Guitar Making | Steve Handley | Activity https://guitarmaking.co.uk/members/steveh/activity/ Activity feed for Steve Handley. Thu, 23 Apr 2026 05:46:13 +0100 https://buddypress.org/?v= en-GB 30 hourly 2 f3b8c0bd201f4d91a9edd107d89bcbc6 Steve Handley posted a new topic "Import/Export of guitars including CITES registered bits" - https://guitarmaking.co.uk/activity/p/181943/ Fri, 03 Oct 2025 09:34:50 +0100 Morning, ladies and gents! Greetings from Germany. I’m moving back to the uk next year, bringing my assortment of guitars, some of which include components made of CITES regulated species of wood (ebony fretboard, for example). Does anyone have any…   Read more»

]]> 045dce6d4b98748fe77125797d959130 Steve Handley replied to the topic "Explorer (or maybe LP) with Floyd Rose" - https://guitarmaking.co.uk/activity/p/170076/ Sun, 30 Jun 2024 14:03:44 +0100 @nsj thanks, both good suggestions, although I tightened the trussrod to the point of creaking alarmingly to get it not quite straight. i do have a means of setting the neck the way you described; I just forgot about it….   Read more»

]]> 0b85f31cc85c0621c86c5342295df161 Steve Handley replied to the topic "Explorer (or maybe LP) with Floyd Rose" - https://guitarmaking.co.uk/activity/p/169966/ Sun, 23 Jun 2024 12:27:33 +0100 @russ thanks Russ – this one was quite challenging as I was breaking a lot of new ground for me.

]]> 585e90033b7a41ea5681eb269756a6cd Steve Handley replied to the topic "Explorer (or maybe LP) with Floyd Rose" - https://guitarmaking.co.uk/activity/p/169965/ Sun, 23 Jun 2024 12:26:12 +0100 Ugh, here’s a thing. The frets aren’t quite level, so I decided to revisit that. I can’t quite get the neck flat, even with no string tension. With the Trussrod at its tightest, I have the slightest amount of forward…   Read more»

]]> 177532b00439b2a393746aac3b5c08b6 Steve Handley liked forum post "Explorer (or maybe LP) with Floyd Rose" - https://guitarmaking.co.uk/activity/p/169964/ Sun, 23 Jun 2024 12:22:34 +0100 67c91b30cc9492d472942d75e26e0c51 Steve Handley replied to the topic "Explorer (or maybe LP) with Floyd Rose" - https://guitarmaking.co.uk/activity/p/169959/ Sun, 23 Jun 2024 01:57:01 +0100 So, ladies and gents, I give you: „The Guitar that didn’t want to be Built“ as I know it affectionately

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I know it by a few other, less affectionate names, too, but we’ll leave that for now….   Read more»

]]> e434b02950253f1d9bdfa8953aa99225 Steve Handley liked forum post "Explorer (or maybe LP) with Floyd Rose" - https://guitarmaking.co.uk/activity/p/166971/ Wed, 20 Dec 2023 09:48:09 +0000 e4de20a149f1923b810211efa1325311 Steve Handley replied to the topic "Explorer (or maybe LP) with Floyd Rose" - https://guitarmaking.co.uk/activity/p/166966/ Wed, 20 Dec 2023 07:23:40 +0000 Hi everyone! I put together the Explorer-like in mock up ….

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 Nothing is bolted down in the mock up, but I’ve subsequently checked and drilled most things. I’m planning on a dark green stain for the body, and…   Read more»

]]> 6c2e84f0fd681c66b30000e3c27ff26d Steve Handley liked forum post "Explorer (or maybe LP) with Floyd Rose" - https://guitarmaking.co.uk/activity/p/164860/ Wed, 01 Nov 2023 23:33:20 +0000 805894af6112657665056780bbd26fe1 Steve Handley liked forum post "Explorer (or maybe LP) with Floyd Rose" - https://guitarmaking.co.uk/activity/p/164859/ Wed, 01 Nov 2023 23:33:10 +0000 51c795f0f90edb3f6cbfdac8433bd02a Steve Handley replied to the topic "Explorer (or maybe LP) with Floyd Rose" - https://guitarmaking.co.uk/activity/p/164828/ Wed, 01 Nov 2023 06:18:07 +0000 @nsj yeah, I’m not sure what happened. I was planning to do exactly that, but then didn’t 🙄 🤔

]]> 11ff8b62f68dd70c082f602659421245 Steve Handley replied to the topic "Explorer (or maybe LP) with Floyd Rose" - https://guitarmaking.co.uk/activity/p/164821/ Tue, 31 Oct 2023 23:10:43 +0000 So, finally mocked up the Floyd Rose rout (note tactical use of screwdriver as there is no string tension to keep the bridge level. I’ll try to get the spring claw a bit better centered, but on the whole I’m…   Read more»

