Finished! Swiftbird? Fireswift? Supermaween Swiftfire?

[Andyjr1515]

Like a Saville Row suit, the final neck shape will be arrived at after a number of 'fittings'.  What I will do is carve the broad shape and then string it up so that Alex can play it between me scraping whispers of timber away with a cabinet scraper and repeating that until the shape is just right for him.

 

But for that first rough cut I use a combination of spokeshave, razor plane and card scrapers.  It doesn't take long to get the rough shape :

 

 

 

And then, to be able to fit the strings, I'm going to have to fit the bridge, but to fit the bridge, I'm going to need to fit the tuners...and to fit the tuners I'm going to have to work out what I'm going to do with the headstock!

[Andyjr1515]

For the tuners, I am using the wonderful Steinberger gearless 'banjo' tuners.  Remarkably, the Epiphone Firebirds - for a short period of time - had these fitted as standard!  I reckon, if you could find one on ebay, you could take the tuners off and sell the tuners at a hefty profit!

 

One of the splendid things about them is that they are cylindrical and strings are clamped dead centre and so they can be grouped very much closer together than standard tuners - to the point that I won't have to add 'wings' to the headstock.  Keeping all the string runs straight, this is what I came up with:

 

And, to keep the body vibe, I wondered if I could do a cutaway plate, something like this.  BTW, you can see here I had already popped a couple of ebony sides on in the expectation of needing small maple extensions...which I now realise I don't need :

 

So, with a piece of the offcut from the body ebony, I gave it a try.  Before gluing the plate on, in addition to backing it with a maple and black veneer, I cut the trussrod access out of the plate.  It will be magnetically held as a flush cover and thus be pretty unobtrusive.  Here it is out:

 

...and here it is in place:

 

Next jobs include, a little more body carving, temp-fitting the tuners, fitting the T-o-M and stoptail, stringing up, 'live' shaping of the neck next time Alex is free.

[Andyjr1515]

The Steinberger tuners are pretty easy to fit, although this little pin hole does have to be in the right place!

 

And tuners temporarily fitted for me to be able to set up a couple of strings to position and line up the tune-o-matic bridge before the scary insert marking and drilling!  Still some more curve carving to do, but I was pleased how this is beginning to look:

[alittlebitrobot]

Great stuff. I love those tuners and I've been wondering if they could accept, and hold, a bass string for my next build. I don't like seeing machine heads so I wish ideas like this were more widely available

[jrixn1]

13 minutes ago, alittlebitrobot said:

Great stuff. I love those tuners and I've been wondering if they could accept, and hold, a bass string for my next build.

 

I've looked into these in the past - isn't there a max string gauge?

https://www.stewmac.com/parts-and-hardware/tuning-machines/solid-peghead-guitar-tuning-machines/steinberger-gearless-tuners/

"Maximum string gauge: 0.060" (1.52mm)."

 

Edited May 28, 2023 by jrixn1

[Andyjr1515]

19 minutes ago, alittlebitrobot said:

Great stuff. I love those tuners and I've been wondering if they could accept, and hold, a bass string for my next build. I don't like seeing machine heads so I wish ideas like this were more widely available

 

6 minutes ago, jrixn1 said:

 

I've looked into these in the past - isn't there a max string gauge?

https://www.stewmac.com/parts-and-hardware/tuning-machines/solid-peghead-guitar-tuning-machines/steinberger-gearless-tuners/

"Maximum string gauge: 0.060" (1.52mm)."

 

 

Yes - @jrixn1 is right.  The concept only really works for thin strings and hence the max gauge.  The strings are passed through the clamp spindle at the top, pulled taut and clamped, and then the spindle is drawn down into the body of the tuner, bringing the string with it and increasing the tension as it goes.  This becomes more challenging, the bigger the string.  

[Waddo Soqable]

36 minutes ago, Andyjr1515 said:

 

 

Yes - @jrixn1 is right.  The concept only really works for thin strings and hence the max gauge.  The strings are passed through the clamp spindle at the top, pulled taut and clamped, and then the spindle is drawn down into the body of the tuner, bringing the string with it and increasing the tension as it goes.  This becomes more challenging, the bigger the string.  

