@steveh I usually go to p320 before applying finish. Before staining, I lightly moisture the surfaces and let it dry, to raise the grain. Then a light pass with p320 again before staining.

Hi everyone! I put together the Explorer-like in mock up …. Attachment : IMG_0033.jpeg Attachment : IMG_0034.jpeg Nothing is bolted down in the mock up, but I’ve subsequently checked an...

Sanded the kerfed edge of one side while the glue on the other side was drying. I found it far too flexible to hold it in shape out of the mold, so clamped it into the mold, so much easier. Attachm...

Thanks @boo! Yes, it's somewhere between a lemon or a Tigers eye burst. My wife jokingly (I hope) called it a Bert burst, as in Bert and Ernie, but what starts as a joke ..

@liebe That’s a nice burst, very well done. It’s subtle but really effective, classy. 👏👏👏👏

Thankfully, gluing the neck went well and I now have a new guitar if sorts. I practiced staining on an offcut off the top and really enjoyed the process on the actual guitar. It's not 100% what I was ...

OK, it's Christmas time so this is my favourite song today:

Finally got the first coat of finish on the body, and added my mates logo to the back of the headstock. Chris Mckean Music Attachment : 20231218_015537 (1).jpg Attachment : 20231212_151430....

A little update - since the last update I've routed the pickups, did a load to the headstock, fitted the tuners, flattened, put a 16" radius in the fretboard, frets and levelled and fitted the fretboa...

Made my kerf linings now, I think the the flat sawn strips are more flexible than the quarter sawn I used when making my jig. Dry clamped the trickier side of the front, looking okay. Attachment : ...

@markbailey Thanks for your input Mark, I've read the book and I think, with me being an engineer, I got caught up in theory and numbers. I'll stick with your brace carving directions, I've also deci...

If you are going to 'tune' any of the braces, plates, chambers make sure to offset your tuner by 1/4 note (A=431) The last thing you want is parts tuned to concert pitch. Until you have a few builds u...

I managed to get my bench vice installed at the weekend. This thing is heavy, I'm so glad I build my bench well. I just need to make some big wooden jaws for it now. Attachment : IMG_20231217_10...

@nsj I was trying to go deeper than my router wanted to and I think the chuck released the bit and through it went! I may have sworn a bit. I would have considered a patch if I'd had any matching wood...

@liebe I went to deep once, measured from the lip for the cover rather than the back of the guitar lol. I used the template to draw the shape on a piece of wood, cut it etc then glued it in and the...

Well, I started giving updates of this build so I'm going to continue....! I've I managed to get all the binding glue out, fretting went well and no issues under cutting the fretwire for the binding. ...

@robin Thanks I haven’t seen this before and only have his mandolin book. For a first build I would stick with Marks course and it will be a good guitar. Tap tuning is fairly advanced.

It certainly was not my intention to send you 'doon a wabbit 'ole'. I am sure that you will make a good sounding guitar whatever route you choose. After all, best results are based on guidance as well...

@rocknroller912 @peter-c @markbailey This is an extract from the book ( 'The Art of Tap Tuning' by Roger H. Siminoff ) these are suggested target notes (not definitive) for the braces with the sound...

@Rocknroller912 Thanks for your 3explanation. You describe what happens, I was attempting to describe why - so I gues we complemented each other in thid conversation 😀