080110

Friday 8th January 2010

Happy new year to you all!!

First things first the workshop is cleaned up and all is put to rights, it’s a good way to get back in the swing of things!

The Paf Doublecut.. the last job is to wire her for sound!

a very simple setup with one volume, a coil tapped tone pot and a three way toggle..

the lathe comes into her own again

the tuning knobs on the 8 string headless are all turned..

…I can’t wait to actually get this on an instrument!!

..obviously we’re starting slow with several small jobs.. next up the Green 45rpm is rubbed down

and polished.. this really brings out the stunning exotic timbers!

mmm.. lovely!

and talking of lovely.. the snow finally arrives in our neck of the woods.. and we now have no Igor.. I can’t afford to let him kill himself on roads that haven’t been properly gritted!

now.. the PAF Bass guitar has arrived back for a setup

and some wiring adjustments..

now, on to the real work!

a cavity is routed in Garry’s paf for the variax componants!

the backplate has the battery sized hole cut out

and so..

this is the end result.. ish, I still have some thoughts to brew about this bit..

and the snow still falls,.

now, Nick’s 45rpm is looking a little blocky..

so, the carving begins.. power assisted but still by hand.. and more importantly, by eye!!

the area around the neck is cut with a chisel

and then it’s back to the dusty bit..

she’s rough carved and ready for binding..

now, a pretty little set of bespoke humbuckers from Wizard

the plates are adjusted to match the angles dictated by the fanned fretboard!

next up a couple of templates are made.. each pup has different angles

the cavities are predrilled

and each is routed

and she’s looking like a real guitar finally!

some more dust is created and the carving begins in earnest.. I just love non-standard timbers.. this old piece of wormy (treated of course!) elm is going to be stunning in the end!

the binding begins… the sharp horns mean a jointed approach on this one!

a single ply piece of binding is installed on the 45rpm while the first section on the Moonshine dries..

Gypsy and Jasper come in to hide from the cold.. and chew some old chunks of wood

the joint is sorted out first

and she starts coming into her own..

both of them are now looking pretty damn great!
All my best,
Ben
Crimson Guitars HQ