Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 23
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Valla Beach
    Posts
    1,184

    Default Thickness of the body of a semi acoustic electric guitar

    Hi all,

    Having made my first electric guitar (posts down below this thread somewhere) plus also the kit Les Paul Gibson guitar that I made also. I went out and purchased another kit form for a double neck electric guitar, the price was pretty good. From the USA on ebay. The two neck seem excellent made from maple with a rosewood fretboard, very nicely fretted etc. But the body which is made from basswood is a bit so so.

    I had to do a bit of work on the neck socket, it was way to high and then the bridge tail piece posts pulled out upon tensioning the strings. Anyway I have it all finished now, but I have decided to can it totally.

    I now intend to keep the two necks and make two more guitars.

    What I have in mind is a hollowed body semi acoustic electric guitar, maybe even for both of them. I've looked through youtube videos etc, seen one where the inner body was cut out with a bandsaw, leaving solid timber for where the pick up cavity and bridge will sit. Then a top with nice F Holes and a bottom were clamped/glued onto the inner body. Seems simple enough,.!!!!

    So my question is, what would a good overall thickness for this type of guitar be. For example 10mm top and bottom, 30mm inner body,total 50mm..? I will just do a flat body, I think a raised curved body might be testing me bit to much.

    Any thoughts......Paul

  2. # ADS
    Google Adsense Advertisement
    Join Date
    Always
    Location
    Advertising world
    Posts
    Many





     
  3. #2
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Blue Mountains
    Posts
    2,613

    Default

    Google Es335 builds, or plans or kits and you will get lots of info. From memory 48mm seems to be the number.
    "We must never become callous. When we experience the conflicts ever more deeply we are living in truth. The quiet conscience is an invention of the devil." - Albert Schweizer

    My blog. http://theupanddownblog.blogspot.com

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Loch, Gippsland, Victoria, Australia
    Posts
    14

    Default

    I think what you're describing is not exactly "semi acoustic" but what is called "semi hollow". What I do is thickness the body blank down to 40 mm, then after establishing a centre line transferred to end grain as well, lay the (book matched) 6mm+ drop top halves on it (trim the drop top to the same size as the body blank), and clamp the halves into place with the joint lined up on the centreline. Draw the guitar outline with a template using the joint as your centreline. Drill locating holes in a place that will be routed later, usually a pickup cavity and the neck pocket, through the drop top and no more than 10 mil or so into the body wood. Remove the drop top and draw the outline on the body wood, using the centreline and locating holes. Now you can rout the sections you want hollow, staying 20 mil inside the outline. Glue the tops on straight by using the blunt end of the drill bit in the locating holes to make sure what you've done lines up. When the glue is dry run the whole thing through the thicknesser again, just barely skimming it until both sides are flat and total thickness is 45mm. You can go thinner but no less than 42mm. Using your locating holes lay the template on again and draw the outline. Bandsaw it close to line and finish with a flush trim spiral bit run around the template. Rout your neck pocket and pickups etc as normal, but the magic is when you rout the F-hole (via the template), there is the cavity.

    This is probably the entirely wrong way to do it, but it's the method I worked out for myself and it works for me. I am always open to new ideas if they work better or do the same thing more efficiently. And never forget the whole point of this is to challenge your mind and achieve satisfaction and a lasting sense of happiness. Woodworking does this for me more than anything else.

    Cheers,
    Jess.

    P.S. when I flush trim the shape I double-side tape the template on.

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Valla Beach
    Posts
    1,184

    Default

    Hi there Jess, and thanks for your very comprehensive reply. I think I follow what you are saying. I'm heading down to Boutique Timbers next tuesday to purchase some timber. The way I have this in my head I am going to buy a nice slice of maple which will form the top. I am thinking about 10mm thick. I am then going to see if I can get some mahogany or similar which will form the inside body and also the bottom (of the body). I'll get Mal or Greg to slice about 7mm off which will be the bottom. So if your saying about 45mm in total thickness that leaves my middle section about 28mm. I'll square that 28mm section up and then slice it down the centre. Giving me two halves.
    I'll trace from my template onto these two sections and cut out with my bandsaw the "hollow section" which will be about 20mm from the outside curves of the body. I'll also cut out the two pickup areas completely.Then I'll join the two halves back together again after which I should be able to cut out the outside of my body.

    Hopefully somewhere after this it will all line back up again with my template. Going to use a sheet of 3mm mdf board with my full size body glued to that. I'll cut out my "F"holes in my top prior to glueing that back on and I guess also my pick up cavities.

    This is all in my head at present but hopefully it will turn out ok. I am very happy with my first guitar build (posts and pics down below somewhere).

    I'll attach a very very ruff free hand drawing of what I am talking about with my inner body, hope you can follow what I am saying.

