Building a cut away
-
- Posts: 1405
- Joined: Fri Sep 03, 2010 2:14 pm
- Location: Creedmoor, NC
Building a cut away
For #7 I want to do a cut away but really haven't researched the differences in building one yet. Can any one tell me if they are significant or just a matter of bending, attaching to the neck block, and the binding/purfling changes. Thanks.
Tim Benware
Re: Building a cut away
Ken Cierp has some good pix of the assembly procedure, which I used for two guitars - especially important is keeping the neck block correctly lined up and held firmly in place - the cutaway part of the rim really tries to pull the block out of position. Maybe drop Ken a line and get a link to those pix..
-
- Posts: 7019
- Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2006 7:09 pm
- Location: Hegins, Pa
- Contact:
Re: Building a cut away
the one big difference is the neck block . To do a good cutaway you need the transition to be fluid to the body. To do this , place the neck into the block and make the neck center the neck block center . Place the sized fretboard to the neck and transfer that line to the neck block .
From that point take a bit more for the thickness of the side. You may flare the taper out from the corner point if you want . The key to to get that corner nice and flush so you won't have a "speed bump" when you travel up the neck. The only other thing is some of the upper bracing my be shortened a bit for the cutaway design you choose .
I will thin the upper area of the side about .005 for the cutaway area to bend a bit easier and you will want to get some finer kerfing for this area facilitate bending on the cutaway region.
From that point take a bit more for the thickness of the side. You may flare the taper out from the corner point if you want . The key to to get that corner nice and flush so you won't have a "speed bump" when you travel up the neck. The only other thing is some of the upper bracing my be shortened a bit for the cutaway design you choose .
I will thin the upper area of the side about .005 for the cutaway area to bend a bit easier and you will want to get some finer kerfing for this area facilitate bending on the cutaway region.
John Hall
Blues Creek Guitars Inc
Authorized CF Martin Repair Center
president of Association of Stringed Instrument Artisans
http://www.bluescreekguitars.com
Blues Creek Guitars Inc
Authorized CF Martin Repair Center
president of Association of Stringed Instrument Artisans
http://www.bluescreekguitars.com
Re: Building a cut away
To me neck block orientation is key -- actually having the mortise pre-cut is a short coming of all kits -- major builders will cut the mortise "after" the body is assembled which makes neck alignment much easier. And I agree with Rick a blended heel at the cutaway is very classy -- actually one of the reasons I started manufacturing necks -- yes I have those available. I do have a bunch of cutaway assembly pictures the process is a little different then a NC.
Re: Building a cut away
Rick -- both Martin (dove tail) and Taylor cut the mortise and Taylor the fingerboard inlet too after the body is assembled,
http://www.taylorguitars.com/see-hear/ Factory Fridays #8
did I misunderstand your comment? -- not sure about Gibson I have not been to their factory since they left Kalamazoo Michigan which was many years ago. I agree if the fixturing is correct both methods are fine -- my reference here is mainly for concern of the cutaway spring back pushing the block off axis in just about any direction -- so care has to be taken to prevent any movement. I kind of like the way Kinkead tooled up for cutting the mortise.
http://www.taylorguitars.com/see-hear/ Factory Fridays #8
did I misunderstand your comment? -- not sure about Gibson I have not been to their factory since they left Kalamazoo Michigan which was many years ago. I agree if the fixturing is correct both methods are fine -- my reference here is mainly for concern of the cutaway spring back pushing the block off axis in just about any direction -- so care has to be taken to prevent any movement. I kind of like the way Kinkead tooled up for cutting the mortise.
-
- Posts: 1405
- Joined: Fri Sep 03, 2010 2:14 pm
- Location: Creedmoor, NC
Re: Building a cut away
Rick, This is a pic of what I was thinking (venetian). It's a Martin. What is the "ledge" you were referring to?Runningdog wrote:I don't like the Larrivee/Martin/et al. style of cutaway (with a ledge protruding beyond the fingerboard), preferring to match the cutaway to the edge of the fingerboard. This requires that you cut the headblock so the side is a perfect fit with the fingerboard. It's not that hard but there's very little room for adjustment after the rim is assembled.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Tim Benware
Re: Building a cut away
Rick I went to Elderly's last week, they have zillion Martins hanging around the shop -- I was not looking specifically at cutaways but the ones I say had that binding reveal along the FB extension you are talking about. So ??