Building 'Woody' AKA El Mano # 1

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ElMano
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Building 'Woody' AKA El Mano # 1

Post by ElMano »

After building the DIY Lapsteel (not finished yet, need a tail-piece, sanding and a paint job) I start a new project. The 1e reason is that i want to build my self an all-round player witch i can not buy. I collect 17 guitars and non of theme has it all for me. I don't know if the ultimate guitar exist but i will give it a chance.
I owned 3 les Pauls and i loved them but i always came back at Black Betty, because of the size and the shape of the Neck. But i hate the single coils on some of the songs. When i use the Epiphone Genesis do i have the coil splitters so it do the job but she is over 5 kg!

The second reason is that i like the challenge tot build from scratch a playable guitar with my own spec's.
1e Neck-true
2e Skunk stripe neck
3e Double action truss rod
4e Humbucker's with coil splitters
5e Natural wood colors
6e Carved top
7e Les Paul model body and headstock
8e Neck shape and length, stratocaster
9e jumbo frets on quilted board radius 12 inch
10e solid bud not to heavy.
A start collecting parts and stuff for a long time, The body wood is from a massif shelf above an double bed (30mm thick Limba looks a bit like Oak but it is much better tone wood) It has a nice high twangy sound when you knock on it. The neck is a piece of a old fashion bench The skunk stripe is a stroke of wenge parquet. And the fretboard is a beautiful piece of Quilted? parquet all so a The hard ware came from a donor Les Paul Epiphone with a splintered neck that i bought from a friend after it was stolen and found back.

I make me a lot of Jigs in the last months like templates ( take it over from the epi body on mdf ) Sharpens chisels, plane, Build a router jig and so on. And i was reading and browsing a lot of builder story's on forums for tips and examples.
In my mind i have a lot of ideas that i will do on this project like wood carved Pickup covers and rings. Wooden volume & tone knobs. and so on.
I named here Woody :high5: and it is the first complete El Mano because the lapsteel isn't finished yet :wink:
Yesterday i start to build and this afternoon i had the rough shape and and size finished.
I will keep you informed if you like it so this are the first pic's

Let me know what you think of it :nuts:
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You can't bend the rule, Every man is some womans fool
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VikingBlues
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Re: Building "Woody" AKA El Mano # 1

Post by VikingBlues »

You have my total respect and admiration for tackling a guitar building project in this way. Basic assembly is difficult enough for me, but this .... original design and so much inventive use of materials - WOW! :clap:

All the wood carved parts too - that idea is just so cool! :cool:

I would love to see the way this progresses. :thumbsup:
An improv a day keeps the demons at bay!
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vancouverois
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Re: Building "Woody" AKA El Mano # 1

Post by vancouverois »

A pretty nice build with your own features, not just a SG or LP replica. :thumbsup:
When you say Limba, I guess it's African Limba that Gibson calls Korina?
Jan 15th 2007
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ElMano
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Re: Building "Woody" AKA El Mano # 1

Post by ElMano »

Yes, at the time i was 16 ore so it was a cheap replacement for Oak. It has a quit similar patron and with some ( color) help it was sold as Oak. But it has a very nice shiny yellow and the reaction on sweat is non. ( Oak react on steel and sweat and get blue/grey stains ) A think Gibson called it Korina. This piece of wood is from the garbage. I was browsing the internet for a nice piece of wood,but on a sunday evening i walk the doggie an i see a Young couple that was moving out of there place and dumped some furniture. I looked an ask if i can have the Shelf. They looked at me if was coming from the moon hahaha So i tell them of my hobby and the guy help me bring it to my house. It is bone dry because it was hanging above the bed for a long time. (I wont not ask what is have been seen ore hear)
Anyway it get a second life. I had enough for e second project incl a neck of it. Now the wood of the neck is tropical hardwood like merbau. The skunkstripe is Wenge. The strip is mounted over the whole lenght of the guitar.When you make a Neck out of pieces it is the best way to take 3 or 5 strokes never use an even number. The 2e reason if this is that i dont have to use the router for the trussrod space ! So the body gets a Maple top stapled 2 layers, for the carved top, and a Mahogany backplate. That because i din't have the tools for drilling the holes toe lead the wire's to the toggle, pubs & Pots so this works all so. I will cover the Pubs whit a stroke of finer leaving the pole pieces open. The expirement that i will do is using the magnetic force by place a strip of steel over the pole pieces an changes them into rail pubs ( dont know if it will work? )
You can't bend the rule, Every man is some womans fool
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HalfBlindLefty
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Re: Building 'Woody' AKA El Mano # 1

Post by HalfBlindLefty »

Looking like you mean business ElMano....
A long time ago, in the old forum : Registered: Mon, 27 Nov 2006. Wonder were the other old members all went....
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2WheelsOfBlues
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Re: Building 'Woody' AKA El Mano # 1

Post by 2WheelsOfBlues »

A alot of respect from this site el mano.

