Wednesday 8th July ’09

it seems that all I’m doing in this cycle is worry about expanding the business and oil guitars.. luckily I can do them at the same time!

these stainless steel inlays have an inrregular surface and were recessed into the cavities before filling them with a clear resin..

unfortunately the resin didn’t hold to the steel as it was supposed to and has to be removed.. carefully!!

then I use a new clear filler, the properties of which I understand!

on to LT’s guitar.. I love the efect of black binding on an ebony ‘board.. it’s the smallest details that make the biggest impression!

after polishing up the fretboard the edges are planed flat and square

before the frets are glued in

the edges of snipped off the next day, once the glue has cured, and are profiled

and then the side dots are finally installed..

before adding the first of many coats of lemon oil

on to Gary’s guitar.. the neck is in a similar place and just needs the fretboard edges rounded over to give that comfortable vintage feel.. again with the small things..

more oiling.. it’s a daily job right now.. but the blue keeps it interesting..

now, I don’t get to use the lathe very often, but this mahogany will be fun..

lot’s of dust and mess..

and high speed tomfoolery..

gets you a prototype resessed jack socket.. the idea is to make them out of the same contrasting timber as the cap and backplates.. obviously stained to match as well..

on to the custom eight string multi-scale guitar.. the final bit if sanding is undertaken

before mixing up the custom stain.

..tada..

makes a change from blue!!  But once again the oil finish is applied!

and, as usual,. the back is just a little bit more attractive to me..

first coat of oil gives a nice matt finish..

last coat of oil on Jason’s beastie and, even before buffing, it looks a bit like satin lacquer!

..just a teaser, this is what LT’s guitar will end up becoming!

I need to make a template with which to recess a wilkinson tremolo..

the first template is cut out, then used to rout out the second.. which is tested several times

before using it in anger on Fred’s guitar..

voila..

back to LT’s neck.. the cap recess and neck break angle are marked out

and cut out (though you’ll notice this is now Gary’s neck..)

the spalted beech bodies for both guitars are bookmatched

planed flat and square..

and then glued in place..

on both instruments..

now, I don’t like working with this size steel.. but the big router needs to be pressed into service..

and this plate is being turned, slowly, into an integral part of that..

no saw I have will cut through this plate, so the pillar drill is used.. the unfortunate side effect of this is the red hot bits of steel shitting all over my hands!!

the plate is then used to mount a modern router onto the quality bit of machining that is my old Wadkin router table!  Best of both worlds!

and after a bit of a clean..

and some toasted nuts she’s ready to go.. finally!

and the day ends with adding some custom wenge speed knobs to Nimrods hollowbody PAF.. (the knobs are now available to order as replacements bits for all your other guitars.. in pretty much any timber you want!)

All my best to you and yours!

Ben