What the hell am I going to do with this thing?
- Thread starter mayfly
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rockandroller
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Are you going to use an actual Rickenbacker-style bridge and tailpiece setup? Everything you do with the neck joint should be based on the height of that incoming bridge...
stratamania
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Ah, decisions. I am sure you will sort it out.
mayfly
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OK! I did some investigation and Guitar Fetish makes a pile of rick-type pickups. They are 1/2" high, so with some calculations I determined the appropriate height of the fingerboard off the body. From that I calculated how much to cut off from the neck heel:
I'm thinking I'll cut the heel first, then notch the top once I make sure the geometry works. Now how to cut that heel! A band saw or a table saw would be the perfect solution, but I don't have either. I thought about using a router, but that would require some fancy-ass jig because of the strange geometry. Currently I'm thinking I'll cut it with a Japanese hand saw. Now, I'm not that great with the saw, so I need some kind of guide to make sure I don't go overboard. I'm exploring aluminum L-brackets double sided taped to it on either side...
I'm thinking I'll cut the heel first, then notch the top once I make sure the geometry works. Now how to cut that heel! A band saw or a table saw would be the perfect solution, but I don't have either. I thought about using a router, but that would require some fancy-ass jig because of the strange geometry. Currently I'm thinking I'll cut it with a Japanese hand saw. Now, I'm not that great with the saw, so I need some kind of guide to make sure I don't go overboard. I'm exploring aluminum L-brackets double sided taped to it on either side...
Hodgo
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Filler and paint make me the carpenter I ain’t!
Spud
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Putty's your buddy!
mayfly
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Update time. I had some time on vacation to think about this little problem, and during that time I remembered something about a drill press mounted planer. Specifically this thing:
So despite the trade mashup, I ordered one. While I was waiting, I came up with a jig to hold the neck the way I wanted:
The vice ensures that the work is parallel to the cutter, and the elastic arrangement at the headstock end allows tilt adjustment.
The arrangement actually worked!
I started out making quite large cuts, but then settled down to very fine increments. I did this by leaving the drill press table where it was and adding old business cards under the neck to bring it up a c*nt hair or two. I stopped early to give myself some breathing room; the result is very very nice:
Onward!
So despite the trade mashup, I ordered one. While I was waiting, I came up with a jig to hold the neck the way I wanted:
The vice ensures that the work is parallel to the cutter, and the elastic arrangement at the headstock end allows tilt adjustment.
The arrangement actually worked!
I started out making quite large cuts, but then settled down to very fine increments. I did this by leaving the drill press table where it was and adding old business cards under the neck to bring it up a c*nt hair or two. I stopped early to give myself some breathing room; the result is very very nice:
Onward!
mayfly
Epic Member
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- 9,106
Update: Testing scale length to make sure I'm not way off.
Like that tailpiece?
Headstock looks a little Phat. Or maybe it's those huge gotoh 510s that are on there (that I just happened to have lying around).
Better too Phat than too Phin....
Body to neck joint looks pretty good. The little crack is just in the finish.... I hope....
Like my bridge? Nut is almost as good...
Like that tailpiece?
Headstock looks a little Phat. Or maybe it's those huge gotoh 510s that are on there (that I just happened to have lying around).
Better too Phat than too Phin....
Body to neck joint looks pretty good. The little crack is just in the finish.... I hope....
Like my bridge? Nut is almost as good...
TonyFlyingSquirrel
Master Member
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- 4,645
Update time. I had some time on vacation to think about this little problem, and during that time I remembered something about a drill press mounted planer. Specifically this thing:
So despite the trade mashup, I ordered one. While I was waiting, I came up with a jig to hold the neck the way I wanted:
View attachment 66267
The vice ensures that the work is parallel to the cutter, and the elastic arrangement at the headstock end allows tilt adjustment.
View attachment 66268
The arrangement actually worked!
View attachment 66269
I started out making quite large cuts, but then settled down to very fine increments. I did this by leaving the drill press table where it was and adding old business cards under the neck to bring it up a c*nt hair or two. I stopped early to give myself some breathing room; the result is very very nice:
View attachment 66270
Onward!
This is the way!
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