    Paul
    Attached Images Attached Images

  6. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Loch, Gippsland, Victoria, Australia
    Posts
    14

    Default

    Hey Paul I never thought of doing a sandwich, it's probably a better idea because the front and the back will both look the same. The cavities are usually routed in to a set depth, but I like your idea and will give it a go some time. With the actual cavities, I would leave a solid centre wider than the neck heel to rout the neck and pickup pockets in to, 100mm should do, and if you're planning string-through-body the solid centre will generate sustain and maintain structural integrity.

    I'm not sure what you're planning with the MDF, is that the permanent bottom plate? I would avoid using MDF in the body as I understand it's a tone and sustain robber. Whatever (hardwood) you use on the top, use the same on the bottom. What body shape are you planning? Bolt on or V-joint neck? I'm currently building a Tele-style, and whilst it's not a "Thinline" (what they call the semi-hollow Tele), it is a drop top. The bloke wanted a lighter body so I have joined a flame Mango top on to a Paulownia body. In my internet wanderings I have read positive things about Paulownia tone, and there is a bit of a fad in America for lightweight softwood bodies, mostly pine.

    Routing the F-hole first is probably a better idea too, so you can lay the top on the body and draw the F-hole on it, leaving no doubt or guesswork where to rout your cavities. Also if you're not using a pickguard (therefore a rear rout with an inlaid wooden cover) that provides a similar effect to the cavity on the other side of the centreline. I get long shaft CTS pots for rear rout.

    It's difficult to explain stuff like this using just words, I wish I could show you first hand. I'm tempted to start another body with hollows... I have one last drop top in the shed, a pair of book matched imbuia (pronounced im-boo-ya I think). Anyway just keep asking questions and we'll see how it goes... this could be a long thread but it's a challenge to share information this way... challenge is a good thing

    Here's a few pics of the Tele body so far, rough sanded with 60 grit, also the templates I use. In the second pic you'll notice a very slight arm cut I filed and sanded in just to make the guitar slightly more comfortable than a standard Tele. A semi-hollow is really no different except it has cavities under it:
    Attached Images Attached Images

  7. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Valla Beach
    Posts
    1,184

    Default

    Hey Jess, I was just about to hit the sack and noticed your reply. I will reread your comment again tomorrow and try and digest a couple of points that you made. Regarding my 3mm mdf board. All I meant by that was, I am going to glue a full size copy/shape of my body onto the mdf board and use that as a template guide. I've got it on A4 paper at present and tomorrow will get a shop to blow it up to 170 and 180% on A3 size paper to give me a full size of my body. (two bodies actually as these will be two guitars I am about to take on, both "hollow bodies").

    I like your thoughts on using the same timber for my bottom as for my top, in this case hopefully it will be maple. The last time I went down to Boutique Timbers I got some Queensland Maple and thats what I used for my previous first build guitar, come up verryyy nice. I had thought of using the same but wasn't sure.

    As for that Paulownia timber,..hmmmm, I wouldn't use that on a guitar body. Just my opinion, I bought some of it and was going to use it for small box making. (in the Box making section of this forum I have lots of boxes), I only ended up using it for bases as its a very very soft timber and not much heavier or stronger than balsa. Just my opinion.

    I'll check your photos again tomorrow,

    Thanks again, Paul

  8. #7
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Arundel Qld 4214
    Age
    86
    Posts
    701

    Default Paulownia for musical instruments

    I am not a musical instrument builder but a great fan of Paulownia. I know it is used for this purpose because it has great tone qualities. Before you discount it do some more research on the timber. I think there is a guitar builder in Singapore who sells his for $1,000's and he uses paulownia. Can't tell you what part of the instrument but it is worth checking it out.

    Whitewood

  9. #8
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Valla Beach
    Posts
    1,184

    Default

    Hi Jess, Rereading your comments whilst having breakfast. Yes your right about the 100mm down the centre of my body. Actually I can see that I stuffed up with my sketch, there should have been timber left on the outer edges of my pickup cavities. That will definitely happen when I commence. I had to google "drop top" to see what you meant. Mine wont be that fancy, I am figuring on a full flat piece of maple about 10mm for my top. And now your convincing me to use the same maple for my bottom, maybe around 7mm.

    Your photos, so they are with the paulownia timber, very interesting,..!

    I'll do more pics this time during my build.

    Paul

  10. #9
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Melbourne Outer East right next to mount dande
    Age
    73
    Posts
    1,859

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by whitewood View Post
    I am not a musical instrument builder but a great fan of Paulownia. I know it is used for this purpose because it has great tone qualities. Before you discount it do some more research on the timber. I think there is a guitar builder in Singapore who sells his for $1,000's and he uses paulownia. Can't tell you what part of the instrument but it is worth checking it out.

