Another hand-tool LP from scratch!

[Riku]

Well I log onto MLP to upload some pictures of some new components, and I think to myself "I wonder where Barnaby is up to with the Loveshark?" Naturally, I check out the post. "Hmm...quite a number of posts since I was last here..." I assumed you were up to buffing...

Boy was I wrong!

Barnaby, the Loveshark is absolutely stunning. Seriously the attention to detail that you pay surpasses me and possibly anyone I know! It looks good, and I'll bet it sounds great! Your work is an inspiration again, and to build such a masterpiece using hand tools just goes to show what magnificant craftsmanship you possess!

Jolly well done old chap. You deserve it. Enjoy your new baby

[Barnaby]

Originally Posted by Bruiser74

Sanity was never a strong point for Mr. Anderson I guess, but he
is pretty awesome all the same.
Good call Barn.

Originally Posted by Seamus

Looks and sounds fantastic B! So looking forward to the next build...

BTW, is that the Blackstar HT-1 you're playing through? I picked one up, and am so impressed by its tone for a little 1W 8 inch combo.

Jim

Yes indeed - Blackstar HT-1R and a Joyo Vintage Overdrive pedal. I use that instead of the Overdrive switch on the amp because I'd rather have something I can operate with my foot. Also, I like the tonal variation. I can punch up the gain on the amp or the drive on the pedal to get some really crunchy sounds.

Originally Posted by MacG

I´m sure you would look amazing in a codpiece, B...



Nice sounding guitar. Could you try to describe how the chambering affects the feel and tone compared to your solid LP ? After all it both the body and top is carved quite extensively.

You don´t need a 4 X 12" with an 18 watt: 1 X 12" Celestion Blue is quite loud enough. But with a 2 X 12" you get more oomph. Nice amps, and loud enough for most things.

As it happens, I'm wearing a codpiece right now. I call it my 'tackle box' and find it an excellent conversation starter.

The feel and tone are really, really different from my other LP. First of all, the lighter weight means that I can move it around a lot more easily. The cutaways on the body and heel change the playing angle and allow easier reaching and the whole thing is quite quick.

The tone is really very nice, I think, but it is certainly better amplified than not. To my ears, this instrument sounds halfway between a normal LP and something like a strat when unplugged. Just a little thin to my ears. Part of that is, of course, due to the low action and light strings. When plugged in, it sings, has sweet tone and tons of sustain. There's even a little note bloom. I suspect raising the bridge and putting nickel 11s on it would give it a much warmer sound unamplified - and possibly amplified as well.

Thanks for the speaker advice too - I'll keep it in mind when the time comes!

Originally Posted by Riku

Well I log onto MLP to upload some pictures of some new components, and I think to myself "I wonder where Barnaby is up to with the Loveshark?" Naturally, I check out the post. "Hmm...quite a number of posts since I was last here..." I assumed you were up to buffing...

Boy was I wrong!

Barnaby, the Loveshark is absolutely stunning. Seriously the attention to detail that you pay surpasses me and possibly anyone I know! It looks good, and I'll bet it sounds great! Your work is an inspiration again, and to build such a masterpiece using hand tools just goes to show what magnificant craftsmanship you possess!

Jolly well done old chap. You deserve it. Enjoy your new baby

Cheers! I am loving it. Playing every day and rocking my tiny Tokyo apartment.

I'm hoping to record some more soundclips soon, but no promises. You'll all have to make do with the one that's already up for now...

[Ole'Lefty]

I, too, especially liked the Felix P. moment.(If one is going to be the proverbial "1-hit" that's a great one) Next clip could you toss in some Betts/G.Allman?

If I were to challenge you, I would expect an acoustic and traditional build-Maybe a Ditson dread. There is such a difference using handtools on the lesser mass of an acoustic build. You have proven your chops-you would be moving less mass with a different kind of finesse-a delicacy.

I have two on hold; a walnut-Engelmann 000 and a slope dread 12 string Imbuia and Lutz. Mostly it has been the losing battle against outrageous humidity control issues and the fact that I really want to concentrate on electric blues play in these later years. But, I will finish those two-God willin' and the crick don't rise.

[Barnaby]

Originally Posted by Ole'Lefty

I, too, especially liked the Felix P. moment.(If one is going to be the proverbial "1-hit" that's a great one) Next clip could you toss in some Betts/G.Allman?

If I were to challenge you, I would expect an acoustic and traditional build-Maybe a Ditson dread. There is such a difference using handtools on the lesser mass of an acoustic build. You have proven your chops-you would be moving less mass with a different kind of finesse-a delicacy.

