No New 12/20/2010!!!

Just wanted to send everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!! I have not been able to work on anything because of the Holidays we have had and having. So after the new year I will be back at and I am thinking of moving my shop as well to a better location. I will be in touch soon. I do have one update my Son's first birthday. Happy B-day buddy Mamma and Daddy love you!

11/15/2010 update!!!

Got some good work done on a few things.

Update on the No Name Guitar: I was able to get the body sides sanded down nice and smooth and the top and back edges rounded over along with the belly cutout done. I have decided to add another cutout on the back of the guitar in the lap section so it will tilt against the body and be more comfortable. I also got the top and back sanded down and smooth. Next up on it will be to start on the neck.

MG-1 (for Mr. Metcalf): I got the body sides sanded down and smooth and the top and back edges rounded over. I still need to do the belly cutout and forearm cutout along with smoothing out the top and back.

Necks: I got the neck profiles done for the MG-1 and TBM-V4 and smoothed up. Still a lot of work left but at a good solid starting point.

Until next time which I hope will not be long. We are getting into the holiday season and this is when a lot of my time is spent doing other things. So I hope to keep up the good work that has been going on.

11/10/2010 Update!!!

I have a quick update on the no name guitar. I was able to get the body milled down to the final shape. Still need to round the edges and everything else but the shape is there and ready to go. I cannot wait to see this thing progress.

Also on my MG-1 that I made a while back I had decided to remove the frets and redo the f-board. There was a fret buzz on the G string and I did not want to keep taking the frets down to nothing so I decided to remove and re-level the f-board and will refret it. I the meantime I have been having fun playing it as a fretless. So I wanted to post a picture of the bass as a fretless. It makes me want to build a fretless now.

Well I hope to have more for you soon!

Update!!! 10/25/2010

Another week of work, I cannot believe it! I was able to work on the TBM-v4 and the No Name Guitar.

On the TBM-v4 I was able to get the belly cutout along with the forearm cutout done and sanded the body down smooth.

On the No Name Guitar I got the body blank milled down to thickness and got the body cutout on the bandsaw. You will see in the picture I still need to rout the body down to the final shape.

I wish I had more to show but that is all at this point. Until next time.

Play On!

Update!!! 10/18/2010

Well it has been to long since I last worked on anything but I was able to get a good bit done yesterday. I am currently working on 4 instruments TBM-4 (Koa top)Bass in the painting stages. MG-1 a TBM-v4 and the No Name Guitar. I was only able to work the last three this week but should be finishing up the paint on the Koa Top bass this week.

1st: The new guitar I am working (No Name). I got the Template done and am now ready to start work on the actual guitar now atill need to do the neck template as well.

2nd: TBM-V4 I got the body routed and the edges rounded over.

3rd: MG-1 4 string For my Friend Dave (I Hope)! Got the body cut out and shaped and the neck cutout and shaped.

I hope you like what you see and until neck time.

Play On!

Update, 9/22/2010 No More Popsicle stick bridge!

I know I said I wanted my next update to be on the new instruments under construction but I got off my lazy butt and finished the 1964 Teisco rehab project. I had to re-wire the bridge pup's tone pot and add a cap which I added a Orange Drop 1mg. Very big I know but that is all I had instock but you know what, the neck pup has the same size for it and I am not sure but it may be original. So I did that and re-conteceted the grounds wire that was broken. The other part I fixed was the bridge. Some how the bridge insert got lost so I had to make a new one out of bone. It looks good because it matches the nut and binding of the guitar. Oh and most important the sound, WOW! This thing is killer and better than ever. As I said in my last post the bridge nails that country twang and has a killer surf tone as well. The neck pup, just turn down the tone knob and you have that killer warm, smooth and sweet jazz tone (my favorite setting)! I think I may just need to notch the low E string some more to lower it just a little for better action but all in all it is a great playing guitar. Since getting this guiatr from my Dad's, my poor Dano has just been sitting wishing to be played. Picture attached to show the new bridge mod. Until next time, Play On!

The Bass Builder

Update!! 9/20/2010

I have an update nothing to do with the new guitars but this is stuff on my first guitar and a vintage guitar that has been in the family for a while.

First up is my first bass/instrument that I built. It is called the bingabass. It has a bubinga body with a Koa/maple/koa/maple/koa neck thru body with a ebony f-board. It has all black Hip Shot hard ware and EMG P/J pup set up with volume, volume, tone passive electronics. The pickups are the only thing active. This being my first bass I went all out and I still do not know how I pulled it off this good. I made the body like a Thumb bass with a concaved body and slanted tunners. I will never make another one of these but it sounds amazing. Word to the wise never use koa in a 24 fret bass neck, it is way to unstable and requires to many adjustments and fret buzz from the wood shifting so much but again the sound is amazing. The serial # is 000.

