Sorry John...I've been very busy and appreciate your kind words- thank you.
 
Thank you Michael. Well the disappointments are a good kick in the butt to help motivate me to improve. Always something new to learn. Maybe some day I'll build one that doesn't have one single little thing that bothers me...maybe.
 
 
( now I'm on hold again waiting for parts and wood to arrive)
 
I really didn't want to let this one go but I thought I could always build another one....so I started one but this time I'm going to use Alder for the body.
 
I'm going to use the same vintage style hardware and the same modified wiring as the Ash one - I'm waiting on a beautiful flame maple board and thinking about doing a 3-piece laminated neck...if I do I'll post more about it.
I'll also include a new jig I made- I was wondering how folks without a table router would handle a neck so I had an idea to make a cheap jig that would make some of the process kind of simple.
 
This is my first build using Alder. I like it. Very nice wood to work. I still have a lot of sanding to do but here is how it is now.
 

 
The control cover will be flush when done. Still need to fine tune the hole in trem cover....lots of work left to do.

 
As with the Ash one this too has a two piece Birdseye "pickguard" but I think match-up pretty good. You can see the joint about 1" in below pup cavities.

That's looking great so far Spacey.

∞

Thank you Bob and Mike.
 
What a great idea Mike- when I gas it just keep going and make it a "relic"! - I guess it's just natural for a guitarist to fret over the small stuff.
I'm not alone though and somehow don't find any comfort in that. The Texas luthier that loved the inlay idea pointed out his disappointment too: showing how it makes one cringe when the inlay fit isn't perfect and hard to make some things appear to be "relic" rather than "goofs" lol.  - I still like the way his looks.
 
 

 
 
Thought I'd share this neck routering box. I don't know if it's "original" or not and don't care- one may find it on youtube, I don't know.
 
I just wondered what one could do very cheaply if they didn't have a router table.
 

 
A bit for those that may want to mess around trying to make a Fender Strat or Tele style neck:
 
I won't bore with the details but this a cheap way to mess around learning about building or it is great for serious attempts at building a neck...it's simply an alternative to using a router table to make a truss-rod channel.
( I was asked if I had a router table...thought I'd show that one doesn't have to have one to build a guitar.)
 
The basics; the router rides against one side-rail ( you can see in photo -arrow marked which rail ) and the router bit center is marked on the box (along with a channel stop) to align the neck center-line to.
The "stop block" that also looks like a support has writing on it- It is a note that it is 3 1/8" to edge of bit on my router/bit for setting the end of the truss-rod channel. Pretty simple really.
I haven't used it yet but no doubt it'll work just fine.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

I love that embedded pic guard idea!

i see all of those 'flaws' in the build, as the very things that make it personal, hand made, worthy of 'a story', and give it character.
 

craigb
I love that embedded pic guard idea!

I do to Craig.
It's not that I have anything against plastic, it's just something that offers new ideas. Using different woods that have very cool grains and combinations of. A new fun challenge.
 

batsbrew
i see all of those 'flaws' in the build, as the very things that make it personal, hand made, worthy of 'a story', and give it character.
 

That is a cool outlook Bat.
I'd hate to think that I'm trying to achieve "perfection". I really believe it's just recognizing little things so they inspire me to be better, not perfect but to improve. Not really different to me than playing one. I listen to my recordings and hear things I don't like and things I do.
I read Eric Johnson stating that he was trying to not be so critical about every little thing he plays and not let his "perfectionist" attitude be so bad for his creativity. ( looking for his new release with Mike Stern...three days of them together in a studio...Eric saying it's "baby steps" to help him change LOL)
 
 
 
 

Well, now that I can sign back in!!!..... the alder one looks great. Good luck with that one! Looking forward to seeing it.
 
I need to figure out what my Fender Zone MIM's body is, as I have been plotting to have it refinished. It's a sienna-burst, but I think it is really nice grain and would look much better (sound better, too? I suppose), either honeyburst or stained one color.
 
I laughed at Mike's "relic"! Good one!
The neck jig is a great idea, though I look at table saws and router tables when we stop at garage sales, or "home improvement places". I've never owned much in the way of power tools, just drills and skill saws, etc.
Michael
 

You can also make a router table pretty inexpensively by adding on a birch plywood extension to a typical table saw. I did that to my Craftsman table saw and just mounted the router to the ply extension, upside down. This way you can still use the fence and accessories that come with the table saw as well.

Good to have different ways to do something.
 
One of the guys I purchase wood from, which I purchased the Flame Maple board I mentioned, usually sends a "gift" piece. It's cool something like Sweetwater sending candy LOL but I prefer wood ...
 
The inlay idea has given me many ideas because of the grain patterns in wood. I haven't worked with the freeby type he sent.
I've read that characteristics of Sycamore is like between Mahogany and Maple. I know that it is sure going to make some nice "pickguard" inlays and cavity covers. Quartersawn and here's what it looks like...just amazing.