Tele Thinline Build

[WJ Guitars]

Using routers has their issues as you have indicated. I learnt from a John Hall you tube video re: using a router for binding channels on acoustic guitars that he recommended putting tape around the edges to minimise potential splits and tear outs. I take this precaution hopefully to avoid these kind of problems.

Hope the glue job works in your situation.

Wayne
https://wjguitars.wixsite.com/mysite-1

[Woltz]

“To err is human - but to really fuck things up you need power tools!”

Commiserations about the router mishap, but we have all been there at some stage.

Regarding the dilemma of whether to use nice wood for your top, let me relate a tale. I built my first (acoustic) guitar from a kit, so it had pre-bent sides. It went fairly well, so then I went out to Gerard Gilet’s place to buy some wood to build number two. He had some lovely figured mahogany, and some plainer stuff. I bought one fancy set, and a plain one. It was my first attempt bending sides so I thought I had better not use the good stuff. I bent the plain sides (“just for practice” I thought), and it turned out fine. So I continued the build assuming that things would get stuffed up in routing the bindings. But that went well. I ended up with a nice guitar, but then wished I had used the nicer wood. Ten years later that stuff still sits unused in my shed, and I might die before I build something with it. Moral of the story - life is short, always use the good wood

Thanks mate. I've come up with a plan which I think will hide the blemishes on the tas oak but will complement the nice top.

Using routers has their issues as you have indicated. I learnt from a John Hall you tube video re: using a router for binding channels on acoustic guitars that he recommended putting tape around the edges to minimise potential splits and tear outs. I take this precaution hopefully to avoid these kind of problems.

Hope the glue job works in your situation.

Wayne
https://wjguitars.wixsite.com/mysite-1

The glue appears to have worked no problems. Cheers, I will make note of that taping suggestion for future routing particularly if I do binding work.

[Woltz]

I'm continuing to push ahead with the build. Routed the remainder of the outside of the body. Unfortunately I got another tear out on that same corner despite doing a climb cut. I'm now suspecting there must've been some defect that I couldn't see with the naked eye on that area because all of the rest of the body came out ok. Next weekend I'll make up an epoxy sawdust mix to fill those spots and then clean up the corner. I also routed the access for the electronics. Getting closer to gluing the top on.



I also finished the truss rod routing jig. Just need to get some longer bolts as the ones I got are too short.



I'll also need to locate another bridge because the cheap one off eBay had the pickup hole cut at the wrong angle which threw everything out of alignment. I could've modified the body for it to fit but I didn't want to cut a weird shaped bridge pickup cavity just so this bridge would work and risk not being able to swap components in the future.

[Woltz]

Well I haven't got a lot done lately. But here is a small update.

I got some longer bolts for the jig and cut out a small section to accommodate angled headstocks.



I routed my working neck template off my thin template that I made.



Tearouts now filled with an epoxy sawdust mix. Just need to clean them up with the router.



And I noticed that supercheap has 50% off Blackridge spray guns so...



I figured that I should use the opportunity to start using a gun instead of aerosol cans as this is also a good opportunity for me to practice so hopefully I can spray my car restorations myself when they are ready for paint.

[Woltz]

So earlier this week I got the tear out repairs all cleaned up.

And today was a good day. Picked up a decent second hand drill press and got the top on the body finally.

Here it is after getting it all lined up and some locating screws to help me align the top where I want it once I've spread the glue on the body.



And all glued and clamped.

[Woltz]

Clamps are off. And I've trimmed the edge. I couldn't resist wiping the top with some spirits to see the colour.

[Woltz]

Got the pickup cavities and the neck pocket routed today.

Test fitting the neck template.



Body weight is now at 1.938kg. F holes still to be routed which will reduce the weight a fraction more.



Mock up with some of the gold hardware and starting to think about locations for the knobs. The actual bridge (gotoh plain gold 6 saddle) that will go on this guitar should arrive on monday.

[Woltz]

So last night I only got a couple things done. I rounded over the edges.

And I cut the scarf joint. It came up ok. I'll make up a little jig to thickness down the headstock piece.

[Woltz]

Cleaned up the faces on the scarf this morning with a hand plane.



And all glued and clamped up.



Fingers crossed it's all straight and square.

[Lillian]

Nice job with the scarf joint. What's the wood? I like the grain pattern.

[Woltz]

Nice job with the scarf joint. What's the wood? I like the grain pattern.

Hi Lillian,

It's Tasmanian Oak, the same as the main part of the body. Tasmanian Oak is just a general name used the describe a number of varieties of Eucalyptus. I'm not sure which exact variety this is.

[Woltz]

Routed neck for truss rod today.







And routed the f holes in the body.

[Woltz]

It's the weekend so it must be time for another update on the progress.

Drilled bridge screw holes and string through holes. The string through holes I went about 3/4 of the way through the body.



Then a set up a piece of mdf on my drill press with a reference pin.



Then drilled from the back with a 1/8" bit first and then swapped to an 8mm bit to drill out for the ferrules.



I actually drilled the output jack hole a couple weeks ago as well.



And now that the template is off for the last time, I wiped a bit of Mineral Turps on the front to see what it'll look like once clear coated.



The only thing left to do on the body is to drill the holes for the two pots and the switch, then it's on to sanding and paint.

[Woltz]

Had a f#@* moment yesterday when I accidently dented the top. I've had a few goes with the damp cloth and iron to try and reverse it and it appears to be working. Hopefully with another couple goes I'll be left with something I can easily sand out.

I got the neck cut out last night. Had a small tear out on the heel which I've mostly fixed, just have a small spot to fill and then I need to finish shaping the headstock. After that it's on to the fretboard.

[colburge]

Looking good mate.

Col

[Woltz]

Fret slots cut.



Bookmatched headstock cap cut and glued up.



Cleaned up



Holes for pots and switch drilled.



Fretboard glued on.

[Woltz]

Time for an update.

Got the headstock cap glued up.





Cap trimmed down and truss rod access hole opened up.



Fretboard has been flush routed.

Drilled holes for tuners.



And holes for fret dots and side marker dots. Side dots installed (Not very straight...oops)





And a glimpse of the body and neck together.



I ran out of super glue so I'll have to duck down to the shops so I can glue in the fret dots and then the next step is carving the neck.

[Woltz]

I just glued in the mop fret dots and couldn't resist a cheeky mockup with some of the hardware. I know from wiping spirit on the yaka in the past that it'll be quite a bit darker once clear coated so the gold hardware should look good.

[asgilbert]

Hey Woltz, Great that you are putting the guitar and this feed together and making such an effort to keep it updated... warts and all.
Love the choice of wood and the heart with which this is being built.

Andrew

[Woltz]

Well today was neck carving day. Because it was my first time carving a neck I set out with a plan.

I carved the thickness taper between the 1st and 12th frets.



Then I drew facets on the back of the neck and carved using those facets.



Once I'd done three different facets, the two transitions and some sanding I was left with this.



Pretty happy for my first go.

Today didn't quite go to plan though. The side dots (which weren't straight) also in a couple spots were a little too close to the fretboard and after I radiused there was a tiny bit showing. So I drilled out and attempted to fix with CA glue and sawdust before redrilling for the side dot. You can see the small repair at the top of the 15th.



In hindsight I should've drilled for the side dots after I radiused but I'll know that for the next build.

[Woltz]

Frets are in.



Mock build and everything checks out. On to sanding and finishing.

[Woltz]

Got some colour on the body finally. There are a couple small bubbles in the finish but hopefully I can wet sand and polish them out once it's dry. Obviously it was my first time spraying a burst. It came out ok but next time I'd probably use a template to minimise the overspray as I did end up with a bit on the natural parts of the top because I'm still learning how to dial in the spray gun properly.

[kiwigeo]

Thanks for the update Woltz. All looking good

[Woltz]

Fresh off the gun today. Here is the neck.





I need to do a little touchup on the burst on the front of the guitar body where I wet sanded through the clear and then I'll get another couple coats of clear on the body. Then onto wet sanding and polishing the body and neck and hopefully assembly.