New Semi-Hollow Building Thread

[cain61]

Hey Everybody, I've been threatening to start a build thread for a while now and I've finally started. I really wanted an ES-335 but (a) they're really too big for someone 5' 6" tall. (b) they're really expensive. (c) I wanted a bit more of the Les Paul tone. I bought some fake Les Paul DC plans and sort of made it up as I went along with info from the building threads and several members kind enough to reply to my post questions. I'm a little lacking in pictures at the moment but I'm working on it. ALL advice is appreciated as well as questions as to what the %#$@$#%$ I'm doing.
The body is a kind of figured mahogany similar to birdseye, the top will be flamed maple, and the neck is a mahogany/maple/mahogony laminate.


Thanks, Cain ps if there's any photo problems please let me know. I'm a bit of a computer idjit.

[NateM]

Very cool! I'm excited to see this one take shape!

-Nate

[Guitarsquirrel7]

I have been curious as to how they build semi-hollow bodies.
I'm might learn something!

Looking good so far.

[cain61]

OK got a few more pictures. Not the greatest but I hope they'll help. The top is cut out, and the cocobolo fingerboard is ready to be bound. If you buy a cocobolo fingerboard realize that it is very hard. I had hell of a time with the bandsaw cutting it. I ended up dong a lot of the final shaping with a large stationary belt sander. It was a bitch.

About the body: I found a few sites that had good interior photos of a 335. I had originally started with the idea of a 336 canoe cut which is somewhat what I still have. The horizontal rout near the upper bout is between the 2 pickups. Also, the rout at the bottom end is only an inch or so deep. Why? Because I'm really into overtones and I feel that air moving between the two hollow spaces on each side of the centerblock will improve overtones. I might be full of crap there; I'm only guessing, but I'm betting I'm right. The pickups will be routed into the solid part of the centerblock so I won't lose much in the way of sustain...I hope!
The flame maple originally started as 7/16 thick. It's 5/16 now because I was a dumbass and left it laying around when I first surfaced and had the 2 edges jointed. When I got back to it, it had warped..ooops. Also, use a thickness sander on flamed maple, the original planing job took a chunk or 2 out of the top.
That's it for now, hopefully gluing the top onto the body tonight.

Cain

[Daintree]

I recently built a replica of a Vox Cougar Bass using this type of build technique, it came out excellent....
Good luck with it.
Doug

[SG Lou]

Steve aka "cain61" sent me this message:

"Hi Lou, You've helped me out pretty well on a couple of questions. (Steve Tool or Cain61) I have the semi-hollow build thread going now. I have a question about binding: Do you bind before or after the fretting? Before or after you shape the neck? (I know the fretboard is supposed to be glued on at least) Also, as far as binding, what are the differences between having part of the binding as a fret end or having the fret end over the binding. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Perhaps you could look at the thread and make suggestions?
Thanks, Steve"

I like to do the frets and binding like Gibson does with the nubs.
It's a preference really.
If your gonna do nubs than you'd bind the fingerboard after you fret it and shape the binding to match the fret end.

You can also bind the FB first but you'll have to under cut or cut off the tang ( part thats pressed into the fret slot ) so only the top of the fret hangs over the binding. As for when to bind, I usually bind before I shape and I have also bound the FB before I glued the FB to the neck. Again it's a preference.

I hope this helps.........

[cain61]

I just got done unclamping the body/top mating, I should be able to post pictures tomorrow. Sorry about the wait.

Thanks, Cain

[C Squared]

Nice work!!!

Side note: I made a set of grips for an old S&W revolver a few years back with cocobolo. Beautiful stuff, but hard as hell, and the dust is very toxic. Use a mask when you're sanding or cutting it.

[cain61]

OK Folks, I have a few more pictures of the clamping and the body now that it has been mated with the top.
I ended up using a 1/2" laminate trimming bit to get the sides and top squared away. Man, that was the best $10 investment I've made in awhile! (except for beer) Everything was shipshape in less than 10 minutes. Would have taken much longer with a drillpress sander. While I'm on the subject of the body I'm debating putting binding on. (the fretboard will be bound) Can I stain the top without the color bleeding into the mahogany if I just round it over? Or do I need to use binding to avoid that little problem?

It'll be Friday or Saturday before I have some new pictures. Please feel free to offer any advice.

Thanks, Cain

[cain61]

Wow, didn't realize the last couple were fuzzy. Stinkin' cheap-ass cameras anyway!

Cain