# teaching a young guy how to build stuff!



## ajcoholic (Feb 5, 2006)

If anyone is interested, I am running a detailed build of two Les Paul Junior style guitars over on HCGJ.

http://www.third-st.com/showthread.php?threadid=1252015

One is mine, one is being built almost completely by a 13 yr old musician friend of mine (we play together in the local community band).

AJC


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## Lowtones (Mar 21, 2006)

That's cool. I'm gonna go to the link right now.

OK been & seen. You have a wonderful workshop. So you should being in the business. I think it's great that you have taken the time to share your skill and knowledge with others. Kudos to you. I should really take the time to properly document a guitar build one of thes days. Unfortunately I am once again away from home with work and not able to get in the workshop. I have brought with me a guitar that I am making for davetcan. It has been on the back burner for a while due to work travel & another rush guitar order that I just completed before leaving. I wish that I had a camera with me as it is looking pretty good. When I get home I just need to attach the neck put on the finish and install the hardware. Dave has been great about it taking so long and I can tell you I appreciate it. I will attach a couple pictures that I took a month or so ago when I had just completed the rough shaping of the body & neck The guitar is much more shaped now and sanded to death as that is all I can really do at the hotel. I really look forward to coming home and getting this guitar done for Dave.
Once again I will follow your build and thanks for sharing with everyone.















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## Lester B. Flat (Feb 21, 2006)

AJ,

I thoroughly enjoyed that. Can't wait to see Connor holding his finished guitar!

:thanks5qx: :rockon: :smilie_flagge17:


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## lolligagger (Feb 4, 2006)

*Impressive!*

In a word...impressive! I would have been impressed enough even if you were spending time with a kid building a birdhouse. This definitely takes the idea of "making a difference in a kids life" to a whole new level.

The only thing that made me remotely nervous (as a musician and a safety guy) was the unguarded table saw and occasional lack of safety glasses. I admit that the cuts you had to make could not have been done with a safeguard in place over the blade. The problem is, I know too many people who have lost digits on table saws, and hate to see a brother suffer...

I was encouraged to see the young lad wearing safety gear in most of the pictures. Rock on!

:rockon:


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## SCREEM (Feb 2, 2006)

I was looking at that last night...very cool, they turned out real nice. :rockon:


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## Spikezone (Feb 2, 2006)

AJ, I've been watching that thread since you started it, and I have said it before and will say it again-I love those guitar builds you do! The reason I've (nearly) finished my guitar that I'm working on is that you made it look so darn doable (admittedly, I made it a little easier on myself by buying a complete neck to save some time and grief, but then, I DID make it mine by reshaping the headstock and applying veneer to it for the finish). But yeah, your threads are so educational and enjoyable, so keep it up! It's great to see!
-Mikey


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## ajcoholic (Feb 5, 2006)

Thanks guys for the kind words - seriously, it is probably more fun for me to work with a young guy like Connor and see what he is capable of, than it is for him. I work with a lot of kids doing stuff like building model airplanes mainly. It is part of my "thing" to try and pass on some of my own skills to others. Maybe thats becasue I have no son of my own? My sister has a son, soon to be three. I bet in a few more years he will be in there buidling something with me too... 

Lolligager, the big orange box above the blade on the saw IS the guard! I know I dont have my safety glasses on in all the pics, but I rarely use them on the bandsaw or sander, as there isnt anything to "fly up" and get you in the eyes. But I appreciate the concern, genuinely, and I try to be as safe as I can. Hell, its my living and I certainly need my digits! (never mind for guitar playing as well!)

I actually had Connor's older brother (he is 16) in the shop last year and we built him a guitar as well (but with a bought, bolt on neck we just reworked) and when Connor's is done I will take a photo of the both of them and post it here.

Later!
Andrew


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## ajcoholic (Feb 5, 2006)

Lowtones said:


> That's cool. I'm gonna go to the link right now.
> 
> OK been & seen. You have a wonderful workshop. So you should being in the business. I think it's great that you have taken the time to share your skill and knowledge with others. Kudos to you. I should really take the time to properly document a guitar build one of thes days. Unfortunately I am once again away from home with work and not able to get in the workshop. I have brought with me a guitar that I am making for davetcan. It has been on the back burner for a while due to work travel & another rush guitar order that I just completed before leaving. I wish that I had a camera with me as it is looking pretty good. When I get home I just need to attach the neck put on the finish and install the hardware. Dave has been great about it taking so long and I can tell you I appreciate it. I will attach a couple pictures that I took a month or so ago when I had just completed the rough shaping of the body & neck The guitar is much more shaped now and sanded to death as that is all I can really do at the hotel. I really look forward to coming home and getting this guitar done for Dave.
> Once again I will follow your build and thanks for sharing with everyone.
> ...



Hey Lowtones, that is an awesone PRS'ish style bodey and neck you are making. WOuld you care to share you secrets on shaping the ody contours with me? I like it!

AJC


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## Rumble_b (Feb 14, 2006)

I've been watching the thread since day one over at HC. I think it's amazing, not just the guitars but that you're spending time to teach Connor everything. It sure make me want to go build one.


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## Lowtones (Mar 21, 2006)

ajcoholic said:


> Hey Lowtones, that is an awesone PRS'ish style bodey and neck you are making. WOuld you care to share you secrets on shaping the ody contours with me? I like it!
> 
> AJC


That my friend is quite simple. First I will start by saying that is a 5/8 thick bookmatched maple cap on 1 1/4 mahogany. Once I have the pickup & neck cavities hogged out and I am happy with the fit of the neck tennon and bridge position I can do what ever I want to the body as long as I dont touch the neck pocket and bridge position. In this case I went around the maple cap with a 1/2" rabbit bit leaving 1/4 inch thickness of maple. I then simply shaped the contour from the top of the cap to the rabbit with a 1/2 round wood rasp. I cleaned it up with a five inch orbital sander and used the sander to take the contour slightly deeper than the rabbit near the edge. It took around an hour and a half to do the contouring & sanding as seen in the picture. I have since done more contouring of the body with a spoke shave and sandpaper. Generally speaking I do the majority of my shaping ( and I do like shaping)with a ten dollar wood rasp from Canadian tire.
Just a side note: because I was quite agressive with the shaping & sanding around the front pick up cavity I had to buy a very thick pickup ring for the front and then shape it to the guitar. Not a big deal but it took a few more hours and I now have to get it powder coated when I get home.


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## lolligagger (Feb 4, 2006)

ajcoholic said:


> Lolligager, the big orange box above the blade on the saw IS the guard! I know I dont have my safety glasses on in all the pics, but I rarely use them on the bandsaw or sander, as there isnt anything to "fly up" and get you in the eyes. But I appreciate the concern, genuinely, and I try to be as safe as I can. Hell, its my living and I certainly need my digits! (never mind for guitar playing as well!)


Got it...good to see my amazing grasp of the obvious is still intact.


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