# Winter Emerald.



## pondman (Jan 2, 2018)

So everyone's laid up with the dreaded winter flu bug and I want to keep out of the way so I don't catch it, so into the workshop. 
I've had this big lump of resin with an Emerald Beetle inside for years, its always hypnotised me but the lump is too big for guitar use so I carefully reduce it from 3" square to a small cameo size and re polish it , hmmmm I've got an idea.



DSC_0037 by 

[url=https://flic.kr/p/DiEbY6]

DSC_0029 by 

[url=https://flic.kr/p/22XaD8Z]

DSC_0030 by 

[url=https://flic.kr/p/DnqhWT]

DSC_0036 by 

[url=https://flic.kr/p/Dp68Bg]

DSC_0040 by 

[url=https://flic.kr/p/Dp58Fr]

DSC_0041 by 

[url=https://flic.kr/p/EV5zJb]

DSC_0042 by 

[url=https://flic.kr/p/JaSPJ6]

DSC_0044 by https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/[/url][/url][/url][/url][/url][/url][/url]


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## Ebony (Jan 2, 2018)

Beyond cool!


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## Mattykoda (Jan 2, 2018)

New beetlejuice sig?


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## NickS (Jan 2, 2018)

I think the fretboard and the body go together really well! Are you gonna put a gloss finish on the body? I would guess that will make it pop the most and tie it in even better with the fretboard....


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## Spaced Out Ace (Jan 2, 2018)

Awesome guitar. I hope you don't literally put your blood, sweat, and tears -- and even bones -- into this one.


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## Grand Rabbit (Jan 2, 2018)

Wowzers, that's cool. 

How do you cut your fret slots? Your work always pops up so quickly, and that's one of the steps that takes me quite a long time, so I would be curious to know.


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## USMarine75 (Jan 2, 2018)

Do I get a discount on shipping for both this and the Cobweb?


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## Arshu123 (Jan 3, 2018)

You never fail to amaze, pondman!


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## Hollowway (Jan 3, 2018)

I love that your builds always have something novel - despite having done so many!


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## Lemonbaby (Jan 3, 2018)

Beetle-power! Go nuts, buddy...


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## pondman (Jan 3, 2018)

NickS said:


> I think the fretboard and the body go together really well! Are you gonna put a gloss finish on the body? I would guess that will make it pop the most and tie it in even better with the fretboard....



Probably an oil finish on this one, its too late for spraying over here.



Spaced Out Ace said:


> Awesome guitar. I hope you don't literally put your blood, sweat, and tears -- and even bones -- into this one.



Funny you should say that . My big belt sander snapped the belt and it whipped the skin off the end of my thumb. Thinking of getting the workshop exorcised 



Grand Rabbit said:


> Wowzers, that's cool.
> 
> How do you cut your fret slots? Your work always pops up so quickly, and that's one of the steps that takes me quite a long time, so I would be curious to know.



Dead easy method I developed but probably isn't new...I keep the neck blank square and flat so I can use a heavy steel square to heavily score the frets with a sharp Stanley knife through a Fretfind (free to download from the net) template or just measure and pencilled, then just run the fret saw through the score marks , it will follow the marks perfectly if you scored em deep enough. Once you've tapered and radiused you can always cut to suit through the existing cut slots as long as you did em deep enough in the first place.



USMarine75 said:


> Do I get a discount on shipping for both this and the Cobweb?


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## pondman (Jan 3, 2018)

Specs are , Quilt maple top, Ash back, Maple/Padauk and quilt Maple neck with Bocote ferret 25.5 , beetle juice and snake oil finish.


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## lewis (Jan 3, 2018)

i love the horns and overall bodyshape on this one!!


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## Grand Rabbit (Jan 3, 2018)

pondman said:


> Dead easy method I developed but probably isn't new...I keep the neck blank square and flat so I can use a heavy steel square to heavily score the frets with a sharp Stanley knife through a Fretfind (free to download from the net) template or just measure and pencilled, then just run the fret saw through the score marks , it will follow the marks perfectly if you scored em deep enough. Once you've tapered and radiused you can always cut to suit through the existing cut slots as long as you did em deep enough in the first place.



Wow! Thank you for this technique! I've been using fretfind as well, but I've been going straight into the cutting phase without scoring by using a little wooden block as a saw fence. It takes forever to get that set up, all the clamping and declamping, and since you go straight into the actual cut a two second mistake can be disastrous. I'm definitely going to try the scoring method next time!


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## pondman (Jan 3, 2018)

Grand Rabbit said:


> Wow! Thank you for this technique! I've been using fretfind as well, but I've been going straight into the cutting phase without scoring by using a little wooden block as a saw fence. It takes forever to get that set up, all the clamping and declamping, and since you go straight into the actual cut a two second mistake can be disastrous. I'm definitely going to try the scoring method next time!



Make sure you keep changing the blade as it blunts, the deeper the score the easier the fretsaw follows it.


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## Mr_Mar10 (Jan 3, 2018)

+1 on the green & the ferret board, excellent combo!! Need some of that bocote!
Currently hunting house for anything set in Amber or resin lol sure I have a scorpion somewhere


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## pondman (Jan 3, 2018)

DSC_0047 by https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/


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## Quiet Coil (Jan 3, 2018)

That’s dope. $10 says Pond just started a trend.

Edit: Makes me think of the routed and resin filled logo on my USACG, but this takes it to a whole new level.


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## CrazyDean (Jan 3, 2018)

Reminds me of that Lootnick Scorpion someone was looking to trade here a few years ago. The pics on SSO are all dead. This was the only one I could find on google:







Yes, it's a real scorpion.


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## purplebelt155 (Jan 4, 2018)

That's pretty much the coolest use of that bug I could think of. Love it.


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## JimF (Jan 4, 2018)

Jesus sodding Christ! That's incredible! I'm going to have to think up a new word - Impressed just doesn't cut the mustard anymore!


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## TonyFlyingSquirrel (Jan 4, 2018)

A whole new Millenium Era Beattle Bass!!!


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## electriceye (Jan 5, 2018)

Your pace is astounding. I think I spent 4 hours yesterday just trying to get my first scarf joint done....


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## pondman (Jan 5, 2018)

Spent the last 2 days putting the roof back on the house  after Trump sent a hurricane over to piss us off .
Managed to shape the neck tonight.



002 by 

[url=https://flic.kr/p/21RCw8R]

001 by https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/[/url]


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## Grindspine (Jan 5, 2018)

Wow, Pondman, wow...

The speed, the quality, the original crazy idea, even the detailed fret ends are just so much wow!


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## Leviathus (Jan 6, 2018)

pondman said:


> after Trump sent a hurricane over to piss us off .



It's no better in the States. Trump's got us all freezin' to death the last week with his hands on the weather machine, musta hadda bad holiday...

Nice guitar, Btw.


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## pondman (Dec 10, 2018)

Finished this one , pics over here http://sevenstring.org/threads/ngd-winter-emerald.333329/



002 by [url=https://


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## Walshy (Dec 10, 2018)

Another cracker, mate! Always love seeing a pondman build.


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## ThtOthrPrsn (Dec 13, 2018)

That grain is stunning all around!


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## GatherTheArsenal (Dec 14, 2018)

Well that's just plain nifty... good call! Curious how heavy (or light?) that chunk of resin is? No noticeable weight in the headstock?


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