Paragon Redwood for the MGS

[DGNRepair]

Lots of progress on the guitar today.

The fingerboard inlay is all done as well as the side dots and rough carve of the neck.

This is my neck joint routing jig. It doesn't look like much but this is hands down the best tool/jig I ever built for myself.

Here is the body clamped in place.

The neck is clamped into the jig and the whole upper assembly is centered over the body.

Set the back stop for my router.

Ready to route the neck pocket.

The tape is added to tighten the joint slightly. One layer of blue per side.

Finished neck joint.

Nice tight fit. There is no glue in this joint yet.

 

[LC100]

Ohohoho...That jig idea is going to get thieved hard. Thanks for sharing that one.

And the guitar is looking terrific, too. You guys going to the MGS that meet and greet should do a thread afterward complete with thoughts on the show and things that caught your eye.

 

[Ken McKay]

Now that is a guitar fit for a pro! Especially the neck... and the body.

 

[DGNRepair]

Ohohoho...That jig idea is going to get thieved hard. Thanks for sharing that one.

And the guitar is looking terrific, too. You guys going to the MGS that meet and greet should do a thread afterward complete with thoughts on the show and things that caught your eye.

Thanks. The neck jig has already been thieved http://www.mykaguitars.com/tools/neckpocketjig/ Its a great jig though and does the job very well.

I will most definitely be bringing my camera and taking a crapload of pics. A post MGS thread will be a must.

 

[DGNRepair]

Ok, so I missed a couple of steps. Sorry about that. I am still not used to having the camera around all the time. Here are a few pics before I route for the pickups, drill for the bridge, and finish up the peghead with an inlay and the tuner holes.

 

[xsouldriverx]

a little late but black MOP, or gold/brass (if it can be matched) inlays.

 

[xsouldriverx]

just scrolled up.
yeah im late.

 

[DGNRepair]

just scrolled up.
yeah im late.

No worries, so am I. Thats why I used what I had in the shop already. I didn't want to delay this build any further. I think they came out nice though.

 

[LC100]

OK, I gotta ask - does the tenon get milled to slide under the cap? I keep staring at that and can't decide from what is shown if that's the case or not.

 

[DGNRepair]

Here are a couple more pics for you all. Currently all of the routing is done and all thats left is the tuner holes and the bridge bushing holes.

Starting to hand carve the F-Hole. With sharp bits and a little bit of luck......

And here it is. Free hand F-Holes, is there any other way?

 

[Reverend D]

That looks awesome. I bet the first few free hand F-holes though must have been nerve racking, although I don't bet it was on curly redwood either! Excellent looking guitar. Wish I had to funds to see it in Toronto, but unless it was in my city of Phoenix I'd be hard pressed to go. Perhaps someday I'll make it to one of the shows. Good luck with it!

Regards,

Don

 

[DGNRepair]

OK, I gotta ask - does the tenon get milled to slide under the cap? I keep staring at that and can't decide from what is shown if that's the case or not.

No the neck is set straight down. I think you can see it better from the new pics. I need to trim off the extra tenon under the pickup still.

That looks awesome. I bet the first few free hand F-holes though must have been nerve racking, although I don't bet it was on curly redwood either! Excellent looking guitar. Wish I had to funds to see it in Toronto, but unless it was in my city of Phoenix I'd be hard pressed to go. Perhaps someday I'll make it to one of the shows. Good luck with it!

Regards,

Don

Yeah the first few I did were a lot more hand work and a lot less dremel. The very first one I did, was in a fully completed guitar ready for paint. I was so nervous I was going to screw it up. It went well though. Ever since I discovered that the 1/8 spiral bit from stew mac reaches all the way through the top I have been using those for most of the shaping. They really cut down on the final hand shaping time as I can cut right up to the line with little to no problem.

I am sure some day I may get out your way to a show. Who knows, at that point there might be an even cooler version of this guitar.

 

[DGNRepair]

I have been super busy lately and unfortunately did not get a chance to shoot pics along the way. At any rate, here is the guitar fretted and ready for final sanding then into the paint booth. The neck tenon has been trimmed as well. I am excited to get this one done.

 

[LC100]

Third image reminds me of water reflections rippling over a sandy bottom. Very nice.

 

[redking]

Call me crazy, but the outline that the tape makes on the fretboard could be a really cool inlay design.

[/QUOTE]

 

[DGNRepair]

Third image reminds me of water reflections rippling over a sandy bottom. Very nice.

Just wait till you see this top with finish on it!!

 

[dougk]

That's looking really great Dan! I have to learn to bend up wood binding like that, I do mine in Ivoriod but I refuse to plastic bind any fretboard so its usually maple binding there.

 

[DGNRepair]

That's looking really great Dan! I have to learn to bend up wood binding like that, I do mine in Ivoriod but I refuse to plastic bind any fretboard so its usually maple binding there.

Its easier than you think. Since I make my own wood binding, I can make sure the grain is straight and there is no runout. That way the binding doesn't split or break when bending.

 

[dougk]

Its easier than you think. Since I make my own wood binding, I can make sure the grain is straight and there is no runout. That way the binding doesn't split or break when bending.

Hi, I'm Doug. We haven't met yet but I'm a lazy-sob.

 

[DGNRepair]

Hi, I'm Doug. We haven't met yet but I'm a lazy-sob.

Fine, do your "fake" binding.



2 gallons of Clear and 1 gallon of sealer just arrived. This ones going into the booth today. Well this one and 3 others.