demonx

I feel your pain jackyl. I'm in the process of ordering a cnc myself and everything I'm told, everything I read just sounds like complete gibberish. Nothing I read sinks in as I simply don't understand it and in having next to no luck using autocad once I go from 2d to 3d. I can draw basic stuff like pickup pockets etc, but trying to co complex curves etc is doing my head in.

Carl, I'm aware of all this. I already had the hard sell from the guy at the tool shop. It's just that when I already have a wall of templates it's pretty hard to convince to change methods. I do have cnc plans on the horizon so I'm not stressed about it too much

I've seen these attachments for my router, but I went the other way as I simply prefer flush trim bits, its idiot proof to throw a 1:1 template down where its meant to be and just cut it. That and the idea of having to make all new templates put it in the too hard box. The massive pro of the guides you speak of is cheaper, longer lasting bits that are available in smaller sizes. The next option is cnc... That's where I want to be at!

I made my own templates to suit the smallest inverted flush trim router bit I could find. It's 9.5mm (3/8" inch) made by carbitool. The bearing is so small/fragile on it that I use a larger router bit to knock out most of the cavity and then just use this to trim the tighter corners.

I usually use kahlers and never use EMGs! Bare knuckle aftermath pickups in that one.

First guitar of the run to see hardware:

When I met one of the guys I look up to, he asked to see my work, I suggested to him I was just a bloke tinkering in my shed and that there's nothing much to see. He replied "that's all I am too!" - I said to him, that in the acoustic world he's a worldwide household name, he goes "aaaaagggghhhh" as in grunted at me, then said "when you've been at it as long as me you will be too". You'll find most "craftsman" are pretty critical of their own work and can see all the flaws, whereas people looking at it just see an awesome guitar. Eventually those flaws get less and less and then you can start building a guitar you're happy with.

Actually Eddie, I had started long before then, first attempt was in 1991, I built a Flying V and used a donar neck, however it was Neal who changed my whole approach and gave me direction, as before then I was just poking around in the dark and falling over everything. The builds were few and far between, it's only in recent years that I really pulled my thumb out. I no longer build using Neals method to a T, but I would be a complete liar if I said I wasn't influenced by it, I've just evolved if for my own usage.

Looking good mate

I just typed a massive long post on my iphone and then the thing crashed - so here's a super condensed version as I cannot remember half of what I said! The name you PM'd me, I've never been on his site before. Bored the crap out of me. Tried reading what you wanted me to read, got bored. Way too much writing to keep my hung over mind awake. I've seen his posts on another forum and just shrugged the guitars off as they look ok but just another one of "those" styles. I don't often follow other builders threads on other forums, the ones on this forum are more interesting than brand name builders trying to plug themselves on bigger forums. I'd rather follow the little guys build thread who is doing it for them self at home. Much more interesting to me. There is much better builders on this forum than I am, so they are interesting as well. Usually don't have the egos of the "brand names" either. My last comment brings me to a reply to your "cutting hands off" comment. A couple years ago I had a conversation with a mentor of mine about how I'd be looking at other peoples work and get very depressed about building, I'd want to give up. My depressed brain would tell my I'm useless and I'll never be as good as these others. I'd mope around and it'd pull me down. I'd question everything. Depression can be very poisoning. There was actually one point years ago that I sold off a heap of my tools and quit building as I was hopeless and it just depressed me even more, that and I was broke (global financial crisis) which also kicked the depression in the guts making things worse. Anyway, back to the mentor, after I'd started building again I met this guy - he told me that he stopped looking at other peoples guitars decades ago for the same reason, told me to do my own thing, only worry about my own guitars and forget the others. This is advice from a guy who has had guitars play on some of the biggest stages across the planet and has international clients fly to Australia just to pick up guitars in person. He's been there, done that. Has nothing to prove and has great advice. When I started to do this, not looking at other peoples builds - rather than compare, I improved. Rather than get depressed, I evolved. All these USA and Euro guitar companies pumping out guitars that are very much the "fad" at the moment. Fads come and go. I'd like to stick around for the long haul and stick with my own style, which to me is very 80's metal influenced but with a bit of a more modern approach. As far as design and creativity. Electric guitars have been around for a bit over half a century now, lots of companies have come and gone and millions of designs along with them. It's hard to be creative and come up with something new, then when you think you have someone will tap you on the shoulder and say "such n such" did that twenty years ago. Back to the drawing board. Off topic even more, I had a discussion last week with this same mentor about marketing our product. He said that it's a different world to that when he created his name. All the music festivals he had to tour around to with stands and product displays etc. We also talked about people wanting free gear and working with endorsee's. He said he'd done that in the eary days and regretted it every time. Advised me never to do it. Back to marketing. The internet has changed the business. We can now see an item across the other side of the world at the click of a button have it on order. Yngwie talks about a similar topic in his book on marketing for musicians changing since he was in the MTV era and now its youtube era. Anyway, lets get this thread back to the person it belongs to.

