Oldscruggsfan
Well-known member
This is fascinating and wonderfully depicted. Thank you!
Building a dreadnaught guitar
- Thread starter DownUpDave
- Start date
OP
OP
You know what is really easy to do, install a sound board transducer pick up when the top is seperate. It gets glued in place with thick CA and goes directly under the saddle. We had to figure that location precisely, which isn't as easy as with a fully assembled guitar. Luis did the math I pretended to know what I was doing.
I bought an Ultra Tonic V3.2 passive pick up (no battery) from James May Engineering. I have heard great things about his pick ups. He use to make them with the 3 disc like the K&K but switched to one solid strip. The big difference is the one large disc that cancels feedback frequencies. Also there are 12 dip switches on the end pin to fine tune the amount of bass output. It comes with a volume wheel as well which I like.
I bought an Ultra Tonic V3.2 passive pick up (no battery) from James May Engineering. I have heard great things about his pick ups. He use to make them with the 3 disc like the K&K but switched to one solid strip. The big difference is the one large disc that cancels feedback frequencies. Also there are 12 dip switches on the end pin to fine tune the amount of bass output. It comes with a volume wheel as well which I like.
Spicysteve
Well-known member
Really excited to hear your thoughts on the pickup after thing s are completed. The description sounds like a very nice, very adjustable pickup. A nice addition to what will be a beautiful guitar.
OP
OP
Thanks Steve, I am looking forward to hearing what it sounds like. Although I don't perform on stage with guitar, just ukulele at open mics, it's always fun to play through my amp at home.
OP
OP
Now that the top and back were braced and ready it was time for the sides. Luis had being teasing and taunting me about the upcoming exercise in potential frustration which is side bending. The rosewood I picked had some nice artsy flowing grain, read not straight. Coupled with the stuff being very hard and dense Luis figured it might be a challenge, especially for my very attempt.
The bending is done be spritzing the side with water and holding it up against the Bending Iron (see picture). Keep moving it so it does not burn, it did a little, and as you feel it soften you push on it to get it to bend. With the mold on the table you keep checking as you progress through each curve. It is an exercise in patience. Throughout this whole build Luis would explain it to me, show me how then it was up to me to do it. If I ran into big problems he would be there to help out. I got both sides bent, cut to length and glued up and clamped in the mold. I also cut shaped and fitted the neck and tail block which had to be installed. It took all day but I didn't break any wood so that was good.
The bending is done be spritzing the side with water and holding it up against the Bending Iron (see picture). Keep moving it so it does not burn, it did a little, and as you feel it soften you push on it to get it to bend. With the mold on the table you keep checking as you progress through each curve. It is an exercise in patience. Throughout this whole build Luis would explain it to me, show me how then it was up to me to do it. If I ran into big problems he would be there to help out. I got both sides bent, cut to length and glued up and clamped in the mold. I also cut shaped and fitted the neck and tail block which had to be installed. It took all day but I didn't break any wood so that was good.
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OP
OP
Once the sides are bent and the tail block and neck block are installed it's time to sand the body/sides to exact height and contour. The top is flat but the back has a 15' radius. The body height at the neck block is 3-15/16" at the tail block it's 4-7/8". There is a large sanding platform/board that has a 15' radius carved into it covered with sandpaper. You put the body in the mold place the bottom side on the radius platform and move it back and forth until you have sanded down to your marked heights. The top side is processed the same way but on a flat surface.
Then we glue on the kerfing with white glue and it's held in place with a million clips. We glue the kerfing onto the sides a tiny bit proud then repeat the sanding process again to get the kerfing perfectly flush with the sides.
Then we glue on the kerfing with white glue and it's held in place with a million clips. We glue the kerfing onto the sides a tiny bit proud then repeat the sanding process again to get the kerfing perfectly flush with the sides.
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Spicysteve
Well-known member
Really enjoying the journey. 
Has me fired up to get my Stew Mac Cutaway Tenor kit rolling, the needed supplies and tool list is almost complete.
Has me fired up to get my Stew Mac Cutaway Tenor kit rolling, the needed supplies and tool list is almost complete.
OP
OP
Really enjoying the journey.
That's awesome Steve. What did you pick for top, back and side woods. I have seen the kits and they look very cool. When you get started you will have to do a build thread so we can follow along
OP
OP
It is now read to get glued together and become a box.
Spicysteve
Well-known member
It came with a solid mahogany top, laminated sides and back. I have multiple sets of very nice Spruce and 2 sets of Redwood.
I am really leaning towards the Redwood. The parts of the build that are going to be a challenge for me are thicknessing the top, cutting the sound hole and rosette. I really have a desire to put binding on the top and back but that scares me to death.
A down cutting bit and a proper routing base for my dremel are on my needs list.
Your build has given me the confidence to use my own top and push forward on doing the binding.
OP
OP
Here are pictures of the "box" comng together and the neck being made. That's a piece of Brazilian Rosewood for the headstock veneer. The neck is mahogany, scarf joint headstock joint and a stacked heel.
Would that cause any issues moving or selling later? It'd be a shame for the headstock veneer to be the cause of any trouble.
BTW, your guitar is looking good!
OP
OP
Potentially yes it would cause problems if I was to sell it to someone not living in the same country as me. But that's not going to happen for the obvious reason this is a very special project for me.
Thanks for the compliment I appreciate it and am very pleased with the progress
Rllink
Well-known member
Love it, the guitar and the experience of creating your own guitar. That is going to be a real special guitar for you.
OP
OP
Thanks Rolli, Luis is a fun guy to work with, he has a great positive attitude. I can't wait to string it up and play it.
OP
OP
The fret board is ebony and it is bound in leaopard wood. The fret slots are cut on a table saw with a jig, the radius is sanded on by hand then the fret wires are install. Lastly is the side dots and fret board dots. The completed fretboard is then glued to the neck and we can start carving.
OP
OP
The neck is carved by hand with the use of a spoke shave, rasps, files and sandpaper
Thanks for keeping this thread so up-to-date. It's almost like I'm right there building the guitar!
Since resale isn't a concern, do you plan to put any personalized inlay into the fretbaord (or other personalization on the guitar beyond wood choices)?
Since resale isn't a concern, do you plan to put any personalized inlay into the fretbaord (or other personalization on the guitar beyond wood choices)?
Spicysteve
Well-known member
Again, so enjoying getting to share in the progress. A beautiful piece of Ebony for the fretboard.
Island Jim
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I'm adding my thanks for your work building and documenting the process, it will be a fine guitar!
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