7 String Black Limba Star Guitar Build

[JSil13]

Got the binding glued in, scraped level, and it's currently covered in sanding marks. So I'll have to go over all of it with the scraper to smooth it out again. But this came out better than the last one which is always good. Still have a few gaps to fill in with the goop which is currently dissolving.

 

[JSil13]

Also did a test of the neck pocket template and it looks like it will work.

 

[JSil13]

Got the neck pocket routed. Had issues again with the router tearing some binding out. So I repaired the damage after I finished routing. I may try to route the neck pocket before the binding next time despite people saying not to do that.I could use double sided tape to tape a block in the neck pocket to give the router and the binding something to dig into.


Then I reestablished the centerline using the edges of the neck.

Then I measured the 25.5" mark from the nut. On my charcoal frost star I made I'm running out of room to intonate the low E so I need to find a better method for locating the bridge. I've been extending the saddles about 75-80% of their travel. This one has staggered ferrules, but that shouldn't change the amount of string from nut to saddle.

 

[JSil13]

I also swapped the tuner buttons while restringing my Schecter. I love these tuners, but I hate the tuner buttons. The look is fine, but they're so wide at the ends that it feels like I have fat sausage fingers.

 

[JSil13]

Got the body and neck drilled and then mounted the neck. I love how light this thing is. I’ve had some pretty heavy black limba but this has to be the lightest one I’ve ever had.

A little mock-up. I need to make a template for the seven string pickups. I was going to use my six string humbucker template and do one side at a time, but it looks to wide from top to bottom for body mount pickups.

 

[JSil13]

Located the bridge and drilled for it and the ferrules. For the ferrules I still used my jig, but just moved it over one space when I got to the high E. I did a test for this awhile back. Got a tiny bit of tear out on the low B, but I think the lip from the ferrule will cover it. If not I could use CA glue and dust.

 

[JSil13]

And here is where they're both at currently. Soon I should be caught up on the black limba one and then I can proceed to doing the same things two times in a row like drilling for tuners, thicknessing the headstocks, carving the necks, fretwork etc. I also noticed the neck plate on the sapele/maple one is a different shape than I made the heel for, so I can spindle sand that off too. They're like brothers.

 

[eaeolian]

Damn. Nice work, and nice documenting. Kind of inspiring me to do the same thing with a Warrior...

 

[JSil13]

Damn. Nice work, and nice documenting. Kind of inspiring me to do the same thing with a Warrior...

Thanks man. Yeah, I like doing build threads. Reading other people's was how I learned and still learn to do things. Plus when I forget how I did something I can read my old threads to remember. Honestly I was just trying to remember why I decided to go with the Voyager/Random Star kind of shape. I think it was because I wanted something I could sit classical style like I did with my V, and normal style while I practice on the couch.

A Warrior would definitely be cool with the same black limba/black binding. Maybe an Ironbird. I've been getting my body blanks from Kimball hardwoods. He's one of the only people I've seen with Explorer sized blanks for a decent price. I still have an extra one that I'm not sure what I'll do with yet. I do have an extra Jazz bass neck that I want to build a body for. Something I can tune to B to go with the 7 string.

 

[JSil13]

Got the rear roundover done today before I have to head into work. After working with sapele this piece of limba feels like nothing. It's very easy to work. Almost too easy that it dents just by looking at it like basswood does. Then I set myself up to carve the rear contours either after work tonight or tomorrow when I get up. The heel contour will be going through some pretty intense figuring, so it should look pretty cool.

 

[JSil13]

I probably shouldn't have, but I just foolishly bought this awesome claro walnut top because it was 25% off. I've been wanting to try working with walnut for a long time and the dude I buy my wood from is doing a Black Friday sale. It will most likely be going onto the other black limba blank that I have that needs to be jointed still. Not sure what I'm going to make yet, but I still have some curly maple for the neck and a smorgasbord of fretboard blanks to choose from.

 

[JSil13]

Carved the rear contours. Got some cool figuring in the heel access. You can also see how soft this wood is from the dent from the neck plate.

 

[thrashcomics]

This. Is. Fucking. Awesome.

 

[JSil13]

Made my seven string humbucker template. Definitely the best pickup template that I've ever made. The ears I carefully cut with the jigsaw and then went over with a file. These things are definitely big. For a bit there I was worried about going too deep and into the rear contour, but luckily these are body mounted so only 3/4" deep. Now I just need to worry about the mounting screws.

 

[JSil13]

Got both pickups routed. Next up is the control cavity and drilling some holes. Then I can start carving both of these necks.


A little mockup. I think I'll be using the tele control cavity shape, so the toggle switch will be where the volume knob is now.

 

[JSil13]

Put the nut in the six string neck and marked straight lines to mark where the tuners will go. Then I put the Hipshot back plates on and marked them on center.

Since I'm drilling by hand I use the drill block and start at 1/8" and work my way up. By the time I get to the actual size it's freehand, but I have around 1/16" of an inch left by that point.

And finally no tear out on the back. This time I double clamped it to make a tight seal with the wood underneath it. It looks like you can also see some of my music notes. Trem picking and 3rds.

Tomorrow I'll do the same with the seven string neck. Then I can move on to thicknessing the headstocks and making my facet drawings for carving.

 

[JSil13]

Drilled the tuner holes for the seven string neck. The bit wondered a bit on one or two of the holes. I think I'll use the plethora of gift cards I'll receive for Christmas on a drill press. Luckily these tuners use a mounting plate so the tuners will still line up. Then after I screwed that up I thicknessed the headstocks to 5/8" using a combination of my spindle sander, orbital sander, and then block sanding. Then I changed the shape of the 7 string headstock to make it a bit thinner, sanded off all the burn marks, and fixed all the straight edges. They both have some nice figuring, but that 6 string neck is going to look crazy.

 

[JimF]

Oooft. Get some mineral spirits on it quick so we can have a preview!

 

[JSil13]

Oooft. Get some mineral spirits on it quick so we can have a preview!

Here is the first set of facets with some naphtha on it. Still a ways to go.

 

[JSil13]

Now I'm glad that I couldn't say no to that Black Friday 25% off. First pic is dry and second is wet with naphtha. You can ignore the P bass drawn on there. It came like that to show the size. Not really sure what I'll do with it yet, but I have another black limba blank and I've been working on a Flying V design. I want to draw up something like a mix between a Gibson V like my old one, and an offset V like the Rhoads. That's just an idea right now.