Leaderboard

Get some wood. Kicking off with a Martin from circa 1840 with original hard case, but a dodgy newer bridge... which will soon replaced with an original looking one when I get some cash!

A topic for photos of folks' Builds. I'll start it off with a photo of the guitar built by Our Eldest, and finished (but are they ever really finished..?) the other day. It plays well, too... Over to you, then; show us your Builds...

i used one continuous oak board (easy cuts) to make this: lots of sanding, some stain, etc. I used the scraps to create supports for the bottom side (given the stomping): i used a 1 3/8" hole saw to cut an opening for wires. i then took that plug and split it in half to make posts, to wrap the excess wire: on the underside, i used wire ties, tacked into the wood, to secure the power lines: in the far corner above, you can see i velcroed the transformer onto the underside. then, velcro on the top, and on the pedals, and a $6 leather handle: then, rubber feet on the bottom, and wire it all together. PS this is not representative of my pedal setup, this is just for testing! i'll post the actual rig soon. it's made it through 6 gigs. hopefully more to come (we have about a dozen lined up!). what i'd change- it doesnt stand on it's side, probably because of how heavy pedals are. to put a stand plate on one side would mess with the aesthetic. what i'm thinking of adding- maybe a shoulder strap so i can make one trip from the car to the studio. i can send plans if anyone wants.

You mention 'fast position and chord changes'. My single piece of advice would be to solve this issue by doing things slowly. Slow is the new fast. Slow is the fastest way to do fast. Whatever it is you're wanting to do, do it slowly, preferably with a metronome, or whatever you use for tempo, but set it to slow. Do whatever it is you are wanting to do, slowly, for a while (two, three weeks..? Every day, for ten-fifteen minutes..? Slowly..!). Once it can be done, slowly, well, up the tempo a little. No, just a little (60 bpm becomes 65 bpm, for example...) do this, regularly, for another 'while', and once you've become proficient at it, up the tempo a tad more (65 becomes 70..?). Repeat; if, after a 'while' it's still not smooth, clean, easy, go back down a tad with the tempo and repeat. It is useful, and recommended, to start from the original 'slow' tempo now and again, for a day or so, working back up to one's current tempo, as a refresher. Always with the metronome, or whatever you use for tempo. This is the way to obtain whatever speed one wants, and is the guaranteed fastest way. Is there a downside..? Yes, it requires a large bucketful of Patience. Those without this essential accessory will not achieve their goal, so be sure to have that bucket, and keep it well topped up. It is of no advantage to do this for hours on end, nor too many times a day, but if time permits, a couple or three sessions of 10-15 minutes (no more...) may be permitted. The key is in the regularity (every day...), in the keeping the tempo slow (hence the metronome or equivalent...) and the Patience. It cannot, and never does, fail. Douglas

Any excuse to post an image of my 66 Tele

Here we are, the morning after my first gig* as a guitarist and I’m wondering what I was worried about. Apart from the fact that it got really cold when the sun went in** which made fretting a challenge at times, everything went fine and the GR55 was incredible (hilarious watching people looking for the sax player when I did the solo in Dancing In The Moonlight). A little tense before we started but any nerves there were, as @ezbass predicted, vanished as soon as I played the first note. Thanks all for the wise words. *Private party outdoors, socially distanced and within the guidelines. **That happens.

OK - here's one of my recent lightweight builds. Built for my sister-in-law at 25" scale length and 5lbs 3oz total weight. Amboyna top, oak back (from her late mother's mantlepiece), maple/purpleheart/mahogany neck :

Put it all back together, polished it up and it plays just fine. What a bargain

I don't think I've posted here before - I'm a member of basschat.co.uk, but after playing bass for decades, lately I've been singing and playing mandolin and octave mandolin. I don't actually play guitar, though I have a couple of guitar-shaped objects in my collection - an acoustic guitar bodied octave mandolin, and earlier this year a local guitar builder converted a copy of a Gibson SG to mandolin for me. I'm currently working towards a Rock School grade 2 acoustic guitar exam... with a mandolin!

