Walnut Hollowbody Build

[Elias Graves]

Quoted for new page.


Check this out. Remember earlier when I talked about that the wood doesn't always ebonize the same? Here's a good visual. This is the back side of the control plate flange. Compare its color to that of the surrounding wood. It's ok here, as there's not gonna be a way to see this without an inspection mirror.

The other side is nice and dark.

Ok, the whole lot of it is quoted for the new page.

 

[jelloman]

I wouldn't set the top until I had pickups...

Reason one is simple housekeeping...you're going to end up with dust inside the body with no way to clean it out...it could foul the pots...

Reason 2 is ease of sawing/drilling...

Reason 3? Why take the chance?

 

[Elias Graves]

I like your thinking.

 

[jelloman]

Thanks...

One thing for sure...you're not going to have any warping issues...

 

[Elias Graves]

Thanks...

One thing for sure...you're not going to have any warping issues...

I better not!

Speaking of which...
As a pup I was told if you don't finish the underside of the table, it will warp because of uneven moisture absorption.
I wondered why this didn't apply to guitars, with the insides being raw the way they are.
Despite my efforts, I found no good reason to avoid finishing the inside, so I am going to do so.

First, a bath of danish oil.

 

[jelloman]

The rug rats usually don't spill their juice UNDER the table...

 

[jelloman]

Now that I think about it...my father used to spray the sealer coat of lacquer on the inside of the cabinets...and he sprayed top coats on both sides of the doors...

...huh...

 

[Elias Graves]

Yup. With one face open and one sealed, it'll warp when humidity changes.

 

[Elias Graves]

I have three candidates for bridge block. Which one do you like?
Front to back:
Medium size basswood
Large pine
Small walnut

 

[Elias Graves]

A couple of more
Front is medium walnut
Back is large walnut

 

[jelloman]

Definitely not the pine or basswood...preferably not the poplar...

...so what does that leave?

 

[Elias Graves]

Definitely not the pine or basswood...preferably not the poplar...

...so what does that leave?

No poplar.
Walnut.
I also have maple. Will have to look at the maple. Most of what I have is 3/4"x3/4"x18". I'd have to build a little structure out of them or stack them. Hey, like blocks!
And plywood. I have plywood.

 

[jelloman]

Oh...I thought I saw poplar...eithe maple or walnut...probably doesn't need to be very large...

 

[Elias Graves]

Ooh. I found a piece of maple.
Flamey, too. So it looks good under the bridge, ya know.

 

[Elias Graves]

Here's the plan.

 

[Elias Graves]

I think I'm ready to install the neck. Trying to decide if there's any reason to wait.

 

[Peeker]

give 'er!

 

[Elias Graves]

No turning back now!

 

[Peeker]

SWEET!

 

[Elias Graves]

I'm nervous as hell.

But, next up to fabricate the splint for the inside of the top.
I'm searching to see what I have. There should be a piece of thin 2.5" wide mahogany somewhere.

Don't think this needs to be very thick. 1/8" at most.

Have decided on the bridge brace that I'm not going to choose right now. I can feed those blocks in and out of the body through my convenient access port.
I'll just slide the different ones in and out and see how much difference they make.