sblueplanet Posted May 3, 2014 Share Posted May 3, 2014 Will be intrigued to see how you fret this board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blablas Posted May 3, 2014 Author Share Posted May 3, 2014 With a hammer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blablas Posted May 6, 2014 Author Share Posted May 6, 2014 (edited) Drilled the holes for the tuners. Mounted the tuners q&d and pimped the wood with some naphtha to see if my idea of using gold hardware on myrtlewood was the right one, I'm not disappointed! Certainly when taking in consideration I normally don't like gold hardware. Also leveled the bottom side and sawed of the sides of the neck. It's starting to look like something. Edited August 11, 2017 by blablas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blablas Posted May 7, 2014 Author Share Posted May 7, 2014 (edited) [IMG]http://i.imgur.com/BWQcQQM.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i.imgur.com/ceULpUT.jpg[/IMG] Cut the fret slots, not a fun job to do in snakewood, certainly not with such long slots. This wood is hard and my saw clogged up in it, greasing the saw with a little bit of candle wax helped but it still was a tough job. Edited August 11, 2017 by blablas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowieBass Posted May 7, 2014 Share Posted May 7, 2014 I'm still trying to get my head around the low F# and how fat it'll be! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blablas Posted May 7, 2014 Author Share Posted May 7, 2014 .175 , a normal B is .130. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowieBass Posted May 7, 2014 Share Posted May 7, 2014 Just used an online calculator and that gauge F# will be just about the same tension as the low B on my 34" scale 5 string - very usable! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blablas Posted May 8, 2014 Author Share Posted May 8, 2014 (edited) Glued in the side markers. Used bamboo for this (also known as toothpicks ), they are exactly the right size and color very nice on dark wood. Edited August 11, 2017 by blablas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blablas Posted May 9, 2014 Author Share Posted May 9, 2014 (edited) [IMG]http://i.imgur.com/FBqjnln.jpg[/IMG] Leveled the sides of the neck, now the side markers are nicely visible. [IMG]http://i.imgur.com/HQcXSkC.jpg[/IMG] Headstock-neck transition.... Wood-porn! It will look even better once I've shaped the volute. Edited August 11, 2017 by blablas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sblueplanet Posted May 9, 2014 Share Posted May 9, 2014 What type strings going on this beast? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blablas Posted May 9, 2014 Author Share Posted May 9, 2014 Roundwound, C to B will be Elixer and the F# will be a black label Warwick. I'm using this same set on my previous 7 string build and like this combination. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowieBass Posted May 10, 2014 Share Posted May 10, 2014 I'm really looking forward to seeing this when it's finished - I'm sure others will have already said, it looks like you could easily make a living as a luthier! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blablas Posted May 10, 2014 Author Share Posted May 10, 2014 You are not the first to wonder if I could make a living as a luthier, I've even given it some thought myself and decided I would miss my daytime job too much. My daytime job is being a instrumentmaker and engineer at the forefront of scientific experimenting at the physics department of the Leiden university. The work I do there is very diverse and gives me a lot of satisfaction, it also leaves me enough freedom to do whatever I want for the rest of the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowieBass Posted May 10, 2014 Share Posted May 10, 2014 I totally understand the love of the experimental hardware employed in physics - I have a degree in astronomy (UCL) so I got to play with some great toys as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted May 10, 2014 Share Posted May 10, 2014 [quote name='blablas' timestamp='1399729947' post='2447106'] You are not the first to wonder if I could make a living as a luthier, I've even given it some thought myself and decided I would miss my daytime job too much. My daytime job is being a instrument maker and engineer at the forefront of scientific experimenting at the physics department of the Leiden university. The work I do there is very diverse and gives me a lot of satisfaction, it also leaves me enough freedom to do whatever I want for the rest of the time. [/quote] Yes, but which job represents the biggest net benefit to humanity in the long run?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubis Posted May 10, 2014 Share Posted May 10, 2014 [quote name='blablas' timestamp='1399566164' post='2445446'] Glued in the side markers. Used bamboo for this (also known as toothpicks ), they are exactly the right size and color very nice on dark wood. [/quote] I hope those tooth picks were kiln dried Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blablas Posted May 12, 2014 Author Share Posted May 12, 2014 (edited) Only a minor update. Made two round-overs at the other end of the neck. Edited August 11, 2017 by blablas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blablas Posted May 13, 2014 Author Share Posted May 13, 2014 (edited) Another minor update. Roughly prepared the nut. Edited August 11, 2017 by blablas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blablas Posted May 15, 2014 Author Share Posted May 15, 2014 (edited) Gave the fingerboard a final leveling session and after that sanded it up to grain 1000, also put on two layers of Danish oil to seal and protect the wood during the next tasks. Shiny and level!! Next up: hammering in the frets. Edited August 11, 2017 by blablas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowieBass Posted May 15, 2014 Share Posted May 15, 2014 What are the advantages/disadvantages to having a flat vs a radiused fingerboard? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blablas Posted May 15, 2014 Author Share Posted May 15, 2014 I find it very comfortable to play, I prefer a flat fingerboard over a radiused one, certainly with five or more strings. And as far as building is concerned, the fingerboard can be thinner and I don't need to sand a radius. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blablas Posted May 16, 2014 Author Share Posted May 16, 2014 (edited) Hammering in the frets. [IMG]http://i.imgur.com/zZd9hjn.jpg[/IMG] Halfway there. [IMG]http://i.imgur.com/N8RfHcU.jpg[/IMG] And all in place. Edited August 11, 2017 by blablas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blablas Posted May 16, 2014 Author Share Posted May 16, 2014 (edited) Filling the leftover space in the fret slots and fixing the frets, with superglue (cyanoacrylate). The capillary effect will in principle fill all the leftover space. Edited August 11, 2017 by blablas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blablas Posted May 16, 2014 Author Share Posted May 16, 2014 (edited) [IMG]http://i.imgur.com/rTLtGr2.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i.imgur.com/qAN49ZH.jpg[/IMG] Sanded of the unwanted glue. Tomorrow I'm going finish the sides of the frets and fretboard. Edited August 11, 2017 by blablas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blablas Posted May 17, 2014 Author Share Posted May 17, 2014 (edited) Finished the sides of the frets and fingerboard. [b]How blablas finishes his frets, in seven simple steps.[/b] From left to right: 1 - Leveled all frets (final step with grain 400). 2 - Taped-in the frets. 3 - Color the frets with a permanent marker. 4 - Crowning with a crownfile until there is left a pencil thin line from the marker. 5 - Lightly sand of this line with grain 400, now sand the complete fret with Scotch-brite (in the length direction of the fret). 6 - Polishing with Brasso. 7 - The final result. All the frets that were taped-in are done. Edited August 11, 2017 by blablas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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