Thread: lil' mongrels build!

Looking good Mongrel and Lil' Mongrel.

Lil Mongrel, you’re really lucky to have a dad who builds guitars! My old man knows nothing about lutherie, but he really supports me with what I do and taught me how to use all the tools I use.

There’s nothing better than building your first guitar, it’s a great achievement turning a few pieces of wood into an instrument with its own voice.

I'm looking forward to seeing the progress.


Nice collection there by the way Mongrel.

Originally Posted by mongrel

First, here is where all luthiery should start:

Mongrel,

I know you are hiding the stubbies under the desk..... cant fool me! Seriously, you have more tools than I use except for scrapers. Should be a breeze.

I'll echo Deano's comments Lil mongrel. Enjoy the build! There is no therapy for the bug once you have it,

Here's the timber. The bugger of it all is lil' mongrel isn't here and I can't play with it by myself!!!
We have:
American Mahogany body (from Fiji???)
Sugar/hard maple neck
indian rosewood fretboard
Tassie Oak top (nice figure with the flash)
Anyone that frequents Gilets www.guitarwoods.com.au will probably have seen it on their site.
There are some LP style Trapeziod fret markers in Mother of pearl, and a DIY trussrod kit.
and some medium high fretwire


My tool collection is coming along nicely, though I reckon I'll be hot for a thicknesser and a jointer before this build is out.

Cause this is my daughters guitar we are designing the guitar to suit her. So we are keeping the neck angle as close to 0 degrees as possible, so we are recessing the TOM bridge into the top by 5-6 mm and using string ferrules to get our 15 deg or so of string break. It will be chambered in the upper bout to reduce the weight a bit. 24 3/4 scale, 43 mm nut. I got some klusson (?) tuners. We will be scarf jointing the neck between 12-14 deg (maybe 10deg Etheral???) and putting a 12 inch radius on the fretboard. I have some of stew mac's golden age p'ups on order and I am going to try their water based finish.
Yey! I wish she'd hurry up and get home...
bloody kids

that should come out really well. great looking timbers. does she know what kind of shape it will be?

Les paul, oops, sorry, single cutaway...
She's a rock n roll chick!
Currently going through a Queen phase mixed liberally with Bon Jovi
We went and saw Joe Satriani in '05 (900km round trip with 3 days off school) and the "pick" hit the fan from that point on.
We missed G3 tho, dammit.
Anyhow...

Great project Mongrels (plural).

I enjoy doing scarf joints so look forward to seeing this one move along.
Nice timbers too. Tassie oak tops with that much figure should be used alot more often than they currently are, and you can't go wrong with Gilet's stock.
That's where I got my top for the GOTM winner.

The family that plays together..............

Originally Posted by oz tradie

Great project Mongrels (plural).
Tassie oak tops with that much figure should be used alot more often than they currently are, and you can't go wrong with Gilet's stock.
That's where I got my top for the GOTM winner.

The family that plays together..............

I was really surprised at the depth of figure in tassie oak. I was used to seeing it as the trim timber sold at bunnings, nice timber but pretty plain jane. But that tassie oak in the pic is sanded only. The figure is all refraction from the flash of the camera.
I bought some golden teak stain to try on it. Want to keep it light, I think. We'll use faux binding and fairly subdued carve. The top is only 10mm thick so it will be real subtle. Back carve will be fairly substantial for the little owner.
The bad grain lines will not be a problem as the guitar outline falls way inside it.
She finally got home...and it was time to watch American Idol. I've got the willies and am going out to clean my shed.
Like your website stu!

The makings of a nice project Mongrel. Great to involve the kids too!

My view on the headstock angle is that 10 degrees is enough to ensure enough downward pressure at the nut (no string trees required) whilst not being too much that you create too much pressure at the nut.....may also marginally reduce the risk of a headstock snapping if the guitar ever fell .........10 degrees as far as I have researched has NO negative effect whatsoever and it lends itself nicely to crafting necks with angled headstocks from one billet....no scarf joint which to me is a positive as I think they look like a cost saving method (which is why Leo Fender used it so much I believe). I have also read people's views that scarfs are stronger and I'm afraid I don't buy that.

Like so many aspects of luthiery, it's whatever floats your boat and works with your plans. Good luck with the project, I will stay tuned

Okay, here's the progress today.
Jointed the top, by hand with my shooting board and a renrut sanding block. Shoots quite well.









Planed and scarf jointed the neck. I love maple...












Made sawdust!!!



I got to do most of the scrub planing, my bench is a bit high and frankly it does take a bit of strength to get a good shoot on a plane. I have a bit more work to do on the face of the scarf joint, my shooting was a little off, nothing bad, just time consuming. I am making a veneer for the headstock out of the body cap left over with some black and white veneer to give some contrast when we bevel the headstock.

Cheers,
big and lil' mongrel!!!

wish i was doing the real woodwork like you. im stuck doing the inlay on a build, which is slow and stresses me out that i will screw it up. i really want to carve a neck or something nice like that.

im getting the urge to buy some timber and make a simple bolt on bass, but i have 4 builds to do before that.

I like the old adage:

K.I.S.S.

Keep It Simple, Stupid!

People have been working with wood for 10's of thousands of years (or if you believe the other way, Jesus was a carpenter) and power tools have only been available for 200 or so (steam) and home power tools have only been truly affordable for the last 20 or so.
There is a lot to be said for the "old ways"
Imagine making a lute or some such 200 years ago when you couldn't google, there was no stew-mac or bunnings. If you wanted a tool, you made it. You went out and found your own timber. Every time I plane or scrape a piece of wood, saw by hand or sand I feel like I am putting a bit of myself into the instrument (blood, often).
The Japanese have an almost religious art to sharpening their tools, and look at the amazing stuff they build by hand!

I like a few blisters and the odd bloody knuckle to keep me down to earth.

I wont give up my bandsaw though...

Mongrel, do you know of Lorin Nicholson? He grew up in your parts. He is a Bling Guitarist who tours schools performing and motivating. He was down our way yesterday, Sale in Victoria. Played my 7yr olds daughter Guitar for her in a way she'e not heard it played before. Hopefully inspire her to get into it and maybe I will be following your footsteps in the shed in a year or two?

Cheers
Shannon

Originally Posted by Shannon Nash

Mongrel, do you know of Lorin Nicholson? Shannon

.

Name doesn't ring a bell, though I haven't been into the local music scene for a good 15 years. Too much else on my plate, unfortunatly.

Originally Posted by Shannon Nash

Hopefully inspire her to get into it and maybe I will be following your footsteps in the shed in a year or two?

.
Nothing like it. It's such a good age. Big enough to be fun, young enough to still think you know what you're talking about...

Originally Posted by Shannon Nash

Mongrel, do you know of Lorin Nicholson? He grew up in your parts. He is a Bling Guitarist ...

I think you meant to say blind guitarist.