Found an old guitar ...

TTony

... long since forgotten in a dusty corner!








I think this is my oldest surviving self build.  I do remember doing it, must be 10+ years ago.  It's a semi-hollow Cherry body with a Cherry top and a simple oil finish which  has aged really nicely (to my eyes anyway).    The self-build neck is Mahogany with a Wenge fretboard. 

I plugged it in and was very pleasantly surprised with the (intermittent!) sound.  Turned out that the pickups are Iron Gear Rolling Mill and Steel Twin.  Really good sound.  So good that I thought I'd spend a little time tidying it up.

It's a bit rough around the edges (look at the rear of the the thru-string holes!)  and I clearly made the neck before I'd learned the art of "fret levelling".    I tidied up (ie re-did) most of the soldering, put some new strings on it, check that it intonates properly (it does, perfectly) and then adjusted the saddle height a little, only to find that the second fret is way too high.  

So, today I'll be removing the strings and doing some fretwork!  The ends are nicely rounded, so I'm hoping with a bit of levelling that it'll turn into an even nicer player.

Still thinking about the best way to hide those rear string holes ...  suggestions please!

I've still got the other half a plank of the  Cherry too.

ICBM

TTony said:

Still thinking about the best way to hide those rear string holes ...  suggestions please!

You need a 'ferrule block', like this -

https://graingerguitarparts.com/products/grainger-string-ferrule-block-6-string-108mm-spacing

Although hopefully you can make or find one a bit cheaper. (That said there are others which are even more expensive!)

TTony

Thanks @ICBM - that'd probably be the correct solution.

I've got some bits of aluminium bar that I might be able to work into a ferrule block, or maybe even some hard wood.

Job for after I've done some fretwork!

Henrytwang

Nice looking guitar, certainly worth a bit of time spent on it. I have an Iron Gear Steel Twin pickup  on one of my homemade Esquires and and absolutely love it

steer

I love the look of the wood grain on the neck. 

CasperCaster

@TTony that is rather lovely, and great that you are revisiting it. Both the cherry and the wenge look lovely. I'd second @ICBM suggestion - the Grainger ferrule blocks are available in a couple of string spacings and different plated finishes, and are beautifully made. You'll just need to knock up a suitable router template.

Jalapeno

Make a Wenge or something ferrule block to hide the nastiness.

Looks ruddy marvellous !!!!!!

merciful-evans

Very smart looker!

skippy76

Nice one mate, you don’t see too much cherry around  

TTony

Couple of hours with some files and the frets are now levelled and re-crowned.

I decided to take the guitar completely apart to do that as the electrics weren't that brilliant and the control cavity was a bit shallow too.

Looked at the Grainger ferrule block, but, by the time I buy the block and the templates, it's getting expensive.  So I'm going to make something instead.  Got some Wenge in the workshop which might just work nicely.  Job for tomorrow.

Thanks for the kind comments guys!

guitargeek62

ICBM said:

TTony said:

Still thinking about the best way to hide those rear string holes ...  suggestions please!

You need a 'ferrule block', like this -

https://graingerguitarparts.com/products/grainger-string-ferrule-block-6-string-108mm-spacing

Although hopefully you can make or find one a bit cheaper. (That said there are others which are even more expensive!)

Nice find, thanks! I always liked this concept on G&Ls and others. I was toying with using one on a new project and this will be ideal as I’ve not got the tooling to make (a good!) one right now!

TTony

Grainger parts are good @guitargeek62 - I've used some of their other bits on other builds, and quality is excellent.

I still might get this ferrule block and just make my own templates to fit.

guitargeek62

That's what I'm thinking - the shape's straightforward enough to make one for, and even easier if you don't want to flush-mount the lip!

boogieman

I vaguely remember your posts when you built this, think it’s that holey banana inlay that particularly stuck in my mind. Looks great, specially the wood grain on the fretboard. 

King85

That neck is a stunner, love the side dots too.

TTony

boogieman said:

I vaguely remember your posts when you built this, think it’s that holey banana inlay that particularly stuck in my mind. Looks great, specially the wood grain on the fretboard. 

I've just checked back @boogieman ... this pic - the original "it's done" pic -  taken on July 13, 2009.

Though it obviously had a pickup swap at some time between 2009 and now.



I'll now finish it properly!!

King85 said:

That neck is a stunner, love the side dots too.

The fretboard is Wenge.




And I always put my dots in the same position - ever since the first one that I built  (on the Bailey course in 2007)

robwright

If you ever want to sell it?????

icu81b4

Nice looking guitar

TTony

robwright said:

If you ever want to sell it?????

Maybe I should make another @robwright!!

icu81b4 said:

Nice looking guitar

Cheers @icu81b4 ; - most of the stuff I make is  deliberately different - what's the point of making something that I could just buy - so they tend to be a bit marmite!

TTony

TTony said:

Grainger parts are good @guitargeek62 - I've used some of their other bits on other builds, and quality is excellent.

I still might get this ferrule block and just make my own templates to fit.

Ordered the ferrule block (and a couple of knobs) on Thursday, and postie has just delivered them.

Excellent work @Graingerguitars ; - thanks!!

guitargeek62

Thanks for the reminder - I need to order one for the 'stang still!