Next up is a 1963 to 64 Teisco guitar that my Dad has had for 30+ years. I was at my Dad's the other week when I was painting the koa top bass and took it home. I have cleaned it up some, I do not want to make it look new but just get rid of the dust. It does need some work but will play if you hold your tung just right. The ground wire has broke and one of the tone knobs needs to be re-wired and I need to make a real bridge insert and get rid of the popcycle stick I have in it now. I will replace it with a bone acoustic bridge blank. The crazy thing is this guitar plays so great and the tones it makes are amazing and even after all these years sitting in a closet not in a case with NO Truss Rod the neck it perfect! I did some research and they put just a steel rod in the necks and the year after this one had an adjustible trus rod. The Gold Foil pick-ups are so cool and I wish pick-up makers would start making these again. The Bridge pup has a killer country twang tone and the neck WOW it nails that smooth Jazz tone that I love. The sound this guitar make acoustically is amazing for a solid body guitar. It just explodes with sound!

Anyway until next time, which I hope will be updates of the TBM Koa top bass and the other basses and the guitar I am building. See you then and enjoy the pictures.

Play On!

The Bass Builder

Update 9/2/2010!!!!

Well I was able to get the TBM-4 Koa top bass paint started. I got the sealer and a couple of coats of lacquer added to the neck and 3-4 coats added to the body. Once I get back from vaction next week I will start back on this and sand everything down nice and smooth add the logo to the neck and add the final coats of clear to everything. I think one more trip to my Dad's shop should be all this one will take to get the final coats added. After that I will just need to sand and buff everything and start putting it together and doing the setup on it. Check the pictures and let me know what you think.

Update 8/17/2010!!!

Wow it has been to long since my last post but I was able to get back to work the other day and got stuff moving again. I was able to get two neck blanks milled down and cut to a ruff shape on the bandsaw. I was also able to get the TBM-V body blank cut out as well. You can see I have drawn out a pick guard and put the pick-up shape on there as well, this will give you a good idea as to how I want it to turn out. Both the necks and body will need to be final shaped with the router and template. I was also able to get 3 fingerboards cut down to the final thickness, all they will need it to be slotted for the fretts and raidiused. I got another body blank glued and it is in the clamps waiting until next time to get shaped. The Koa top TBM-4 is ready for paint but I have to do this outside of my shop but hope to get to the paint shop soon to take care of that. The more I look at that bass the more I want to see it finished. Well until next time which I hope will not be that long between updates. Enjoy the pictures.

Update!!! 7/15/2010

Just wanted to give a quick update. I was able to work on some stuff yesterday and I believe the Koa top TBM is finaly ready for paint. I was also able to get the new TBM bass body glued together that I am starting (see picture). I also got the new MG-1 pre-drilled for the wiring of the pick-ups and ground wire. I just need to glue the MG-1 body blank together. The new TBM bass will now be ready for routing out the body shape and I will also start on the necks for these two as well. Also on this new TBM bass I may call it TBM-V22, since it will be more vintage looking and have a 22 fret neck, not sure yet. I hope to get paint on the Koa top bass next week at some point. Well until next time Play On and pray for our country and it's so called Leader!

UPDATE!!!!!!!!! 7/12/2010

I got some good work done this week. I was able to get the Koa top TBM-4 pretty much done but I noticed some spots on the heel of the neck and the neck pockett that I wanted to touch up. So I added epoxy to those areas and I am just waiting for the epoxy to cure out for a few days before final sanding.

I was also able to get two more body blanks milled down and ready to be glued together. You can see in the pictures what they will look like. I am going to build another MG-1 4 string with, Chrome hardware, rosewood f-board w/ mother of pearl dots, white body, tortis pick guard, j-pups w/ passive electronics. Details subject to change if it becomes a custom order. Price as described $1,295.00

I am also going to build another TBM-4 which I think I may call it a TBM-4.22 because I am going to use the MG-1 neck on it, which is a 22 fret with in-line tunners. I want this to be more vintage looking with a PJ pick up set, passive electronics and a pick guard. Should be nice! It will be blue body, maple f-board w/ black dots, chrome hardware, mint or white pickguard. Subject to change if it becomes an order for a customer. Price as discribed will $1,295.00

In the next photo you can see the template to the new Guitar that I am working on. The template still needs to be sanded down to the final shap but it is close and gives you an idea to what it will look like.

Wow I said I was not going to start anything new until this Koa top bass was done and then I got all this done yesterday in the few hours that I had to work. Once I get the neck template and body sanded down to the final shap I will show everyone. Well I can't wait to start working on these other instruments now and will update you soon, I HOPE! Until next time Play On and feel free to comment, I love the feed back.

