Search found 95 matches

by John Catto
Mon Jan 30, 2017 12:41 pm
Forum: Solid-Body and Chambered or Semi-Solid Electric Guitars and Bass Guitars
Topic: whammy bridge under 3/8" for carved top?
Replies: 8
Views: 8958

Re: whammy bridge under 3/8" for carved top?

Pretty obvious but Fender style and all derivations. Anything else requires more height to guarantee string pressure so will be a bodge. Just double checked my Les Pauls and other tune-o-matic type guitars are set up with the bridge "almost" bottoming out on the body, very low compared to ...
by John Catto
Thu Nov 05, 2015 10:08 am
Forum: Solid-Body and Chambered or Semi-Solid Electric Guitars and Bass Guitars
Topic: Checkerboard Binding
Replies: 25
Views: 24208

Re: Checkerboard Binding

I put it on a guitar which isn't quite finished right now. It's fibre so its a VERY pale ivory shade. Not bright white but really pale. Incredibly easy to work with since it's very flexible, nothing like using the hard wood variety (which I'd have to soak for 15 minutes in hot water, no more it fall...
by John Catto
Tue Sep 29, 2015 10:03 pm
Forum: Solid-Body and Chambered or Semi-Solid Electric Guitars and Bass Guitars
Topic: Separate bridge pieces for 6 string
Replies: 9
Views: 9004

Re: Separate bridge pieces for 6 string

ABM Part 3210 available from lots of different dealers (including ABM themselves)

http://www.thomann.de/gb/abm_3210c_sing ... bridge.htm
by John Catto
Wed Jan 28, 2015 11:08 am
Forum: Solid-Body and Chambered or Semi-Solid Electric Guitars and Bass Guitars
Topic: figured top strat
Replies: 19
Views: 12702

Re: figured top strat

Really Nice!! took a moment to realise there isn't really a pickguard but rather an outline inlay (maybe not the right word). Those Lawrence pickups are fantastic as well.
by John Catto
Mon Jan 26, 2015 10:33 am
Forum: Solid-Body and Chambered or Semi-Solid Electric Guitars and Bass Guitars
Topic: Myrtlewood "Equator" Build by Chad McCormack
Replies: 26
Views: 18769

Re: Myrtlewood "Equator" Build by Chad McCormack

ah, just realised it's an inlay. Well looks great! I really like the fact that the centre of gravity is quite far back on this. To me that's a really desirable design trait for a guitar making the neck sit "closer" to you.
by John Catto
Mon Jan 26, 2015 8:14 am
Forum: Solid-Body and Chambered or Semi-Solid Electric Guitars and Bass Guitars
Topic: Myrtlewood "Equator" Build by Chad McCormack
Replies: 26
Views: 18769

Re: Myrtlewood "Equator" Build by Chad McCormack

Jason Rodgers wrote:So, do tell! What happened that you needed the fancy cover-up plate between the pickups? I think it's just screaming for a third pickup!
I believe that's the neck tenon
by John Catto
Sun Jan 18, 2015 2:27 pm
Forum: Solid-Body and Chambered or Semi-Solid Electric Guitars and Bass Guitars
Topic: Birch topped singlecut with etched brass "Victorian" hardware 2015
Replies: 18
Views: 20732

Re: Birch topped singlecut with etched brass "Victorian" hardware 2015

The metal is acid etched. When I was getting quotes I enquired whether the tech had changed much since my last pass through with doing this sort of stuff. Laser engraving on metal doesn't do much more than burn a picture onto the metal so that was out. CNC cutter engraving had all kinds of restricti...
by John Catto
Sun Jan 18, 2015 2:02 pm
Forum: Solid-Body and Chambered or Semi-Solid Electric Guitars and Bass Guitars
Topic: Birch topped singlecut with etched brass "Victorian" hardware 2015
Replies: 18
Views: 20732

Re: Birch topped singlecut with etched brass "Victorian" hardware 2015

Thanks! The bridge is fairly stock if the year is 1978, quite a few people did them then. Stock they came with square ends and may or may not be a 12" radius, they were made by Stars Guitars (the original or maybe early Alembic), Schecter, Dimarzio Mighty Mite etc. They were made as an ABR1 rep...
by John Catto
Sun Jan 18, 2015 12:43 pm
Forum: Solid-Body and Chambered or Semi-Solid Electric Guitars and Bass Guitars
Topic: Birch topped singlecut with etched brass "Victorian" hardware 2015
Replies: 18
Views: 20732