I heard this on a tv show about a guitar builder from my area;

"When a man builds a own guitar, its like you are making a child of youre own"
play guitar like the wind, mysterious but definitely present....
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HalfBlindLefty
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Re: Building 'Woody' AKA El Mano # 1

Post by HalfBlindLefty »

So... Ive been like making 3 guitars if you put it like that.... Didn't take long to build btw :away:
A long time ago, in the old forum : Registered: Mon, 27 Nov 2006. Wonder were the other old members all went....
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ElMano
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Re: Building 'Woody' AKA El Mano # 1

Post by ElMano »

Thanks for your kind reactions. Today i am working on the neck shape and put the parts together. Glue in the skunk stripe witch is exact as thick as the truss rod
So i didn't have to use a router ore build a router jig (i will later on) but this is much easier. All so for the pickup space i can saw it in the block of the neck and the space in the body with a speed drill of 25 mm I place some pictures but is there are any questions i will give them to you.
When the neck is clamped and drying I shape a topnut of a piece of metal i took from an old rechaud frame :think: :aha: :thumbsup:
The neck is shaped down 5 mm from the body to the headstock so the bridge didn't has to be to high. w= 60 mm Thick:mad the body 35 mm ad Headstock 25 mm
The angel of the headstock is 13 o the radius of the fretboard will be 12 inch. i make myself a radius block with the same radius and i shape the fretboard by sanding it down.
Attachments
round  whit a 90o angel. The height will be made when the fretboard is finished.
round whit a 90o angel. The height will be made when the fretboard is finished.
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Shaping a topnut
Shaping a topnut
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Make the stripe a bit round to lower the pressure on the fretboard.
Make the stripe a bit round to lower the pressure on the fretboard.
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glue the skunk stripe and left some space for the truss rod
glue the skunk stripe and left some space for the truss rod
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left and right part of the neck
left and right part of the neck
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2WheelsOfBlues
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Re: Building 'Woody' AKA El Mano # 1

Post by 2WheelsOfBlues »

HalfBlindLefty wrote:So... Ive been like making 3 guitars if you put it like that.... Didn't take long to build btw :away:

hahaha only the sound is VERY different isnt it?? :haha:

but

If you can play like you do withe your fisrt lady, then its ok :think: .......i think
play guitar like the wind, mysterious but definitely present....
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ElMano
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Re: Building 'Woody' AKA El Mano # 1

Post by ElMano »

I will post an update. Working today at the Neck and fix myself a scraping steel made of an old repro (aligator)-saw blade. I grind a radius of 12 inch in it and it works like a dream I made a test fretboard that is so good that i keep it for an other project. I even fix the worn out fretboard of the donor guitar that was complete ruined :beer:
Show some pictures that speaks for them self.
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Blindboy
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Re: Building 'Woody' AKA El Mano # 1

Post by Blindboy »

This is great! I can't wait to see the progression and the finished product. :chicken:
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12bar
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Re: Building 'Woody' AKA El Mano # 1

Post by 12bar »

Blindboy wrote:This is great! I can't wait to see the progression and the finished product. :chicken:
Mee too - even if it plays only as half as good as it looks it will be a killer guitar! :thumbsup:
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ElMano
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Re: Building 'Woody' AKA El Mano # 1

Post by ElMano »

Thanks for your kind reactions. :pray: I have to take care that i not get hooked on guitar building. :shy: I promised Susan that i only work on Woody between 14.00 and 17.00 No weekends. Otherwise i better move in into the shack :think:
Anyway i produce a (dummy) fretboard to locate the place of the bridge, en locate the position of the pubs. I router and sanding the body parts.
Some pic's
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ElMano
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Re: Building 'Woody' AKA El Mano # 1

Post by ElMano »

It is raining cats & dogs in Holland today. So we stay home instead to go for a ride on the Goldwing. I decided to do some work on Woody. I want design a headstock and need to finished the templates for the cavity's. All work done in the house wile Susan is watching TV. It took a lot more time than i thought, but i am satisfied so far. Tomorrow i start routing the holes. and make a start with shaping the neck.