]]> 2fbb5f8f678af49e12bc735de12d965f Steve Handley liked forum post "Explorer (or maybe LP) with Floyd Rose" - https://guitarmaking.co.uk/activity/p/158922/ Sun, 23 Jul 2023 00:56:05 +0100 8e646f20f1a089c67e9272a4b2a90929 Steve Handley liked forum post "Explorer (or maybe LP) with Floyd Rose" - https://guitarmaking.co.uk/activity/p/158671/ Tue, 11 Jul 2023 21:46:27 +0100 bed2ca407e0c808be91a24568a5e36d3 Steve Handley liked forum post "Explorer (or maybe LP) with Floyd Rose" - https://guitarmaking.co.uk/activity/p/158670/ Tue, 11 Jul 2023 21:46:13 +0100 25e87bda5abb882007f0ca952f5014d2 Steve Handley replied to the topic "Explorer (or maybe LP) with Floyd Rose" - https://guitarmaking.co.uk/activity/p/158657/ Tue, 11 Jul 2023 20:27:02 +0100 [quote data-userid=”49000″ data-postid=”24465″] @steveh musiclily do a decent routing template, only thing missing is the recess for the floyd but that’s not to hard to knock up.   I’d recommend grabbing a gotoh floyd, 150 ish but fantastic units. Even…   Read more»

]]> 9f3bd16cc76fb7a5cf09fc0537efc2a8 Steve Handley replied to the topic "Explorer (or maybe LP) with Floyd Rose" - https://guitarmaking.co.uk/activity/p/158656/ Tue, 11 Jul 2023 20:22:12 +0100 [quote data-userid=”34366″ data-postid=”24453″] @steveh Planning and drawing is a useful start. Maybe you could try out the necessary routing for the trem on a cheap piece of wood, to confirm. How is samba wood to work with? I have only…   Read more»

]]> 9b231710816f234dcd8382e214e45f0f Steve Handley replied to the topic "Installing frets in loose fretboard" - https://guitarmaking.co.uk/activity/p/158545/ Sun, 09 Jul 2023 19:41:02 +0100 @russ thank you – that’s all the encouragement I need 😋

]]> ba2ed7f47fe74669796edb55ef3d02b7 Steve Handley liked forum post "Installing frets in loose fretboard" - https://guitarmaking.co.uk/activity/p/158544/ Sun, 09 Jul 2023 19:40:26 +0100 0a8da3f7844484caaaefe1de21f7d3d3 Steve Handley posted a new topic "Installing frets in loose fretboard" - https://guitarmaking.co.uk/activity/p/158507/ Sun, 09 Jul 2023 16:05:56 +0100 Has anyone tried installing frets into a fretboard before it’s attached to the neck? Would it just bow the fretboard backwards?

]]> ffc76e1af3966fa65c795906fad51c8c Steve Handley replied to the topic "Explorer (or maybe LP) with Floyd Rose (update 1) - body shape" - https://guitarmaking.co.uk/activity/p/158506/ Sun, 09 Jul 2023 13:32:29 +0100 Explorer bodies take a lot of wood! Given that I’ve never made a body with rout for a trem system, FR or otherwise, I guessed that the chances of me making a horlicks of it are quite high, so I…   Read more»

]]> 4ea8fa240efaa390af334cdcd8c49b68 Steve Handley posted a new topic "Explorer (or maybe LP) with Floyd Rose" - https://guitarmaking.co.uk/activity/p/158505/ Sun, 09 Jul 2023 13:26:12 +0100 ok, so again I’ve proved myself rubbish at showing what I’m up to – it’s a personality trait that I’m working on, please bear with me. I’ve already started this project, so there will be some quick updates to start…   Read more»

]]> 76bbe926c8b2c4c1d610d36243f3b27d Steve Handley liked forum post "Fret Position Placement" - https://guitarmaking.co.uk/activity/p/158390/ Wed, 05 Jul 2023 16:06:40 +0100 5116e50e58125551d0722d3fa937b684 Steve Handley replied to the topic "Ever get the feeling that a build is cursed?" - https://guitarmaking.co.uk/activity/p/158292/ Tue, 04 Jul 2023 15:38:55 +0100

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let’s see how this turns out …..

