GS Mini 6

 

After marking the masking tape, I figured out, with a few calculations, how deep my side should be at the tail end and at the neck end.

For the GS Mini style guitar, the total tail end depth of the finished instrument is 4-7/16", and the neck end depth is 3-15/32". To figure out how deep to cut the sides, I needed to subtract the thicknesses of the soundboard and back (each 3/32" thick) from the finished instrument's depths.

 

 

 

  

 

Once I had those measurements, I first marked the tail end depth (4-1/4"), leaving an extra 1-1/2" at the end. I then lined up my tail end mark on the masking tape with that 4-1/4" mark on the side, and stretched the masking tape in a straight line up to the 3-9/32" mark at the neck end, lining up my neck end mark on the masking tape with that 3-9/32" mark on the side (again, leaving 1-1/2" extra at the neck end).

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

I then went to the bandsaw and cut along the masking tape's marked line (the one created by using the wheel gauge in the radius dish).

I removed the tape holding both side pieces together, and here is the result.

 

        

Friday, February 21st, 2014:

Whew!!!! I just spent about four hours thinking through the sequence and details of what I need to do next. Doing this bevel (while additionally doing a soundport and off-center rosette) means that I need to change my normal order of operations to put together this guitar. The first thing I did today was to re-watch the Kent Everett DVD; I took notes as I watched it. Then, I spent the next hour or so typing up these notes, rearranging steps, trying to come up with the best way to go about doing all this.

Chances are, as I go along, I'll find that I may have to make some changes (to account for things I may not have thought of today), but at least my mind is a little bit clearer about what I have to do. If I don't write things down, oftentimes I find I feel too scatterbrained and overwhelmed to work very well.

If you see anything here that doesn't look right, please let me know!!! I'd welcome any constructive comments or suggestions.

NEXT STEPS

(RED means "Done")

TOP & BACK:

1.     Joint & join top.

2.     Mark back outline.

3.     Mark brace locations on back.

4.     Trim & brace back.

 

ROSETTE:

5.     Mark top outline, centerline, and soundhole pivot location on top.

6.     Draw out entire eccentric rosette plan on top (using 2 pivot holes). DON'T FORGET PURFLING LINES!!!

7.     Using drawing, cut out eccentric rosette/purfling ring out of bloodwood.

8.     Rout out channel for rosette/purfling (using 2 pivot holes).

9.     Glue in rosette/purfling ring. (DO NOT CUT OUT SOUNDHOLE YET!)

 

PREPARE TOP:

10. Thickness-sand top (first to get rosette just flush, then on other side to final thickness).

11. Mark top brace locations & top outline.

12. Trim top (LEAVE ¼" OUTSIDE LINE).

13. Cut out soundhole.

 

BEND SIDES

14. Bend sides & put into mold with spreaders.

15. Trim side ends at neck & tail.

 

BEVEL BLOCK 1:

16. Mark bevel shape onto bass side lower bout. (2" in from waist to 4"-6" in from tail) (3/4" center depth)

17. Sand bevel line on belt sander & smooth out with drill press sanding drum.

18. Put sides back into mold w/spreaders. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MAKE NECK & TAIL BLOCKS:

19. Make tail block.

20. Make neck block.

21. Measure for and drill holes (countersunk on inside with Forstner bit) for bolts.

22. Fit neck & tail blocks to match curve of sides, and glue in blocks. When dry, drill neck bolt holes through sides.

 

BEVEL BLOCK 2:

23. MOVED TO STEP 54b: Install the bloodwood/purfling  (b/w/b .040") end wedge. 

24. Sand top edge in 25' radius dish, and back edge in 15' radius dish.

25. Mark 1" thick basswood block to fit into bevel area. 

26. Mark where it will meet kerfing, to width of kerfing.

27. Mark inside line of block --- ¾" in middle, gradually down to kerfing width mark.

28. With bandsaw, cut outer curve of block (where it will meet side), and then cut inner curve of block ¼" outside of the line drawn.

