demonx

I agree with what prostheta says above. At the time I went in to buy the makita router and the sales guy talked me into the more powerful triton. It had more features. I should have got the makita. The triton I have is the 2000w which cost me about $380 from memory. A similar size makita is around $700.00 - you'll find they're much cheaper in USA

bob - when we were helping you with your "not curing" problem, you never mentioned you're not using correct reducer! You can't just throw anything in and hope it'll work, you need to match the products carefully as they are designed react together. I have a shelf full of different reducers for different applications. SOME I will use with other brands/products, but some products I'll be very strict as to use only certain brand/type etc. It's best to mix only what is meant to be mixed. When I was painting a car (using over $2000 worth of paint) I had a paint failure. The company technician came to my workshop to check out the process/products etc. I was using all their products according to the specs they recommend all the way down to their brand filler etc etc. If its their fault they'll replace everything. If you just happen to mix something thats not in their process, even a tiny drop ... warranty = void. It's always best to follow the instructions unless you know better.

I can't see any problem

While I was routing today I snapped a pic of the old and new collet. The small one is the original triton collet. Evil, untrustable. Has killed four of my guitars. The large one is the Grifkins one I linked you to. It sits a couple milimeters outside the chuck of my router, but I trust it. I now feel like I can route and know the bit will be where I clamped it whenI've finished. A note on Triton routers (as I saw them mentioned above) - my current router is a triton. Their larger model. It was great when it was new. But after a couple years hard work, the speed selector no longer stays where its adjusted to. I have to tape it in place. Sometimes I cannot wind the guard all the way up to the lock position so it's a pain in the butt to get the bit out at times. Like I said, new = great, doesnt wear well. Next router I buy will probably be a Makita.

I've only ever used wattle once. Wasn't on a guitar, was on a car, I hated it so never tried it again. May have just been a bad experience. It was a tin of orange, 4lt I bought for $30.00 as it was a miss matched color! Sprayed it on a chevy. I can't even remember what I didn't like about it!

I had a 240v porter cable in my marlin. I think it was actually 230v but it worked on our 240v power. It came from the USA and I changed the power plug when it got here (Australia)

http://www.gifkins.com.au/Reducing%20Collet.pdf Their website checkout is a bit old school, but it works. I received mine in about three days

Maybe buy a better collet? The collet on my router has destroyed four guitars now. I did some research and found it was a common problem and for only $22 plus $8 post I could buy a much better collet that will actually hold the router bit. I have done just that. Much cheaper than a new router. I also found many people confuse a 6mm collet with a 1/4" collet as they look very similar and thus can also cause slippage. I'll post a link for the collet I bough, I'll have to hunt for it. Their service was quick

Hahaha - 2k cheaper than $100??? You can buy cheapo 2k brands BUT the finished product looks like compared to the quality ones and you'll be well over your hundred bucks even with the cheapest brands I know of. I use PPG which is one of the dearer brands, but I'll give you a cost run down as an example. These prices are based on the smallest tin size of each product: Primer: $280.00 + hardner $80.00 + reducer $70.00 Color $80 or more + reducer (use same as above) Clear $480.00 + hardner $80.00 + reducer ( same as above ) So this amount will paint many guitars, but it's the smallest amount I can buy in one hit, so start cost for PPG is about a grand or so. I know the price of paint is way cheaper in other countries, but not enough to fit in your budget. I'm currently trailing cheaper clear, but it's still over $300 a tin plus hardner and reducer. Add to the cost of product the cost of safety gear. Spray equip id you don't have suitable guns/compressor etc. It gets quite expensive.

