[USBLUES]

Lets say there was a guy who has some minor woodworking skills, a bunch of dusty tools in the basement, a love of Jerrys Tiger, and the sublime ingnorance to want to undertake years of toiling to build his own.....is there a guide or resource that detailes the hippie sandwhich building process? I know i place to get wood, got a wood guy, so that woodn't be a prob...more and more im thinking why not, im in no rush and this would be allot of fun even if nothing comes from it. I would do it slow and allot of it by hand for lack of expesive tools..... I can make up for that by having lots o time.....atleast thats what im thinking now still blissfully ignorant.... the neck build scares me, the fretting all that, but maybe put some cash up and buy a neck, it doesn't have to have all the adornments, form over functionality, the funtionality that really appeals to me are the thin neck, smooth tranfer of the neck to body, and easy access up high, the inlays don't need to be crazy, just dots are fineanyway thats what im thinking, but don't know where to start.......

[tcsned]

I hear you, I have assembled a couple of guitars out of parts (I have a Warmoth WGD that I love). Getting a neck is probably not a bad idea - that's the trickiest part. I got a neck-thru neck from Soul Mate guitars off eBay a few years ago and am just getting around to getting it put together now. The work seems pretty good but hard to tell without getting the guitar totally put together. His website says he's pretty backlogged with work but if you're not in a hurry it might not be a bad option. There's probably other builders out there that can do necks too.

There's lots of resources on this forum already as far as wiring diagrams and such. I haven't seen a template for the body or routing control cavities but someone here might have something.

ENJOY!

[jdsmodulus]

You could consider buying an unfinished neck and then just build the wings or a bolt on neck and build a body. This would cost less and be easier for a first build. There are several companies that offer Tiger "like" necks with the fret work and inlays in place. You would be responisble then only for the body and electronics. Stewart Macdonald is a good place to start for build tools and supplies. 2 cents...Im not a builder at all but I have read alot about it.

[erock]

I hear you, I have assembled a couple of guitars out of parts (I have a Warmoth WGD that I love). Getting a neck is probably not a bad idea - that's the trickiest part. I got a neck-thru neck from Soul Mate guitars off eBay a few years ago and am just getting around to getting it put together now. The work seems pretty good but hard to tell without getting the guitar totally put together. His website says he's pretty backlogged with work but if you're not in a hurry it might not be a bad option. There's probably other builders out there that can do necks too.

There's lots of resources on this forum already as far as wiring diagrams and such. I haven't seen a template for the body or routing control cavities but someone here might have something.

ENJOY!

soulmate necks are awesome. I got a bolt on from them, for my WGD, and couldn't be happier.

I have thought about getting a neck through neck, and kind of getting around to another build very slowly.

[USBLUES]

Cool, i would definitley want to go Neck thru body, the electronics and routing don't scare me, its the hippie sandwich, how is that accomplished?

[tcsned]

Cool, i would definitley want to go Neck thru body, the electronics and routing don't scare me, its the hippie sandwich, how is that accomplished?

Laminating wood together - not sure what glue or epoxy to use but I know you have to be careful with cocobolo if you use that since it is oily and harder to glue. If you are looking for an exact replica Waldo might be able to help you with wood thickness etc. If you're doing a carved top you'll need at least 1/2" thick top plate or 3/4" - flat tops can be thinner. I think the one I am getting done now is 1/4" for a flat top (and back) guitar - though not a Jerry shape.

[USBLUES]

Maybee i'll just do a single chunk instead of the sandwich, sounds allot easier and would function the same.

[tcsned]

Maybee i'll just do a single chunk instead of the sandwich, sounds allot easier and would function the same.

there's some tonal considerations for using multiple woods on a guitar. The Les Paul is a prime example. Mahogany and maple sound different than either alone.

My under construction guitar is:
1/4" Burled redwood
1/16" (I think) ebony veneer
1 1/2" flamed maple
1/16" ebony veneer
1/4" burled redwood

not positive on the wood thickness as I haven't looked at the pieces in a while. though it doesn't seem that hard to glue and press the pieces together.

[USBLUES]

how do you know the pieces are exactley flat so they can be binded together? thats my one concern. When you get the pieces are they alread ycut flat ready to be sandwiched, or do you have to plane them first? Also I checked out soulmate necks and they are awesome!!! exactley what an amature like I would want!!!

[tcsned]

how do you know the pieces are exactley flat so they can be binded together? thats my one concern. When you get the pieces are they alread ycut flat ready to be sandwiched, or do you have to plane them first? Also I checked out soulmate necks and they are awesome!!! exactley what an amature like I would want!!!

it depends on where you get your wood - a luthier supply place can probably get the pieces you need cut and planed to the right thickness and flatness otherwise they need to be planed flat - some lumber places will do this too. everything needs to be flat for sure.

[Rusty the Scoob]

If I had mine to do over again I'd have started with a Soulmate... my Warmoth neck is great to play but the bolt-on style made my design a lot tougher to excecute correctly.

I know my dad planed all the wood perfectly flat before creating the hippie sandwich. I think he just used ordinary tite-bond glue and a lot of clamps, then let it dry over night to create the body blank.

Gluing the Coco Bolo wasn't the worst part of working with it - you just had to wipe it with something (Naptha? I think?) to temporarily chase the oils from the surface before gluing. It was also very tough to carve, sand, rout, and it did make my arms itch while sanding. It bothered my dad's throat and lungs, too, but not mine.

[strumminsix]

Question - can you do a complete and proper setup? Can you do a proper re-wire of a guitar with advanced switching like coil taping?

I'll give you the same advice I gave to another friend - until you can tech your own guitars don't build. Buy something low-end and start learning and experimenting first.

[USBLUES]

Yes and yes, the set-up thing im ok at, the tech wiring aspect is well within my wheelhouse, its the woodworking and sandwiching that i am most concerned with. I do think about just getting a Squire Strat and one Diamrzio Super II, start with something like that.

[strumminsix]

Yes and yes, the set-up thing im ok at, the tech wiring aspect is well within my wheelhouse, its the woodworking and sandwiching that i am most concerned with. I do think about just getting a Squire Strat and one Diamrzio Super II, start with something like that.

Very cool! I'm at the setup/wiring learning phase so had to ask! Plus I read so many reviews on BEAUTIFUL guitars but the setup is poor, awful fret dress, bad wiring, etc. ROCK on, bro!

[tigerstrat]

Yes and yes, the set-up thing im ok at, the tech wiring aspect is well within my wheelhouse, its the woodworking and sandwiching that i am most concerned with. I do think about just getting a Squire Strat and one Diamrzio Super II, start with something like that.

Now that would be some bang for the buck.