/YFGSSeD.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/UnZgY28.jpg

Now I didn't get much time sadly to take any great pictures of the final product but heres what I have

https://i.imgur.com/dB2PSDp.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/T4XSIS0.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/MRfR91C.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/Kv1DfHR.jpg

And probably the most important pic of all... The first strum by its new owner 

https://i.imgur.com/BdXgBMV.jpg

Also I got this VERY brief footage..  People don't always like being filmed and indeed you will see as soon as he notices he stops for a second so I stopped filming as I don't want anyone to be uncomfortable

Sarge

Really tasty build,  puts me in mmin of the Washburn wing seriess 

Rabs

Sarge said:

Really tasty build,  puts me in mmin of the Washburn wing seriess 

Cheers man...  I appreciate the comment 

Jez6345789

I always liked the idea of neck thru having grown up with Aria and other 80s Japanese builds seems to fallen from favour these days a bit except for some of the brands aimed at the Uber Metal market.

lovely build glad to have a little video I think there should be a rule about build threads you have to have a video with audio at the end. It’s not that you have to be a great player even if you just hit a few open chords and go through the pickup selection of tones tells so much more. Especially if the project uses different construction or unusual pickups etc you get a real flavour of what a guitar is than from pictures.

nice work and the customer was smiling 

TTony

I see you've adopted the @andyjr1515 workbench ...

Amazing what can be achieved in a small work area with a few tools.  Love the walnut/ash combination - nice work
  

Andyjr1515

TTony said:

I see you've adopted the @andyjr1515 workbench ...

Ah, but @Rabs does it with so much more style

@Rabs - that's a cracking job you've done there.  I really like the design very much and love the wood combinations.  Also, noted the use of ebony dust in the ash grain - adds the emphasis but without the artificiality of the 'stain then sand' approach.

Top class stuff - all of it

Andyjr1515

No probs if you don't want to reveal, but what finish do you use, @Rabs

Roland

Andyjr1515 said:

... noted the use of ebony dust in the ash grain - adds the emphasis but without the artificiality of the 'stain then sand' approach.

Going to nick that idea

axisus

Very nice indeed!

Rocker

I am sure the owner will get as much pleasure playing the guitar as we did watching it being built. Very well done.

Rabs

Andyjr1515 said:

No probs if you don't want to reveal, but what finish do you use, @Rabs

No secrets here.. Im a Tru Oil boy all the way 

And thanks one and all for the comments...  This build was certainly something a bit different..  The idea originally was that we were going to use some kind of Mahogany for the neckthrough..  But I knew he was looking for more of a contrast than that so I went out and found the black walnut..  Such a nice wood..  I went and bought two huge slabs of it for my next builds which will now all probably have a solid black walnut body 

https://i.imgur.com/dHwdxVI.jpg