17" Archtop Jazz Guitar finally starting it 5 years late!

[Kevin Sjostrand]

I do have the finish on the #3 violin now and it's curing. I'll rub it out and reassemble the violin hopefully before Thanksgiving week so my granddaughter (the one in college, not the one who will receive this violin) can play it for me and I can hear how it sounds.

I'd forgotten that this pick guard has to have a notch cut out of it so the pickup can be mounted to it. The pickup mounts/attaches to the bottom of the pickguard so it's suspended just in front of the end of the fretboard.
I'll show it as I cut the notch and mount it. I may go ahead and attach the pickguard to the neck extension so that will be done, then remove it for the finishing work.

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Today I made a routing template to cut the notch in the pick guard for the pickup. I used it on scrap a couple times and adjusted the template so I'd get just the right fit. Then I went for it on the real piece. I used a 3/16" straight bit with a 1/4" shaft. The shaft rode on the template. I had to make the cut out area a 1/16" oversize to get what I needed.

It turned out great. I also made the ebony block that will mount the pick guard to the fretboard extension. It gets epoxied to the bottom of the guard.

[TEETERFAN]

Nice work, Kevin, that’s gonna be a “jazz beast”!!

[Kevin Sjostrand]

So i started working on the tail piece. I cut out the profile last week from the same blank of ebony that the finger rest is made from.

I marked off the string hole locations and drilled 3/16" holes. Then I pondered how I was going to make the slots so they looked consistent and good.
I came up with a simple jig that I could use on my variable speed drill press, using a .0903" routing straight cut bit.
The tail piece is centered and pinned to the white board using two 3/16" fiberglass pins. The board has a flat square edge that I can index against a straight edge clamped to the drill press table and slide back and forth.
I put stop blocks front and back to limit the travel of the board. I'm running the drill press at 3200 rpm. I start the bit in the 3/16" hole and lower the chuck to take about a .020" cut, pull the board to the stop making the cut. Repeat until I've gone through the 5/16" tail piece blank, and PRESTO. A nice straight clean slot. I do have to move the setup after each slot, and move the pins in the holes to cut those slots but it works and it's simple and I'm happy with the results.

I can use the same setup with a bigger bit to cut pockets on the other end where the tail gut ends will come through. I'll just place the straight edge/T square on the right side of the table.

[Kevin Sjostrand]

I finished the drill press" routing" for the strings and the scarconni tail gut strap.

Now there is much shaping to be done. Hoping to work on that tomorrow

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Finishing tail piece and a mock up of the guitar with finger rest with pickup, bridge and tailpiece.
Getting close now.

[TEETERFAN]

Eye-candy!!! What a classy look.

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Okay
I can't call it done. But I can call it "strung up!"

I installed the tuners. I installed the end pin jack but didn't hook up the electronics. The finger rest with the pickup glued to it is attached to the neck. Strings are on and almost stretched to hold tune....along with the tail gut that holds the tail piece in place.

It actually sounds pretty good. Action is high and the bridge needs to move back a bit as the intonation is sharp moving up the frets. The tail gut is too long as it's shortened as much as it will go and is too far over the end of the guitar....for my liking. Stewmac sells one an inch shorter which should be just right.

My tuner holes somehow on the left side facing the guitar are about 1/16" farther in from the edge then the other side. Not sure how that happened as I THOUGHT the holes were the same distance before I routed and installed the binding.

So little things...oh and the neck is not glued on and the string tension pulled the neck heel up and away from the body about 1/16". I thought the dovetail was fitting tight but with all that string tension I guess not tight enough.
I'll have to address that. Perhaps when the neck is glued in it won't do that???? I don't know, first dovetail I've ever done.

So I'll leave it strung for a few weeks I think and play it. I don't play very well or much but hope to learn some "easy jazz" that I can manage to make sound good, for my own pleasure.

My plan is still to do a 4 color sunburst in the spring. That will also be my first so I hope I can make it look good.

I'm pretty happy with how it's turning out. Lots of fun making it and having a different experience in the build process then a flat tops like I've made.

More to come later when the finishing begins.

[TEETERFAN]

Awesome!!! Looks like you’re gonna have a superb instrument after a bit of massaging and finishing. Very impressive. I am jealous of your progress with all your builds. You’ve popped off this guitar and a couple of violins during the time I’ve been french polishing my Ziricote dread. And I still haven’t finished! Good job and thanks for all the pictures and posts. You’re an inspiration!

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Thanks Kevin
Since I retired I've just been able to spend so much more time in the shop. Lovin it!!

I've completed 3 violins and two guitars, and built this one to this point in about 22 months.

I could barely get one done and start a second in that time in the past. Just Lovin it!!