Six months ago I bought my Hohner acoustic guitar when I decided it was about time I started to play again, I then purchased an Epiphone Gibson Les Paul Studio 2. This week my wife brought home an acoustic classical guitar that was going to be sent to the tip. I soon realised that it's previous owner had restrung it incorrectly with the strings fitted in the wrong order, there is also a little damage to it but I figured for the price of a set of strings it was worth messing about with. Three days on and aside from the new strings taking a while to stretch its not a bad little thing to mess about with, and I have been trying a few of the easy classical pieces that I used to play. All very basic stuff ( probably aimed at primary school leve) but I am enjoying it!

And...it's finished!!!! The 'last few jobs' always turn out to be a 'myriad of final jobs. Anyway, all sorted. I'm passing it across to Alex tomorrow - I will try and get him to do a bit of recording at one of their band practices but, in the meantime, you'll have to trust me when I say it sounds great . Although it is just a small wiring change and no hardware change, I've opted NOT to go for the P-rails standard wiring system which gives: Full series humbucker; parallel humbucker; P90; Rails. I've used that system in a number of my own gigging guitars and I found that: - the fact that both pickups are always in the same configuration for the four options is actually, ironically, quite limiting. I was always hankering for, such as, 'neck pickup full series humbuck for the depth, mixed with bridge pickup in split coil mode to add a bit of extra treble and dispel any muddiness' and similar - I also never, in practice, used the rails by themselves...not enough ooomph - and I never, in practice, used the humbuckers in parallel...not enough depth I talked that through with Alex and, for kickoff, we decided to have a standard split coil option for both pickups where the operating coil in each case was the P90. So he can go full series humbucker with 3 way options, P90 with 3 way options and one (either) pickup P90 and the other series humbucker. It's a 30 minute job to change the wiring to the 'P-rail standard' options if he wants to try that in the future. Anyway, here are some of the arty-farty finished pics: Thanks again for watching this develop and your kind remarks along the way

Hello all, Long time BassChatter, first time GuitarChatter. I am currently in the process of a proof of concept guitar…an electric resonator. Here’s the initial design and parts and woods I’m going to be using; Specs will be; 1 piece walnut body Roasted Maple neck hipshot tuners biscuit bridge Monty’s Firebird neck pickup Cream double binding I hope some of you will be interested in seeing this come together.

And she’s done! Strung with D’Addario 12-56. Just need to let the settle in and then add the dots to cover the bolts. It sounds lovely acoustic and plugged in.

Is that what's meant by 'air guitar'..?

Your wish etc...

More on the Green Death soon... I've been a bit distracted by another project

It just wouldn't be right not to ask this...

I like Larry Carlton

Thinking that I ought to have a hollow bodied guitar for jazz I bought a Streamliner and have indeed given that Bigsby a wobble from time to time despite it being considered inappropriate within the genre.

To better appreciate this event, I would refer you to a previous post here, where the 'back story' is quite fully related, so doesn't need repeating here. Skip it if you're in a hurry, but you'll be missing out. Soooooo... I've just, in the past few days, taken delivery of a new (to me, but not quite...) guitar that has been on my 'bucket list' for over half a century. A fellow member of our sister site (Basschat...) passed me a link to a site where this quite rare guitar was for sale, in Sweden. After looking up my finances (it was not cheap...), I contacted the Seller I 'bit the bullet', and, after some tractation over acquisition of a hard case for shipping, it finally arrived, safe and sound, snuggling up nicely in a brand new case. 'OK', I hear you ask, 'but what guitar is it..?' You'll have guessed if you'd read the post in the link above; it's a Hofner President Thinline E2 Florentine, from the late '60s, the same model that I foolishly 'let go' in my stoopid youth. Yippee..! Here's the photos I hastily took as it arrived... Pleased..? You betcha; pleased as Punch. I'm now struggling to get back to where I was, all those decades ago, trying to play a chord-melody version of 'Misty'. By a horrible coincidence, I had trimmed my nails, on both hands, and will have to wait a while before playing that way, as I have done since year 'dot', with only fingers, so I'm struggling at the same time with the use of a plectrum. It's all good, though, albeit extremely slow going. I have a Chromebook for displaying a Pdf of the version I'm using (from a Sandy Sherman YouTube video; just about the best and most accessible I've seen...), but as soon as I think I've assimilated a few bars, I turn the page to continue, but have forgotten it when I turn back again. I'm using my usual method of learning the 'outro' first, so that I'll be working into 'known' territory as I move forward, but, for now (it's been only a few days, but...) I'm finding it quite a job remembering only these dozen or so bars. It'll come (it has to..!), and I find the neck of this guitar to be exactly fitted to how I play (perhaps 'muscle memory' from all that time ago, when I learnt on that first President...). Anyway, enough rambling; back to the Chromebook for another session. I'll see about better pictures if/when the weather picks up, for outdoors lighting. Bye for now... Douglas