I have two on hold; a walnut-Engelmann 000 and a slope dread 12 string Imbuia and Lutz. Mostly it has been the losing battle against outrageous humidity control issues and the fact that I really want to concentrate on electric blues play in these later years. But, I will finish those two-God willin' and the crick don't rise.

Judge Dred!

An acoustic is definitely high on the list, although I am more of an OM/000 player than a dred guy for some reason. I will be making a ukulele first for my wife, which should give me some of the basic skills on a much smaller scale. There's a carved-body bass in there too to get done. One day, I hope to make a true jazz archtop - that'd be the hardest of all, I suspect!

Anyway, for my first acoustic, I think I'd like to do a cutaway with spruce and mahogany, walnut or maple - and old-style pipe bending, just for fun and because I think it's a really interesting process. You are certainly dead on about the need for delicacy. It would be good discipline.

One thing I have been considering seriously is actually making my ten instruments and then going and doing a 6-weekish course where I'd build an instrument or two under the supervision of someone who knows what they are doing. That might be a way to fill in some of the gaps in my knowledge and, hopefully, move from one level of skill to another relatively painlessly.

Famous last words?

[Ole'Lefty]

While I have usually had an OM/OOO and a dread around, I favor the looks of the sloped shoulder dreadnought-though I have never owned one. They do "handle" more like the OM/OOO style. A 12 demands some elbow room to avoid being "tinny."

You don't need building education. I do think you are the kind of person who could quickly be taught "top-tuning," a skill I entirely lack. I just top brace as lightly as I can consistent with structural stability. I think radius dishes are the best "modern" addition to acoustic building.

[Reverend D]

From that first kit to where you are now my Friend, you have progressed so far its incredible! I so enjoy watching your guitars come to life and respect how much work it takes to do it with hand tools. (Considering my limited tool box at the moment I REALLY can appreciate how hard it is!) Wishing you the best on the future guitar and hopefully the Drama Queen won't be like her namesake!

Kindest regards,

Don

[Barnaby]

Originally Posted by Ole'Lefty

While I have usually had an OM/OOO and a dread around, I favor the looks of the sloped shoulder dreadnought-though I have never owned one. They do "handle" more like the OM/OOO style. A 12 demands some elbow room to avoid being "tinny."

You don't need building education. I do think you are the kind of person who could quickly be taught "top-tuning," a skill I entirely lack. I just top brace as lightly as I can consistent with structural stability. I think radius dishes are the best "modern" addition to acoustic building.

Thank you for both the praise and useful advice. I am, indeed, very interested in the "top tuning" aspect and am looking forward to trying my luck with this when I do start an acoustic!

Originally Posted by Reverend D

From that first kit to where you are now my Friend, you have progressed so far its incredible! I so enjoy watching your guitars come to life and respect how much work it takes to do it with hand tools. (Considering my limited tool box at the moment I REALLY can appreciate how hard it is!) Wishing you the best on the future guitar and hopefully the Drama Queen won't be like her namesake!

Kindest regards,

Don

Cheers! The Drama Queen is now underway, but will be a slooooow build this time. You are very nice to say that I have progressed. I'm not really sure how much but, given that I was starting from nothing, there really was only one way to go.

As always, I am grateful to you.

[VictOr358]

The result is magnificent, sorry for stating the obvious

And "On Every Street" was the very right choice for a demo

[MacG]

Originally Posted by VictOr358

The result is magnificent, sorry for stating the obvious

And "On Every Street" was the very right choice for a demo

Yep, that riff was rattling around in my head for a while before I recognized it.

[stealthelephant]

excellent finish!

[jono_3]

I can't remember how I found this thread, but I was compelled to read all most all of the 26 pages. Great job!

[Barnaby]

Originally Posted by VictOr358

The result is magnificent, sorry for stating the obvious

And "On Every Street" was the very right choice for a demo

Cheers - the solo from 'Sultans' was my other choice...but I was too lazy to make a backing track.

Originally Posted by MacG

Yep, that riff was rattling around in my head for a while before I recognized it.

What can I say? I love a bit of Knopfler from time to time.

Originally Posted by stealthelephant

excellent finish!

Thanks! It looks better in photos, however. I promise.

Originally Posted by jono_3

I can't remember how I found this thread, but I was compelled to read all most all of the 26 pages. Great job!

Cheers! I'm just the guy at this end - almost everything I know about building a guitar I learned from people on here.

Hey...does that mean that any problems are their fault?

[Barnaby]

...a couple of final changes to this guitar.

