Vox Hollow Body

[ilan]

The system of the bridge of my '64 Burns seems to work the same as the bridge pictures above. One proble. If you are putting on and tuning new strings, the 'saddles' ofcourse move sideways over the screw thread, and the string spacing changes:) In the end I have four strings with three different spacings between them   Very irritating. I have to roll the saddles a bit to the side and hope they don't move to much by the sliding string.

Not a problem with the ol' Gretsch... First of all I never change strings  and even if I did, 44 years of corrosion ensure that it takes more than just changing strings to move those ring saddles sideways.

[sniper]

The system of the bridge of my '64 Burns seems to work the same as the bridge pictures above. One proble. If you are putting on and tuning new strings, the 'saddles' ofcourse move sideways over the screw thread, and the string spacing changes:) In the end I have four strings with three different spacings between them   Very irritating. I have to roll the saddles a bit to the side and hope they don't move to much by the sliding string.

My English is okay, but not if I have to explain some technical things. Hope you understand it.

superglue!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[drbassman]

To be honest, I know I should hold each saddle with one hand while tightening the strings with the other.  It's an interesting dilemma, but not insurmountable!

[drbassman]

The neck is almost finished.  It's all contoured and sanded, ready for grain filling and fret board gluing.  This one should be done within a few weeks!



This is my version of a Vox headstock.  It will have a Gibson-style black face.  I was thinking of using the boat paddle form, but I thought this was more tasteful!



Got the neck angle all set with the bridge in place, we're ready to roll!

[Pilgrim]

You may have just saved me a LOT of trouble!

The vintage Lyle HB I've been putting off working on has one or two pretty deep scratches across the front lower bout area.  I've been dreading trying to polish down enough to eliminate them. I'm reasonably sure that this 70's Matsumoku product has a poly finish, and if so, then the CA glue you used in your scratch repair earlier in this thread might be my savior.

This pic doesn't show the scratches, just the bass (a 335-copy, of course...):

[drbassman]

Very cool looking.  It has a Harmony H-style bass look to it.  CA should work just fine.  You can use it on old nitro too if you're careful.  Not likely that any of the old Japanese basses were nitro however.  They tended to use poly for its ease of application and filling qualities.

[drbassman]

I'm grain filling the neck for the Vox right now.  Hope to have it done in a week or so.  The pup is almost ready too.

[Pilgrim]

Cool - I keep checking back for progress.

BTW - after the CA scratch-fill, what was your sanding paper sequence?  Start about 800 grit and work up to 2000, then polish?

[drbassman]

Cool - I keep checking back for progress.

BTW - after the CA scratch-fill, what was your sanding paper sequence?  Start about 800 grit and work up to 2000, then polish?

I started (you're not going to believe this) with a random orbital sander and 320 grit only in the areas where I filled and there were tons of them on this one.  The poly was so thick it didn't make a dent in it!  I don't recommend this intial step for the faint of heart!  Afterward, I did the usual progression from 800 up through 1500.  Perfect It II and Finesse and I was finished.

Your Lyle body is pretty darn close to my Vox.  In fact, I was looking at a Framus on eBay and it looks alot like that one except for the control hole locations.

[Pilgrim]

Random orbital sander and 320 grit??

No kidding, not for the faint of heart!!!!!

Dang, sounds like luthier work by Tim Taylor, featuring MORE POWER!!!

I suspect there are many similarities between hollowbodies from that era.  I am pretty sure that Univox, Aria, Lyle and Epiphone all would have the same or nearly the same dimensions, since they were all built in the same factory.  Since most were copying Gibson, it would make sense that they would head the same direction.  However, that wouldn't make parts interchangeable.

I'll try to get a better photo of that Lyle - I'm sure you would enjoy seeing it.

And to ask a detail technique question, when you mention using a razor blade scraper, do you point the blade toward the direction of travel, or drag the blade behind your hand (tip facing back) as you scrape? 

I figure it doesn't hurt to ask the guy who has BTDT with such great results.

[drbassman]

Yeah, I get kinda crazy sometimes with so many irons in the fire.  I did forget the scraping step before the sander.  I take a razor blade (this is hard to visualize, but I'll try to describe it), lay it flat on my bench with just the sharp edge hanging over by 1/16" or so.  I take a round screwdriver shaft, hold it at a 45 degree angle toward the bench and, while using moderate downward pressure, drag it over the sharp edge from one end to another.  This curls the edge of the blade downward, creating a burr.  Then, you take the blade and drag it toward yourself as a scraper.  The burr catches whatever sticks up above the surface and cuts it off. 

It works great and you should practice on some wood scrapes first.  It also makes a great binding and small wood repair/glue scraper as well.  Make sense?

[hollowbody]

I was going to mention how to make a scraper but you beat me to it.     One thing that I'd recommend is slightly bending the blade so the ends don't come into contact with the instrument. 

This isn't a big deal with an arched instrument, but on a slab body you can end up with some extra scrapes when the CA close to flush.

I'm enjoying this project as it progresses.  I've been on the lookout for a decent box to turn into a bass for a while now.

[drbassman]

Good point on the ends treatment.  That's why I try mine out on a scrape before I use it on a finished body.

[Pilgrim]

That was an excellent description - I have a clear picture of how to do it.  The suggestion about curling the ends up is a great one - no need to take a chance on making more gouges.  And practicing first is a GREAT idea.

Muchas gracias. 

[drbassman]

My pleasure!