In Progress: Myrtle topped, chambered '71

[sully]

Specs: Chambered 1pc black limba body, figured myrtle top, 3pc limba neck, bois de rose fretboard with block inlays, tort binding with ivoroid position markers. Habanero pickups, stainless steel frets, wraparound bridge.

Neck blank in the neck smasher



Top glued up



Body chambered and wiring channels in



Top glued on to body



Body routs done



Neck blank ready for binding, then the fretboard



Binding in



Binding cleaned up



Bois de Rose fretboard inlaid, board sanded, and time to clean out the slots. Jesus, this stuff is brittle. Pretty, but brittle.





Cleaned up





Fun with binding. I always wonder why I do this....





And then I remember "because it looks awesome when it's done!"

[sully]

Fretboard glued



Frets in



Neck glued in

[VitaminG]

love that bit o' wood. Looking forward to see this one finished

[sully]

Thanks Gaz!

It just needs it's final sanding, and for me to decide its finish. I was originally going to just have it cleared, but I think a very subtle, medium brown tint/burst would look killer.

[artonsafari]

Sounds like a win! I still say a Surfcaster cateye F-hole would be killer on a chambered one.

[toejam]

Well, that's coming along nicely!

[sully]

Sounds like a win! I still say a Surfcaster cateye F-hole would be killer on a chambered one.

There's a plan for one, but not quite that shape.

[artonsafari]

Way cool! I figured you'd want to do your own thing with it but I really like Charvel shape as a starting point.

[VitaminG]

Thanks Gaz!

It just needs it's final sanding, and for me to decide its finish. I was originally going to just have it cleared, but I think a very subtle, medium brown tint/burst would look killer.

well, if you're not going with trans yellow, that sounds like a reasonable alternative.

I agree, sounds killer. Imagining that beautiful figuring with a nice warm brown tint has me smelling toast. Or is that a stroke....?

There's a plan for one, but not quite that shape.

Don't know if you caught the recent rig runthrough with Eagles of Death Metal - Jesse's custom Matons have a wicked lightning bolt f-hole. Don't know how that fits in with your aesthetic plan for the line (gives it a classic/modern 70s vibe - made me think of Ace and other stylistically iconic guitarists of the period) but there are some groovy non-f-hole f-hole ideas out there

[rjohnstone]

There's a plan for one, but not quite that shape.

Make it in the shape of an A and call it an A-hole.
Sorry... couldn't resist.

[VitaminG]

Make it in the shape of an A and call it an A-hole.
Sorry... couldn't resist.

it's so obvious. How isn't this a thing already?

[artonsafari]

Brilliant!!

[sully]

Make it in the shape of an A and call it an A-hole.
Sorry... couldn't resist.

That's actually the plan! It's subtle, but it's there.