Chestnut electric guitar, first build! (need help ._.)

[Leonardo Silva]

Hello, this is my first post on this forum as well as my first build, I've repaired some instruments and I have as well some years of woodworking experience, some kinda basic tools (?) and a lot of passion, this is what makes me happy , so I'm really excited I'm finally able to build my first guitar ^^, any help, question or opinion on this build will be highly appreciated!

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well, yeah, as you read on the title, my first build and it's chestnut, I'm from Chile and bought some local wood for the body, I will need to travel to the capital of my country to buy wood for the neck X_X

apparently this chestnut is quite dense and bright, my local luthier told me this wood is similar to Ash, I yet to know what awaits me X_x


had to search trough the wood, but find an almost perfect piece, this will be good for two bodies if I want, it's 2.3 inches deep, 8 inches wide, 62 inches long.


got this extra piece wich was useless for the body, still is useful to have this kinda of scrap


here it's me on Photoshop designing the shape


some comparison to classic models, my build was kinda inspired on PRS.


here is it with it's specifications, the top will have a smooth curve, I yet have to know how to make it, I hope the 2.3 inches thick will be enough to make that.

well, now I will start working with the wood and making the blank :p, some questions I would like to make and I hope this forum can help me with.

should I do a template?
a plywood template? a paper one? I hope to copy this model a few times, but I'm still not sure if this exactly shape, I don't know if it will be comfortable or work at all ._.
How should I get the design out of the computer?
I can print it on actual size along with the measurements, like a blueprint, but not sure if this might be the best approach
I'm concerned it's quite heavy and maybe the water content might be too high
how do I know it's really dry?, when I have the body I will try to check on if the body is too heavy or not in the process
has anyone have any experience with chestnut as a tone wood?
some local luthiers in here use it, as well I heard good opinions overall on the internet about it.

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so any advice and help will really be appreciated, I will update this topic with my progress and possible questions on how to proceed, thanks in advance!

[Bob Gramann]

Dry is easy to determine. When you put it into your humidity controlled building room, weigh it. weigh it again every week. When it stops losing weight--it may take a long time for it to stabilize--it has acclimated to your building room. Don't be too eager. Weighing to the nearest gram is probably good enough.

[David King]

Leonardo, Can you make a mockup of the body using styrofoam to check out the comfort and suitability of the design?

Chestnut in the USA was almost all wiped out at the beginning of the last century by a blight. Very few of us have had the opportunity to work with it. It sounds like the Chilean chestnut is a bit harder than what we had here. I'll be interested to see what the wood looks like under the disguise.

[Leonardo Silva]

Update!


holy damn, planning is mi weakness >_>, my plane for some reason is sooo unsharped, according to my dad is just cuz I don't know how to sharpen it ¬¬


close up, yeah, I kinda like it.


This are the pieces I'm gonna work with, it was hard to match them and wasted the chance to use my intial slab for two guitars, but I rather have a perfect slab instead of getting two guitars full of knots, I discover some huge knots on each end of the wood, so I lost some extra valuable inches in, anyway I had enough for one very good blank!

I'm surprised how I could tap the wood and learn every part has a different sound, now that I feel it, yeah, it's still bright, but the right places are quite resonant and have a warm touch, it's still dense as hell, but maybe it's cuz it's 2 1/4 inches fat, hopefully it will have a "normal" weight once finished.

oh, and knots kill the sound SOOO bad, I could tell were a knot was just by tapping it, now that I see that, I don't want any knot near my guitars >_<!


I was using my plane as well as this sanding method to get a good joint, so far, this is the best joint I have done with chunks this size (as you see, I only have a very small plane) but it's still need some work, I draw the surface with strokes and then sand away until all the pencil strokes goes away, probably planing would be more efficient, but damn it's hard to plane for me, so this approach is kinda working, with some extra hours of work I'm sure I can get a half-descent joint.

that's it for today, I hope I can get the master template and the styrofoam test that David asked as well as the blank ready for routing.

edit: oh oh, and apparently the yelowish color are oxidized minerals, after planing the wood it turned more yelowish

[Freeman Keller]

should I do a template?
a plywood template? a paper one? I hope to copy this model a few times, but I'm still not sure if this exactly shape, I don't know if it will be comfortable or work at all ._.
How should I get the design out of the computer?
I can print it on actual size along with the measurements, like a blueprint, but not sure if this might be the best approach
I'm concerned it's quite heavy and maybe the water content might be too high
how do I know it's really dry?, when I have the body I will try to check on if the body is too heavy or not in the process
has anyone have any experience with chestnut as a tone wood?
some local luthiers in here use it, as well I heard good opinions overall on the internet about it.

Leonardo, let me comment on a couple of your questions and make a few humble suggestions. The first suggestion is get a copy of Melvyn Hiscock's book - he discusses a lot of things that will be important during you design and building. In particular, since this looks like a carved top you will need to worry about the neck angle as it relates to the top plane, bridge and pups. You should definitely do a side view and work out those details. Something else you might want to do is get a set of plans for a similar guitar - I would suggest a Les Paul - and modify it for your shape. Lesters are normally built with a set (glued in) neck but there is no reason not to bolt it on.