Re: Birch topped singlecut with etched brass "Victorian" hardware 2015

Here's how the parts went off to be etched (but as a Illustrator eps file). As you can see I had a few duplicates in case of user cock-up and a bunch of variations especially regarding the switch ring, I'm still bouncing back and forth on the diamond shaped ones. There's also a 52 (p-bass) style con...
by John Catto
Sun Jan 18, 2015 12:42 pm
Forum: Solid-Body and Chambered or Semi-Solid Electric Guitars and Bass Guitars
Topic: Birch topped singlecut with etched brass "Victorian" hardware 2015
Replies: 18
Views: 20732

Re: Birch topped singlecut with etched brass "Victorian" hardware 2015

With something like this it can't happen at all without hi-res artwork. I do everything in Illustrator and supplied all the artwork for the etched parts ready to run.
by John Catto
Sun Jan 18, 2015 12:40 pm
Forum: Solid-Body and Chambered or Semi-Solid Electric Guitars and Bass Guitars
Topic: Birch topped singlecut with etched brass "Victorian" hardware 2015
Replies: 18
Views: 20732

Birch topped singlecut with etched brass "Victorian" hardware 2015

Something new finally! And also something old given I've had the woodwork for this rattling around for YEARS. The top is flamed/burl/spalted birch on Mahogany body & neck. Ebony board (25" scale with banjo inlay). Tons of totally over the top etched brass parts on this. I must remember to s...
by John Catto
Sat Jan 17, 2015 12:09 am
Forum: String Instrument Repair: Practical and Political Issues
Topic: Adding a fret to the end of a fingerboard
Replies: 4
Views: 5449

Re: Adding a fret to the end of a fingerboard

I've done this to extend a board that was a bit short. Basically I cut a shelf at the last fret and glued a new section on the end. At the joint point where the original last fret was I epoxied the fret in rather than hammering it.
Board-Extension.jpg
Board-Extension.jpg (10.57 KiB) Viewed 5237 times
by John Catto
Wed Apr 30, 2014 11:12 pm
Forum: Solid-Body and Chambered or Semi-Solid Electric Guitars and Bass Guitars
Topic: Nymph electric guitar
Replies: 12
Views: 9442

Re: Nymph electric guitar

Love this, VERY stylish!! Out of curiosity, how's the bridge cover held on?
by John Catto
Thu Apr 17, 2014 1:11 pm
Forum: Solid-Body and Chambered or Semi-Solid Electric Guitars and Bass Guitars
Topic: HORRIBLE neck joint :/, did i f* up so bad? (again)
Replies: 18
Views: 12489

Re: HORRIBLE neck joint :/, did i f* up so bad? (again)

Ah, that's a job that I typically use double sided tape for, it's tricky to clamp. On a Les Paul style you do it after the carve since the neck angle is introduced there. Angled cuts on flat bodies are always tricky, (in a ideal world) I think I would cut the neck pocket prior to doing the pickups a...
by John Catto
Thu Apr 17, 2014 7:02 am
Forum: Solid-Body and Chambered or Semi-Solid Electric Guitars and Bass Guitars
Topic: HORRIBLE neck joint :/, did i f* up so bad? (again)
Replies: 18
Views: 12489

Re: HORRIBLE neck joint :/, did i f* up so bad? (again)

I have another possible idea, if you enlarge the pocket and add the neck wood (which is much darker) to the neck heel to fit the new pocket (After you straightened that edge) it might be easier to hide the repair as it would appear the heel of the neck was just a bit larger than the fret board. I t...
by John Catto
Tue Apr 08, 2014 4:26 am
Forum: Solid-Body and Chambered or Semi-Solid Electric Guitars and Bass Guitars
Topic: Bridge Location Question
Replies: 7
Views: 5343

Re: Bridge Location Question

Double the nut to 12th fret distance. Locate the bridge so the saddle for the lightest string is as far forward as it will comfortably go. If you locate the saddle in the middle you may not have enough travel to intonate the bass strings. In practice you only ADD compensation as the core of the str...
by John Catto
Mon Apr 07, 2014 7:46 am
Forum: Solid-Body and Chambered or Semi-Solid Electric Guitars and Bass Guitars
Topic: Real quick question.
Replies: 3
Views: 2611

Re: Real quick question.

Yes, piece of wood/MDF. cut to the outline of the body shape works best. Usually you'd use the template used to cut the body out.
by John Catto
Fri Apr 04, 2014 2:15 pm
Forum: Solid-Body and Chambered or Semi-Solid Electric Guitars and Bass Guitars
Topic: Bridge Location Question
Replies: 7
Views: 5343

Re: Bridge Location Question

Double the nut to 12th fret distance. Locate the bridge so the saddle for the lightest string is as far forward as it will comfortably go. If you locate the saddle in the middle you may not have enough travel to intonate the bass strings. In practice you only ADD compensation as the core of the stri...

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