COVID-19 I'm now in total isolation, so lots of building to do.

skippy76

That roasted ash Stratocaster body looks awesome.

Keen to get hold of one of your single cut LPJs to go with the double cut

earwighoney

Beautiful work as ever.

The figuring on the normal ash bodies are out of the world, stunning. There's something aesthetically pleasing about a bookmatched 2 piece body.

stephen.wood125

some really beautiful work as always. Those rosewood Strat necks are STUNNING!!

GSPBASSES

Thanks @stephen.wood125. These are a bit different to my normal Rosewood necks, these are made from Madagascar Rosewood, I hope to get back on them towards the end of next week, they are fretted but haven't been fret dressed yet.

GSPBASSES

Still haven't decided what type of TC to turn those two bodies into yet, but I finished off the Roasted Maple/Rosewood necks to go with them.

 

Next job two TC bodies made from Obeche, one is only to have the neck pocket routed, the second one is a 52 TC.

Final job of the week one Strat neck Maple/Rosewood drill for vintage Kluson tuners but not fretted or dotted.

GSPBASSES

A lightweight Swamp Ash body (3lb 12oz) with a Maple/Rosewood fingerboard neck, the neck is Gibson scale 24.75”. The neck has been hanging around for a while it only needed the tuner holes drilled to complete it, the body only needed a final sanding to finish.

GSPBASSES

As I was drilling the holes for the tuners in the last neck I finished, I thought it might be a good idea to show you how I use the Stew Mac jigs for doing this job. Although these jigs along with the reamers are quite expensive I think they're worth every penny.

https://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/Types_of_Tools/Reamers/Peghead_Bushing_Reamers.html

https://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/Tools_by_Job/Tools_for_Tuner_Installation/Guitar_Tuner_Drill_Jig.html

Using these jigs is relatively simple, to start with you mark out the string lay on the headstock of the high E and low E

You then lay the jig on the headstock so the low and high E sting lines just touch the lines. I made a perspex copy of the jig so I could see the lines easier.

When the perspex jig is laid on the headstock in the right position, I then mark where the low E tuner is going to be, using a ¼” punch that is supplied by Stew Mac (sorry forgot to take a photo of that stage). I take the perspex jig off and then drill a ¼” hole in the headstock, I do not drill all the way through at this stage. I set the pillar drill so the point of the drill just breaks through on the back of the head stock. When this hole is drilled I then place a ¼” pin that is also supply by Stew Mac in the hole.

The metal jig is then put on to the headstock using the pin to register it, provided the headstock is made the right shape the jig will run parallel with the top of the headstock. It will also line up with the string line of the high E. At this stage I don't follow Stew Mac instructions, I prefer to hold the jig in place with double sided sticky tape.

I then drill the rest of the ¼” holes, again not drilling all the way though, but just letting the point of the drill though.

The jig is then removed I then drill though the back of the head stock with the same drill.

The Stew Mac kit contains reamers to fit virtually all the tuners your ever likely to come across. This headstock is going have Kluson vintage tuners. The reamer for the bushing is 8.8mm, the bottom of the reamer has a ¼” noncutting part that registers the reamer to the existing ¼” hole, this also acts as the depth gauge. You don't have to set the drill to a depth, when the reamers bottom out on the bed of the pillar drill it will have cut the correct depth for the bushing. I then run a 6.5mm drill though the back of the head stock, this is just to give a bit of clearance for the ¼” shaft of the tuners.

That's the job complete quick simple and very accurate, Stew Mac also make another set of jigs that you use next to make sure the screw holes are in the right place.

TTony

GSPBASSES said:

Although these jigs along with the reamers are quite expensive I think they're worth every penny.

When you make as many as you do - definitely!!

Hope the isolation isn't sending you too mad ...

GSPBASSES

TTony said:

GSPBASSES said:

Although these jigs along with the reamers are quite expensive I think they're worth every penny.

When you make as many as you do - definitely!!

Hope the isolation isn't sending you too mad ...

 I'm finding this lockdown a bit stressful now, not so much during the day as I'm in the workshop, but in the evening and weekends when I can’t get out to meet people. but there again I figure being a bit stress is better than being dead.  

TTony

GSPBASSES said:

 I'm finding this lockdown a bit stressful now, not so much during the day as I'm in the workshop, but in the evening and weekends when I can’t get out to meet people. 

