Andyjr1515

[quote name='goblin' timestamp='1455277423' post='2977678'] Cheers guys There are various ways you can finish tru oil, I'm not fussed about going for the slurry and buff, given that the wood has been sanded to 2500 anyway, it wouldn't make much difference as the wood had a nice sheen to it before I'd even got anywhere near it with oil. Like anything, it has to be built up in coats, between 5 and 10 is ideal. The way I'll be doing the finish is a coat at a time with a very light rubbing with 0000 wire wool between coats to build it up, and this should give a rather nice sheen over the instrument, but not gloss. [/quote] No probs, Goblin - it's going to look superb whatever you do with it

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1455272709' post='2977618'] Sounds good. How do you do that? I'm guessing you simply put on a thin coat as I would normally with Linseed? I once saw a gloss Warwick for sale and I don't think the gloss was helpful to it selling. [/quote] It's a technique I have seen in a couple of the other forums. To be honest, I think it's how they use Tru-oil on gunstocks, which is where Tru-oil originated. It is VERY easy to do. You simply apply a dollop of tru-oil, then use c 1000 grit (or finer) wet and dry and use the tru-oil as the lubrication. This forms a very fine slurry that fills the minute voids and grain. You leave it 5 mins or so, and then wipe / buff it off. Do that 2-3 times and it's usually done. Then leave it overnight before final buff and, usually, it's ready to play! I do most of my necks that way - they end up silky smooth and very organic feeling - and, if it's natural wood, it's my preferred method for the bodies. These two were done like that - total finishing time was around 3 days from bare wood to being able to play it: Interestingly, I saw the bottom one in a gig last night. It's been heavily gigged (multiple times a week) for most of 2015 and it still looks like this...

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1455267396' post='2977564'] It's looking great, but doesn't Tru-oil give a high gloss finish? Have to say high gloss wouldn't be my choice for a Warwick, but each to their own. I'd use boiled linseed oil, which gives a satin sheen. I guess the advantage of Tru-oil is it's non permeable - in the same way as a varnish. [/quote] Not with the slurry and buff method, Grangur. Hence my question to Goblin. You can't easily use the slurry/buff method for a stained wood, but it is ideal for natural wood. It produces a silky smooth, satin finish that is fully protective but still feels like real wood. I think it would be perfect for this.

Looking really good, Goblin. Based on this thread I have suffered terrible GAS for a Corvette! Are you going to go for the slurry and buff method ref the tru-oil?

[quote name='6v6' timestamp='1455182310' post='2976671'] Very impressive work, thanks for sharing! Out of interest, how did you make the radius dish? The only method I can think of is a router on an enormous pivot or dangled from a piece of rope (what could possibly go wrong! ) The wood grain on the back looks really nice, I bet that will pop out and look amazing when it's got finish on it [/quote] Thanks, 6V6 From memory, I worked out the arc depths, drew some suitable contour circles on the MDF and hand routed the contours, starting with the deepest, middle one, and working my way outwards, reducing the depth of cut each time. With such a wide radius, the maximum depth is only a few mm, but I seem to remember a HUGE amount of MDF dust (a mask is absolutely essential, by the way). I then finished off with a curved cabinet scraper to smooth down the 'steps' Andy

[quote name='GarethFlatlands' timestamp='1455125447' post='2976218'] Very nice! Acoustic builds look like the hardest to get right but it looks like you've got the skills and gear for it. Looking forward to seeing the finished product. [/quote] Thanks, GarethFlatlands Actually, there are a number of aspects that are easier...but you have to get your head around the design musts and must nots. And there are quite a few extra jigs and fixtures to make (body mould, radius dishes, go-bar deck, neck joint jig, etc)!

Hi, Jabba What is it you are using the router for? Just the outline shape? If so, then once you have the outline rough cut in the pic above, I would just use files and sanding blocks - it won't take very long and much safer (for the item and your appendages). I wouldn't use a router personally on a small item... they are significantly stronger and more vicious than a small piece of wood ever could be Ignore me if I've got the wrong end of the mahogany.... Andy

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1455046187' post='2975427'] Indeed it is..! Excellent topic, excellent write-up, excellent photos. Excellent all round, in fact. Thanks for sharing. [/quote] Thanks, Dad3353 !

Bit more progress on this. Got the back braces radiused, rough shaped and into the 15' radius dish with the go-bar deck. Look at that top bend! Then scalloped them with a sharp chisel: Finally, added the centre-join reinforcement: Then used the radius dish again with some 120 grit to shape the body for an all round fit . Some more to do before I 'close the box', but it's starting to look like a dreadnought body: In the meantime, I've started on the neck...