Interesting indeed, I assume they work on a similar principal to this ?  Alough this one's a headless type solution 

[Andyjr1515]

1 hour ago, Waddo Soqable said:

Interesting indeed, I assume they work on a similar principal to this ?  Alough this one's a headless type solution 

Even simpler than that, but same principle. I'll take a few photos when I have a moment

[Waddo Soqable]

16 minutes ago, Andyjr1515 said:

Even simpler than that, but same principle. I'll take a few photos when I have a moment

That'd be great, I'd be most interested in seeing these close up 

[Andyjr1515]

7 minutes ago, Waddo Soqable said:

That'd be great, I'd be most interested in seeing these close up 

No probs - here it is:

 

You wind the knob at the back until the spindle rises to the top, exposing the string hole at its base:

 

You thread the string through the hole and pull tight while clamping it by rotating the 'T' bar at the top (the T is a simple screwed clamp):

 

You then rotate the knob at the back in the opposite direction, which pulls the spindle down into the housing and takes the string with it, tightening it as it goes.  This is the 4th string now at full pitch:

 

Clearly, the far end of the string can be clipped at the other side of the spindle but, while I am fitting am removing the strings regularly, it is easier to leave them long.

 

It is a very clever design and they are well made:

• They are as smooth as silk.  No backlash and very accurate and controllable tuning.
• They can be placed anywhere, unlike conventional tuners that have to be close enough to the headstock side for the adjuster clearance.  And so, the headstock can be any shape you like.
• The string is always 'at the bottom of the peg', maximising break angle over the nut 

 

 

 

 

 

[Waddo Soqable]

Very clever, not seen or heard of these, brilliant find 👍

[Andyjr1515]

Next is lining up the bridge.  If ever there was a 'measure 14 times, drill once' it's this!

 

First thing I did was to check the full movement of the bridge rollers from fully forward to fully back.  Probably enough for a square-on positioning - but there's no point in even banking on that and so I will incorporate a modest backward sweep to aid the intonation of the bass strings.

 

Then to position, I fitted a couple of strings, threaded through the stop tail to the outermost tuners and taped it into position.  I could then slide the roller bridge under the strings and position it to scale length on the top E with the roller fully forward (intonation for the top E is usually relatively close to scale length but, if anything, will be a teen bit further back - it will never be shorter than scale).  Then, once I'd positioned it so that the two strings were where I wanted them in relation to the fretboard sides, I could press the spike of a bradpoint drill in to mark the centre:

 

Then use a forstner for the bridge insert-holes:

 

And finally, with fingers crossed, hammer the inserts in and try it!

 

Big phew!

 

Then the same process for the stoptail.  And, at this stage, I couldn't resist a quick mockup    .  There's actually a LOAD of stuff still to do, but my excuse for the indulgence is that I need Alex to 'play' the fitted strings so that I can fine tune the profile to his specific needs...so that means, at least, that the 6 strings need fitting.  And surely they would be lonely without a few knobs and switches teetering at their intended positions:

 

 

 

Oh - and it would be churlish not to wipe some of it with a damp cloth to see what the final colour is going to be  ...

 

I think it's going to be quite a pretty guitar!

 

And that has Basschat up to date with Guitarchat.  There'll be a week or so's gap before any more progress - I need Alex for the final fit of the neck profile and his availability and mine over the coming week or so mismatches to an almost impressive degree!  

 

[rwillett]

Oh my god. I think I’ve just had a very wet and possibly religious experience…

[JGTay]

Stunning!👍😁

[Waddo Soqable]

Cracking 👍....

I had to keep reminding myself you're making a Git rather than a bass tho... 

[Andyjr1515]

Well family stuff and domestic 'projects' largely clear and so I'm back to the build

 

I'm not quite at the final furlong stage, but certainly getting closer to it.  Next jobs were to finish the rough carving on the back and getting ready to sort the control chamber hatch.

 

For the carve at the back, because it's curved, I am mainly using the larger of the two round-bottomed Ibex thumb planes and also the gooseneck card scraper:

 

 

Don't let anyone tell you the Ibex planes are toys - they really are precision planes:

 

Those curly shavings are rock maple and ebony!

 

I used a bottom bearing rebate router bit to follow the chamber and mark the outer edge of the rebate - but the curve of the back makes it difficult to get an even depth of cut and so the rebate was cut to final depth using carpenters mallet and some sharp chisels.  Done, ready to create the paper template and cut the hatch:

[Andyjr1515]

To the back hatch.  You will note that there is always a bit of madness in my method when it comes to guitar and bass builds.  Does that rebate rout above cut into the ebony strip?  And doesn't that mean that the black line will be broken with an alder hatch when it's fitted??

