Resonator

Take us through building your guitar step by step. Post pictures and tell us what you're doing.
ruby@magpage.com
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Joined: Thu May 24, 2012 8:03 am
Location: Chestertown Maryland

Re: Resonator

Post by ruby@magpage.com »

Finished the headplate. I had to glue on some little wings because the piece I used for the fretboard is not quite wide enough

Using the "angle/apply tape/straighten out" method of gluing the seam

Clamp it down

Glue it onto the head and shape it like I did the Ash below. The grain in the piece lines up with the graing of the fretboard. Can't see the seams at all. It is marked for the tuners
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Last edited by ruby@magpage.com on Tue Dec 27, 2016 12:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Ed M
ruby@magpage.com
Posts: 1564
Joined: Thu May 24, 2012 8:03 am
Location: Chestertown Maryland

Re: Resonator

Post by ruby@magpage.com »

The removable grills make it VERY easy to access the neck bolt. I can screw it in by hand until all it needs is about 3/4 turn with an allen wrench.

Here it is so far - it makes me laugh

A couple of hours and I can put some strings on it to check for the cone location - can't wait, but I have to
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Ed M
ruby@magpage.com
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Joined: Thu May 24, 2012 8:03 am
Location: Chestertown Maryland

Re: Resonator

Post by ruby@magpage.com »

Couldn't stand it. I installed the tuners and put on a couple of strings and Holy Crap is it loud


With a resonator (any guitar with a tailpiece I think) you have to cut small grooves in the saddle to keep the strings in place

With the cone in the center of the well I check the neck to be sure it is pointed down the center line. This makes the strings look even down the binding of the fretboard

The head is a National guitar shape. I have a small piece of wood standing in for the nut. This thing is 3 times as loud as a regular guitar - it really rings. I have no way of making a sound recording, but I sure wish I could. The first sound out of a guitar is always magic, but this one is even more so

Next up - frets. I will be able to slip the fretboard out without taking off the strings
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Ed M
Loggerenguitars
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Joined: Wed Nov 23, 2016 2:25 am

Re: Resonator

Post by Loggerenguitars »

Hi Ruby,

This is my fist post on this forum, and must say that's really beautiful work, well done so far!!!
;)
Kevin Sjostrand
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Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2008 8:06 pm
Location: Visalia, CA

Re: Resonator

Post by Kevin Sjostrand »

Ed, almost there! Coming along so nice.
Danl8
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Location: Chadds Ford, PA

Re: Resonator

Post by Danl8 »

Looking gooood!!
ruby@magpage.com
Posts: 1564
Joined: Thu May 24, 2012 8:03 am
Location: Chestertown Maryland

Re: Resonator

Post by ruby@magpage.com »

After a couple days off, I get today to work on it, but then a couple more days off - I REALLY want to keep going


Fretting - I have a bound board, so I have to nip of the tangs and file to be flush - I am too cheap to spend money on the tool. I filed a groove in a maple block to hold them

I polished the face of my cobbler's hammer and put on a layer of tape. It dose not leave a mark on the frets - tap them in

I made a caul with a radiused groove out of Jatoba - very hard. I clamp in 3 places along the length of each fret
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Ed M
ruby@magpage.com
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Joined: Thu May 24, 2012 8:03 am
Location: Chestertown Maryland

Re: Resonator

Post by ruby@magpage.com »

More frets


Nip them off with the nippers on their side

File them flush and square to the board

A couple of passes with a file at about 15° to get a start on the end bevel. I will wait to the board is glued onto the neck before I bevel, flatten, crown and then round the ends
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Ed M
ruby@magpage.com
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Joined: Thu May 24, 2012 8:03 am
Location: Chestertown Maryland

Re: Resonator

Post by ruby@magpage.com »

Make the nut. I make the mark with my half-pencil along the tops of the frets and cut off the excess bone. I cut the slots shy of the pencil line to be able to finish it when the nut us installed. The calipers are an easy way to space them - even centers

Make the saddle. Need to cut this also - much easier as it is wood. Curve the top at the same radius as the board. Set the calipers and mark, and cut with the nut files

Finish the neck set - I use 100 grit with a packing tape back, then 220 once it is where I want it
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Last edited by ruby@magpage.com on Fri Dec 30, 2016 6:31 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Ed M
ruby@magpage.com
Posts: 1564
Joined: Thu May 24, 2012 8:03 am
Location: Chestertown Maryland

Re: Resonator

Post by ruby@magpage.com »

Glue on a piece of walnut as a heel cap

Now I can glue on the fretboard and finish the neck.

I am copying a National headstock but I am substituting my anchor logo and the word "ANCHOR". I can work on this over the next couple of days
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Ed M
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