Ok - cool. No idea what builder you're on about then. I live in one of Australia's coldest areas, so I just assumed it was me you were having a stab at as I was in the conversation and I assumed perry as he's doing a copy run at the moment called hype machines. As far as drawing inspiration from my work, I'd aim a bit higher, my guitars are hack jobs compared to some of the real artisans out there. Sure they're (my builds) are getting a sh1tload better every year, but I'm under no illusion they're the best out there. I'm currently getting an acoustic guitar made by a guy I know is WAY better craftsman than I will ever be, when you see work by a true master it brings things into perspective very quickly. I'm on this forum to learn about building, improve, evolve and I post my own work in attempt to give back for anything I may have learned. Happy to receive constructive criticism that can make me a better builder. I love guitar and there's no better forum on the net (that I know of)

Also props to crow for posting a non PRS copy! Yes I noticed! That explorer was pretty close to getting my vote, so well done there.

Damn, is it really another month over so quick? Every guitar this month is deserving in its own way, so well done to everyone I could only vote for one and I chose based on the concept of: if I walked into a shop and they were all lined up, which would I have picked up first. I picked up Paulies Ode to Ola. Great job. I'm not even a fan if headless guitars and for some reason this one just looks sexy as hell.

What's with the stabs Wes? We're talking guitars here and you have a personal stab at both me and Perry? Or just one or the other? If you've got issues throw em on the table cause I'm buggered if I know where that came from As far as Black Machine, to the best of my knowledge they are still pumping out plenty of guitars. Maybe they just don't update their website as they're too busy building. I'm also under the impression they no longer take orders, they build and sell stock, so that may have been the cause of some peoples confusion. It's not that they stopped building. They changed the way the operate. They do update their Facebook page and not long ago put up another batch of guitars for sale. They're probably long sold by now

They do still make guitars. Anyone who says they don't is misinformed

45 degree has long been the standard bevel on "pointy" guitars, but never on superstrats.

120 is too fine for "shaping". I use a course handmade rasp, they're much much faster than a off the shelf cheapo rasp. Then I attack with a random orbital and 40 grit. It takes me about ten minutes to rough carve a neck then the rest of the time is spent on getting it right, the two ends blended in and getting it straight. It takes longer to carve the heel on my neckthru's than it does the neck itself I rarely use a spoke shave these days, I usually just use a flap disc on an angle grinder which knocks in a quick profile in about thirty seconds then go to the rasp. There's video of me carving a neck on YouTube.

There's a certain well known minimulustic builder whom this is part if his signature style and his builds are copied by many these days. As are his top styles and headstocks the most copied "fad" at this point in time

Looking good so far!

Branding one at a time isn't a problem, but I had six to brand today which keeping it hot in between brands is the problem. I don't have a stove or running water in my workshop. If I need water I have to take a bucket with me.

A quick video update that show "branding" isn't as quick and easy as it should be: http://youtu.be/i63IwY9kgI8 Sam's guitar getting a fingerboard treatment: Group shot after logo branding:

More oil, last lot this time. Anyone who watched my videos would have seen me having to scrub the oil right back - simply put, I stuffed up. I've never used Danish oil before that build, the earlier guitars I'd built were all covered on Linseed oil which you have to cake on a million coats for it to get anywhere and it never goes hard. The Danish oil is a Tung/Varnish mix and it's much thicker and does go hard, so on these guitars I've been spreading much much thinner coats and wont have to scrub it all back like in the video. A quick superfine scotchbrite and a run over with the polisher and they'll be good to go.

Another bolt on heel carved today, six stringer this time:

Bit more work on the 7 string bolty - prepping for paint and airbrushing:

I am still following this thread, I'm just kicking back taking in everyone's comments. Cheers