    Whitewood
    i bought a couple lengths of it with the intent to cut a body or two but its almost like balsa wood
    i know the yanks are going nuts over it but i doubt its got the strength to hold a screw

    perhaps the samples i got were on the real soft / light end of things
    are heavier denser grades available?
    ray c
    dunno what's more fun, buyin' the tools or usin' em'

  11. #10
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Valla Beach
    Posts
    1,184

    Default

    Hi again, this is becoming rather interesting. Anyway, today I drove down to Boutique Timbers and purchased some Queensland Maple which I will use for my body top and body bottom. I also purchased some African Mahogany which I will use for my inner body (the ham in the sandwich bit).

    Mal down at Boutique Timbers is extremely helpful and a top bloke also. I also got some rosewood but thats for my boxmaking.

    As I get a bit further progressed I'll do a couple of pics.

    Paul

  12. #11
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Arundel Qld 4214
    Age
    86
    Posts
    701

    Default Paulownia

    Quote Originally Posted by old_picker View Post
    i bought a couple lengths of it with the intent to cut a body or two but its almost like balsa wood
    i know the yanks are going nuts over it but i doubt its got the strength to hold a screw

    perhaps the samples i got were on the real soft / light end of things
    are heavier denser grades available?
    Can't comment on your samples. When I was selling both my own grown timber and later planks from another grower I didn't feel the timber was sub standard. It won't hold nails but I used nails to keep the paulownia in place while glue set. Because it it is more phorous than some timber it takes gluing ( and stains) very well. It does hold screws reasonably well but gluing gets the best results. I found it hard to break given its density and planned easily if the tools were sharp. I have sold it to build framing for small (3> meters)sail boats ( see threads on this form from the builders). It is used a lot for hallow wooden surf and standup paddle boards. The skin of these boards over the paulownia frames and was either 6 or 4 mm depending on the weight of glass to be used. It is successfully used to build sea going kayaks (see threads where allan newhouse has contributed).

    I do know that some paulownia is being imported from China. I also know that about 20% of the container will be 'rubbish'. Perhaps the planks you got were from the substandard part of the container.

    Whitewood

  13. #12
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Valla Beach
    Posts
    1,184

    Default

    Hi again, Got a question at this stage, my bridge for my 12 string guitar has arrived from the USA. It's a Gotah style bridge and 6 of the strings feed through the back of the bridge and the other 6 strings feed up from the bottom of the body up under the bridge. It seems I now need to use string ferrules.

    Looking at these are the strings supposed to lodge into these ferrules or are they supposed to go all the way through and lodge under the actual bridge itself.

    Thanks again, Paul

  14. #13
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Valla Beach
    Posts
    1,184

    Default some pics for starters

    Hi all,

    I have now made a start on these two guitars. And my last question, I found out the answer. The ends of the strings lodge into the ferrules. I've ordered 6 of those. I've now cut out the "inners" of my two guitars. I've allowed ample room to work on the neck socket at a later stage. So the size/shape of the neck socket will change slightly I imagine. I'm still waiting on my pickups to arrive, and I hope I have allowed plenty of room for them to drop in to. When my pickups arrive I can then get exact measurements for my neck socket/s.

    The pickups will of course be screwed into my "top" so they can just be suspended in the extra room I have allowed (hopefully).

    Here are some pics so far, this is "african mahogany". Next step I'll be able to start preparation of the top and bottom/s.

    Maybe this is a very unconventional way of doing things, but ,.....if it works, it works.

    Paul

  15. #14
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Valla Beach
    Posts
    1,184

    Default

    Oh and by the way. The fender sort of shape will be a 6 string. The LP sort of shape will be a 12 string,

    Paul

  16. #15
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Valla Beach
    Posts
    1,184

    Default

    Hi all, I have progressed a little bit further on my two guitars. I now have the tops and bottoms cut out and the F holes inserted. I'm really happy with the outcome of the F holes, was starting to worry how they would look, thought they might be a disaster, but I like them.

    All this timber is now queensland maple. The tops are a little bit thicker than I planned for, they are around the 11.5 and 12.5mm mark, but the overall thickness on both guitars is around the 46mm mark, so pretty happy with that. I can't do anymore now till my pickups arrive and am sure they will drop into my cavities as planned.

    On my previous photos the square timber left in my "inner body" at the end (not the neck end), I might be able to take a 45 degree slice of that just to give me a tad more room for my controls/potentiometers/ etc, not sure yet.

    Nothing is glued yet of course,

    Paul
    Attached Images Attached Images

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Similar Threads

  1. Replies: 0
    Last Post: 20th February 2013, 01:09 PM
  2. Acoustic Guitar
    By ASC92 in forum MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
    Replies: 10
    Last Post: 29th November 2009, 09:25 AM
  3. building Electric guitar body - sydney
    By gbx78 in forum WOODWORK - GENERAL
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 8th August 2007, 02:17 PM
  4. Solid body electric guitar
    By hubbabubba in forum WOODWORK - GENERAL
    Replies: 34
    Last Post: 18th December 2005, 09:59 PM

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •