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

TheOtherDennis · May 2020

Seeing that Flying V reminds me of an idea my son had when he was at school. I'd just started making kits, and he wanted to get in on the act, and because he was doing Design Technology at school, he wanted to make a Flying W - a six string V double-necked with a four string bass, both in in the V shape. He was told he had to make a cabinet, the end.

I told him I'd help him have a go regardless, but he was so crestfallen he never bothered.

I've often wondered whether it would have been technically possible.

GSPBASSES · May 2020

TheOtherDennis said:

Seeing that Flying V reminds me of an idea my son had when he was at school. I'd just started making kits, and he wanted to get in on the act, and because he was doing Design Technology at school, he wanted to make a Flying W - a six string V double-necked with a four string bass, both in in the V shape. He was told he had to make a cabinet, the end.

I told him I'd help him have a go regardless, but he was so crestfallen he never bothered.

I've often wondered whether it would have been technically possible.

I've never seen a double neck flying V, I can visualise that it would be possible though.

Interesting about your son, as part of my GCSE woodworking exam coupled with technical drawing exam I had to design something then make it in the woodworking exam. I chose to make a bass guitar, I did in fact make it (photo below), that was the first guitar I made and the rest is history.

GSPBASSES · May 2020

Earlier on in the post I showed how I make my neck joints on the V90’s. I use this method on most of the Gibson style guitars I make. The main reason I do not extend part of the neck below the tenon, is to eliminate any end grain to end grain in the joint.

You can see from the above photo how I have extend the body out further than Gibson do on this style on neck joint.

The picture above is my Gibson V90, you can clearly see where the end grain to end grain part of the joint has started to fail.

enjo · May 2020

Great job.

John_P · May 2020

That neck joint is a work of art!

sawyer · May 2020

Fantastic bit of work! Seemless

PeteC · May 2020

excellent - how on earth do you do that curved joint ?

GSPBASSES · June 2020

Now that I've completed the V90 order, I can start on some of the orders I have from forum members. In between making the V 90’s and TC’s I've been finishing off some Roasted Maple necks and solid Rosewood necks.

The Rosewood TC neck on the left is not for sale unless you have a body with a neck pocket that only 55.4mm wide.

TTony · June 2020

GSPBASSES said:

The Rosewood TC neck on the left is not for sale unless you have a body with a neck pocket that only 55.4mm wide.

Strange you should say that ... I was just thinking to myself that I should build a Tele with a 55.4 wide neck pocket, just in case someone had a reject Rosewood neck that needs a body ...

GSPBASSES · June 2020

TTony said:

GSPBASSES said:

The Rosewood TC neck on the left is not for sale unless you have a body with a neck pocket that only 55.4mm wide.

Strange you should say that ... I was just thinking to myself that I should build a Tele with a 55.4 wide neck pocket, just in case someone had a reject Rosewood neck that needs a body ...

Sorry @TTony that neck sold within a few minutes of the picture going up, in fact all those necks went within half an hour. You'd be surprised how many Strat and Tele bodies are out there with undersized neck pockets from very well known UK suppliers and makers.

TTony · June 2020

Ah well, not too surprised, that’s going to make a very nice upgrade for someone.

GSPBASSES · June 2020

Another week over, it has been fairly productive, apart from finishing off the necks that I posted a photo of earlier, also made a Mahogany Strat plus one more Flame Maple TC neck with a Rosewood Fingerboard and a standard TC neck Maple with a Rosewood Fingerboard.

Next week is going to be very busy, first job finish off a Stingray bass with a fretless neck, plus I have two SG’s to make, one standard with two humbuckers and one with three P 90s (mini humbuckers).

GSPBASSES · June 2020

PeteC said:

excellent - how on earth do you do that curved joint ?

Shaping the neck joint isn't that difficult, it's a full width Tenon joint, stays square while it's glued together.

Once the glue has set it's just a case of sanding it to shape, I use a piece of piece of broom handle with sandpaper on it. When I'm shaping a slightly larger neck joint like the V 90’s I start off the shaping with a Black and Decker power file, then start using sandpaper. The neck joint in the photo is a Korina 58 V but made from Idigbo.

The Finnish neck joint.

PeteC · June 2020

That’s great - many thanks for sharing the tip. Loving the Idigbo !!

GSPBASSES · June 2020

Nearly finished the Stingray fretless bass, all I need to do is make the back plate and fit the nut, plus fit the side dots. The body was built a few years ago, it just needed the tummy cut and arm rest completed, and the final sanding. the neck was glued up last week, yesterday I shaped the back of the neck, drill the holes for the tuners.

Started work on one of the SG’s. Both the SG's I’m making this week had a lot of the work done some time ago. The necks were glued together a few months ago, the bodies were thickness, profiled and rear cavity routed a few weeks ago. Yesterday I cut the channels for the bindings then glued the binding's on one of the necks. The neck I'm using today has the binding channels cuts but I'm not gluing the binding's in, the customer is going to fret the neck then add the binding's so he has the little nips at the end of each fret.

First job today, shape the back of the first SG neck, then drill the holes for the tuners, next rout the neck pocket. Once the neck pocket has been routed, I can then shape the edges up the body. Next to the body photo is the Black and Decker power file I use to shape in the edge of the body. I've extended the neck pocket outwards as I did on the V90’s, this again is to avoid any end grain to end grain in that part of the joint. This will be slightly different to the V90’s, it's going to be squared off after it's been glued so it's more like The Gibson neck joint. This is also a full width Tenon joint un-like the Gibson joint.

Note the two holes at the end of the neck pocket these are for the wire runs for the neck pickup, I always drill two just in case one gets blocked.

When the body edges are shaped the neck is glued in.

TTony · June 2020

Your wood store is going to look empty when we’re finished with lockdown!

PeteC · June 2020

Great tip on the wiring channels and the neck pocket preparation. Experience shows.....

CasperCaster · June 2020

I love following these threads by @GSPBASSES - full of useful tips gained through decades of experience, and just really enjoyable to read.

GSPBASSES · June 2020

Thanks for the comment @CasperCaster and @PeteC it’s always good to know what I write on the forum is appreciated.

PeteC · June 2020

very much appreciated - I have learnt a lot from your posts. It's great to see how experienced and skilled builders go about construction and finishing work. For someone just getting into this its very inspiring and motivating to see what can be done with care, planning and skill.

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

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