29. After fitting the block outside curve to side, re-mark & cut the inner line.

30. Mark depth of kerfing on end of block, and cut a couple of inches in at an angle from that mark.

31. Sand to inner line.

32. Set bevel block in place, and now mark along the side bevel cut (onto the outside curve of block).

33. Mark ¼" in from that line (towards back of guitar) --- this will be the ¼" gluing surface to side).

34. Sand to that line on the block.  (DO NOT TRIM INSIDE CORNER OF BLOCK YET!!!)

35. Glue bevel block to side, lining up with the line that was traced along the side bevel cut.

36. When dry, sand top again in 25' radius dish.

37. Glue on kerfing (flush with edges) onto both top and back edges.

 

SOUNDPORT:

38a. Make and glue on side braces.

38b. Mark for location of soundport.

39. Make a gluing caul for soundport area.

40. Glue 3 layers of veneer to inside of soundport area, using caul.

41. When dry, rout out soundport with Dremel.

 

BEVEL BLOCK 3:

42. File inside corner of bevel block to 45 degree angle, smoothing it into the kerfing.  Final sand with 180-grit.

43. Sand 25' radius again into top.

44. Tape top onto side set.

45. Mark the inside bevel block curve onto top.

46. Mark ¼" from that line (towards the side) onto the top. (This will be the gluing surface for the top/bevel block.)

47. Cut the top on that line.  KEEP THE OFF-CUT (to be used later).

48. Smooth the top edge out on sander.

 

  

 

 

 

BRACE TOP, FIT & GLUE THE TOP AND BACK:

49a. Brace the top now.  (REMEMBER TO ADJUST THE BRACE SCALLOP LOCATION, FROM THE NEW TOP OUTLINE.  ALSO REMEMBER THAT THE BRACE WILL BE INLAYED ¼" INTO THE BEVEL BLOCK.)

49b. DON'T FORGET --- BEFORE CLOSING UP BOX, make clamping cauls for gluing on the fingerboard extension & for gluing on the bridge!!!

49c. Shellac the top (for protection).

49d. MAKE AND GLUE IN MY LABEL ON THE INSIDE OF BACK!!!!

49e. MAKE A GUITAR-SHAPED CLAMPING CAUL FOR GLUING ON TOP/BACK!!!

50. Fit the top to the side set (rout out pockets into the bevel block & kerfing).

51. Fit the back to the side set (rout out brace pockets into kerfing).

52a. Glue on the top and back.

52b. Trim the top & back overhang flush to the sides.

 

BINDING:

53. Cut out side portion at truss rod slot.

54a. Bend bindings (do a couple extra).

54b. Rout for binding & purfling:  Rout purfling channels first, then binding channels.  STOP SHORT OF BEVEL AREA & TRUSS ROD SLOT AREA.

55. Install the bloodwood/purfling  (b/w/b .040") end wedge. (Remember to make it longer on both top & bottom, by the width of the b/w/b purfling strip AND to miter the ends of the purfling strips!!!)

56. Clean up binding/purfling channels (especially the transition areas).

57. Fit the binding.

58. In bevel area of binding, sand the binding almost down to the bottom purfling line (to allow flex).

59. Glue in binding/purflings.  At bevel area, use push pins.

 

BEVEL BLOCK 4 & VENEER:

60. Glue in extra black purfling line along bevel area of top purfling.  Then, glue in the spruce off-cut.

61. When dry, superglue along purfling.

62. When dry, file the 45-degree FLAT bevel, all the way up to the purfling lines.

63. Use paper to find the shape of the bevel (creases will show it).

64. Cut the veneer outside that creased line.

65. Apply Titebond to both the veneer and the bevel.  LET IT DRY.

66. Sand/scrape off any grit, etc., from both glued surfaces..  Sand entire surfaces lightly.

67. Iron on the veneer. (MAKE SURE IT COVERS THE ENTIRE BEVEL AREA.)

68. Tape it down.

69. Let it dry (preferably overnight).

70. Superglue at the purfling edges.

71. Remove excess veneer with razor blade. (BE CAREFUL OF CHIPPING.)

72. Sand it all so there are clean lines.

FINISHED!!!!!! (Whew!!!!)

Making the neck will feel like a breeze, compared to all this!!!!