It seems to have been a bit quiet on GC of late. I know it’s still early days, but I though I’d start a thread that could be added to once a week (at least). Therefore, I am instigating Tele Tuesday. Post any photos that you like of T types that have caught your eye, or one’s that own (they don’t need to be from the big F, just be Tele like in their appearance). I’m going to kick it off with this Mesinger Maverick that I saw today (this makes my wallet itchy).

Son(16) is a fan of King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard. Cheap Squier Bullet Strat from Cash Converters and a Most-Marvelous Inter-Fret Job by @Andyjr1515 fella who sits (slumps!) at the bar in the BassChat Arms... (Blah! Blah! and Pics in a BassChat Tech&Repair post) https://www.basschat.co.uk/topic/496955-microtonal-fretting-microwhat-but-sorry-not-on-a-bass/?do=findComment&comment=5264843 When 12TET and 20 or so frets just arn't enough... go 24TET and over 40 frets to play with!

Just about finished my telecaster build from parts. Waiting on a jack plate one i bought was wrong size. I will no doubt fiddle with intonation feels sounds ok atm, neck relief is set at the heel so will play around and then make adjustments when i change strings. Bridge sitting high but action is low. Pickups are Custom shop Texas Special Switch gear and bots, pick guard from Axesrus Body and neck i bought from ebay Fender tuners, fender neck plate. Wd Bridge (pretty sure its WD) I chucked some Slinkys on it. Messing around with a bit of rhythm "sympathy for the devil" and i like it, twang and then some. Will see how it bends and stuff later.

Thanks everybody for your answers and contributions. Made some interesting reading, and some great model photos. Just before Christmas, I privately bought a Marshall amp. The owner asked if I would also take his old black and white Strat off his hands too for a meagre £30.... It was an exact double of the one in my original post with identical headstock and weight. Well...you can guess the rest! Cheers again for all of your input.

I've recently bought a HB PB50 bass. I rolled the fingerboard edges and gigged it last week. £105. unbelievable

And here it is!!! Set up is lovely, and it was practically in tune (I will have to get used to the locking tuners). Frets feel like a tiny polish on top needed, but playing in will deal with that. Neck is gorgeous, and I love the firemist colour. Either a very, very almost imperceptibly tiny ding on the headstock, or a miniscule imperfection on the headstock finish, but that's the sort of thing it'd get in a few days' use with me, so.... Overall, a stunning piece. The gig bag is surprising good, much higher quality than I expected, and the 25th logo inside it is a nice touch. Highly recommended. I still hope they do 5his soec in the CC colours going forward, as a DLX model.

I am selling this wonderful Martin OM 42 with Koa wood back and sides. Immaculate condition amazing sound and looks fantastic. This is collect only.

I believe it's a First Act Delia. Reminds me a bit of a Hofner Verithin (sp?).

I cut the top ebony around the pencilled line of the fretboard end which allowed me to lay the fretboard on the angled neck and position the top. I drilled a couple of positioning holes in the middle of the pickup positions which, with the addition a couple of kebab sticks will stop the top from floating around as it's being clamped when the glue is applied: That meant I could check that the neck angle is going to be correct for the height of a standard tune-o-matic roller bridge: And so what about the end of the fretboard that is hanging in mid air? Well, of course the offcut from the neck blank when I cut the neck angle in the first place is going to be the correct angle. So I will be able to cut a short ramp from this (ignore the odd shaped headstock in the background - that's not connected with this project ) I will also be adding a demarcation stripe of maple between the alder and ebony: And so, with the kebab sticks positioning everything until the clamps were all on and then removed before the glue set, the clamps can now go on! :