As far as making templates - I make templates for everything. I use plywood or fiberboard, clear plastic, and metal - occasionally cardboard for a quickie. In your case I would suggest a body shape template that you can use with a router, several cross sectional ones for the shape of your top, one for the neck pocket and pickups, and another for the electronic cavity. Some of these you can buy if you choose a standard shape (LP), the others you will have to make your self. I also make a couple for the back of the neck - that can be taken off of a guitar that you like.

How do you get your design out of the computer? Basically you draw it full size using a CAD (or possibly drawing) program. Then you can export the file to an large printer or plotter. If you make a full scale pdf you should be able to take that to a place that does copies (in the US that would be Kinkos) or to and engineering or architecture business - they should be able to plot it for you. Get several copies so you can cut them up and make templates.

Don't start building until you are absolutely certain that your wood has stabilized at it final water content. Some builders will sticker wood away in their shops for years. Most of us try to hold the RH in our shops at 40 or so percent, likewise we try to keep that RH in our houses after the guitar is built.

Solid body guitars can be quite heavy. If you think yours is going to be too heavy you can consider hollowing some of it out. There are structural considerations as well as how to mount various pieces of hardware - work all that out before you start hogging the insides out.

No experience with chestnut - looks like an interesting wood. Often guitars like this have a cap of the "pretty" wood over a solid body of something like mahogany. Again, Hiscock covers this in his book.

Just for a reference, here is a very long thread when I build my first electric guitar - a conventional Les Paul copy. It might help you avoid some of the pitfalls and show you how someone with limited experience did it. Good luck

http://www.harmonycentral.com/t5/Electr ... p/31808721

[Leonardo Silva]

first, Freeman Keller, thanks a lot for suggesting me that book, I got a copy and is just insane, I'm learning a lot with it.
and David King, thanks for the suggestion, but I must admit I was a stingy side as I used the MDF template to actually know it was pretty much comfortable, with the actual body now I see it will be quite good.

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I'm back, my progress is slow but I'm also on exams period, just today I got free and I can dedicate completely to this project xd


I took over a week to get a perfect joint, I asked for the help of the local luthier to glue the pieces together with titebond, I also had to plane it A LOT, the thickness was close to 2 1/4'' and I had to plane to 1 3/4 so you can guess why I took so long to update this journal, and just using an small plane.


here is my MDF template, it work as it should, I guess...


Also got a template for the pickups/neck joint, the pickup position was kinda tricky, I copied a Les Paul bridge position and the neck position I just tried to make it the closer I could to the neck while having 24 frets, I measured a Les Paul and adapted, since a Les Paul Standard is 24.75'' while my guitar is 25'', the template also have a lot of guidelines and measurements, maybe I can even use it on another proyect or something...


here is the basic shape, the body is a little* smaller (I wasted a lot of wood while doing the joint) so it's along 12'' wide, it's kinda on the heavy side, but It will get lighter as I start carving and routing everything.

I also need to update something about the neck, but I will do a new thread specially for that topic as I want it as a separate discussion.

[David King]

Leonardo,
It looks really good. I think that wood will be quite beautiful once you carve it and put a varnish on it. It's quite unusual looking and that's always a treat when you think you've seen everything.

[Chad McCormack]

Hi Leonardo. Welcome to the addiction! I'm excited to see this one progress...

On a side note, I'm happy to see the MIMF allowing in-progress build threads. That wasn't the way when I built my first guitar and we were on the old site. It's a lot of fun to check in and see how people are getting along with their projects, and especially a first build like this one is a special treat to see unfold. Keep it going, Leonardo!

Oh, and on another side note, I hope that your exam week is going well for you

[Gordon Bellerose]

I would like to welcome you to the forum also, Leonardo.

That is an interesting piece of wood you have there. Should be nice once you have it smooth and finished.

If you are worried about the weight, you can take the body thickness down another 1/8 of an inch, to 1 5/8. I realize that represents A LOT of work for you, but it is one way to reduce weight if you have to.

Always keep your templates. A good template will always be used again.

[Warren May]

Coming along nicely, Leonardo. Hope your exams went well. I have a small postal electronic postal scale that measures up to about 10 pounds or so. Not extremely accurate, I'm sure, but cheap and seems close enough. I use it to measure the weight as things progress and it's interesting to see how much weight changes as you go along. Carving, for example, takes more off than you might think.

