I’ve spent a large part of the last 2 days in my workshop.
It’s now tidy, and cleaner than it’s been in a long while. I’ve done most of the “one day” jobs that have been on the list for a long time. I disassembled and reassembled my workshop hoover (Dyson) which had developed an intermittent fault. It still has the same fault (but, amazingly, still works!). I’ve almost cleared all the house jobs that my wife has listed.
So, I can now start a guitar build.
It will be a Bandsman. Because I’ve not got one of those.
But, beyond that, I have no inspiration. Nada.
Plain body, or body and cap? Flat or carved? Bolt-on or set-neck? HBs or P90s? Or a mix? Solid, or hollow body? F-holes?
😆 just kidding on that last one!
What should I make? I’ve already built something that ticks all of those options above, so what else should I consider?
All suggestions welcome.
Apart from f-holes.
Online guitar making courses – guitarmaking.co.uk
Hey @tv101. How about a plain build but try your skills at a paint job. 🎨🖌️
🙂🎶🙏🎸
🗝️ "Life's what you make it"🗝️
@tv101 just dropping some ideas.. hipshot babygrand tailpiece, filtertron pickups, binding and a nitro finish, maybe a nice inlay pattern on the fretboard
Online guitar making courses – guitarmaking.co.uk
Laminated neck with a bandsman body shape and cap or drop top. Try something stupid with the electrics like wire the pick ups for stereo instead of mono.
David Dyke has some good tops at the moment.
Some people call me a tool, others are less complimentary. Tools being useful things.
Laminated neck with a bandsman body shape and cap or drop top.
yes a laminated neck! 🙂
Laminated neck with a bandsman body shape and cap or drop top.
yes a laminated neck!
I'd been thinking about a laminated neck. As it happens, one of my "tidy the workshop" jobs yesterday was to cut a few pieces of rolled up laminate into use-size pieces that could then be stored flat ready for use. Some of that is ready for making laminated necks.
I've also got a large chunk of old mahogany which needs cutting down into usable pieces. I can get 2 x "LP" sized neck blanks out of it, but it should also yield some pieces suitable for laminated necks too.
Using a cap would mean I could chamber it too ...
(And my stocks of timber aren't quite at DD levels - his "shop" is incredible - but I'll be using some of what I've got, rather than buying more material!)
Online guitar making courses – guitarmaking.co.uk
Thinking some more ...
I think I've got some heavyish Ash in the workshop, so I could chamber that to make it usable (ie suitable weight). I've also got quite a few caps, including some that came from the Bailey store sell-off a couple of years ago, so using one of those would seem appropriate.
Or I've got a piece of Walnut that's probably ready for use now and should be big enough for a one-piece body.
Or I've got some planks of Utile and Idigbo.
Or I've got ... (plenty of options).
First step should probably be to make a practice laminate neck with scarf joint from some scrap softwood.
Online guitar making courses – guitarmaking.co.uk
How about a hollowed out body with a built in speaker so you can just pick up and play when you can't be bothered to plug into an amp, or is that what an acoustic is for.
That would be fairly easy to do, but I'm not sure it'd be worthwhile.
Easy to do using something like a JamJar kit (see https://www.thejamjaramps.com/home). I got one of those last years and built it, with a small (4") speaker, into a little box that sites on my desk.
It sounds as basic as you'd expect. Fine for making some noise when you just want to make some noise, but pretty limited as an amp beyond a bit of novelty interest.
Chances of me using it if I built one into a guitar? Close to zero.
And, unlike in-built FX, not easy to remove from a guitar when I got bored with it!!
Online guitar making courses – guitarmaking.co.uk
I do have a vague idea forming.
However, before I can implement it, I'll need to make a trip to the Bagpress factory @darrenking, and to make some more space in my workshop for another new piece of kit (which I'll be checking out tomorrow).
😊
The plan does not involve twin necks, nor baritones, nor even blueteeth. The guitar will be standard size & shape, with the traditional number of necks. But it'll be different.
It is a very cunning plan.
Online guitar making courses – guitarmaking.co.uk
The plan does not involve twin necks, nor baritones, nor even blueteeth. The guitar will be standard size & shape, with the traditional number of necks. But it'll be different.
It is a very cunning plan.
Hey@tv101. If you're making a trip to see Darren at bagpress, there can only be one style of bandsman that you're considering me thinks. 🤔🤔🤔
🗝️ "Life's what you make it"🗝️