London Plane DC Build

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  • Andyjr1515Andyjr1515 Frets: 3127
    Looks really good :)
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  • Winny_PoohWinny_Pooh Frets: 7732
    The fretboard isnt on yet so perhaps just sand the sides so its narrower overall, glue the binding, re-radius, glue to neck, fret?
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  • CorvusCorvus Frets: 2924
    tFB Trader
    Missed the board not being on - you're prob away ahead but what I do is - size the fretboard to the neck first. Take a board with a good true edge. Overhang the fretboard on this board, by the thickness of the binding. Router the lip off.
    It's less faff to line up if there's a good right-angle surface somewhere, so binding bits go on the deck, template board is up against the 'wall' the edge sitting ontop the binding bits. Slap the fretboard against the board and tape/clamp.

    I have varnished birch ply boards that get things toggle-clamped or saddle-clamped on for routing straight. Look like they've been in the gunfight at the OK Corral but dead handy.
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  • SteveRobinsonSteveRobinson Frets: 6914
    tFB Trader
    I sized the board to the neck and then used a Stanley No.4 to take 0.5mm off either edge.

    I'm going for multiple binding though so needed a channel for the inner strips. I clamped a steel rule 1mm in from the edge of the board and cut along it using a new Stanley knife blade. I then cut into the side of the board, with the knife supported on a piece of Perspex, taking out an approx 1mm square section which I tidied up with a saddle slot file:



    I'll install the binding, recut the slots, profile the board then fret, Gibson style, before adding the outer (0.5mm) binding and carving the fret nibs. Then I'll glue the fretted board to the neck.

    I'm not even a fan of fancy guitars or neck binding but this seemed like an interesting excercise. I half wish I'd used more intricate inlays but that might be a step too far.
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  • PeteCPeteC Frets: 409
    neat work Steve !  coming along very nicely indeed.   
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  • WezVWezV Frets: 16546
    I would do something with the dots to make it different, even if it's just something simple like a small dot  to the side of each big dot, or a few small diamond inlays around what's already there (Zemaitis style)


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  • SteveRobinsonSteveRobinson Frets: 6914
    tFB Trader
    WezV said:
    I would do something with the dots to make it different, even if it's just something simple like a small dot  to the side of each big dot, or a few small diamond inlays around what's already there (Zemaitis style)
    Yes that's a good idea thanks. I'll look for some acrylic inlay material to match.
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  • RabsRabs Frets: 2602
    edited June 2020 tFB Trader
    WezV said:
    I would do something with the dots to make it different, even if it's just something simple like a small dot  to the side of each big dot, or a few small diamond inlays around what's already there (Zemaitis style)


    Nice work Steve :+1: 

    And yes thats what I do sometimes.. I add some side dots..  On the last custom build I discussed it with the client and we decided to put them above the dots before the 12th fret and under the dots after with two dots on the 12th..
    https://i.imgur.com/UnZgY28.jpg

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

    https://i.imgur.com/dB2PSDp.jpg
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  • RabsRabs Frets: 2602
    tFB Trader
    paulnb57 said:
    @SteveRobinson can I ask how much the body blank weighs in comparison to Alder or Ash
    I can err weigh in on this a bit..  London Plane can be weighty but we also get lighter examples (as with most wood).. Compared to Ash, its probably quite similar in weight.. I like the hardness level though. Ash is about 1400 and Plane is about 950.. Also it depends on what sort of Ash you are talking about (I am talking English Ash here). American swamp ash, much lighter.
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  • RabsRabs Frets: 2602
    tFB Trader
    @PeteC The top will be natural, maybe with a slight amber tint.


    Im absolutely sure you know this with your experience but make sure you do a good test first..

    I have seen Plane take amazing stain and sometimes no so much...

    Heres and example from one of our customers who ebonised it..
    https://i.imgur.com/ahcivBn.jpg

    In saying that your top is quite uniform so should be ok I reckon.. Sometimes on the more crazy looking stuff id say its better to just leave it natural.. There can be quite a lot of colour variation in a single piece.
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  • SteveRobinsonSteveRobinson Frets: 6914
    edited June 2020 tFB Trader
    Rabs said:
    Im absolutely sure you know this with your experience but make sure you do a good test first..

    I have seen Plane take amazing stain and sometimes no so much...

    I certainly won't be staining it. If I colour it, it will be a lightly tinted lacquer.

    The inner fretboard binding is on.





    Still a bit of sanding to do. The fretboard is from Stewmac and a bit rough I have to say.

    I tried to cut through the binding for the fret tangs using a saw but it was too fragile. A heated knife did the trick though.


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  • PeteCPeteC Frets: 409
    precision ! - looks really good @SteveRobinson ;

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  • SteveRobinsonSteveRobinson Frets: 6914
    tFB Trader
    Frets are in, trimmed and outer binding glued. The fretwire is Jescar 55090 which will give me plenty of height to dress the frets once the board is glued to the neck. Once I've finished carving the binding I'll install the side dots.

    The next job will be to face and bind the headstock. I have some London plane veneer that should be a nice match for the body.




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  • SteveRobinsonSteveRobinson Frets: 6914
    tFB Trader
    I got the headstock bound today. It's a tad untidy but should look okay when it's scraped and sanded,





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  • RolandRoland Frets: 8590
    Those tight curves and the square bend look challenging
    Tree recycler, and guitarist with  https://www.undercoversband.com/.
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  • SteveRobinsonSteveRobinson Frets: 6914
    edited June 2020 tFB Trader
    They were. I should have used a bit of heat and the curve might have been smoother. 

    The "square bend"s are all mitred joins. That bit was relatively easy, chopping the binding using a chisel.

    It's starting to look like a neck now


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  • SteveRobinsonSteveRobinson Frets: 6914
    edited June 2020 tFB Trader
    Neck isn't glued in yet, I'll cut the pickup routs first. I'm going for a pair of mini humbuckers, 1x volume, 1x tone and a 3-way lever switch.



    The video below shows me milling the body at the sadly now defunct Altrincham FabLab. 



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  • SteveRobinsonSteveRobinson Frets: 6914
    tFB Trader
    I've got the top routed now, it's having mini humbuckers, in Firebird style surrounds.


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  • GSPBASSESGSPBASSES Frets: 2335
    tFB Trader
    Steve where do you buy the sticky tape your using to hold the binding in place. The company I normally buy from have stop stocking it.

    Your life will improve when you realise it’s better to be alone than chase people who do not really care about you. Saying YES to happiness means learning to say NO to things and people that stress you out.

    https://www.facebook.com/grahame.pollard.39/

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  • SteveRobinsonSteveRobinson Frets: 6914
    tFB Trader
    @GSPBASSES ;I bought it on eBay but it wasn't very good, it left sticky residue and fibres on the wood that I had to remove with white spirit.

    I have some on the way from Guitars and Woods on Monday which should be better, I hope!
    https://guitarsandwoods.com/tools-by-job/binding/binding-tape-cross-weave-filamented-reinforced-tape-20mm-1752428573.html 
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