]]> 5630b10c898517bc2b2618033d62c0c8 Steve Handley liked forum post "Ever get the feeling that a build is cursed?" - https://guitarmaking.co.uk/activity/p/158066/ Thu, 29 Jun 2023 14:43:56 +0100 15ee99a9c94a8d8b741c6701509c4874 Steve Handley liked forum post "Ever get the feeling that a build is cursed?" - https://guitarmaking.co.uk/activity/p/158065/ Thu, 29 Jun 2023 14:42:09 +0100 3a850b4699c78b097f9a57fa16a02580 Steve Handley replied to the topic "Ever get the feeling that a build is cursed?" - https://guitarmaking.co.uk/activity/p/158050/ Thu, 29 Jun 2023 09:30:49 +0100 @nsj I wonder whether that’s it. I mean, on the one hand, I’m paranoid about the possibility of the router tipping and leaving those tell-tale grooves in the side of the neck, so I do try to keep the whole…   Read more»

]]> 82fdc72b8b7a30058889b9301e581569 Steve Handley liked forum post "Ever get the feeling that a build is cursed?" - https://guitarmaking.co.uk/activity/p/158037/ Thu, 29 Jun 2023 00:51:56 +0100 19754cc4dda6d45099e689b52fc02b0d Steve Handley replied to the topic "Ever get the feeling that a build is cursed?" - https://guitarmaking.co.uk/activity/p/158036/ Thu, 29 Jun 2023 00:51:45 +0100 @nsj well, I wondered about the bearing, but it spins freely by hand, and I used it afterwards on the other side of the neck without problem. The neck is samba, so it is relatively soft, but I’ve used the…   Read more»

]]> 1987040408c6af22ec638958da216a6f Steve Handley replied to the topic "Ever get the feeling that a build is cursed?" - https://guitarmaking.co.uk/activity/p/157997/ Wed, 28 Jun 2023 14:33:52 +0100 Hi everyone, so, an update. Sorry it’s taken a little while, but I’ve been on holiday. Firstl, it looks like my first assessment of what had happened was wrong, since I was unable to recreate the problem using the same…   Read more»

]]> 59b75024a41b92a2a63e75d61633d165 Steve Handley liked forum post "Ever get the feeling that a build is cursed?" - https://guitarmaking.co.uk/activity/p/157702/ Tue, 20 Jun 2023 09:44:22 +0100 566e1342b3ab6123f412972fbf268736 Steve Handley liked forum post "Ever get the feeling that a build is cursed?" - https://guitarmaking.co.uk/activity/p/157701/ Tue, 20 Jun 2023 09:43:55 +0100 3ee66b36dc8027b531acef4544621ac2 Steve Handley liked forum post "Ever get the feeling that a build is cursed?" - https://guitarmaking.co.uk/activity/p/157700/ Tue, 20 Jun 2023 09:43:47 +0100 eb692b84d1210a032ad405c67e89582f Steve Handley liked forum post "Ever get the feeling that a build is cursed?" - https://guitarmaking.co.uk/activity/p/157699/ Tue, 20 Jun 2023 09:43:23 +0100 002306783d433b73a5ff83ee6b276b6d Steve Handley liked forum post "Ever get the feeling that a build is cursed?" - https://guitarmaking.co.uk/activity/p/157693/ Tue, 20 Jun 2023 08:03:49 +0100 1316ecb0af38183bc585830175a02d58 Steve Handley liked forum post "Ever get the feeling that a build is cursed?" - https://guitarmaking.co.uk/activity/p/157692/ Tue, 20 Jun 2023 08:02:00 +0100 d18c0ec57d312ff610995bb5e478814d Steve Handley replied to the topic "Ever get the feeling that a build is cursed?" - https://guitarmaking.co.uk/activity/p/157544/ Wed, 14 Jun 2023 19:26:42 +0100 [quote data-userid=”14309″ data-postid=”24198″] @steveh  Any thoughts how I can make this ok, without it looking like a dog’s dinner? Or should I chalk it up to experience and start with another blank? I was thinking, reduce the top as @njs…   Read more»

]]> e314dd9dd08561e94800ca25b83d19a4 Steve Handley replied to the topic "Ever get the feeling that a build is cursed?" - https://guitarmaking.co.uk/activity/p/157509/ Wed, 14 Jun 2023 17:34:10 +0100 [quote data-userid=”49000″ data-postid=”24191″] [quote data-userid=”34122″ data-postid=”24180″] Hi all! I hope everyone is well 🙂 Flippin’ eck! Ok, I know I’m trying a few new things out on this one (bound fretboard, bolt on neck, Floyd Rose), but you’re supposed to…   Read more»

]]> a4055b90b045e6094ae9d4d519358a2f Steve Handley replied to the topic "Ever get the feeling that a build is cursed?" - https://guitarmaking.co.uk/activity/p/157508/ Wed, 14 Jun 2023 17:17:28 +0100 Thanks Koen – ever the source of sage advice 🤣 
 

