Les Paul gets a neck

I thicknessed one of my pieces of sycamore today, and with the bandsaw cut out three neck profiles (and a couple of 'ears' for the peghead). I glued them together with Extramite glue and clamped them up with loads of clamps. The cloth is there to catch the glue that is squeezed out. I'm a bit concerned about potential twisting (the sections of wood are not truly flat- or quarter-sawn) so I will probably fit some carbon fibre as well as the truss rod.

Finished (almost)

I did quite a lot last weekend and made the truss rod cover and a bridge out of an offcut of ebony from the fretboard. I tried a new design for the bridge, and I'm pretty happy with the result.

I fitted the metalwork (tuners and tailpiece) and put the strings in place. I am delighted with the tone, it has more sustain that the smaller mandolin, but still has that mandolin 'ring'. The fretboard seems huge compared with its smaller cousin, and needs a much more active left hand.

Once it has settleed down, and the strings hold their pitch for more than half an hour I will need to refit the bridge and lower the action a little bit.

I can now concentrate on the Les Paul, but already my mind is wandering to the cittern, gittern and the next two mandolins after that...




Here is a close up of the bridge. It has a bone saddle which is at a slant to compensate for the changes in pitch as the strings are pressed down onto the frets.

This is the back - the walnut has taken the finish nicely.

Starting to finish

The octave has had a couple of coats of of Tru-oil now. It will take a few more coats until the grain if filled and the surface is really smooth.

Routing out

The Les Paul body weighs a little less now as I have completed routing out the cavities for the electronics and the 'weight loss' chambers.

I have also made a little spacer piece so that my Allen tailpiece fits a bit better to the octave mandolin.

The flash has exagerated the contrast between the colours (walnut and macassar ebony) a bit. The tailpiece has a radius of about 24cm, whereas the bottom of the mandolin is nearly flat.

Les Paul gets a body

A busy weekend with loads of sawdust. I took the great slab of ash and sliced it up then adjusted the thickness with my radial arm saw. I then glued the two halves together and after some further planing I cut out the approximate shape on my bandsaw. I used the template as a guide for the pin router and finished it off with the belt sander. Result.

I have been looking of the web at some of the 'chambering' that Gibson use to hollow out their guitars. My lump of ash still weighs a ton and would benefit from a bit of a diet.

More Wood

I collected some wood from Goulden Hardwoods today, for the Les Paul. Some ash for the body, and sycamore for the neck. I was also tempted by a lovely piece of walnut (back and/or sides for a mandolin) and some cherry (I don't know where this will end up). Here it is in the back of the car with the body and neck templates on the top of the pile.

Tailpiece

I've just ordered one of these...

What's left to do

I found time today to fit the last of the frets on the octave mandola. It's now pretty much ready to apply the oil finish (just some slots to cut in the nut first). After that, all that remains is to make a bridge, and fit the hardware.

I also made a braiding wheel today - a copy of the one my sister has. Its made from a piece of santos rosewood and seems to work quite well!

Finally, I'm hoping to pick up some wood for the Les Paul on Wednesday - exciting stuff...

Ready to nut and fret

I have glued on the fretboard and shaped the neck to fit. After a bit of filling in gaps (I decided I don't like superglue after all - back to good old araldite) the woodwork is pretty much finished. I now need to make the nut, fit the remaining frets and make a bridge. Also, I have decided, in the end, to buy a metal (cast) tailpiece as I'w worried about the force from the eight strings breaking any wooden one. On the left is the the instrument as it stands:

Dots

The fretboard shim has been glued in and I have fitted the position dots into the fretboard. I got these from Small Wonder Music, and they were excellent value. I have also fitted the last eight frets - these will end up over the soundboard, and tapping them in might cause problems if I fit them after the fretboard is glued in place (I learnt this on the last mandolin). I glued the dots in with superglue and used 'kicker' to set it hard - is seemed to work well.

I also made a start on the Les Paul

- only making a body template, but it's a start!

It's been ages...

...since the last post. The octave now has bindings fitted, top and bottom. I experimented by gluing the bottom set in with superglue, but although it meant I could get on the scraping and sanding straight away, I think I prefer the slower setting 'Extramite' glue. I have also made the fretboard shim so everything's ready to glue on the fretboard itself and finish the neck.

I've also been looking through the plans for the Les Paul copy that I have promised to make for my older son's 21st birthday. I had better get started soon as there's only a year to go...

I'm still in business

Just a quick post to say that the octave mandola is still moving along, I simply haven't had time to write any updates (well, I was probably too lazy). I have added some binding to the top, and cut the 'groove' for the binding on the back. I have also made the fretboard, but I won't fit this until all the binding is finished. Finally I've been to Halfords and bought some stainless steel brake cable. I'm going to use this to attach the tailpiece, 'cello-style - I have no idea if this will work!

Time is ticking on now, and I really need to get started on the guitar in August, as it will be one year from my older son's 21st birthday, and he might end up with no present...

Sticking the lid on

It's really starting to look the part. I stuck in my label, gave the inside a coat of varnish and then glued the front on with extramite adhesive. The back and front overlap the sides, so the next job will be to trim these flush, prior to fitting some binding.

Lots of pegs

Here is the obligatory picture of a host of clothes pegs - in this case affixing the lining. After this the front goes on, so I will have to remember to stick in my maker's label. I also glued the back of the cittern today, with its stripe down the middle.

Cittern neck

This generated a great deal of sawdust, but it's looking quite good. The peghead is longer then the octave mandola to accommodate the ten tuning machines, and the neck is wider to give room for the five sets of strings. The fretboard is going to have a slight radius (30cm) to make this wider neck more comfortable. The strips in the fromt of the picture are the pine linings ready to be bent (these should do both instruments if I don't snap them during the heat bending).

Heel Cap

It was a bit fiddly, but I decided to fit a heel cap to the octave mandola as the walnut back wasn't quite big enough. I made this from some of the macassar ebony that I'm using for the fretboard and peghead veneer. I also fitted the truss rod to the cittern neck.

Starting to look like an instrument

I love this moment. I cut out the slots in the neck to accept the ribs and, for the first time I could see the shape and size that the instrument will have when its finished. After a few moments imagining the completed octave mandola, I glued it with araldite and left it to set.

I have also ordered the wood for the back of the cittern - once it arrives I'll have everything I need to finish both the Octave Mandola and the Cittern.

Two Necks

I've been busy over the Easter weekend and have made progress on the necks of the 'octave' and the cittern. I have made and fitted the ebony peghead veneer - the Macassar ebony is lovely to work with and the grain is more interesting that the plain black ebony. On the cittern neck (sycamore) I have put in the centre stripe of three layers of veneer and marked up to start fitting the trussrod. I have also been shopping and bought the tuners and fretwire from Stew Mac in the USA.

More Supplies

I finally decided to go with Macassar Ebony for the fretboard and peghead on the octave mandola, and I've bought a couple of bits on e-bay. I have also decided to try and make an ebony tailpiece, along the design of those used on violins and cellos.

neck and body

Things are starting to move on a bit now. I'm just about to glue the back on, and I've shaped the neck. I now need to order the wood for the fretboard and peg head (and maybe tailpiece). I was going to use Madagascar ebony, but I might try kingwood.