Custom OM Acoustic Guitar Build

[Vistoluk]

I am aware this is not a les paul. However, acoustics are always cool so i figured i'd post the OM i built. Comments and advice are always cool!

Thanks

[Vistoluk]

Here are some photos of my guitar top. I used bearclaw sitka spruce from alaska i believe. Very stiff. Had a difflection of
.057". And I really can't pass up the look of bearclaw!

I did an abalone rosette w/ some b/w/b purfling added to it and another seperate purfling ring because teh abalone was too far from the edge of the soundhole. It looked weird w/o it and i might have gotten a few cracks (granted that I live in mn where the humidity can be 15% in winter or 70% in summer........fun.

[Vistoluk]

Another shot of my top there.

Next pic is of my sitka billets for braces. I got form LMII.com, had very tight grain on most that i recieved.

This next one is how i bent my ribs.

After I cut up my braces I glued them into the appropriate spots and started to shape them.

Voicing the guitar is very important to get the most out of the wood. Tap for sound in various spots, if it feels dull or muted in one spot, but not another, then consider thinning that brace. Also feel the stiffness w/ and across teh grain to determine how much to take off.

On this particular peice, I brought the x-braces pretty damn thin. Which was because I had a reletively stiff top w/ teh grain.

[Vistoluk]

More pictures of shaping the braces w/ a finger plane and chisel.

The last picture is how I glued in all of teh braces. I used the pressure of 1/4"x1/2" maple strips to hold the braces and bridge plate on.

[cain61]

This acoustic thread is awesome! Hope you get into a little more detail on voicing and tap tuning.

[Daintree]

Looks like it's coming along nicely...

[bertzie]

+1

Wish this place got more acoustic builds.

[Murkar]

Agreed! I'm thinking of maybe doing a dreadnaught soon (but as I've never attempted one I will have much research to do); do you glue radiused braces to the top in the radius dish in order to achieve the proper soundboard shape?

[Vistoluk]

Originally Posted by Murkar

Agreed! I'm thinking of maybe doing a dreadnaught soon (but as I've never attempted one I will have much research to do); do you glue radiused braces to the top in the radius dish in order to achieve the proper soundboard shape?

Yes that is exactly how I did it. In a go-bar deck. Works like a charm

Thanks guys, I'll upload more pics as I get the chance.

I didn't technically tap tune my top/back. (meaning I didn't shape it to a specific note, then shape the back accordingly off my top.) I simply took the braces down until I got a balance of stiffness and "ring" (for lack of a better work) and then stopped till the box was put togther.

Then I did a FINAL voicing. Basically by sanding on the top w/ 180 grit where it sounded dull. That was a little tricky, my instructor helped me out w/ that alot untill I grasped the concept.

Keep up the feedback and questions!! More to come fo sho.

[Vistoluk]

Alright so the final brace that I put on is one right over the top of the x-brace. This is small but a very important peice as it gives alot of added strength to the X-BRACE. The first picture shows the brace after it's been blended in w/ the x-brace. Just glue a 1" brace right there.



Next picture is when I started putting on the kerfing. Self-explanitory. Clothes pins and rubber bands. Used titebond to give me time. Have the kerfing just barely sticking up over the ribs so they can ALL be sanded flush.

After the kerfing is glued on, I level both sides of the ribs to the radius that I gave the top. 20' I believe(although the upper transverse brace was 25'). So after the kerfing is level w/ the ribs(not LEVEL straight, mind, but leveled w/ a 20' radius block. Many different methods to do this. Then the top is glued on using a long bungie cord. perferred to a hell of a lot of cam clamps.

[stmfitr636]

Tell me about the veritical ribs on the side in the pic with the clothes pins please.

Did you manually fair the sides with kerfing in the dish by rotating the jigged body?

That is very tedious and I've been looking for a way to make this easier. My first thought was to put threaded inserts into the jig, so that I can add handles (from a 1/2" drill or side grinder) or somehow get the dish turning on a motor... but it would have to be slow and couldn't have corners like your go-bar dish (it would rip your balls off!).

[Vistoluk]

Originally Posted by stmfitr636

Tell me about the veritical ribs on the side in the pic with the clothes pins please.

Did you manually fair the sides with kerfing in the dish by rotating the jigged body?

That is very tedious and I've been looking for a way to make this easier. My first thought was to put threaded inserts into the jig, so that I can add handles (from a 1/2" drill or side grinder) or somehow get the dish turning on a motor... but it would have to be slow and couldn't have corners like your go-bar dish (it would rip your balls off!).

Assuming you're talking about how I leveled the kerfing to the ribstructure? Yes, i did manually push the mold w/ the ribs in it..

To do that, I had a 20' radius dish, with 80 grit sandpaper on it. Obviously clamped down. I just manually pushed each side kind of following a circular motion, but back and forth--not turning full circle. (head block, tail block, headblock, tailblock, etc.) It is time consuming but, assuming you didn't leave a 1/4" kerfing about the ribs, it shouldn't take too much extra effort.

