My Summer Monstrosity - The Experience of Building a Guitar

[JDC]

i want one!!!

[PhilKing]

It is not my cup of tea in the shape but I think it looks like an incredible job for a first guitar.  The neck joint looks really nice.  Did you profile the neck to suit your hand?

When you say custom case, did you make the case as well?

[Roobubba]

Reading this from the slow computer at work...


At first I thought: "WTF, this guy is arrogant..."

Then the pictures loaded.

Sweet, sweet stuff, man! :) As people have said, personal taste is the single biggest gripe - so that is praise indeed! I wouldn't know where to start building a guitar, let alone something so beautiful as that.

A really enjoyable read, and, I'm sure, a really enjoyable play too :)

Cracking stuff, keep it up!

Roo

[dave_mc]

Yeah, I was thinking of that as the starting point...  

Thanks for the info, guys.  I already have my (trusty and much-used) router and a slightly wobbly pillar drill, plus a few StewMac gadgets, but I figured a bandsaw (and maybe some kind of sanding drums?) would be fairly essential.  I did once totally re-shape and contour an old Fender Bronco body using my router and an assortment of hand tools, so that was almost a bit of building from scratch; it was hard work.  I wouldn't be at all confident about shaping a neck, but my "do everything very very slowly and carefully" approach usually works.  Eventually.

I suppose, in a way, build-your-own GAS is more healthy than regular GAS.  At least you can't rush into it.

i have a screwdriver (ratcheted!  :lol: ) and some wire cutters. I think i'll hold off on building a guitar for the moment...

[Kilby]

i have a screwdriver (ratcheted!  :lol: ) and some wire cutters. I think i'll hold off on building a guitar for the moment...

I can loan you a cheese grater if that will help.

Although the guitar is not my thing, I like it it's mad in a good way.

Congrats on a successful build (wonders what number 2 will be like)

[Philly Q]

I can loan you a cheese grater if that will help.

Is it a curved one?  You could use it to make the cutaway on the back of a Strat - if you were at a loose end for, oh, 6 or 7 months.

[WezV]

if its a microplane cheese grater then you could use it for carving necks.  Microplane also make rasps and i am often tempted to use them as cheese graters

http://store.microplaneintl.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=mpi&Category_Code=Classic

[Kilby]

if its a microplane cheese grater then you could use it for carving necks.  Microplane also make rasps and i am often tempted to use them as cheese graters

http://store.microplaneintl.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=mpi&Category_Code=Classic

So thats what happened to Gordon Ramsey, and I always thought he had went ducking for chips at halloween

[Ratrod]

@ Ratrod: i mean, i am an artist, i have done sculpture, i paint, i draw with intensive detail.  Without elevating myself, which i hate, i have been praised for my natural talent at art all my life, and usually excel at any sub-field in that huge spectrum - this is just a general fact, i am not trying to win any awards in anyone's eyes.  If you have ever used an engraving tool you would understand how incredibly difficult it is to use, this is not even close to drawing, the accuracy and concentration involved can take a lifetime if not more to perfect.  This was my first attempt at doing anything like that.  11ish hours just for the engraving was rushing for me.  Also note that it is a very blurry picture, i couldn't get it to focus too well.  Well at least someone mentions the inlay, bout bloody time.

I didn't mean to dis your work in any way. And not everyone with the best CAM machines can call himself an artist. Even with the best machines it's still very hard to make a superb quality inlay. It takes years of practice and a lot of precision handywork. Plus your own creativity. Fact is those machines can cut with greater accuracy. The human hand moves 1/300 of an inch either way when your heart beats.

You should be very proud of yourself. Not many people can say they built their own guitar entirely from scratch. And really, for a firts attempt, everything home grown, the result is stunning!

If you make guitar building your business, your customers will demand a flawless guitar. I always say: "If someone can do it better and cheaper than me, let that someone do it."

A nice example is OCC (yes, that one). First they outsourced alot of their stuff. Later, as business got better, they invested in machines, skills and know-how. Now they only outsource the paint. I think that is the best way to go.

[Philly Q]

A nice example is OCC (yes, that one). First they outsourced alot of their stuff. Later, as business got better, they invested in machines, skills and know-how. Now they only outsource the paint. I think that is the best way to go.

OCC?   :?

(I assume it's not Oxfordshire County Council)

[opprobrium_9]

Hey, thanks again to everyone who said nice things about it, or really said anything about it.  I cannot wait to build my next one, but due to student time constraints i dunno when that will be 1 - 1 1/2 years?    In any case, it being my first and me being the perfectionist that i am (much to the chagrin of my other classmates) i hated just about every piece of work on it, especially in the moment.  Once getting the finished product, though, much of that irritation with, what i consider to be, my less than good (or even down right bad, in some cases) level of craftsmanship subsided, and i really saw the instrument for what it was.  I know i can do it much better next time, but i am sure i will make many mistakes even still.  I think before i ever consider selling, i am gonna make myself a couple more (JCD you are gonna have to wait ), so i know that they won't kill my buisness right when it starts.

also, philking, no the case was not made my myself, i did not have time to learn how to do that.  That would be a great thing to learn however.

Anyways, thanks again all.

[Ratrod]

Orange County Choppers. Regularly on the Discovery channel.

Long post, that last one of mine, wasn't it? Sorry, I think my brain is a bit hyperactive these days.

[dave_mc]

oh, i already have a cheese grater...

 :lol: