Thread: A Few Projects To Share With You

More!!!

Need to see other guitars in progress!

Very nice, builds you have there!

FINALLY !!!!
It's about time you signed up and showed some of your wares

I feel like I know every one of your guitars by now, especially the DC
with the Qld maple carvie.

As Ethereal mentioned, he's got another 9 builds close to ready for the finishing stage and they are all pearlers. The ones in the pics don't compare with the newies at all . Pics in your own time Ethereal


cheers, Stu

Post some pics of the nine others!

You could always keep us all in suspense and heighten
the 'OOH AHH ' factor.
At least I get to see 'em most weeks in the flesh.


cheers, Stu

Originally Posted by oz tradie

At least I get to see 'em most weeks in the flesh.

Are you guys members of some secret luthiers group or something, meet once a week, have your own uniforms, unusual handshake etc?

Seems Stu has his peepers on everyones guitars before they are posted here at least... Deano's, Ethereal's... who else is in this secret society?

Can I join?

Originally Posted by Hammered

Are you guys members of some secret luthiers group or something, meet once a week, have your own uniforms, unusual handshake etc?

Seems Stu has his peepers on everyones guitars before they are posted here at least... Deano's, Ethereal's... who else is in this secret society?

Can I join?

Ha ha ha....card carrying members and everything! Not at all. I think what this forum shows is that it is still a small world and people with like interests, particularly guitar building, have a heap to share and talk about!! I think also, the wider your network of mates trying to learn this caper of building guitars, the better off you are......self imposed apprenticeships I call them....we can all benefit from sharing the trials and tribulations along with the odd success. Join the club

Originally Posted by EtherealGuitars

Ha ha ha....card carrying members and everything! Not at all. I think what this forum shows is that it is still a small world and people with like interests, particularly guitar building, have a heap to share and talk about!! I think also, the wider your network of mates trying to learn this caper of building guitars, the better off you are......self imposed apprenticeships I call them....we can all benefit from sharing the trials and tribulations along with the odd success. Join the club

Self imposed apprenticeships, I like that

You are absolutely right however... it is great that everyone here has a platform to interact and share ideas and experiences. I guess I was just surprised that so many people seem to know each other personally, outside the forum... I don't even know anyone else that would have a clue how to set the height on a block plane, let alone be interested in guitar making.

It seems I'm far away from where the 'guitar building buzz' is in the Eastern suburbs. I'm stuck and frustrated here in Moonee Ponds, no car, can't even get to Michaels to check some wood. The most annoying part of it is, I work in Clayton, and it's even difficult to get to Carbatec for me (my work is even on the same road as Carbatec, just up the other end).

Its so frustrating seeing everyones progress pics, and I'm still working on the same damn guitar after 10 years, haha! I guess at least I have patience. I just need to save and get a few more things for the workshop, and some good timber, and then I should be making progress on a few builds. Maybe a new job closer to home so I have more time in the shed.

^^ I didn't intend that to turn into a rant, sorry ^^

Here's some details on one of my current builds. It's an all Blackwood (other than the Jarrah FB) Metal Series....I think I'll call it "The Conjurer"

This build will have all black hardware....it's a basic kind of build, no top, no binding, no carves, no inlays etc.....twin humbuckers, toggle, volume and tone.....TOM with Stopbar....22 frets, 25" scale, Gotoh black tuners.....This body is 50mm thick but the guitar is SO light weight, the contours make it perfectly balanced and a pleasure to play 'air guitar' on . I can't wait to hear the real thing though in a couple of weeks. SO far it has had around 9 coats of Danish oil.....wet/oil sanded up to 800 grit so far. Will go to 1200 grit, let it dry for 2 weeks or so and then wax it. Then wire it up and fit it out.......

I know not everyone goes for these way out metal builds but I love em . Cheers!

I love it! I am definately a big fan of the metal guitars (I swear it has nothing to do with being a metal-head. Anyone else going to Iron Maiden in Feb?)

Did you see my next project in another thread. A fairly basic V, but I can't wait to get it started, just as soon as I resurect the jazzmaster I started 10 years ago :P



Still not sure what timbers I'll use yet, but based on how nice that blackwood looks on your BC'esque design, I may opt for that. It's going to be a neck-thru though, so I'll probably laminate maple and something else (probably wallnut).