[Vistoluk]

Next step was to get the back jointed and glued up.

Next step is the middle picture, putting on the backstripe (if there is one). Then I cut it out, slightly oversized. After it was all cut out I cut out and glued on my back braces. Then I shaped them. Really I just got the right shape and thickness for these and called it good. Not TOO much concern compared to the top.

Gotta make them braces look perty cause that's what you'll see when the box is closed. First picture.

Then neck block. I used a rock maple laminate. Flame's always cooler but I ran short on time and just ordered one from Lmi.

[Murkar]

Originally Posted by Vistoluk

Yes that is exactly how I did it. In a go-bar deck. Works like a charm

Ok - thanks The build looks awesome so far, keeping an eye here for sure

[stmfitr636]

What are those vertical members attached to the sides (not the heel and neck block, the others)? Do they go under the kerfing or butt up to?

Cool build, BTW.

[bfcg]

Thats right, gimme gas after I just stored away my go bar deck because of space issues.
I usually make my own kerfing and install it the conventional way with the veneer side against the rim, then I place a veneer on the kerfed side to stiffen up the rim.
Might be overkill and it does add an extra step but after the first time I tried i, I stuck with it because I liked the way it made the rim rigid.
Your way is the same without having to add the veneer but you also end up with a negative angle on the top gluing surface that you have to sand back.
Glad to see an acoustic build thread.

[Vistoluk]

Originally Posted by stmfitr636

What are those vertical members attached to the sides (not the heel and neck block, the others)? Do they go under the kerfing or butt up to?

Cool build, BTW.

Those are side braces. they are to give the ribs added strength in case the rib gets bumped. See, if it gets cracked, the idea is that those braces will hold the rib together and stop the crack from spredding.

[Vistoluk]

Here, I've glued the box together and flush trimmed the top and back.



Next the dovetail join gets routed.



then the binding slot(s) get routed. rout so that when the binding is glued on, it is recessed SLIGHTLY below the ribs. THis is so that when it comes time to sand the binding and ribs flush, you are sanding down the ribs to the binding, so that the binding stays the same thickness throughout.

[Vistoluk]

After that I routed and glued in my 5-peice end graft



And then the binding was bent (w/ a bending iron or heat blanket and bending mold) and glued on w/ titebond. I used strapping tape to get a good hold.



Finally here is a picture of my endgraft w/ the ribs flushed up to the binding.

[Barnaby]

Beautiful and precise work.

[Vistoluk]

THanks Barnaby

[Vistoluk]

here I have the dovetail cut and i'm starting to cut the heel.-



Here it is after being shaped. I used a rasp. Worked out pretty well.



here i have thebinding on the fingerboard and i'm drilling for the position markers.



here I have the angle planed into the neck/headstock and I just cut the trussrod channel.

[Vistoluk]

]A pic of my fingerboard. Honduran rosewood from lmii.com w/ flamed maple binding.



Gluing on the neck



after I put in abalone dots and polished out to 12k grit.



I konw i'm missing a few steps but bear with me. This is the inlay i put into my ebony headstock veneer.

[Barnaby]

Originally Posted by Vistoluk

]

Man, this is a great build!

Love seeing the eggbeater drill sitting there, by the way.

[Vistoluk]

Originally Posted by Barnaby

Man, this is a great build!

Love seeing the eggbeater drill sitting there, by the way.

Ha I know right! That's my biggest problem is never putting away. IDK why i didn't realize that one slip right there could send that bit right through my back!

Oh well I guess i just got lucky.

ALso...those tiny hand drills are a godsend, soooo nice to have to go as SLOW as I want. haha

[Vistoluk]

Here is after the first coat of vinyl sealer




There's nothing like string up a guitar for the first time=o




And after final coat of lacquer



I'll try and get a few pics of the final buffed project by my camera is being weird lately.

[Barnaby]

Is that bearclaw in the spruce top?

I gotta build an acoustic. An OM would be the way to go for me too, but I want to try one of those Kevin Ryan-style bevels and a cutaway.

Stunning.

[Vistoluk]

Originally Posted by Barnaby

Is that bearclaw in the spruce top?

I gotta build an acoustic. An OM would be the way to go for me too, but I want to try one of those Kevin Ryan-style bevels and a cutaway.

Stunning.

Yeh man bearclaw. You should go for it, they are alot more handwork than electric.

Yeh i've seen the process of thebevel and it doesn't look like much extra work. Easily doable. I'll keep an eye out for a Barnaby acoustic bearclaw OM beveled cutaway!

[RAHAZ]

Looks like a nice chunky neck. Any video?

Originally Posted by Vistoluk

[Vistoluk]

not yet. Actually since it gets soooooooooo incredibly dry in MN my bridge started pulling up (the first winter is alwyays the most movment anyway).


Actually i cant say im completely suprised tho since pyramid bridges don't have a whole lot of surface area to hold on to the top