 

Well...yes...and no.  Yes it would if I didn't add a matching strip to the hatch 

 

I made my normal paper template with some A4 and a fingernail:

 

Cut out with a scalpel, I then had a template for the wood that I could double check fitted properly into the rebate, and also a reverse template so I could choose a 'sympathetic' grain pattern from my various alder offcuts.  This would probably work:

 

So next job was to cut out the hatch - a teeny bit oversize - and add a matching ebony strip:

 

To fit the hatch, I usually start at one of the curves and sand/check the radius repeatedly until it fits the rebate exactly, and then progressively sand the overhang from there at one side or the other to progressively create the close fit all the way round.  It takes a while because you don't want to over-sand anywhere!

 

But eventually, it's done:

 

And the ebony strip lines up!  

 

 

Next step is stringing it up for Alex to be able to play it while I fettle the shape of the neck profile, and then I can start the final sanding and start on the finish  

[rwillett]

It's pretty good when the back is as beautiful as the front. 

 

Rob

[Andyjr1515]

I spent some time this morning with the guitar strung up and on a strap for me to 'fit' the neck profile to suit Alex's style of playing.  Basically, he played, I then scraped material off the neck haunches and then he tried it again.  This was repeated over an hour until it 'felt right' for him.  We can do further tweaks once it's finished and he can play it with amp/etc but it's probably close enough for me to start the final sanding, which I started this afternoon.

 

As folks who have watched other builds will know, I often use some Tru-oil slurry and wiped to act as a grain filler and also as a reveal coat... to spot dints and lumps or sanding marks that are difficult to see on dry sanded wood.  The good thing is that it also lets bot Alex and me see how the final colours and grain are going to turn out to be. 

 

I think it's going to be quite nice:

[TheGreek]

Andy....another masterpiece sir.

 

This is by far the nicest Thunderbird styley instrument I've seen. The softened curves make it much easier on the eye than the usual right angled body. I reckon that Gibson and Co will be nicking your design when they see the photos.

 

Shame it's a guitar though...

[Andyjr1515]

I've added a corresponding ebony thickener at the back of the headstock and applied the second reveal coat of tru-oil after a bit more slurrying:

 

While there is often madness in my method with my builds, every now and again (I suppose statistically, it must happen occasionally) there is some method in my madness     In this case, it is that, because the two lower tuner positions from the upper view are the top E and B, then the break angle is maximum for these two strings.  And yes - there's plenty of sanding to do here : 

 

Here's the top after the second reveal coat.  That's at least starting to get there...

 

My 'still to do' list is actually quite short.  All being well, we should have a playable guitar by this time next week 

[Andyjr1515]

I mallet-tapped the outline of the rugby-ball jack plate with a variety of radius chisels and then used a small chisel to start creating the rebate:

 

Once it was all level, I rounded the sides, drilled the hole with a 20mm forstner and popped a drop of tru-oil to match the alder before doing a trial fit:

 

 

And after a couple of experiments, I had a go at the ebony.  The great thing about ebony is that it will sand/polish to a good finish.  What I didn't know was whether the brown streaks would behave in the same way.  They do

This is after around an hour, progressing through around 15 grades of emery/micromesh from 180 grit up to 8000.  Nothing else - just sanding through the grades:

 

 

There are a couple of dints that I will lose by repeating the process, but this will be pretty much how the top will finish up.

[Daz39]

5 minutes ago, Andyjr1515 said:

I mallet-tapped the outline of the rugby-ball jack plate with a variety of radius chisels and then used a small chisel to start creating the rebate:

 

Once it was all level, I rounded the sides, drilled the hole with a 20mm forstner and popped a drop of tru-oil to match the alder before doing a trial fit:

 

 

And after a couple of experiments, I had a go at the ebony.  The great thing about ebony is that it will sand/polish to a good finish.  What I didn't know was whether the brown streaks would behave in the same way.  They do

This is after around an hour, progressing through around 15 grades of emery/micromesh from 180 grit up to 8000.  Nothing else - just sanding through the grades:

 

 

There are a couple of dints that I will lose by repeating the process, but this will be pretty much how the top will finish up.

Did you get as far as the angel hair pasta for sanding?

That does look spiffingly tactile by the way, soft and rounded yet still angular.

[Andyjr1515]

15 minutes ago, Daz39 said:

Did you get as far as the angel hair pasta for sanding?

That does look spiffingly tactile by the way, soft and rounded yet still angular.

Close - the final grade that will use for the final sand (this is the 'reveal' sand), will be the 12000 grit microweb, which is "like brushing the ebony with angels' eyelashes"  

 

[Daz39]

18 minutes ago, Andyjr1515 said:

Close - the final grade that will use for the final sand (this is the 'reveal' sand), will be the 12000 grit microweb, which is "like brushing the ebony with angels' eyelashes"  

 

“He’s a wood whisperer! Heresy!”