More pictures!

These are just more pictures that I wanted to add from this last update!

UPDATES!!! 7/6/2010

Well I cannot believe it but I was able to work on the KOA Top TBM model two times this past week and got a lot of work done. I think one more work day on it and it will be ready for paint. I was able to get the f-board radiused and fretted along with final shaping the back of the neck. I also got the neck and heel joint set up. I still need to level the fret markers on the side of the neck and final sanding of everything. I have other projects I want to start but I am going to wait until I get this one complete. Until next update, hope you had a great 4th.

Play On!

Update!!! 6/7/2010

Well I was able to get some good work done yesterday, on the Koa Top TBM-4 neck. I am going with a Wal style headstock where it is a 2+2 with a Fender style drop down headstock. As you can see in the pictures I have used my Safty Planer to do most of the work and this is the first time using it on a neck and it worked great. Also I used the same planner for the back of the neck to taper it from the nut to the heel making it thinner at the nut and getting thicker towards the heel. Once I got that done I started on rounding the back of the neck and I got that done. The only thing left to do to the neck is clean the back of the headstock wher it transissions to the neck and give it a final sanding. I almost forgot I have to radius the f-board and add the side marker dots and drill the tunner holes. Take a look at the pictures and let me know what you think.

Play On!

6/2/2010 Update!!!

I hope everyone had a great Memorial Day weekend! I was not able to work on the Koa top TBM-4 but I was able to work on the design of my first guitar model (no name). I also got the Mahogany body blank for my new guitar. The Guitar will have an all Mahogany body and neck with a rosewood f-board, chrome hardware with a tunomatic style bridge with tail stop. It will be a simple set-up guitar 1 volume knob and 1 tone knob with a 3 way pick up selector switch. I have not deceided which pick ups I want to go with yet P-90's or Humbuckers. This guitar is going to be all about bare bones simple and to the point. It will have a pick guard and black speed knobs. I will continue to work on getting this guitar ready then built. As you can see in the picture it is going to be a single cut design. The template is a shout from the back of the guitar or a left hand version because the other side of the template has so many lines on it you would not know what you were looking at. Let me know your thought on the new design.

As in my last post I had mentioned my router went out on me but it is magically working again and I am happy about this now I can continue to work on the Koa top bass. Until next time, Play On!

Update!!! 5/25/2010

Koa Top TBM-4: This week I was able to get the Truss Rode epoxied into the neck along with the f-board glued on. I also was able to get the neck pocket shem shaped and ready to be glued in. I did it out of Figured Myrtle and I think it will give a nice contrast. That is all this week. Next week I hope to get the f-board radiused along with the back of the neck and the headstock recessed.

I am also starting the scetches for the Guitar I am wanting to build and offer. It will be a semi hollowbody with a mahogany neck rosewood f-board and a mahogany or Poplar body. I have the body shape "I think" complete. I will need to cut it out and see. I am also considering shaping the top like an Archtop. It should be cool! I am going for a guitar when playing the neck pup it will be able to get that fat Jazz tone and when playing the bridge pup I nice dirty rock tone ala Jake White. I will post pic once I feel it is a good rendering of what I want in the end.

Until next time, Play On!

Update 5/17/2010!!!

Well this week I got some more work done on the TBM-4. I was able to get the neck surfaced down to the final thickness and straight as an arrow. I also got the truss rode c hannle cut along with slotting the f-board frett slots. Durring the truss rode routing my router started shooting flames out the top. The router still works but it want turn off so I think it is time to get a new one. I can't be to made because I have been using this router for 8 or 9 years now but still who wants to spend $300 on something. Anyway enough crying.

UPDATE!!!

Nothing to show this week. It being Mothers Day I was not able to get an work done. That was OK with me becaue I got to see everyone but I did not get to spend as much time as I would have liked with my Wife who had her first Mothers Day this year.

I did get the parts I needed in to continue working on the current bass and also I can start on my first guitar and I will be doing another MG-1 model as well. Well I hope to work on the bass this week, so until then Play On!

5/3/2010 UPDATE!!!!

I was able to get some work done on the Koa Top TBM bass this weekend. I was able to get the neck pocket routed out and it fits like a glove. I will have to make a peace of wood to go in the pocket to build it back up, so the neck will not sit to deep in the pocket. I also got the f-board milled down to final thickness and I am ready to start the fret slots. This is about all I was able to do this week because I need to get more parts in to move forward. I was able to order everything today to finish the bass and I hope to have everything by this weekend so I can get somemore work done. You will also see a picture of the TBM template for a five or more string bass body. Well I hope you like what you see and until next time. Play On!