L00 style guitar build Now Finished......

Started by GA-ME, November 02, 2009, 08:46:13 AM

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I have been learning to work on and restore guitars over the last year and a half or so. I've restored a few instruments and retopped and carved a neck for a 50's Sovereign. The Sovereign came out all right considering I made the bracing pattern up on my own and it was the first time I'd attempted carving a neck and making a top. It came out good enough that it made me want to try one from scratch, so I started on a new one over the weekend. I made a folder at my facebook page. Hopefully, when I get the setup/intonation just right on the Sovereign, I'll post a quick video playing it.

Here is the link for the L00: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=168795&id=740331350&l=a409187986

I have to run out and get a bag of clothspins, since I can't find mine, and then I'll continue and will glue in the kerfing. Have a look and follow along if you'd like to. Hopefully, I'll make a few less errors this time around!

Brilliant, I wondered when you would do a build from scratch.  What a great size and spec to start with too.

I look forward to following this!
Ben
2009 FIII LS-03RHB #5

http://www.youtube.com/user/1978BenF

Beautiful claro! and  a great project - Did you make your own jigs/molds, or did you buy them from a supplier? I've been looking at some of the Youtube vids on making them, and comparing that work to the cost of buying them, and not sure which way to go. Building a guitar has got to be challenging enough without having to develop the expertise to build all the jigs -

Tad
Bunch of Larrivees - all good -
and a wife that still puts up with me, which is the best -

Tad, I bought the radiused workboards and the build mold from John Hall, at Blues Creek Guitars, in Hegins Pa. I am building in my bedroom, so using power tools to cut the form out or routing a flat board into a radius board is not practical for me. My fiance is understanding about my obsession, but she has her limits and the dust created from power tools is out. I'd highly reccomend John Hall and his products. He has MANY products not listed on his website so calling him to ask what is available is reccomended.

So far, every instrument/project I've completed has been done with hand tools and hand sanding while holding a shop vac hose to keep down on the dust. Someday, my fiance and I will both be finished school and be in a larger place with a dedicated shop! For now, its all hand tools, time, and patience. John graciously offered the use of all his equipment at a very reasonable rate, but he is three hours away, so I have to go up and get the supplies and the sides bent and top and back joined and thicknessed while I am there.

This is so cool bud.Using hand tools is harder but the joy derived is well worth it. :thumb
A REPAIRPERSON,Barefoot Rob gone to a better place
OM03PA.98 L10 Koa
Favorite saying
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Still unclrob
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rpjguitarworks
Call PM me I may be able to help

Nice job Jonathan, I will enjoy watching the progress. 

Second best use of a bedroom.   :humour:
Roger


"Live simply so that others may simply live"

Quote from: Mr_LV19E on November 02, 2009, 12:27:34 PM
Nice job Jonathan, I will enjoy watching the progress. 

Second best use of a bedroom.   :humour:

Yeah, it is about as much fun as I can have in a bedroom..........with my clothes on anyway. I used to leave the cloths off while I worked but the glue and splinters just got into the dangest places!

Quote from: GA-ME on November 02, 2009, 12:53:18 PM
Yeah, it is about as much fun as I can have in a bedroom..........with my clothes on anyway. I used to leave the cloths off while I worked but the glue and splinters just got into the dangest places!

:ohmy:  TMI
Roger


"Live simply so that others may simply live"

I remember a long time ago meeting a girl who understood my need to have a workbench and toolbox all in my bedroom, since it was the only room that was "mine" - we've been together near 30 years now.  Look forward to more pics of the build -

Tad
Bunch of Larrivees - all good -
and a wife that still puts up with me, which is the best -

Hey Jonathan,

Thanks for sharing your project with us. It is fantastic to be able to track your progress in such small, discrete steps. Congrats on having the courage to put your passion into action in this way. Look forward to seeing more over the next few weeks/months.

