Author Topic: My JEM Im building!!! (Read 11873 times)

Miracle Man Matt · « **on:** September 12, 2006, 02:14:45 PM »

Well Ive made a couple guitars before and Im around half way on my JEM project. just thought id post som,e of my progress pics and see what people think. I have done most of the routing/shaping on the body but forgot to take pics.

here are a few pics of the neck (the one with the skunk stripe).

The neck itself is birdseye maple with Lacewood stripe scarf jointed, then cut down with walnut sandwiched on either side, which is also scarf-jointed in the headstock into lacewood. I did this as I liked the idea of having the glue joint in two places to add to stability.

The neck itself is thinner than a wizard, so it will either be pretty incredible to play.... or snap!?

so we'll see.

The body Im thinking of doing a laquered material finish. was thinking of black silk but I think it will be too thin and the glue will soak through.

Also a big thank you to Feline guitars for their help and patience. Those 6000 are killer :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

the neck next to it is an unfinished one for another projo

MMM

Kepu · « **Reply #1 on:** September 12, 2006, 02:23:40 PM »

DAMN! :o
That's one pretty sexy looking neck you got there *drools*

looking forward to see this finished :D

FELINEGUITARS · « **Reply #2 on:** September 12, 2006, 02:59:21 PM »

Nice work Matt
Will get the truss rod posted off today

( We supplied Matt some precut lengths of Dunlop 6000 fretwire - as seen in the photo. )

Miracle Man Matt · « **Reply #3 on:** September 20, 2006, 03:59:04 PM »

Thanks alot!

Right well Ive had a number of problems so far which have limited the progree, but touch wood, I think Im ok.

1st big problem....
Unfortunateley but becasue the neck is so thin, I couldn't use the U-channel truss rod. so I had to go and I used the traditional type as this allowed for a much shallower depth, plus I prefer having a greater amont of wood in the neck including the wood fuillet that goes on top of it. (I can now use the U-channel fro my other guitar)

2nd big problem....
After glueing in the TR, I found the tap I had cut didn't fit the nut properly, (bloody American backward measurements :P). So I had to chisel it out and start over again. finding the right rod is bl**dy hard in England as it's all metric here mostly.

so I then made another truss rod, but becasue I had epoxy-resined the anchor piece in, I had to melt the resin using a oxy-acetelenye welder!!! :twisted:

3rd big problem....
Then found after glueing in the secound TR that the nut was proud of the neck where th FB goes and also in turn where the lock nut would sit.... "Oh B*ll*cks!!!"

so I have just finished glueing some ebony veneer to the top to give a little bit of hight over the nut.

and the body so far

MMM

Searcher · « **Reply #4 on:** September 20, 2006, 04:53:20 PM »

Looks cool, Matt! I think I'm too impatient to build a neck from scratch, though I'm thinking about doing a guitar body as soon as I get some money for it. Maybe I'll start with something simpler, like a Tele.

Bainzy · « **Reply #5 on:** September 20, 2006, 07:18:50 PM »

Necks aren't as hard as you might think - if you follow a popular design and don't try anything fancy (eg. one piece neck, laminates, veneers, angled headstocks) you could probably knock one out in the time it takes to build a body. I've got a full Tele template, so I'd be able to give you help with a neck for your body if you get stuck.

jt · « **Reply #6 on:** September 20, 2006, 08:50:44 PM »

:D Looks real good matey !!

You no what i`ve allways wanted to see ?

A video of how to make a guitar showing you actually how to do it. I`ve got books on it but i`m buggered if i no what the hell they mean with things like....."make sure the plane runs perpendicular to the side of the wood, whilst maintaning the Horizontal gliding motion blah blah blah... :?

LOL

drives me nuts trying to work out what they actually mean ! i just want them to show me !!

:D 8)

FELINEGUITARS · « **Reply #7 on:** September 20, 2006, 09:11:38 PM »

Quote from: jt

:D Looks real good matey !!

You no what i`ve allways wanted to see ?

A video of how to make a guitar showing you actually how to do it. I`ve got books on it but i`m buggered if i no what the hell they mean with things like....."make sure the plane runs perpendicular to the side of the wood, whilst maintaning the Horizontal gliding motion blah blah blah... :?

LOL

drives me nuts trying to work out what they actually mean ! i just want them to show me !!

:D 8)

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Video,_DVD/Solidbody_guitar_building/Making_A_Solidbody_Electric_Guitar_Video.html

I've had this one for years - stewmac have made some good videos

This is an older one - production lacks on it somewhat

jt · « **Reply #8 on:** September 20, 2006, 09:16:29 PM »

:D I`m at work at the moment so i`ll check that out later.

Thanks Johnathon !

:D 8)

Davey · « **Reply #9 on:** September 20, 2006, 09:48:52 PM »

well.. the neck should be pretty stable..

5 piece and scarf jointed.. sounds pretty much indestructable to me hehe.

but thinner than a wizard! UGH :?

but that fretwire.. man, you playin bass or what hehehe. good luck with the rest and hope you dont run into a lot of problems

a bit off topic

Jonathan, you got my PM?

Miracle Man Matt · « **Reply #10 on:** September 20, 2006, 10:43:24 PM »

yea hopefully I should get it finished by tomorrow (the neck that is) still haven't made up my mind what I wanna do with the body tho?

Any Ideas

Matt

Dakine · « **Reply #11 on:** September 20, 2006, 10:50:46 PM »

VERY good Matt.
Keep up the pics through the process mate, it's VERY good to See.

I LOVE the design of the one in 'show your BKP guitars'. I say go for it, as in starting a business. Can just do custom orders to start and then go from there, but by the looks of it you will do great :)

_tom_ · « **Reply #12 on:** September 21, 2006, 12:03:10 AM »

Quote from: Dakine

VERY good Matt.
Keep up the pics through the process mate, it's VERY good to See.

I LOVE the design of the one in 'show your BKP guitars'. I say go for it, as in starting a business. Can just do custom orders to start and then go from there, but by the looks of it you will do great :)

+1, the quality of your stuff looks great. I've still not got round to trying to build the guitar I designed ages ago, still want to sometime as it looks pretty fun.

Miracle Man Matt · « **Reply #13 on:** September 23, 2006, 11:54:51 AM »

just an update on the neck,

nearly finished... just having fun trying to get the FR nut holes aligned in the neck, which is proving a bit tricky. next time Im definately gonna get one of those lock-nuts which screw in from the top!!

sanded to 240 grit and awaiting final shaping and sanding before sanding higher and then Danish oiling.

just a quick question... what do you guys put on the fretboard? Im just worried that Im gonna make my lovely black ebony FB go all glossy and cr@p.

And remember to vote for me on the project guitar forum

As for a buisiness, I think I leave it to the Pro's like Johnathan at Feline or Gajik for now.

MMM

gingataff · « **Reply #14 on:** September 23, 2006, 12:18:22 PM »

Quote

just a quick question... what do you guys put on the fretboard? Im just worried that Im gonna make my lovely black ebony FB go all glossy and cr@p.

Lemon oil? I've also got some Jim Dunlop '02' fingerboard deep conditioner which worked great on a dry looking rosewood board, still looks good almost 5 months later!