Electric Guitar Project - Almost Complete!

[Philly]

HI Folks
Following the success of my recent acoustic guitar project I've been inspired to try another electric. This one will be a cross between a Les Paul and the lap steel acoustic I built.
Construction is mahogany with a curly maple top and rosewood fingerboard. It will be a square neck guitar, designed to be played flat on the lap. Again, no frets, just a high action and a bottleneck.

I glued up a centre "neck" piece and two sides to make the blank.

Then rough shaped it when dry (and planed flat)

The top is some wonderful curly maple I got from Canada. I've edge jointed it and then glued it up.

That was last nights work - today if I get a chance I'll hollow out some cavities in the body to lighten it and also give it a semi acoustic tone.

Watch this space....

Philly

 

[OPJ]

Not bad for one night's work, Phil! Looking forward to seeing this one progress.

 

[Philly]

Thanks Olly! Pretty fired up about this one so hoping to make some progress
Here's todays work.

Hollowed out the top..

glued on the top

The maple looks awesome - really want to see the finish applied to this!

Cheers
Philly

 

[Setch]

Will you be carving the top on this? looking good so far. You can go much further with the chambering - as long as you leave 1/2" around the perimiter to glue on the top, and some meat to support the bridge, you'll be fine.

Here's a shot of the chambering I did on my last completed project:

 

[Ironballs]

Hey slow down Phil or you're really going to show me up

Looks good so far and another original design, can't wait to see what you do with that maple

 

[ByronBlack]

This looks like an interesting design, your progress is frightening. I'm dying to start a new guitar project, but real life keeps getting in the way.

 

[Philly]

Setch
Wow - looks great. Guess I could of gone much further with my hollowing. It's made a noticeable difference to the weight, though, and that was a big goal.

Iron/BB
Apologies for the rapid progress - I've been so excited to get stuck in. I've done some more shaping and am ready to fit the fingerboard. Been making shopping lists for parts - no doing this one for pennies..... :lol:

I'm keeping a photo diary on my website....

www.philsville.co.uk

Cheers
Philly

 

[ByronBlack]

Phil - can I outsource all my other projects to you so I can get on with my guitars?

In all seriousness, this one looks fab, Im excited to see the finish on the maple - what kind of finish are you going for?

 

[Mikey R]

Excelent - Looking forward to seeing this one progess!

One question - I would guess as its a lap intrument, then the strings wont ever make contact with the fingerboard, would you be able to build this kind of intrument with a softer fingerboard, say something burled or spalted?

 

[Philly]

BB
Going to use Chestnut melamine lacquer - used it a lot and love it.
Can I get back to you about the outsourcing thing..... :wink:

Mikey
Yes, lap steel, so strings won't be going near the "fretboard". I have some rosewood handy so will be using that, but anything goes!

Didn't get anything done today - children's birthday party......

Cheers
Philly

 

[ByronBlack]

Phil, I have some nice ebony fingerboards if you want one? Although if you could get your hands on some, I think some snakewood would like great next to the maple. (I used a chestnut product on my explorer - very happy with it indeed, I love chestnut finishes, so I'm sure yours will look great).

 

[Philly]

Oooh..Snakewood! Slightly pricey stuff, though :shock:

I want to go with the Rosewood to keep the "Les Paul" theme going. I'm also a complete child and keep giggling to myself about getting transfers made up with "Philson" and "Les Phil" on them. :lol:

Again, the Chestnut lacquer is sat on the shelf (I bought a 5 litre can a while ago!) and I know how to use it to get the results I want. It also buffs out really easily!

Darn - want to get out in the workshop now but should really eat something :roll:
Cheers
Philly

 

[Mikey R]

Ok, so is the Melamine laquer the same as the Nitrocellulose laquer they use in the US? Spray or brush?

 

[Philly]

Mike
No, its not a nitro. But it dries fast, is real tough once cured and is a piece of cake to buff out. I finished an earlier electric with it and was very pleased!
And its a spray application - it might be possible to brush it on thinned, but I wouldn't.
Hope this helps
Philly

 

[OPJ]

I've also been using Chestnut's Melamine Lacquer recently. Great stuff, even though I've been brushing it on like a peasant... :roll: I am interested in getting some sort of spray equipment and I'd be interested to hear of what you use, Phil? Does it run off a noisy compressor or is it battery or mains-powered?

 

[Philly]

Olly
I used to use a cheap spray set from B+Q (search on B+Q HVLP for details) but now use an Earlex HV5000, which is an excellent setup for the money. I used to use a cheap gun with my compressor, but never got it running consistently - the HVLP guns are much simpler and with less waste.
Hope this helps
Philly

 

[OPJ]

Thanks for that, Phil, I'll keep my eyes open. Looks like they're made in Britain as well! :wink:

 

[Philly]

HI Folks
After a delay due to illness and work, I'm back onto this project.
Routed out the recesses for the pickups yesterday and have been doing a little inlay work on the fingerboard.

More soon....
Philly

 

[Philly]

And a little more...

Routed the rear control cavity...

and all the components have arrives so I can push on!

There are more pictures on my hobby website..

www.philsville.co.uk

Cheers
Philly

 

[Ironballs]

That is coming along, remember what I said about not finishing before me :wink:

Are you having the body bound or unbound? Nice inlays by the way too, that's one of my upcoming jobs, think I'm going to make a jig that the fretboard sits in so I can slide a dremel over the top and rout out most of the waste