I get several messages every day asking questions, I'd hate to think what large builders/companies get asked all the time! Anyway - I'm putting together a FAQ page so instead of typeing out stuff all the time I can just link the page. I know this sounds bad, but any one here who's advertised or has a website or anything knows exactly what I mean. So... what sort of questions do you guys get asked all the time? Maybe I've forgot a few and shopuld add to the list! ============================================================================== Frequently Asked Questions Q: Can you build me a copy of a (BC Rich/Ibanez blah blah blah) ? A: If you want a B.C. Rich - buy a B.C. Rich. I will NOT make blatant copies of guitars. That is considered stealing. I will however build "public domain" shapes or original designs. Q: Can I work for you? Will you teach me? A: No. I have to work 5 days a week in a factory on top of building guitars, I am not in a situation to take on staff. Sorry. Q: How much are your guitars? A: It depends on specs. An average is $1500 to $1800, but there are so many variables I cannot give one answer. If the hardware costs hundreds extra then I have to add hundreds extra, if the timber costs hundreds extra then I have to add hundreds extra. Q: I know you normally charge $X for your guitars, but I'm broke, can you build one cheaper? A: No. Sorry. Q: I can buy a such n such for $X - will you beat the price. A: No Q: Will you ship to such n such? A: I prefer to sell to people that can come here in person and see/feel the thing for themselves. However if I have to ship a guitar, I charge the actual shipping cost plus the cost of a case. This usually ends out being about $50-$100 (plus case) to a Australian capital city if you pick it up from the truck depot, or around $300 (plus case) if you want it delivered to your door. International shipping will cost more. I dont make these prices, they are what I have to pay. Q: Will you endose me/my band? A: I'm only a small builder, I have to work 5 days a week in a Factory as well as build guitars to pay my bills, I cannot afford to give away guitars. Sorry. Q: Will you do a refurb/repair on my guitar? Will you paint my guitar? A: I'm trying to focus on complete builds these days so I'm taking on some repair work but not full refurbs or repaints. Q: Who paints your guitars? A: Everything is done inhouse by myself, including paint. Only exception is advanced airbrushing which I outsource if it's above my skill level. Q: What do your guitars feel like? A: I carve the necks thin and to my hand, not a standard pattern so I cannot compare to any brnad, however if you wish to categorise, the neck profile is a "Modern Flat Oval" and I tend to average the neck (including board) thickness at the first fret around 19mm and around 20-21mm up the other end. Q: Do you build Acoustic Guitars? A: No. solid body electric guitars only. Q: Do you build Bass Guitars? A: I plan to, just haven't got there yet. Q: Can you make me a body to fit a such n such neck I have? A: No. I am selling complete guitars only. Q: Do you make your own necks? A: Yes

I did a search before I posted and ordered parts - I came up with nothing, so if these people have done these recordings etc they have not made them easliy available. As far as everyone saying same hardware yada yada yada - you've missed the complete point (or simply not read my post) or maybe I didnt explain it in the multiple times I typed it My point is: a pickup in an electric guitar accounts for 90% of the sound and the rest is divided into everything else the guitar is built from. My point is with a high gain pickup and a tremolo (which pretty much describes all my builds) that the most important decision is the pickup, and then build the guitar around that. Followed by the bridge and then so on... SO - the only thing that should remain the same is the pickup. Simple. I can see Perry's point in that people do research etc etc - but I have no plan to sell this abomination. In fact I'd like to keep it here to prove a point to anyone who wonders in. I have no plans to build from shitty timbers - I like nice grain and fancy figuring. But what I want is to be able to say to the people - choose the wood for what you want it to LOOK like - not what some kid in internet land or some fancy marketing campaign reckons it'll sound like.

I'm not going to be using the same hardware - as the main part of what I'd like to show is the tonewood AND hardware are the least influencing factors. If the pickup is the 90%, then the hardware timber etc etc account for the other 10%. That and I'm not going to sink a fortune into building an MDF guitar. Ive bought a cheap china floyd rose for $11.00 off ebay!!! Eleven bucks for a floyd, springs, screws, lock nut!!! It's probably made of plastic! I've bought a set of cheap chine tuners for $7.00... another ebay thing. I'll be using a neck I've made in the past but didnt install on a guitar for QWC reasons, but it's fine, I just need to fret it. The MDF I've got piles of down the back of my shed, so the only cost of sinished guitar is the twenty something bucks from the ebay parts, plus the fretwire - all minor. Biggest expense will be the pickup, which I'll try to buy second hand, Theres no way I'd put this cheap china junk parts on a real build. But it'll serve it's purpose in this case. Asian guitar factories have been using plywood for years - it's considered a tonewood - believe it, or not. I've even seen pics of a asian mass produced guitar that is only veneer over a FOAM body... now that is extreme.