Anyway, looking good. Keep the pics coming. Cheers, DJ!

I like the V design hammered....particularly the sharp points on the V section. Cool headstock also....reminds me of how Maton do that little circle in the headstock of their upper priced acoustic models.....lookin good! So what's holding you back from leaping into the void and making some dust

My opinion is definitely to run with a Blackwood body......my favourtite sounding Aussie timber by a mile.

Originally Posted by EtherealGuitars

I like the V design hammered....particularly the sharp points on the V section. Cool headstock also....reminds me of how Maton do that little circle in the headstock of their upper priced acoustic models.....lookin good! So what's holding you back from leaping into the void and making some dust

My opinion is definitely to run with a Blackwood body......my favourtite sounding Aussie timber by a mile.

Thanks for the comments Ethereal... I've almost finished the full plans for the V, and will get them printed 1:1 on A1 paper soon by a work collegue. I'm also working on an SG style plan and a slightly modified Nighthawk/Blueshawk design as well (partly courtesy of Ray for his blueshawk plan).

As for the blackwood, where did you get yours from? I'm going to try and head out to Mathews some time in the next month and have a look around. Knowing my luck they will have bugger all interesting in-stock at the time.

The main reason I havn't started yet is because I have a crappy little shed with not enough tools to do the job properly yet (but I'm not too far off now). I also don't have a lot of spare time. I travel an hour and a half to and from work each day. Usually don't get home until close to 7. Just enough time to eat, catch up with my girlfriend and get to bed. Weekends are also hectic, since they are spent catching up on things I didn't get to during the week (unfortunately luthiery (sp?) is low down on the list).

How do you think a laminated maple/blackwood neck, with blackwood body would go?

Good job re the plans......I have flown by the seat of my pants a few times and you end up with a lot more stressful moments!!!

I have scored a bit of Blackwood from Matthews but more often than not they don't have the right size stock. I'll let you in on a secret though, just between you and me right?.....go to AFT (Australian Furniture Timbers351 Plummer St) in Port Melbourne....closer to you and they have NEVER let me down.....they are an hour away from me so when I make the trek, it's a shame to go home empty handed....I never have! They always have heaps of stock....more than I can buy.....I can't remember a time that Matthews had that much, it's raided all the time.

Ok so the cats out of the bag.....go to AFT folks, they got heaps

As for the neck, are you thinking QLD Maple or US Maple? Either way I have found QLD Maple to be a bright sounding/treble timber....I read that US Maple is the same.....on that basis, I think Blackwood and Maple (of either type) would make a nice combination.....the warmth of Blackwood and the brightness of the maple......cool stuff!

As for the shed.....keep at it man! The FIRST thing I did when starting to build guitars was sort out a designated and appropriate workspace....it's paramount. Good luck with it all. I like SG's also....makes you wanna do the Angus slide across the stage

Originally Posted by Hammered

I love it! I am definately a big fan of the metal guitars (I swear it has nothing to do with being a metal-head. Anyone else going to Iron Maiden in Feb?)

Did you see my next project in another thread. A fairly basic V, but I can't wait to get it started, just as soon as I resurect the jazzmaster I started 10 years ago :P



Still not sure what timbers I'll use yet, but based on how nice that blackwood looks on your BC'esque design, I may opt for that. It's going to be a neck-thru though, so I'll probably laminate maple and something else (probably wallnut).

Anyway, looking good. Keep the pics coming. Cheers, DJ!

WOOT im goin to maiden in sydney. also goin black crusade next weeek .

i'm making a v soon as well, designed it myself, after i get the template, i'll post it up here.

Ah, AFT. My old man told me to have a look there. Guess I should have listened to him, again!

As for the maple, I was planning QLD maple, since I want to try and keep it to Aussie timbers. I think the blackwood and maple would pair up pretty nicely, and look great too. I think I will go for that at this stage.

The shed is definately well on the way. I could start a few bits already, but I want to do it properly, so I decided I can wait until I have the appropriate gear. I'd rather have it all set up to work, rather than try and work around dodgy situations to try and make things work (not necessarily safety concerns, just easier and better when set up properly).

Thanks for the AFT tip-off!

Maca, nice one! Can't wait for Maiden. It's going to be a massive gig. Look forward to seeing your pics when you get it underway.