Newly constructed body, back, sides and soundboard.

[Jackknifegypsy]

As an experiment, removed the fretboard, soundboard and back from an old no-name that had many flaws but the sides were decent.

Made a new Ad Spruce soundboard, and Padauk back (will never use Padauk for a top again, only for sides and back.

Hide-glued the top and back yesterday and instead of using the dovetail mortise joint, wanted to try a bolt on fretbroard that would save a lot of time and work, and permit easy adjustment of the neck.

In addition I put no support of any kind under the soundboard. No sound hole either, and because of the bolt on arrangement of the neck, I was able to keep the fretboard extension from touching the top, so that the full top can vibrate all over, with only the bridge and the strut under the soundboard that supports it still dampening the board (which is likely a lot of suppression). Two brass bolts and nuts, 3/32", are placed thru the bridge, soundboard and the strut for added strength.

I placed port holes on the top side of the upper and lower bouts. Strung it up and viola! it plays, a whole heck of a lot better than when I got it.

The time to go for a complete build is approaching once I get my chops up by doing two more. The next one to include the purchase of a one-piece mahogany neck, roughly sawn which I will finish.

The cost of this rebuild was $50.00 for the guitar (salvaged the strings for use on fittings for future guitars) $20.00 for the Spruce, $12.00 for the top loading bridge, $8.00 for the bone nut and saddle, $8.00 for the strings, an oz of hide glue and $2.00 worth of Cyanoacrylate. The bolt and Padauk I have had for many years.

If you've got a wood shop then the tools make this more a matter of patience, slowing way down, and attention to detail.

Tomorrow I'll compensate where needed on the saddle but the bridge is already slotted for standard install of 24" scale length, so I don't expect to do much in that dept. More will have to be done as the Spruce top begins to depress ever so slightly in front of the bridge (I'm counting on it; an old guitar I bought came to me that way and that has made the action on it superb). from the tension and rear area of the soundboard will likely belly up slightly.

This is the antithesis of beauty. But that is not what I was after.



Any thoughts about one piece neck being better, worse, the same as a two piece would be welcome.