Ziricote Dred

[stuw]

Originally Posted by naccoachbob

Stuw, your build is looking really nice. Where'd you get the Cedar? It's a super looking top.

Thanks Bob,
This set came from bctonewood (on ebay) I bought 3 sets all are really nice sets. http://www.ebay.com/itm/lot-of-4-ced...51296373591%26

[stuw]

Originally Posted by Viking

No top bracing pictures?

Box looks good. How does it sound tapping it?

Here you go Nick, I'm not sure I haven't tapped it yet.

[KingCavalier]

Stu, you're a machine. You're going to done in no time.
Love that Cedar top!

Scott

[arie]

Originally Posted by stuw

Here you go Nick, I'm not sure I haven't tapped it yet.

nice work so far!

friendly advice: you might want to cap that x brace at the cross if you haven't done so already.

[stuw]

Originally Posted by KingCavalier

Stu, you're a machine. You're going to done in no time.
Love that Cedar top!

Scott

One good thing about being a insomniac (if there is a good thing) you have more hours in a day to get stuff done.

[stuw]

Originally Posted by arie

nice work so far!

friendly advice: you might want to cap that x brace at the cross if you haven't done so already.

Thanks for the heads up aire... capped it before I closed it...

[stuw]

Haven't had much time to work on the guitar lately. I did get the binding channels cut and the bottom bindings put on. I have to wait for more b/w/b purfling to be delivered before I can finish the top. I switched my binding scheme from curly koa, to maple b/w/b. and added paduk radial purfling on the top. I also put maple binding on the fretboard, and will do the same on the head stock.

[Tom West]

Stuw: I noticed you have located your fingerboard to make the end fit nicely at the rosette. That leaves your 14th fret out a bit. I assume your bridge plate and thus bridge locations have been worked out in ref. to the 14th fret location. If I were doing it I would rework the end of the board to allow the 14th fret to sit at the body edge while the end of the board fits the rosette. Maybe I'm not seeing the photo correctly.
Tom

[stuw]

Tom,
That wasn't the best picture, you may have missed the fact the upper maple binding isn't on yet. I taped one on to show you the finished product so to speak. (obviously I haven't started my scraping etc.) Hope this shows that everything was layed out using the 14th fret as a reference.

Stu

[charles Tauber]

Two caveats come to mind, as follows:

1. the unfinished surface of the maple will tend to show dirt readily turning a kind of greyish colour rather than staying white/cream coloured.

2. As I'm sure you aware, with fretboard binding, the fret slots do not extend to the edges of the fretboard: they stop short by the width (thickness) of the binding. The tang at the fret ends needs to be removed to accommodate the unslotted portion of the width of the fingerboard, cantilevering the unattached fret crown over the fingerboard binding. As the binding gets wider, the length of fret crown that is cantilevered increases, depending upon the fret wire, making it more difficult to keep the unanchored fret ends down. It may require gluing the fret ends. (I understand that you wanted the thickness of the binding on the fingerboard to match the binding around the body.)

Stewmac's Fret Tang Nipper works very well for undercutting fret ends, saving a lot of time.

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tools/Sp...r.html#details

[naccoachbob]

Stuw, I bought this handly little item from some place like Harbor Freight. I use it to remove the tangs at the end of the fret. I had to cut a notch in it to hold the fret, but it's worked well for me.

Do be careful with it though. There are times it wants to warp the fret end. I didn't have any that got away from me, but had to watch it none the less.
You can go behind it and level the bottom of the fret with a jeweler's file.



That fretboard is looking good. Keep at it.
Bob

[stuw]

Originally Posted by charles Tauber

Two caveats come to mind, as follows:

1. the unfinished surface of the maple will tend to show dirt readily turning a kind of greyish colour rather than staying white/cream coloured.

2. As I'm sure you aware, with fretboard binding, the fret slots do not extend to the edges of the fretboard: they stop short by the width (thickness) of the binding. The tang at the fret ends needs to be removed to accommodate the unslotted portion of the width of the fingerboard, cantilevering the unattached fret crown over the fingerboard binding. As the binding gets wider, the length of fret crown that is cantilevered increases, depending upon the fret wire, making it more difficult to keep the unanchored fret ends down. It may require gluing the fret ends. (I understand that you wanted the thickness of the binding on the fingerboard to match the binding around the body.)

Stewmac's Fret Tang Nipper works very well for undercutting fret ends, saving a lot of time.

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tools/Sp...r.html#details

I did not know that about maple changing color, thanks for the heads up. I am using Evo gold fret wire, which they claim is the best, and do own a fret nibbler. Really hope I don't have to glue the frets in, but I will if it looks like I need to.

btw Charles when are you going to start your Ziricote build?
Stu

[charles Tauber]

Originally Posted by stuw

I did not know that about maple changing color,

There's a reason that it isn't commonly used. We all have to try it at least once. At least I did.

I had a Gibson in for repair last week that had maple fingerboard binding. People (manufacturers) do it. But it does often look less than pristine on an otherwise immaculate instrument.

I am using Evo gold fret wire, which they claim is the best, and do own a fret nibbler. Really hope I don't have to glue the frets in, but I will if it looks like I need to.

"Best" for what? By what criteria? (Sorry, I hate these sort of absolute claims.)

The harder the fret wire, the more "spring" it has and the more it resists whatever YOU want it to do. I haven't used Evo, but being a harder fret wire, you can plan on at least some of the ends not wanting to stay down. CA glue is a marvellous thing. In the days before its invention, fret ends could be a real, uhm, pain. Fret installation technique will also take you a long way, but sometimes only so far.

btw Charles when are you going to start your Ziricote build?

I have it firmly scheduled for "someday". Yours is coming along very nicely and I'm currently content to vicariously enjoy your building of it.

[KingCavalier]

Looks great Stu! I use the Maple fretboard binding as well.
I tape the fretboard right up to the edge of, but not on the binding.
That way I make sure to get some finish on it, I fret the board after it's finished.

Scott

[stuw]

Originally Posted by KingCavalier

Looks great Stu! I use the Maple fretboard binding as well.
I tape the fretboard right up to the edge of, but not on the binding.
That way I make sure to get some finish on it, I fret the board after it's finished.

Scott

I may have to try that, thanks.

Charles it's good that you atleast have it on your "to do list". I hope that's shortly after I finish this one so I can live " vicariously" thru your build.

Finally got the inlay done on the fretboard. I'm not a fan of this black mop, to see it the best you need to lay on your back while holding the guitar at about a 12 degree angle, some angles it just seems to disappear. Not sure yet if I'm going to use it or not.



Started binding the head stock for the 2nd time. I didn't like how some of the angle cuts looked, so I routered everything off and started over. I'm hoping this time it will look a lot better.



I had some time to kill waiting for glue to dry so I put the first coat of tru-oil on the back to check my sanding progress... everything is looking good.