[Leonardo Silva]

rotten to the core?



apparently its a fungus and was there way before I bought the wood, I'm not sure how much will it affect, if you watch the rough sawn lumber you will see it was indeed in a very humid enviroment

I'm not sure on which chestnut I'm working with, I can't identify it only with the wood database, this wood actually look different from the samples they got, maybe is a local different species?, If I would have to bet I should go with american chestnut (just because of location)


http://www.wood-database.com/?s=chestnut

and I just don't know, none of the wood database description fits the yellow/pink stripes I see, it looks and even smell like the chestnut fruit, as well as the porous texture and density, it'd certainly from the castanea family, but meh, this is what I love from woodworking, few times you know what you are actually working with xd.



see?, I never had suspected it had some sort of fungus, if you see earlier photos, it can still be seen, but I never realized it until I was sanding it today, only visible on top and back, not in the endgrain.

from now on I will certainly use a mask while sanding, but other than that, should I be concerned structurally/tone-wise/aesthetically about my final product?

[Eric Baack]

I would do more then a basic mask while sanding. I'd consider switching to scrapers and using a respirator type of mask instead. The scrapers will cut down on the dust generated.

[Rob Ficalora]

While new to making musical instruments, I've done a lot of furniture building... I wouldn't worry about the fungus spots. Google spalted chestnut and you'll see how beautiful that fungus can make the wood if it had continued progressing. Once the wood is dried the process stops.

[Leonardo Silva]

and happy new year!, hope you are sharing with your beloved ones as well as me, I spent this morning and afternoon listening to good 'ol legends like Santana, Les Paul and Eddie van Halen, perfect for some wood working, as you see I've spent most of my time perfecting my little jewel, it's looking quite well!





is still rough, I used 50 grit to shape the carving, and some 150grit afterward, but I was too tired to finish he sanding.

I started by using a router with a round edge to make a guide to start my carving, then I used a plane to shape up the basic top (too big for that purpose, so I couldn't get too close to the final shape, If I had the correct planes, I could have used those instead of sandpaper), since this is the first guitar (and therefore, first carved top) I struggled a lot, it would be nice if I get some opinions as if I can improve the shape of the carved top.


I'm quite happy with the result :3, at first I thought I would screw it, but turned out alright

now, for the back I'm a bit curious, or it's a really great idea or maybe a very stupid one, I really need opinions on how I can improve or if it's cool as it is


as a tip, I wanted to soften up the union between the upper horn and that recess I did, but it's incomplete, the place where the neck will be bolt-on is currently 1 3/8'' more than enough I guess for a fast access (I mean, the body is 1 3/8'' width at that point, the current body most wide parts are 1 3/4'', the neck heel will be close to 5/8'')

[Leonardo Silva]

well, I start the year with an accident @-@, my dad warned me about the upper horn might break, by looking at the grain direction, he was right, IT SNAPPED


my lfie is ruined D:, nah just kidding I can fix it, I think...


I can glue it back again, hopefuly


look how concerned my dog is ._.

I have two options from now on, to glue back that section or reshape the upper horn and get rid of that weak section that might snap of again once the guitar is finished, any thoughts?

[Mark Swanson]

Your guitar looks good so far, and you are doing good work but to be honest with you, I never liked the look of the exaggerated horns. They were just too big for me. Since one of them broke, I'd suggest cutting them shorter, you have plenty there.
One more thing, you have not cut your neck joint yet and the body is mostly shaped. This can be a problem, at least it has been for me enough times that I always remember to cut the neck joint as one of the first things I do, while the body is still flat and not shaped. Sometimes I even do it before the shape is bandsawed out! Working with the body blank while it is still flat and larger makes it easy to support the router and to clamp to the bench while I work. You might run into issues when you try to route the neck pocket.

[Leonardo Silva]

to be honest, the original plan was to do the pickup cavities as well as the neck pocket with the BLANK, but I miss the correct router bit to do so :/, I don't have that bit for templates, and so far I can't seem to find it on here, I will keep searching for it, until then I can't even work on some parts >_<, was to continue or just leave the project stagnant.

(btw I'm finding a friend who can help me on laminating the neck, I'm afraid I can't do it with only a jigsaw), and thanks! I will reshape the upper horn, I'm afraid too it might snap once again >_< (and yeah, it might be a bit oversize e.e)

[Dave Sayers]

Nice dog and nice guitar. Is the dog looking hopeful that you'll play a song?

[Leonardo Silva]

Nice dog and nice guitar. Is the dog looking hopeful that you'll play a song?

nah, he is just staring into your soul

[John Kingma]

I'm a little late to the party here... but I just wanted to say it looks nice and I'm looking forward to seeing the body with some finish on it.

Very early on you questioned whether you should make a solid template... and I'm glad you did. It's always easier to correctly and accurately shape a template as opposed to a 2 inch thick piece of hardwood. You can also easily alter the shape of the template for future versions if you wish.

I came up with an original design quite a long time ago that I really liked. After the first guitar was done I decided the body was just a bit too big. So I trimmed the template. Then I wanted to make a slight change to the waist so I trimmed it again. This went on like this for a while. I've now built 6 or 8 guitars in this design and every one of them is slightly different in size and shape. I think I finally have it where I like it... but who knows... I might change it again.