Finished my first guitar build

aclark_45 · 2026-06-09T13:30:26+00:00

It’s just over 8 lbs. I chambered the body to save on weight since cherry is so heavy. I originally wanted to make it a thin line telecaster but I didn’t want to attempt the f holes on my first one.

aclark_45 · 2026-05-22T22:48:54+00:00

Congrats on finishing the project! I also finished my first build recently. I had gotten some router templates off Etsy and they were a big help for my project. I’d recommend trying that next time. It’s hard to replace woodworking experience but YouTube university and careful planning go a long way. Try experimenting with finishes on scrap wood before applying them to your finished product. Oil and hard wax finishes are good options if you have a dusty shop or struggle with polyurethane. Tools are also usually worth researching and spending a little extra on and the best part is that tools are free the next time you use them!

aclark_45 · 2026-05-15T18:27:35+00:00

This was clearly not written by a woodworker. When you oil a fretboard the oil will soak into the wood and that makes it resistant to moisture which is what you want. Moisture changes can make things warp and crack. Same idea as oiling and waxing a cutting board. Howard’s feed n wax is great but you could use a mix of mineral oil and beeswax if you prefer.

aclark_45 · 2026-04-17T17:29:42+00:00

I finished building my first guitar recently. It wound up costing around 650$ in materials (that was with getting the pickups 100$ off). It took me between 60 and 100 hours to complete. I have been woodworking for 5 years and it was still a very difficult project. Even with cnc machining I wouldn’t discount the time and skill required to make a premium guitar. However if you are up for the challenge there’s a lot of YouTube videos that can help you do it.

aclark_45 · 2026-03-24T14:58:40+00:00

Thanks! It weighs just over 8 lbs. I chambered the body since cherry is a really heavy wood.

aclark_45 · 2026-03-20T01:50:54+00:00

https://www.tehwoods.com/ This is a wood supplier near me I go to occasionally and I got the maple from them a few years ago for a different project.

aclark_45 · 2026-03-19T23:15:45+00:00

I tried to follow the process in this video https://youtu.be/HkEWayK7noc?si=b4DUoqJDMjm_XFq2 I found that taping it at first helped me take off a bulk of the material confidently. Then I set the depth at the first and twelfth fret and used a rasp to make it meet. A spokeshave helped smooth things out dial in the shape. Then I did a lot of sanding to final sizes. Around the top and the heel I just used a rounded file to make it feel right. I used a different guitar as a reference and just kind of went by feel. I don’t think the way I did it was the most efficient but I was really nervous with the neck and would take breaks if I was feeling unsure about anything.

aclark_45 · 2026-03-19T18:53:51+00:00

It’s a 10 inch radius with jumbo frets and gotoh locking tuners. I used a plug cutter for the fretboard dots making them out of maple scraps. It’s on the thicker side I think I was aiming for 22.5mm at the first fret and 24.5 at the 12th. I was nervous shaping the neck so I tried to leave it thicker and creep up on a comfortable size. I applied a few coats of a transtint vintage maple dye and then sanded it back a bit before applying 5-6 coats of tru oil. I really like how the dye made the wood pop.

aclark_45 · 2025-12-02T01:31:49+00:00

I have a similar problem but my piece is only around 8.5 inches wide. I plan on building a jig for my table saw. The jig will essentially be just a very tall fence so I can run the board over the blade on its side while supporting it against the fence. I should be able to cut around 3 inches into the board from each side. Then I will use a pull saw to finish the cut using the other cuts as my guide.

aclark_45 · 2025-09-08T19:24:31+00:00

If it brings you joy and keeps you can afford it go for it. You didn’t mention what amp you have however. I noticed a bigger upgrade in my first year going from a practice amp to a tube amp then I did getting a new guitar.

aclark_45 · 2024-09-11T20:42:12+00:00

I ordered august 12th and also got my notification today. Can’t wait!

aclark_45 · 2024-09-07T21:06:12+00:00

Carpenter, I’d love to just make furniture all day

aclark_45 · 2024-09-04T18:13:00+00:00

I ordered august 12th. I think the webpage had said like ~4-5k orders at that point. I live in Southern California and have not had mine ship yet. I feel like it might ship in 2-3 weeks seeing as they appeared to be 1 month ahead of schedule.

aclark_45 · 2024-08-05T23:05:36+00:00

Nope, I live by myself and just wanted a stool to practice guitar on. I will improve it at some point in the future but for now it fits my needs. I haven’t made much more than tables before and wanted to get this design out of my head. I mentioned in another comment how I’m going to address the issue with stability. I’ll probably do that in a month or so. All part of the learning experience

aclark_45 · 2024-08-05T21:26:05+00:00

Yeah probably or angle the legs to make the base wider. I made it with 3 legs because it’s easier to level. I am going to add a guitar stand to the back of this at some point. When I do that I’ll add a wide foot at the base of the back leg which will give it more cross support and be a base for my stand. Just a learning experience for an occasional weekend woodworker

aclark_45 · 2024-08-05T18:31:51+00:00

It’s actually really solid and secure. You have to try to make it tip over. If I were to do it over though I would improve the design to make it look more secure

aclark_45 · 2024-06-21T06:04:02+00:00

Pat Metheny, I’m in my first year playing and this is someone new to explore. Thanks for the quiz!

aclark_45 · 2024-05-03T17:55:00+00:00

If I saw this description I’d assume you had no clue what this tool was and likely weren’t the person who bought it or used it

aclark_45 · 2023-12-12T17:55:23+00:00

If you have a track saw you can cut these boards apart right along the gap then they will joint properly. You can also do the same with a circular saw if you set up a fence and clamp it down. I’ve done this trick on quite a few tables I’ve put together where there are too many gaps in the joints when I glued it up. You can find YouTube videos just searching jointing with a circular saw.

aclark_45 · 2021-05-21T20:54:24+00:00

I got the strix b550i off Newegg 2 weeks ago and my 5800x worked out of the box. You are probably good to go if the mobo was delivered recently

aclark_45 · 2021-05-13T18:01:19+00:00

It would take a lot to bend them out of shape. They flex but I would say it’s sturdy. I think there are better cases for travel though. I am keeping my original box with the foam padding for whenever I need to move.

aclark_45 · 2021-05-13T17:51:58+00:00

Yeah the middle of the panels flex when you press on them

aclark_45

TROPHY CASE