Flying V bass build (luthiers look away now!)

[Woodmonkey]

Then I masked off the fret board and levelled the tops of the frets using a long flat piece of 36mm ply with some 240 grit stuck to it, they actually weren't bad as the fret board was very straight to begin with. Then I coloured in the frets with a marker and proceeded to file them round again since the levelling process leaves them flat. I'm using the recently acquired lidl diamond files for this, with a strip of thin plastic cut from a milk carton to protect the board. R triangular file works perfectly for this.

Once I've done both sides of the fret I'm left with a thin strip of red across the top so I know I haven't affected the height.

I also filed the end of the frets to 45.

Then the rather laborious process of sanding the frets up through the grits and a polish up and we're done.
I'm rather pleased with this for my first attempt.

 

[AES]

Like the other current guitar WIP, this is also a very interesting thread woodmonkey, even if I'll never make a guitar.

Thanks for posting, an absorbing read and good pix to back it up. =D> =D>

A quick Q if I may - are those the diamond needle files that came in a pack of 6 (various profiles) plus a long-ish ali handle with collet-type chuck? If so, do you use them with that handle - or with a wooden handle, or with no handle?

 

[Woodmonkey]

Yes that's the ones, I was using them with the handle that they come in.

 

[AES]

OK, thanks woodmonkey. Through the good offices of Pete Madex I now have a set (thanks Pete) and though I haven't tried them yet 8they only arrived yesterday, and still haven't appeared in Alidldli here yet) simply from the look of them I thought the handle seemed a bit long - certainly longer the little wooden push on one I sometimes use.

 

[Woodmonkey]

Yes they do stick out too far from the handle, the tangs could do with shortening a bit.

 

[AES]

OK, noted,thanks.

 

[whiskywill]

I also drilled the holes for the tuners and couldn't resist loosely fitting them to see how it would look, I'm still on the fence but thinking I might take an inch off the end, opinions welcome if anyone out there is still watching!
View attachment 20180607

I would cut eight inches or so off the other end of the guitar. Beauty is said to be in the eye of the beholder but the Flying V is, in my very humble and probably misguided opinion, the ugliest design for a guitar ever created.

Other than that, very nice craftsmanship.

 

[Woodmonkey]

Haha! Fair enough, they are a bit of a Marmite thing I suppose. Most people associate them with metal or glam rock but Gibson first came out with them in the 1950's so they are very much a classic in my book.

 

[whiskywill]

Do you have to wear these to make the guitar?

 

[Woodmonkey]

Don't be ridiculous!

(Furiously googling to see where I can buy these)

 

[Woodmonkey]

Managed to glue up the body after work today, going to get a couple more hours on it tomorrow morning before a weekend away.
Routed a groove along the inside before glueing for the elektrikery later on. Couple of dominoes for alignment.

 

[Woodmonkey]

Glue is dry and wings are cut off close to the line with a track saw.

Suddenly it starts looking like a guitar! (If a slightly absurd one).

Now I stick the template to the top and start routing with a bearing guided cutter.

More Homer Simpson stuff here, a chunk tears out the side, of course I should've flipped it over on this side to go with the grain (homer)

To avoid any more of this I used a cutter mounted in the router table with the bearing on the end, so I could cut the other way.

 

[Woodmonkey]

Now to try and fix the tear-out. I took a piece of the offcut with the grain running in the same direction.

After cleaning up the torn grain I shaped the off cut on the belt sander and glued and clamped in place. Hopefully once it's all sanded, stained etc this won't be too visible.

 

[profchris]

Now the body's attached that pointy headstock doesn't look excessive.Can't see from the picture whether you might want to reduce it a little, but not much for sure.

BTW, great guitar for a bar fight

 

[Woodmonkey]

Now the body's attached that pointy headstock doesn't look excessive.Can't see from the picture whether you might want to reduce it a little, but not much for sure.

BTW, great guitar for a bar fight

Yes you could do some damage swinging that around!
I think you're right about the headstock, I will still shorten it a little I think.

 

[Woodmonkey]

Well this has been on the back burner for a couple of months now due to a very busy spell at work including a workshop move, but finally managed a couple of hours on it this week.
Finished routing the recess for the control panel so it will sit flush with the surface.

(Also routed the pickup cavity as you can see)
Then a couple of hours with a soldering iron and some bloke on youtube telling me what to do.

At this point I attached the bridge and one tuner and put a string on just to make sure my wiring was all good (it works!) Then time to strip all the hardware off and the long process of sanding, grain filling, staining and spraying can begin....
Shaped the neck transition mostly with rasps, and that's where I'm at.

Oh, and I shortened the headstock a bit, no picture but it definitely looks better.
Hoping to have it ready for spraying by end of next week.

 

[Jon.1976]

Really enjoyed reading about the process and it’s looking great. I’ve been meaning to have a go at making a guitar but keep putting it off as the whole fretboard process looks a bit daunting.
As for the Flying V being marmite, definitely true. I like them, I know someone who owns one but everyone else hates them (hammer) . On a similar note, I’d love to make a firebird but I’m usually met with derision when I mention that model :shock:

 

[Woodmonkey]

Thanks Jon. My advice would be to have a go, it's really not as hard as you think, and so far I've done all the work without any specialist luthiers tools. If you are into woodworking anyway then you'll already have 99% of what you need.

 

[Jon.1976]

thanks for the encouraging words. I've probably got all the tools I'd need, the skill required...hmm. I like giving things a go though, definitely one on the 'to do list'.

 

[whiskywill]

Is this finished yet?