5 string through neck build

[benh]

Back at it again. Loved the look of the oak fretboard I did on a previous build, so decided to go all out as a bit of an experiment! Not many pics as of yet but will add more as things go on. Personally I love a medium scale so this will be 32" scale, quarter sawn oak laminated neck, sapele body with quarter sawn oak top, and a padauk fretboard. All gotoh hardware, and having a stab at winding my own pickups for this one!

Edited February 4, 2024 by benh
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[LeftyJ]

I love the shape of that! Basic yet elegant.

The string angle of the B and G string from the nut to the tuners does look pretty sharp with the tuner placement as drawn.

[benh]

Cheers! Headstock is just a mockup for the moment to determine basic design. Haven't decided yet whether to go for a flat or angled headstock yet - quite like the idea of a flat headstock with a retaining bar for a more consistent break angle

[LeftyJ]

Ah, fair enough! 

My comment was aimed more at the sideways angle the strings have to make because of how wide the tuners are spaced, and the stress this puts on the outer edges of the nut. But I can see how you're still in a planning phase and figuring things out. I do like the look of the headstock, it's familiar but not a copy.

[benh]

Constructive criticism is always welcomed! Re the headstock, that's exactly what I was going for 🙂 tested a few more outlandish designs and thought they looked daft.

[benh]

Some progress! Learned from my mistakes - will be carving the neck and doing the majority of shaping on the body wings before glueing up this time.

[benh]

Got a bit of time to do some more on this today - fretted and rough cut the neck profile on the bandsaw. Neck carving next

[colinbow]

Do you have an email add where I could contact you please? Sorry to interupt thread Colin

[benh]

More progress - will be the last update for a little while though. Still figuring out pickups , although the electronics are now sorted - standard volume, blend + tone but with an active buffer.

[Andyjr1515]

Coming along nicely

 

[benh]

Will post my knocked together version of a pickup winder later - starting on an aluminium inlay for the headstock. Using hard wax oil as a finish which in my experience doesn't cover decals very well!

[benh]

Done!

[benh]

Having a crack at winding pickups soon. First things first the pre built wonders are silly money, so after countless hours trawling YouTube and forum pages I've knocked one together. It doesn't look pretty 😂 just offcuts screwed together. But it should do the trick!

Edited March 14, 2024 by benh

[Richard R]

21 hours ago, benh said:

Done!

 

A man with his own jewellers' peg, neat.

Or is it an old template for a Kramer-style headstock? 

[benh]

On 14/03/2024 at 20:04, Richard R said:

 

A man with his own jewellers' peg, neat.

Or is it an old template for a Kramer-style headstock? 

Just a cheapie off eBay. Gets the job done though, has proved more useful than I thought - although in hindsight I'm sure I could have just knocked one up from some offcuts and an old c clamp

[benh]

First update in a while - I've not been very good at documenting this one. Black/brown stain and first coat of hard wax oil done.

[SpondonBassed]

That's really brought out the grain.  Striking.

[Andyjr1515]

Lovely

[benh]

Nearly done!

[SpondonBassed]

Like a dusky maiden...  gorgeous.

[benh]

Pickups wound and potted