Acoustic Guitar Project - Complete

[Philly]

BB
Not going to bind this one as I just want to play it. If I make a second I'll go OTT with the flashy stuff :wink: As for playing, yes. Been playing guitar for 20 years, bass for the last 2 (now playing a six string bass!) and have been playing with lap steel for ages. I made a brass nut to raise the strings on my regular acoustic and have been playing that as a lap guitar. I'll post a recoding of my humble screechings when she's strung up and playable. ANd if that's not a threat....... :wink:
Nice Ute Pete - love the blackness. Very metal :lol:

And at last - the infamous Tele photo's.

I bought this Jap Squier Tele about 10 years ago. It was finished in a heavy coat of butterscotch poly - looked horrible but sounded great. One day I dropped it and cracked off some of the lacquer on the bottom of the guitar - I started picking at the lacquer and the rest of it came off pretty easily. It revealed some stunning figured ash! So I sanded it back, applied a few coats of oil and sealed it with shellac. A very pretty Tele

As always, the pictures don't do it justice. If we get some sunshine one day I'll take better ones.
Cheers
Philly

 

[Pete Howlett]

You really want to know what happened to other bits of Ash don't you?

 

[ByronBlack]

That is some lovely figuring, it's a shame they didn't make the glue central, but still it's a fantastic piece of tree

 

[Ironballs]

That is some piece of ash, yes ash. Looks great. Nice uke as well Pete

 

[JFC]

While im here , thats looking good Philly ! Not sure i like the chipboard sound board , it looks a bit thick :lol:

 

[Philly]

Well, you know, I'm trying to be sustainable....... :wink:
Cheers
Philly

 

[Philly]

Well, incredibly, I've pulled my finger out and finished the guitar. I have been SO wanting to play it, and that has spurred me on to complete it.
I've put loads of step-by-step pics on my website for you to see.

www.philsville.co.uk

I am pleased to say that the guitar sounds really sweet - I'm quite bowled over that it actually sounds alright. As well as it still staying in one piece.... :lol:
I have been playing the thing non-stop (much to the Missus delight :^o ) so will try and make a recording on the weekend so you can hear it in action.
Cheers
Philly

 

[ByronBlack]

That looks bleedin' awesome phil - I am so not jealous in the slightest!

Fabulous job mate!

 

[Karl]

Nice work Phil. I was only thinking about this project of yours the other day, as I have been toying with the idea of having a go myself over the last few weeks (pressie for my dad's b'day in Jan).

Cheers

Karl

 

[OPJ]

Excellent work, Phil.

Look forward to hearing it in action then.

 

[crazylilting]

Nice Teli.

my friend had a maple one very similar to that one and he had it painted by an artist!!!

Thanks for sharing the project OP. Ever since giving up my limited edition ovation I've wanted to build myself a guitar. I've taken violin courses but not guitar. But it really doesn't seem that hard to do. I think the hardest part will be the neck, fret board getting the action right and all that.

Consider me inspired to start again. Thanks

 

[Philly]

Thanks Gents! The project went smoother than I was expecting - I certainly want to try another, now. The StewMac plans were very useful but I couldn't have done it without a book - Guitarmaking - Tradition and Technology by Cumpiano and Natelson. A superb book with all the info you need.
One other nice thing about this project - the cost. The only items I had to buy to build this were the rosette (Ebay £1.99) and the pins to hold the strings to the bridge (Ebay £2.99) - all the timber was stuff I had in the workshop and the tuning pegs were a spare set from an old project. So a total of a fiver (plus a set of string!) Result :lol:
Cheers
Philly

 

[gidon]

Fantastic Philly! Must be hugely satisfying!
Enjoy it (got a feeling you are ).
Cheers
Gidon

 

[Drea]

Wow Philly, that's gorgeous. I love how it's got the hips of a guitar but the shoulders of a double bass, and it already looks 100 years old

Top quality mate.

 

[Philly]

Thanks! The top is some spalted sycamore I've been holding onto for a few years. I used the rest of it for a Krenov style cabinet a while back.
It does look a little bit vintage - I like that! Means I don't have to be too "precious" about using it :lol:
Cheers
Philly

 

[MikeG.]

I don't know how I missed this one Phil!

Excellent.......well done!! .....and there I was thinking that you just made blocks of wood with bits of steel sticking out of them!!

If you do get over here during the Cressing show I'll show you some spalted sycamore to die for!! You'll be itching to do another guitar when you see it.....

Cheers

Mike

 

[hog&bodge]

Love the shape and lines of the guitar you have finished ..
Looks like it has years of playing in it..My wife plays the piano
so I have a love of string instruments..I have my old acoustic guitar
in the loft..Sadly when I was a teenager I liked black..
I did however try to strip it back but it looks in a sorry state..
Would love to bring it back to life again..
Looking at yours it has given me inspiration to have a go...Thanks..
Look forward to hearing you play it.....

 

[Ironballs]

Looks great Philly and would love to hear how that hollow neck sounds. For the upper frets do you have to play it with the slide only?

 

[Philly]

Mike
I'll take you up on that!

H+B
Black? Heh - we all do things we regret. :lol:
Treat it as a woodwork project instead of restoring an antique and it should go smoothly.

Iron
On the originals the frets were filed level with the neck - on mine I just fitted maple inlays into the fingerboard. So - no frets! Slide it is, and a healthy high action, too. 6mm at the nut 8)

You'll be "pleased" to know (used the word tentatively..) I made a quick recording today - please ignore the playing and bad timing, at least you can hear the sound of the instrument.

MP3

Cheers
Philly

 

[OPJ]

Sounds fine to me. 8) Thanks for doing that, Phil.