This is going to be a through-neck and so the first thing to do is, generally, to sort the neck. 'Sort' means choose the timbers, assemble the laminates, incorporate the neck angle into the blank, calculate the headstock angle, calculate the body depth and the neck depth... ...but you can't calculate the neck depth until you know exactly what the fretboard thickness is. So, actually, that's where I started - by radiusing the ebony fretboard blank using the excellent G&W router jig: Then fifteen minutes sanding with a sanding block removes the router marks: So now I can do all the neck calcs and cut the maple/ebony/maple blank: The neck angle is around 3 degrees, starting from where the top body 'horn' meets the neck, and I generally opt for a 10 degree headstock angle.

Please accept my sincere and humble apologies! To make up for my schoolboy error, please accept 2 for the price of 1, the Epiphone and the Hohner acoustic I bought back in February. Now I am shopping for an amp, as per my post elsewhere on the forum.

Thought I’d add some full length photos and the headstock.

15 years after getting my Martin parlour, which is in the first post of this thread, and 3 years after saying in that post I’d get it restored, I finally did and just got it back The out of place full size bridge was replaced with the proper smaller pyramid style - it’s a bit scarred now because of that, but it is over 180 years old so I can live with that! To make it look less scarred would have compromised the original finish, rosette and vibe. It’s also got new tuners, cracks were fixed, and the back was French polished. Feel blessed to be a custodian of this one. Would love to know it’s stories.

So I got a chance to get this stung up and wow what a difference. It’s been really interesting hearing it before and after I drilled the holes in the well. Before it sounded a little muted or muffled and like it was being choked, or struggling, but now sounds a lot more open. I wouldn’t say it gave it more bass response, but certainly made it sound more controlled. It was also very heavy in the lower mids but the holes have created a little more clarity in the top end, so overall a lot more balanced.

Neck carving and finalising the transition on the heel. Going for the acoustic look but of course bolt on.

Well, more or less done apart from the knobs not being right. It's so nice being able to play it again. It just feels right in my hands. The neck is perfect for me. Sounds nice and fat as it always did. It's not the lightest guitar but one I won't part with as it was my first electric. Not bad for a 50 year old axe.

Hi All, Patrick from Up North. Been with Basschat for years. Been getting more into guitar, still finding my way with those 2 extra stings. A few of my toys. In the process of rehashing my board having just got the G3 Atom and Chase Bliss Preamp, any help or suggestions welcomed.

No worries, it is a bit bilious. From what I can work out, they only did a roasted maple neck in the SE range in this colour so it’s not like I had any other options - but fortunately, I don’t give a stuff about the colour, it’s just a dream to play.

Annnnd rest.

Hey one and all. I own SC Guitars and we have an exclusive license to sell Shijie here in the UK. I would be happy to answer any questions. You can email me [email protected] any time. Cheers, Gregg.

Only ones i have at the moment, probably dont do it justice.

Santa was very kind this year and brought me this little beauty.... I’ve not yet had chance to try all the pickup permutations but first impressions suggest that this is a very versatile guitar - and the main thing is that it can still do the “PRS” sound. I am a lucky boy* *As I am sure Santa will quite rightly remind me whenever someone has need of a new pair of shoes.

I've spent an eternity playing with finishes, getting there slowly, I hope to assemble it next week.

I agree with Dad3353, control and quality of playing is more important than speed. So yeah, slow it down, work on your notes, get control of the piece and then play slightly faster until you make mistakes. Once you make a mistake, stick at that speed for a while until you get control again.

Sorry the placards didn't register when I read the post. Here's my new pride and joy well chuffed with it.

I saw Segovia at the Festival Hall in the early ‘80s. He shambled onto to the stage and I prepared myself for a distinctly dodgy performance by a man well past his prime. Once seated, the years dropped away from the great man and he ripped the living out of his guitar. Needless to say, I was suitably humbled.

True story: I owned a plectrum for about ten years before I owned a guitar!

I have one of these Godin 5th Avenue jazz guitars incoming in about a month but without the fancy maple top. I've found a company here who claims to ghost build them and Godin make some great kit.

Hi guys I'm new here, I've recently been making a series on YouTube about guitars and would love some feedback and advice if possible