Engelmann/Hog 000... em... self build(?)

CycleBob · #1 03-28-2018, 01:10 AM

So I’m sitting in the airport on my way to Melbourne to build a guitar at (Phil) Carson Crickmore’s workshop in Victoria. “Build” suggests a too high a level of independence: for 12 days I’m going to follow detailed step by step instructions provided by Phil.

Guitar will be OM body size with Engelmann spruce top and Honduran mahogany back and sides. Other decisions are up for grabs but I’m thinking: chunky V-ish neck, short scale (which I guess will make it a 000), 1.75 inch string spacing at nut, no cut away. Rosewood fingerboard, bridge, bindings. Going for warming sound, simple, hopefully elegant design.

I have no experience with guitar building so am not expecting a world class product by any means, but i’m hoping it’ll be an enjoyable thing to do, good learning experience, and with some luck a playable guitar at the end.

Any thoughts or advice from those that have done something similar or commissioned builds (or even if you haven’t) most welcome.

hat · #2 03-28-2018, 05:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CycleBob

I have no experience with guitar building so am not expecting a world class product by any means,

Don't sell yourself short! If you lower your expectations even before you've started, you've already lost! Its not rocket science, and you'll have someone there beside you to guide and advise at every step of the way. Enjoy the process, and own the entire package - every win, every little mis-step, and at the end of it you WILL have a guitar you can be proud to say 'this is MY guitar'.

redir · #3 03-28-2018, 07:06 AM

A good teacher will make sure you end up with a playable guitar that even sounds good. Just don't expect it to look perfect. Sounds like a good time, have fun.

printer2 · #4 03-28-2018, 07:35 AM

And without pictures it never happened.

Truckjohn · #5 03-28-2018, 07:54 AM

Sounds like a great time. Color me jealous.

At the end of the 12 days - what do you come home with? I am guessing a guitar in the white/no finish?

Make a notebook. Take copious notes. Take tons of pictures. Learning like this is like drinking from a fire hose - so those pix and notes will be a valuable reference to you going forward.

CycleBob · #6 03-28-2018, 02:46 PM

Thanks for the thoughts folks. You’re right Hat, I am quietly confident that I’ll end up with something I’m proud of at the end, but am also aware it takes guitar builders years and decades to develop the skills to make something great. That said Phil’s been building for 30 years so hopefully he’ll pass on a lot of his knowledge.
Yes, notes and pictures are in the plan!
There is 1 of the twelve days dedicated to finish, so going well should have a finished product at the end I think.
It’s early morning here. I spent the night in an airport hotel and will catch a bus this morning to Castlemaine, the town where Phil has his workshops. I’ve rediscovered that airport hotels are very loud in the wee hours of the morning [emoji3]

CycleBob · #7 03-30-2018, 02:40 AM

Ok I just finished my second day in the workshop. Yesterday wasn’t a full day as I came up from Melbourne in the morning. Progress so far we cut bent the sides got them in the jig and shaped and glued in the blocks. We cut out the back and glued in the ladder bracing as well. Doesn’t sound like much but it was a long day for me especially since I was out of bed and on a bus at 4:30 am Perth time. Here are some pics (that’s Phil in the first one fishing mahogany from the tank):

CycleBob · #8 03-30-2018, 02:57 AM

I also shaped the bracing for the back (Alaskan yellow cedar), made and installed the kerfing, sanded, then glued the back and sides. Makes a pleasing sound when you drum on it!
Late this afternoon I cut the Engelmann top and we drilled and installed the purfling rings. A few pics:

It’s been a learning curve on technique using the planes and chisels, and I cleaned up the glue around the purfling a bit vigorously and started to damage the spruce (should sand out), but otherwise pretty smooth so far. I’ve only bled once and in small quantities.
Goal is to complete the top and have the box closed by Sunday (day 4).

hat · #9 03-30-2018, 05:30 AM

Looking good!

CycleBob · #10 03-30-2018, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hat

Looking good!

Thanks hat! I will say, without the coaching from Phil I’d have messed up / damaged the guitar in half a dozen small ways by now.

From time to time he watches what I’m doing and says something like: “sometimes some additional instruction is useful” [emoji3] ...which always does prove useful.

The other insight is that the jigs Phil uses are pretty critical. I thinking it’d be much, much more fiddly without them.

CycleBob · #11 03-31-2018, 02:37 AM

Day 3: today we finished the bottom and sides with a bit of routering, kerfing for the top, and lots of sanding. Presto a box waiting for a lid!

CycleBob · #12 03-31-2018, 02:42 AM

Then started working on the top: sanded to thickness (or close anyway), cut groove for rosette, cut started to shape top braces. The joint for the x-bracing was an insight into how accurate you need to be. Got the top brace a x-braces glued down before calling it a day (apologies if the terminology isn’t quite right)

CycleBob · #13 04-01-2018, 02:31 AM

Day 4: got the rest of the top bracing and the maple backing plate on and shaped (top bracing is Bosnian spruce—i was not familiar with it, but very nice to work with), bent the binding, fitted and glued down the top... yay!

CycleBob · #14 04-01-2018, 02:43 AM

Getting the top down was a good milestone and doing so by day 4 a good indication that we’re on track to finish in 12 days. This is good news cause I have a firm flight back to Western Australia on day 13.
Thumping tentatively on the top sounds promising—even while the guitar’s still in the jig. Phil explained to me that both the back and top is largely decoupled (almost all the bracing is not built into the sides) which allows more movement in both.
After talking with Phil we also made the decision to go with full scale length largely to preserve the low end, so we’re technically building an OM now, despite the title of this thread.
In a moment of tiredness I got my finger in the way of the chisel while shaping one of the braces. Ended up with a pretty clean cut on my index finger—frustrating because it’s hard to play guitar with the injury. More importantly though this could have been much worse. I’m going to redouble my efforts to really focus on where my hands are and what the risks are all the time, especially when feeling tired. Only takes a second of not engaging the brain to get injured.

CycleBob · #15 04-01-2018, 08:34 PM

Today’s a planned day off the build so I’ve had a look around the town of Castlemaine via bicycle kindly provided with my Airbnb. Castlemaine is worth a visit if you get a chance. Feels like a lot of artisans, creators, and musicians have migrated here from Melbourne and taken up old industrial and retail spaces to do their thing. Beautiful surroundings as well. Here’s a couple of pictures from my ride. The first is the view from the backyard of the place I’m staying.