The fretboard dummy was my test case if the saw that i have been used for the slots is not to big. I press the old frets in that i pull out of the original board, to see if they are :thumbsup:. Looks like it is working. (gonna used it on the lapsteel i think whit some new frets) It will give me all so the possibility to practice whit leveling before i do it on the guitar.

On the headstock i will fix an inlay W and a logo. I had an logo that i used on the sculptures and paintings that i use to make that i draw on. It is a "d" and a "k"together the batton in the middle is the "i" and crosswise the "c" (the letters of my first name )

I put the stuff on there place to see if it is gonna bee a bit like a guitar.
Attachments
Impression of the concept
Impression of the concept
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Impression of the headstock
Impression of the headstock
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Cavity's on the body
Cavity's on the body
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Template fore the maple top
Template fore the maple top
SP_A0180web.jpg (24 KiB) Viewed 17334 times
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2WheelsOfBlues
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Re: Building 'Woody' AKA El Mano # 1

Post by 2WheelsOfBlues »

And they say it summer !!!!! :motz: :wall:

But for woody its a great day to work on.
So far i be following you :D
play guitar like the wind, mysterious but definitely present....
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VikingBlues
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Re: Building 'Woody' AKA El Mano # 1

Post by VikingBlues »

Taking shape very nicely - it's good to watch a craftsman at work! :thumbsup:
An improv a day keeps the demons at bay!
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ElMano
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Re: Building 'Woody' AKA El Mano # 1

Post by ElMano »

I want to inform the followers of this topic. Today i do the cavity for the toggle, the PUp's and the volume & Tone pots. I put a top and a back plate on this guitar so i can use the drill saw to make the holes :thumbsup: To fixate the body parts i drill some holes and put in 4 dowels each side so it will be much stronger and i hope this give a positive influence on the tone.

The maple top is glued together and will be dry tomorrow. But i get my grandchild over for a couple of day's :dance: I promised him to go to a Kart cicuit and invited his best friend to so they can go on the track for a couple of races. I know that they will enjoyed just as much as i do :banana:
So woody will have my attention not for Friday :whistle: Than i start shaping the neck. I bought today a smart tool for just € 5,= some things are to good to be true :wink:
Attachments
The body parts fit just fine.
The body parts fit just fine.
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Rough maple deck to shape the carved top
Rough maple deck to shape the carved top
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Cover any shape you want like the top of a headstock and the shape of your favorite neck at the top and end!
Cover any shape you want like the top of a headstock and the shape of your favorite neck at the top and end!
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rocknroll93
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Re: Building 'Woody' AKA El Mano # 1

Post by rocknroll93 »

looks pretty awesome :)
"Playing the blues is like being black twice. Stevie Ray Vaughan missed out on both counts, but I never noticed" - BB king
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ElMano
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Re: Building 'Woody' AKA El Mano # 1

Post by ElMano »

Update :mercy: Start shaping the maple top :yikes: :yikes: :yikes: Eating dust, and sweat for 2,5 ours :alright: Forgive me my the words but.....Even my farts smell like wood dust.
I never did i before and in hope it will do nice. No pictures before it looks like something :nuts:
You can't bend the rule, Every man is some womans fool
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ElMano
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Re: Building 'Woody' AKA El Mano # 1

Post by ElMano »

Update: Do some neck shaping Glue the ears on the headstock made the channels for the wiring, Must desist is i go for maple fretboard ore afzelia.
I make them both so i can make a choice. I have some other plans for e second guitar build so it will be used :big_smile:

The neck shape is wonderfull but still a bit to wide and thick But i let it this size until i have the right fretboard with binding?
The trussrodd is fitting like a glove and just 1 mm lower than the neck edge :pray: The struggle withe the carved maple top is not ended yet but it starts comming :nuts:
Some pictures of the work :high5:
Attachments
sample of the wood i want to use for fretboard
sample of the wood i want to use for fretboard
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