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  #1  
Old 05-07-2017, 08:13 PM
Albert D Albert D is offline
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Default Getting Back to First Build after 5 years pictures

I posted a question about my neck to headstock transition a couple of days ago and said I would post more pictures of my first build. I started this about 7 years ago with the help of a good friend who built professionally. He moved away about 5 years ago and has recently had a stroke. I have been itching to finish the guitar and plan to get working on it again now that I have retired.

The back and sides are Indian Rosewood, the top is European Spruce and the binding is Koa. I'm sure I will have questions along the way. I will try not to be a nuisance about it. Here are a couple of pictures of what I have so far. The neck is just dry fitted at this point.

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Old 05-08-2017, 07:03 AM
redir redir is offline
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Well when you finish it up it will already be well aged

You don't have too far to go now and it's looking pretty good.
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Old 05-08-2017, 07:43 AM
Truckjohn Truckjohn is offline
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That is a very nice looking instrument.

If it is within your control - spend at least 15 minutes on it each day and get it finished. Even if you never build another one - you will have that one in your hands. It certainly looks good enough to gloat over from here.

Thanks
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Old 05-08-2017, 11:18 AM
Albert D Albert D is offline
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Thanks for the kind words of encouragement. I'm dedicated to it now and have been getting my workbench ready. I'll be working on it by next week for sure. I just need to go through some of the steps that I have already done to get familiar with it all again and figure out where I'm at. I still have to get some coats of lacquer on the body too. Should I break the surface on the current lacquer before I spray more since it's been 5 years?
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Old 05-08-2017, 12:48 PM
redir redir is offline
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New lacquer will melt right into the old, that's the beauty of lacquer. But I do normally scuff sand between coats or perhaps even every other coat just to get any high points off. It probably would be best to clean it with some 320 grit papre after all this time.
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Old 05-08-2017, 01:37 PM
Truckjohn Truckjohn is offline
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One tip..

If you dont have one - purchase/borrow a precision straight edge (a straight edge is not a ruler... Its a precision ground beam used to check flatness....) and candle the fingerboard face before you fret. Make sure the fretboard is true without gaps and humps... It will cut your fretting level and crown time to a fraction of the time you would need to spend had you not levelled the fretboard prior to fretting.
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  #7  
Old 05-08-2017, 03:52 PM
Albert D Albert D is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Truckjohn View Post
One tip..

If you dont have one - purchase/borrow a precision straight edge (a straight edge is not a ruler... Its a precision ground beam used to check flatness....) and candle the fingerboard face before you fret. Make sure the fretboard is true without gaps and humps... It will cut your fretting level and crown time to a fraction of the time you would need to spend had you not levelled the fretboard prior to fretting.
I will absolutely do this. I have a machinist friend who should be able to set me up with a precision straight edge. Thanks for the advice. With my guitar building friend moving away I lost access to his specialized tools. I have bought some cam clamps and other hand tools that I will need to finish. My friend gave me some of his tools that he upgraded so that really helps.
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