]]> 107d0b65847318e00b8dc0f0eeded424 Steve Handley posted a new topic "Ever get the feeling that a build is cursed?" - https://guitarmaking.co.uk/activity/p/157482/ Wed, 14 Jun 2023 14:16:29 +0100 Hi all! I hope everyone is well 🙂 Flippin’ eck! Ok, I know I’m trying a few new things out on this one (bound fretboard, bolt on neck, Floyd Rose), but you’re supposed to try new things to learn, right?…   Read more»

]]> 8a22669145a97c4880a69837b4aae839 Steve Handley replied to the topic "Steveh and the Aria ET 240" - https://guitarmaking.co.uk/activity/p/136562/ Fri, 15 Jul 2022 10:39:28 +0100 @koendb and by the way, I forgot to mention in my reply – that’s a really nice looking, very classic Flying V, I love it!

]]> 9acaa489894401618e6510d193323681 Steve Handley replied to the topic "Steveh and the Aria ET 240" - https://guitarmaking.co.uk/activity/p/136560/ Fri, 15 Jul 2022 10:31:51 +0100 Thanks @boo, for your many wise words 😀  It certainly is part if the fun to fix the problems that arise as well as to solve challenges – most of my challenges came from my own inadequacies with woodworking tools…   Read more»

]]> 9c998d8a46c54b065898f4ad2cbcd1ff Steve Handley replied to the topic "Fret position marking" - https://guitarmaking.co.uk/activity/p/136537/ Fri, 15 Jul 2022 07:11:27 +0100 @koendb doing the sums is easy enough, but i wanted a visual representation, and I hadn’t found one online. The fretfind2d one looks great though – thank you for the pointer!
cheers
Steve

]]> 6d785b95224fd37ef820199f6a072884 Steve Handley replied to the topic "Steveh and the Aria ET 240" - https://guitarmaking.co.uk/activity/p/136536/ Fri, 15 Jul 2022 07:07:17 +0100 @koendb yeah, they are! My rubyburst was a kit, but I decided that I didn’t like the pickguard, and moved the control cavity from the front of the guitar to the back. Also, the nut had to come off and…   Read more»

]]> 4e8ebcdef272e0a93e9aa0847641e608 Steve Handley posted a new topic "Fret position marking" - https://guitarmaking.co.uk/activity/p/136373/ Tue, 12 Jul 2022 12:54:52 +0100 Hi all, i guess most people have their own ways of marking and cutting fret slots ranging from measuring individually to using some quite nicely designed jigs, but I thought I’d share something that I tried. If you have a…   Read more»

]]> b42a4c46f4ef7c5971a996bab4eacee5 Steve Handley replied to the topic "Steveh and the Aria ET 240" - https://guitarmaking.co.uk/activity/p/136371/ Tue, 12 Jul 2022 12:20:24 +0100 Hey there, everyone! So, the project guitar is finished (for a given value of „finished“ – there are some details to take care of yet). But it´s built and it plays nicely – certainly better than the donor Aria did…   Read more»

]]> 006d9e18780ab2c61eb5ed767ad0b83a Steve Handley replied to the topic "Fret slot depth" - https://guitarmaking.co.uk/activity/p/130899/ Fri, 13 May 2022 13:25:47 +0100 @swepri there‘s some trigonometry that can help here (based on the assumption that you can cut the 12“ radius perfectly). For a 56mm wide fretboard, the edges would have about 1.3mm removed. So if you wanted to cut the fret…   Read more»

]]> 91147f5d01d4331f3bc2b1f5560205d7 Steve Handley replied to the topic "Steveh and the Aria ET 240" - https://guitarmaking.co.uk/activity/p/116747/ Mon, 10 Jan 2022 23:49:24 +0000 Posted by: @markbailey @steveh Good call…I think that is the best course of action. Once you have the methods down you will be unstoppable 👍 Hi Mark,   So, I finally got round to re-drawing my plan  – the original…   Read more»

]]> 10f7e6268edc29bf7e91612a53e1050d Steve Handley liked forum post "Steveh and the Aria ET 240" - https://guitarmaking.co.uk/activity/p/115053/ Sat, 18 Dec 2021 23:03:27 +0000 6f3a3e3eca481cf6eee7308be8677495 Steve Handley replied to the topic "Steveh and the Aria ET 240" - https://guitarmaking.co.uk/activity/p/114983/ Fri, 17 Dec 2021 23:05:02 +0000 @markbailey Hi Mark, thanks for your comments. To be honest, I wasn’t sure about the high fret access. It’s prompted a bit of a re-think on my part, and I’ve decided to follow your designs more closely, and if I…   Read more»

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