Today, as an experiment for future work including the Drama Queen, I finished up some new pickups for The Loveshark. Four-conductor wire, chrome-plated nickel covers. Neck 8.6K, Bridge 9.1K, one bobbin in each wound with AWG42 and the other (a bit hotter) wound with AWG43, with AlNiCo V magnets. I also installed a pair of push-pull 500K Audio pots in the tone positions and wired things so that the coils could be split. I am still experimenting with the sonic possibilities, but I like what I have so far very much!



I also added Schaller Strap Locks. Less dramatic, but a big improvement.

[poro78]

You know, it's against the rules to post that kind of update without sound clips.
I hope you fix this soon, because the punishment for this kind of violations is really severe.

[Barnaby]

Originally Posted by poro78

You know, it's against the rules to post that kind of update without sound clips.
I hope you fix this soon, because the punishment for this kind of violations is really severe.

Hmmm...I could record a soundclip, which would mean using a free afternoon this week (if I get one) faffing around with sound levels, amps and the laptop, then praying the landlady isn't home, or I could start on the inlays for the Drama Queen, allowing me to rocket ahead with that build again. Which to choose, which to choose?

I should also mention that the only song I can play on the guitar is 'Mary Had a Little Lamb' and I only know the first verse...

[fatdaddypreacher]

yeh, barn. that thing sounds super....thanks

[poro78]

Originally Posted by Barnaby

Hmmm...I could record a soundclip, which would mean using a free afternoon this week (if I get one) faffing around with sound levels, amps and the laptop, then praying the landlady isn't home, or I could start on the inlays for the Drama Queen, allowing me to rocket ahead with that build again. Which to choose, which to choose?

You can do both. We know how fast you work.

[Cpt_Gonzo]

Do you plan to sell your pickups in future?

[Barnaby]

Originally Posted by Cpt_Gonzo

Do you plan to sell your pickups in future?

Hmm...you know, I'm not sure. It's a definite maybe.

[JayDee80]

Originally Posted by Barnaby

Hmmm...I could record a soundclip, which would mean using a free afternoon this week (if I get one) faffing around with sound levels, amps and the laptop, then praying the landlady isn't home, or I could start on the inlays for the Drama Queen, allowing me to rocket ahead with that build again. Which to choose, which to choose?

Recording the soundclip while at the same time doing the inlays with your feet, obviously

[fatdaddypreacher]

^^i'm afraid our boy is turning into a slacker.

[free2rock]

Originally Posted by fatdaddypreacher

^^i'm afraid our boy is turning into a slacker.

Probably needs some motivation.

[poro78]

Originally Posted by free2rock

Probably needs some motivation.

Hmm... I'm feeling quite lazy too.

[Barnaby]

Y'know, I thought the picture was funny but then, when she turned up at my place last night in that costume...

...well, let's just say that that was the longest three hours of my life.

In a good way.

[free2rock]

Originally Posted by Barnaby

Y'know, I thought the picture was funny but then, when she turned up at my place last night in that costume...

...well, let's just say that that was the longest three hours of my life.

In a good way.

Looks like she followed my instructions perfectly. Now get to work!

[Barnaby]

Blimey...she sure did her job well. I'm still finding it hard to sit down.

Anyway, as promised (wait...did I actually promise this?), here's a quick video showing some of the tonal variations possible. For some reason, I forgot to do the Neck Full and Bridge Split, which sounds like Neck Split and Bridge Full, but a tiny bit warmer with a touch more treble presence. The difference would probably be pretty hard to hear in the vid anyway. Personally, I like the sound of a split coil with a full 'bucker most of all on clean. Of course, once you add distortion or overdrive, all bets are off. Volume drops are also a lot less apparent.

Loveshark Coil Splitting - YouTube

Loveshark Coil Splitting - YouTube

I should also add that tone and volume are maxed out for the sake of consistency. Normally, I'd back the tone off a touch for some, such as the split/split sound.

[Barnaby]

Since I had the laptop out and hooked up, here's one more quick vid to show the sound with distortion/overdrive and the humbuckers in the middle position with full coils. Again, one take, basic recording equipment and dodgy playing, but I hope the sound comes through somehow anyway...

Since I've Been Loving You Intro - YouTube

Since I've Been Loving You Intro - YouTube

[TKOjams]

Sounds great, B.

[Barnaby]

Originally Posted by TKOjams

Sounds great, B.

You're too kind - I keep bending sharp in the second vid. That's because the monitor was off and I couldn't really hear the guitar through the 'phones, so had to guess where to stop. It really bugs me when I listen back, but I put the vid up anyway - masochistic, I guess. Especially after that girl visited the other night.

[Dr. P]

Nothing dodgy there!!! Superb! Hope mine sound half as good.