What's on your work bench?

Self built and self assembly ;)

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Lostininverness
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Re: What's on your work bench?

Post by Lostininverness »

Looks like a nice satisfying result!

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Jay
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Re: What's on your work bench?

Post by Jay »

Lostininverness wrote: Tue Aug 04, 2020 6:01 pm Looks like a nice satisfying result!
Yes, now i can start building the neck. Body basically complete apart from sanding and finishing. Gonna be a set neck (with a puriri fretboard :wink:)
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Re: What's on your work bench?

Post by Lostininverness »

Sweet. Whats the neck made from?? Looking forward to seeing that fretboard!

Got pics of the finished body??

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Re: What's on your work bench?

Post by k1w1 »

Finally got this in the house, Covid sure has slowed mail from the USA. Most of the back braces are loose, easy fix. The neck is hanging on by a tiny bit of glue so can probably get that off without steam, a reset is definitely needed. Graphics are really great and overall for a mid sixties guitar in VG condition.

ImageIMG_2058 by Laurie Franks, on Flickr

ImageIMG_2060 by Laurie Franks, on Flickr

ImageIMG_2061 by Laurie Franks, on Flickr

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Jay
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Re: What's on your work bench?

Post by Jay »

Lostininverness wrote: Wed Aug 05, 2020 7:08 pm Sweet. Whats the neck made from?? Looking forward to seeing that fretboard!

Got pics of the finished body??
Neck will be Kohekohe. This is the current state of the body - see photo. Need to cut out the neck rebate, then lots of sanding as well as rounding the bindings. It has a trestle structure inside, similar to some Gretsch hollow bodies. Probably didn't need it as the top will be 6mm thick or so after the sanding. Debating if I should go for one neck pickup only (Corvette 1956). Still thinking about natural versus blue colour... Ah, the choices I have to make :wink:

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Jay
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Re: What's on your work bench?

Post by Jay »

k1w1 wrote: Wed Aug 05, 2020 7:36 pm Finally got this in the house, Covid sure has slowed mail from the USA. Most of the back braces are loose, easy fix. The neck is hanging on by a tiny bit of glue so can probably get that off without steam, a reset is definitely needed. Graphics are really great and overall for a mid sixties guitar in VG condition.
You would think you and I have nothing else to do :lol: . What is the attraction for all these Harmonies? You must have a room full of them now?
When faced with quality, I recognise it every time.

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Re: What's on your work bench?

Post by k1w1 »

Country blues, back in 2006 I was looking for an archtop to play slide ala Muddy Waters early days. Bought a Harmony and found that they use solid woods for all guitars up until 1974, a lot were birch but that sounds great, also the ladder braced sound. Been buying the bargains since.

My top acoustic has a single piece Brazilian mahogany back and sides, Fender branded, they used the best woods for this, amazing bear claw on this one.

My best archtop is from 1942, spruce with mahogany back and sides. They just play and sound great to me, even the cheap ones once set up. Vintage guitars for 1/10 of the cost of Gibson or Fender.

Their electrics (I have 4) sound great with the De'Armond pickups.

:lol: One room and 2 closets and a few in the lounge, I have around 30 guitars dating from 1935, 2 mandolins (1937 and 1942), 3 ukes and one Tiple from the late '20s (new fretboard for that in the mail).

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Re: What's on your work bench?

Post by Lostininverness »

Jay wrote: Wed Aug 05, 2020 7:46 pm
Lostininverness wrote: Wed Aug 05, 2020 7:08 pm Sweet. Whats the neck made from?? Looking forward to seeing that fretboard!

Got pics of the finished body??
Neck will be Kohekohe. This is the current state of the body - see photo. Need to cut out the neck rebate, then lots of sanding as well as rounding the bindings. It has a trestle structure inside, similar to some Gretsch hollow bodies. Probably didn't need it as the top will be 6mm thick or so after the sanding. Debating if I should go for one neck pickup only (Corvette 1956). Still thinking about natural versus blue colour... Ah, the choices I have to make :wink:

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That looks really good. Nice job with the f-holes. That'd look sweet with more of a violin type stain finish......

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Jay
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Re: What's on your work bench?

Post by Jay »

Ta, binding the F holes was a phecking pain. I use a soldering iron for heating the binding as the diameter is so small.
I think I need a light colour as all the binding is ebony, so not sure if brownish would do it...

I have kept a log of the hours gone into this. Care for any guesses up to this stage?
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Re: What's on your work bench?

Post by jeremyb »

50?
Slowy wrote: That's the problem; everything rewarding is just such hard work. Regret takes much less effort.

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Re: What's on your work bench?

Post by AiRdAd »

jeremyb wrote: Fri Aug 07, 2020 4:06 pm50?
70?
Slowy wrote: To Danny, everyone is either a supplier, customer or a courier.

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Re: What's on your work bench?

Post by Jay »

AiRdAd wrote: Fri Aug 07, 2020 4:08 pm
jeremyb wrote: Fri Aug 07, 2020 4:06 pm50?
70?
At 45 now. Plenty of hours gone into F holes and body binding (routing, bending and gluing). So much quicker to just make a solid body without binding anything.
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Re: What's on your work bench?

Post by IMOCD »

Jay wrote: Wed Aug 05, 2020 7:46 pm
Neck will be Kohekohe.
[/quote]

Wow, that is different. I was under the impression its a nightmare to work with. Its scientific name even eludes to it! Dysoxylum (bad wood). Not the case?

One day I want to have a guitar crafted for me made entirely out of native timber. You ever build with rewarewa?

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Re: What's on your work bench?

Post by Jay »

IMOCD wrote: Fri Aug 07, 2020 5:00 pm
Jay wrote: Wed Aug 05, 2020 7:46 pm
Neck will be Kohekohe.

Wow, that is different. I was under the impression its a nightmare to work with. Its scientific name even eludes to it! Dysoxylum (bad wood). Not the case?

One day I want to have a guitar crafted for me made entirely out of native timber. You ever build with rewarewa?
Kohekohe is a breeze to work with and stable. There are a couple of luthiers in NZ who make Ukes out of them.

Rewarewa same story. Really good to work with and such a beautiful grain. I have used it for necks to date. If I can get my hands on a good size piece, I would like to use it for a top.
When faced with quality, I recognise it every time.

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Re: What's on your work bench?

Post by jeremyb »

I've put a lot of time into F holes in my time too.
Slowy wrote: That's the problem; everything rewarding is just such hard work. Regret takes much less effort.

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