Official Luthiers Forum!

Hello. Another inspired amateur here about to dip his toe in the water. I’ve been lurking in the archived back 40 for a few months now doing a lot of reading and I have to say that absorbing all of this information feels a bit like trying to swallow a watermelon. I’ll be working off of the 25.4” scale OM plans in the Kinkead book (bought the book before discovering the OLF site and the OLF plan library) and I guess my materials approach is going to be a “custom” kit. I’ve got a nice b&s Myrtle set from Bob, and a Sitka Spruce top set and brace billets from Alaska Specialty Woods. I’ll be ordering a pre-shaped neck and fingerboard this weekend.

I’ve spent the last several weeks constructing the basic jigs and sanding bowls. A pic of my small basement shop area and my jig progress to date is attached.

So, I hope you don’t mind a few noob questions over the next several months but, when you are swallowing watermelons, you’ve got to spit a few seeds. And I also want to say you have a great forum and a fantastic helpful group of people here. It’s been a real pleasure lurking and I hope a greater pleasure participating.

Actually I do have a first question. I assume the LMI pre-carved neck has a “D” or “C’ type profile. Are there any suppliers that offer a pre-carved “V” profile neck more suitable to fingerstyle blues or does the LMI neck have enough cross sectional depth to safely skinny up the sides of the belly a bit into a more “V” like profile?

thanks

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Doug Mills
Chicago, Illinois

Welcome to the OLF Doug!

John Watkins would be the guy i'd ask, he has a CNC machine and he takes orders for pre-carved necks and all sorts of goodies, we might have other sponsors that sell what you need, be patient my friend, i'm sure someone will show up shortly!

Nice nender and go bar deck BTW!

Oh. and yes, you will have more fun participating!

John, would be a good source but you might also consider just making your own, it's not as hard as you think and your going to want to do it anyway down the road.

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Jim Watts
http://jameswattsguitars.com

What Jim said, i carved my necks right from the beginning and it was more fun than i first thougt it would be, do you have the "Cumpiano and Natelson" book?

This book will show you how.

Welcome to the OLF!!!!

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Peter M.
Cornerstone Guitars
http://www.cornerstoneukes.com

Welcome to the OLF, Doug. Looks like you've been busy already.

I agree with suggestion to carve your own neck. I just finished carving my first one recently (first two were pre-made), and I enjoyed it thoroughly. To tell the truth, I had ordered 3 from John Watkins during his recent sale to OLF'ers, and almost was sorry that I did after finding out how much I liked doing it myself. But don't get me wrong, John sent some very nice looking necks. I wouldn't hesitate to go back to him, so if you want to go with a pre-made, I'd go there.

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Jim Kirby
kirby@udel.edu

your fixture setup looks good You will discover this own your own or you could take some friendly ad vice and laminate another piece of 3/4 ply to the top of you go-bar-deck. the tension on the bars will deform 3/4 ply pretty quick

Welcome, Doug. I agree with several of these guys about the neck. Carve your own. I've done three now and they are not that difficult (if you're using mahogany). Mahogany carves like butter.   To me, a handmade guitar should have the body and neck made by hand. But, you could always do that on your second build.

One suggestion on your go-bar deck: I would add another 3/4" layer to the top (glued together) to discourage flexing.

BTW, I love the Kinkead OM, and just made my mold and bending form for that guitar last week. It will be my fourth build. My first was a dred, and my #2 and #3 are dreds. (about 80% finished).

Ron

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

Welcome to the OLF!

Good luck on your build, looks like you are ready to go

I have purchased necks and made a couple as well, I agree with Ron and the guys that it is an experience you need to have. The pre-made necks are nice and certainly will save time, but doing one yourself is good learning experience and like others have stated, not as hard as it appears.

Mike
White Oak, Texas

Welcome emocleW

Hey, great idea with the pipe clamp adjustable top on the go bar deck. Is that your idea? First time I've seen it. This is why I love the OLF, you get to see stuff like this. Love it.

Nice Bender too, Doug Mills, now we'll be watchin' you...

Welcome Doug, you're gonna love it here at the OLF!!

I am glad you came out of the back 40 up onto the green!

Nice shop too.    I am locating to my basement as well but don't have the cabinet space you do!

Welcome Doug!!
You will have a wonderful time with the whole gang at the OLF.
Most of the time you will have the time of yor life.

Welcom !!!

Thanks for all the suggestions. Michael and Ron - I was also wondering about the stiffness of a single plywood sheet for the go bar deck top. I’ll laminate on a second layer before I load it up.   Dickey – I think I saw the pipe clamp go bar deck supports on Kathy Matsushita’s site. I already has some pipe clamps so it was a good design solution for me.

All of your comments about carving a neck instead of buying a pre-shaped one now has me seriously considering the idea. In for a penny, in for a pound I guess. What has been your instrument of choice for the bulk wood removal during the initial neck shaping?

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Doug Mills
Chicago, Illinois

My home made drum sander! i just lift the lid, clamp the vacuum hose next to the drum and i work/sand to the lines, i also use rasps and strips of 80 grit sandpaper





Others would use a lancelot blade on a grinder but most traditionalists would probably use a drawknife for this application. I found that a good cabinet scraper is a must towards the end...

Hope this helps

Serge

Argh, Michael beat me to it. I was going to suggest that as well. Your fiberglass rods will stretch that single ply to its limit. They exert a heckuva lot more force than one would think. Even with 2, you can really push it.
I really dig your moveable clamp system, though, for the deck height. Very nice.
Welcome to the OLF
-j.

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“If God dwells inside us like some people say, I sure hope He likes enchiladas, because that's what He's getting”
-jack handy

As far as instrument of choice for the neck goes, I used an oscillating spindle sander on my last guitar and it was really easy and fast. I actually just bought one for myself for that reason. Also, a friend of mine let me borrow a very specific rasp (a cabinet rasp, maybe?) that went through the mahogany like a (ok, ready for the overused cliche?) hot knife through butter. It was amazing. I'll let you know exactly what it was as soon as I can. I remember they were very expensive, but incredibly fast, easy, and accurate.
-j.

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“If God dwells inside us like some people say, I sure hope He likes enchiladas, because that's what He's getting”
-jack handy

Doug, the band saw will remove the bulk of it, then I use a microplane and rasps. A microplane works very well on mahogany. Maybe a chisel here and there.

Ron

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

"No, wait a minute. I always have tuna on toast. Nothings ever worked out for me with tuna on toast. I want the complete opposite of tuna on toast. Chicken salad, on rye, untoasted...and a cup of tea!"

REO Speed Wagon; "You can tune a piano but you can't Tuna fish"? Off a differnt albulm:I love to play "Flying Turkey Trot"