I think there are a lot of people feeling similar.

Its easy to join our Jitsi call most evenings.  You just need a Mac/PC (with mic, camera optional), or an iPad.  It’s a virtual pub - bring your own beer.

guitargeek62

Aye - same here!

I hadn’t spotted that @TTony, whereabouts are the details please?

GSPBASSES

As I mentioned earlier on in this post, I have 3 V 90’s to make, been held up because I didn't have the Ebony finger boards. Will the fingerboards are on their way to me, should be here first thing tomorrow. Today I started work on the neck blanks, first cleaned up the faces to take the fingerboards and headstock veneer. Then fitted the headstock veneers. This will then be ready to fit the trust rods, and finger boards tomorrow.  

The veneers were not quite wide enough for a V headstock so had to trim some of the top then glue it back on at the bottom.

The little wooden pins are to hold the veneer in place while being glued and clamped.

TTony

guitargeek62 said:

Aye - same here!

I hadn’t spotted that @TTony, whereabouts are the details please?

@guitargeek62    ... cleverly hidden in my sig.  Or via the thread linked from the banner image.

guitargeek62

Oops - I can’t see those on mobile! I’ll hop on the mac, thanks!

GSPBASSES

TTony said:

GSPBASSES said:

 I'm finding this lockdown a bit stressful now, not so much during the day as I'm in the workshop, but in the evening and weekends when I can’t get out to meet people. 

I think there are a lot of people feeling similar.

Its easy to join our Jitsi call most evenings.  You just need a Mac/PC (with mic, camera optional), or an iPad.  It’s a virtual pub - bring your own beer.

I talk to lots of people on FaceTime most evenings, but it's not the same as being in close contact. I Face time my lady friend who lives 100 miles or more away from me every night, but it's not the same as being in bed together.

TTony

GSPBASSES said:

TTony said:

GSPBASSES said:

 I'm finding this lockdown a bit stressful now, not so much during the day as I'm in the workshop, but in the evening and weekends when I can’t get out to meet people. 

I think there are a lot of people feeling similar.

Its easy to join our Jitsi call most evenings.  You just need a Mac/PC (with mic, camera optional), or an iPad.  It’s a virtual pub - bring your own beer.

I talk to lots of people on FaceTime most evenings, but it's not the same as being in close contact. I Face time my lady friend who lives 100 miles or more away from me every night, but it's not the same as being in bed together.

Careful now, we only chat on Jitsi, none of that funny stuff ...

guitargeek62

^ depends on how many guitars I can get for it. I have no shame 

LastMantra

GSPBASSES said:

TTony said:

GSPBASSES said:

 I'm finding this lockdown a bit stressful now, not so much during the day as I'm in the workshop, but in the evening and weekends when I can’t get out to meet people. 

I think there are a lot of people feeling similar.

Its easy to join our Jitsi call most evenings.  You just need a Mac/PC (with mic, camera optional), or an iPad.  It’s a virtual pub - bring your own beer.

I talk to lots of people on FaceTime most evenings, but it's not the same as being in close contact. I Face time my lady friend who lives 100 miles or more away from me every night, but it's not the same as being in bed together.

Yea, being able to stretch out in bed is priceless! 

GSPBASSES

LastMantra said:

GSPBASSES said:

TTony said:

GSPBASSES said:

 I'm finding this lockdown a bit stressful now, not so much during the day as I'm in the workshop, but in the evening and weekends when I can’t get out to meet people. 

I think there are a lot of people feeling similar.

Its easy to join our Jitsi call most evenings.  You just need a Mac/PC (with mic, camera optional), or an iPad.  It’s a virtual pub - bring your own beer.

I talk to lots of people on FaceTime most evenings, but it's not the same as being in close contact. I Face time my lady friend who lives 100 miles or more away from me every night, but it's not the same as being in bed together.

Yea, being able to stretch out in bed is priceless! 

No, I prefer to be up close and personal.

GSPBASSES

The Ebony fingerboards have turned up for the V 90's, I've radius and slotted them, routed the channels for the truss rods then glued the fingerboards on. I have one more Cabronita Tele with Filtertron pickups routs to do, I did build one earlier in the month but that was with P90 routs, then it’s full time on the V 90’s.