[quote name='FuNkShUi' timestamp='1454520330' post='2970477'] Here's mine: [url="https://soundcloud.com/tona-fied/noodle-1"]https://soundcloud.c...a-fied/noodle-1[/url] Sorry for the lack of editing Free time is scarce in my house, so i recorded what i had in my head, and that will have to do! I've showed you mine, now lets see yours Recorded straight into laptop via garage band. AJR bass guitar. 22% reverb. Other than that, its a dry signal with no EQ tweaking, or no amp simulations etc. Like i said... no time [/quote] I'd missed this first time round. Love it! Wherever did you get a bass that sounds that good?????

[quote name='Dazed' timestamp='1454626808' post='2971555'] I have to say though I am slightly disappointed the cat didn't get its revenge for the thread lock incident [/quote] Don't you think that being waited on hand and foot, given multiple meal choices and having the freedom to turn your nose up at all of them, sleeping most of the day and half of the night and, lucky b*****d, being stroked by Mrs Andyjr1515 on a regular basis is revenge of the sweetest kind? ....in my view it's the feline and very calculated version of 'up yours, mate'

[quote name='PlungerModerno' timestamp='1454517331' post='2970433'] Never thought of a magnet - The X:Ray machine was a bit of a long shot! [/quote] Damn! And I'd just negotiated the loan for 20mins of the local hospital's MRI scanner! Still, saves on the cost of a box of chocolates for the radiography team, I suppose...

[quote name='keefbaker' timestamp='1454501840' post='2970248'] Out's full of people. Urgh. [/quote] That genuinely made me lol

[quote name='keefbaker' timestamp='1454499483' post='2970225'] Looks incredible. I have to ask though, has anyone done the Red Dwarf, "Your guitar is made from camphor wood?" joke yet? [/quote] ...and no....that was 1989.... maybe you need to get out more

Hi Chienmortbb They are DiMarzio model P+J DP126. Just over £100 for the set which is not bad against many. It is the EQ, though that really makes the difference. That's a Seymour Duncan STC-2P. Very intuitive to use and superb range of tones able to be extracted from either the DiMarzios in Kert's bass, or the SD Jazz pickups I have in my Bubinga fretless

Hi, Chienmortbb Didn't realise Axesrus were dropping some of those. Great shame! I'll get the model number of the DiMarzio PJ set for you in the morning . Pleased you're doing a build

Great - love this

Great stuff. I'm a great fan of Warmoth. Bit pricey but very good products

[quote name='FuNkShUi' timestamp='1454421442' post='2969561'] It's just the beginning [/quote]

Lovely looking bass. Should come out like new. Yeah - the Warwick hardware is very well designed for adjustment, etc.. Will be watching with great interest.

The sides assembly were shaped to the correct curve on the radius dish with a couple of lengths of 250 grit stuck on with doublesided tape. Then the top glued, clamped and trimmed: Still quite a bit to do on the top, but also started the back. A bit scary this - having got the back down to just over 2mm, I needed to inset a 1 mm central decoration strip. I had a 3mm router bit and figured that if I used a 3mm allen key as a spacer, I could cut the 6mm in two passes (one with the allen key and one without) along a straight beam with the Dremel precision router base: It worked! Strip safely in, glued and excess wiped off:

I'm so chuffed with this build, I've changed my AJRGuitarmods.co.uk homepage : I've added the bass to the gallery too. Just click the pic in the gallery and it takes you to the details and photos page...

With Kert's single-cut camphor job collected and Kert VERY pleased , and the weather cutting out any other decent Sunday activity, I thought I'd have a go at the black magic of brace carving and tap-tuning. The rough shaping of the braces is like this (there's still a tiny cap to put onto the join of the X brace which is important for tone as much as strength...more later): In brief, the position of the peaks in the braces is important. Happily, 70 odd years of other people's experience says that this will be OK. Who am I to argue. Secondly, the thinner the braces, the more bass will resonate. Also harmonics start developing the thinner things are, but that - if taken too far - is at the expense of strength. So, in very basic principle, you tap the top, holding the top up by the very edge, listening for tonal differences between the bass string side and the treble string side. You shave tiny amounts off the depth of the braces until you start hearing the top ringing more than a dull thud, then thin the appropriate braces more for a bit more bass in the appropriate places. There are some FASCINATING videos on YouTube on this, including a Physics lecturer going into considerable detail. With me - I get to the point where it rings, where I can hear a number of notes in the harmonics and where there is a tangible difference in pitch between tapping on the bass side and the treble side And then I stop... because I don't really know what I'm doing beyond that

Well, Kert was so excited, he drove all the way from S Wales to Derby yesterday to pick it up. He seemed VERY pleased with it There are rumours of pics and video clips....

[quote name='Chienmortbb' timestamp='1454183758' post='2967384'] Have you done solid colours with this method Andy and if so, what did you use? Would you use a primer or just a sanding sealer? [/quote] I haven't, Chienmortbb. The black one (PaulS's) was spray primer, spray black then just wipe on for the varnish. To be honest, I don't often take on solid colours - a decent experienced sprayer is a better route IMHO....but Paul was very persuasive