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The 26th of August 2010 – the custom guitar builders workshop diary

The igor has taken charge of the double cut for now.. she’s ready for final sanding..

I, however, spend half my time on the phone to suppliers who don’t seem to know anything about their own products!!!

 

anyway, some plqaning on this multi-multi ply neck.. oh this will be a pretty one!!

igor starts sanding.. it’s going to take a while!

..an old mahogany piano gets dropped off by a mate.. and with the rain threatening, as ever, I have to down tools and strip it down for parts!

I love the drastic effect that a new oil coat haves the first time!!

oh yes!!

many many coats are due before she goes, good thing the weathers helping out!!

Fred’s slimline.. in need of knobs..

and here they are!  our first ever custom metal knobs!!

another new toy… a soon to be pickup winding machine.. or a sewing machine.. your call?!

..I ‘ve finally found the missing mother of pearl for the twins headstock inlays.. 

and also have recieved some new torsion springs.. the new trem will be a stunner!

I just need to find the right size.. ouch!!

some sharpening is absolutely essential now and again..

there’s no point in having a less-than razor sharp plane!

the oil finish has come out really well here.. you need less coats when it’s not over a stain..

the frets are flattened and profiled..

and polished!!

lemon oil.. especially with ebony you have to assure a good long soak in the oil, a dry fretboard really screws with the guitar

a set of locking sperzels are next to be installed

followed by the chrome black tunematic and tailpiece..

the zebra coiled bareknuckle pickups are direct mounted without surrounds

a brass nut blank.. kindly prepared by igor yesterday..

here’s a book to buy.. really well written

and it helps that we’re in it… twice!!!

ok, my trademark scallops are carved into the new nut..

and it too is polished to a really high shine!

and the strings are strung! .. I love the clean look of this, pickup surrounds.. who needs ‘em?

the action at the nut is adjusted

and she is a beauty to play! .. and what’s more I’m a convert!!  I never thought I would say this but massive frets and a 2mm deep scallop all the way down the fretboard makes for an absolute stunner of a neck.. the feel of speed and freedom of movement is amazing!  Obviously you have to have a slightly lighter touch to keep the tuning even but it really isn’t any where near as sensitive as I had thought it would be.. when igor gets on to building my personal guitar as his apprentice/master piece it will be scalloped!!

 

All my best, 

Ben

Crimson custom Guitars

 

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