Jared
"Faith"    2009 Larrivee FIII LSV-03HB (IS/Hog)

Side rims are complete with kerfing and support strips glued in. Now, off to lay out the top.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=4486998&l=32941778bf&id=740331350

Cool Jonathan! Somehow I can't open the thumbnails of your photos on FB though, but at least I can see them.
I have a couple of plans, amongst them an L-00. You just convinced me that is the first one I'll do when I start building one day!!
"To me...music exists to elevate us as far as possible above everyday life." ~ Gabriel Faure

Quote from: Zohn on November 04, 2009, 08:54:39 AM
Cool Jonathan! Somehow I can't open the thumbnails of your photos on FB though, but at least I can see them.
I have a couple of plans, amongst them an L-00. You just convinced me that is the first one I'll do when I start building one day!!

Hey Zohn, is it possible for you to scan and send the plans for the L00 as an attachment? I am making up my bracing pattern from web photographs and some measurements that someone on line sent me. It would be nice to actually look at plans, drawn from a guitar someone had in their hands, to get some measurements.

Quote from: GA-ME on November 04, 2009, 10:06:18 AM
Hey Zohn, is it possible for you to scan and send the plans for the L00 as an attachment? I am making up my bracing pattern from web photographs and some measurements that someone on line sent me. It would be nice to actually look at plans, drawn from a guitar someone had in their hands, to get some measurements.

Ouch, I only saw your request now - better now than never hey?
Anyway yeah sure mate! - I just e-mailed it to you in pdf-format..
"To me...music exists to elevate us as far as possible above everyday life." ~ Gabriel Faure

Zohn, no harm, no foul. Blue in VT sent me the same plans a few days ago. I was mainly interested in the drawings for the headstock measurements and I drew that up yesterday. She is coming along nicely. If my frickin spine will settle down, with all this crappy Nor'easter weather blowing through, there is a good chance I'll complete the body before the start of next week.

Well, I have the body done and it looks pretty decent. I have to study for an upcoming Spanish exam, so I won't be able to start the neck until probably Tuesday. No matter though, this one is going smoother than the first one............ so far. I think the dovetail layout is my favorite part from the first one I did. It's detail oriented, so it forces me to pay attention and focus more than I usually can muster. Well, maybe carving the neck is my favorite part, but getting the dovetail layed out, and cut correctly by hand, is definately the hardest part!

Here she is: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=168795&id=740331350&l=a409187986

  I didn't notice this thread the first time. I just saw your pics on FB. Glad to see you making progress.

(btw I mailed the book a few days ago)

Well, I finally got around to doing some more work on the L00. I decided to take a one on one class on dovetail/neck fitting with John Hall of Blues Creek guitars. The instruction was well worth the money and the three hour drive to John's shop. I gained a lot of valuable insight into the relationships between the mating surfaces of the dovetail joint. After the trail and error of the fitting of my first guitar, I decided to get some formal instruction to clarify the methodology. It worked out perfectly as the pictures on facebook show. I have a perfect neck angle and a solid dovetail fit which won't need shims when I glue her up!

I decided to go with a cedar slothead neck and she is ready to glue the trusrod in and fingerboard on and then finish shaping. Tommorrow, I'll fret the fingerboard and glue it to the neck. All that is left is to finish the French Polish on the body, finish shaping the neck and varnish it with an oxidizing varnish, glue the neck on and then locate the bridge, followed by making a nut, saddle, and a set up. If all goes well, I'll have a new guitar in a couple of weeks!

Photographs here: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=4486998&l=32941778bf&id=740331350

  Heh!!! It looks like you copied me a bit on the flamed maple finish :winkin:
I guess in some respects my rebuild/ re-finish is a distant cousin to yours. They are both Gibson body styles and very close in bout sizes.
  Yours of course is from scratch and will be a treasure for years to come. Mine will be playable ...I hope :blush:
 
            I got the package today, Thanks again.
I look forward to seeing the finished L00. I bet it will be great. :+1:

Looks good Jonathan!!  :+1: Well done mate.
"To me...music exists to elevate us as far as possible above everyday life." ~ Gabriel Faure

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