I'm curious to get some opinions before I start this project. What I'm looking at doing is building an electric guitar from an MDF body and an existing neck I made, assembling with cheapest of cheap china components - EXCEPT I'll use a top shelf high gain pickup. I'll then compare in a recorded environment this guitar against one with the same model pickup, but made from top shelf quality tonewood and components. My argument for many years is Tonewood (in an electric) as not as big influencing factor as everyone makes out and my guess is the MDF guitar will not sound all that much different from the tonewood guitar with the high gain pickup. My argument has been that 90% of the sound comes from the pickups and the other influencing factors are divided between the remaining 10%. I've copped some negative responses about this view by many "believers" but I plan to make an example to see how this theory pans out. I've heard recorded examples where a builder has done this with a pine guitar, but pine is still considered a tonewood in some peoples eyes. MDF on the other hand is taking it to the extreme. So - what I'm asking is: Can you see any potention problems with this comparison, so I can plan around those into the build Any suggestions that can help this experiment Anyone have any ideas how it might pan out! Predictions!

Dude - the headstock is an offcut from the quilt body top!!! Its cut from the exact same board and painted in the same blue!!!

I've tried various methods, everything from using a band saw to rough off the excess and then the most extreme using a copy carver (which I've sold since I no longer used ir for anything) These days I dont even use the band saw to remove the excess. I just clamp the full/square blank on the bench and use mostly a rasp, starting it off with a spoke shave. I just find this the quickest and less chance for screw ups. I was discussing this a couple weeks ago with a very well known USA luthier - he confessed that these days he uses a round over bit with a bearing guide and a tempate to start his necks off...

I could only dream... Not a chance though but thanks for the thought!

I disagree. I like that board with the blackwood. I've just ordered a flame sheoak board for myself so learning from your mistake I'll have to remember to clear it rather than oil or wax so to enhance the grain rather than kill it.

MUZZ - this headstock is the "redesign" of my last one which the tuners were as you suggest - however it ran into problems as the "E" string was pulled at too much of an angle, that little bit of difference in position makes a lot of difference in practicality. So I've moved the up and slighly re-angled the headstock making it functional. I prefered the "appearance" of my last version, but I prefer the fact that this version actually works!

Searls Guitars - Tasmanian Blackwood Specs: Tasmanian Blackwood neck and carved top African Mahogany back Sassafras features in the body with maple stringers Birdseye Maple fingerboard Cocobolo binding 24 frets - Dunlop 6150 25.5" scale 16" radius 12 degree headstock angle Bareknuckle Blackhawk Pickups CTS post 0.022up capacitor Switchcraft output jack Floyd Rose Special trem (while I wait for a OFR Pro to be delivered) Grover tuners Build pics: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7ObWwrPgaU&feature=plcp

Only 4 this month but 4 good ones! Curtisa - The headstock exectution/styling kills this for me but otherwise its a pretty nice guitar. I've just added a Tassy B/wood guitar to next months poll. Good to see some Aussie timbers getting used! ScottR - Not really sure why but theres something about the front that doesnt sit right with me, the back pic looks great though. Shad - Yet another nice one, that top timber turned out great. Very pretty colors. Very nice guitar.

Curtisa: not sure where you got 23 from as this is a standard 21 fret neck!

Just re-wire it however you want! Problem solved! http://www.guitarelectronics.com/category/wiring_resources_guitar_wiring_diagrams/

So far it's all looking pretty good! I'm liking the timber selections.

Those butterfly cut outs look pretty cool! I did a Butterfly themed tele earlier this year (http://projectguitar.ibforums.com/index.php?showtopic=46244&st=30) but it looks like you're going to a bit more effort than I did!

I pulled my finger out this morning and made a pair out of ebony. Turned out pretty good actually. Cheers