John Kingma's latest SG.

[John Kingma]

Here is an SG that I have (almost) completed. This is a bit of a collabrative project. The fellow I built it for is going to do the finish and wiring. Kind of a strange feeling sending off an incomplete guitar to someone.

Mahogany body and neck. Rosewood headstock overlay. Cocobolo fretboard with Fossilized Walrus Tusk position dots. Everything else is pretty much standard SG.

This was my first set neck. I did it the PRS way instead of the Gibson way, thanks to a suggestion from Mark Swanson a few years ago.

The plan I had called for a 2 degree angle for the neck... but I should have had 3 degrees with the bridge I used. Consequently I had to recess the bridge into the body by about 3mm.

Here are a few pictures. I have applied a couple coats of shellac just to seal the wood.

[Mark Swanson]

That looks nice and clean John! Don't you think that neck attachment will work out well? I like the extra area under the front pickup, and it looks like you have it fitted well.

[John Kingma]

Don't you think that neck attachment will work out well? I like the extra area under the front pickup,

I hope so...

It's a pretty tight joint. In fact it was too tight at first and I was worried about starving the joint of glue so I did a bit of sanding to fix that up.

He isn't planning on any pickguard so I only had so much room to work with... I would have liked to have a slightly longer joint. Plus I ended up cutting the neck blank about 1/4" shorter than I should have... so let's just say "my fingers are crossed" !!

All in all I'm happy with it and will be doing this neck joint again on some future project.

[Mark Swanson]

I can't see the backside, but it looks like the joint is large enough to give plenty of wood to wood contact so I would bet that it'll be fine. Good job!

[Jim Bonnell]

Nice job John. I have yet to do a set neck, but I see one coming in the not to distant future. Thanks for the inspiration.

[Shawn Ball]

Looks good, John!

[Jason Rodgers]

Clean work there. That body will look nice under finish.

So, what's the deal with this particular flavor of set neck?

[John Kingma]

So, what's the deal with this particular flavor of set neck?

The PRS set neck is pretty much just a glued in bolt on neck... but the Gibson joint is a bit more involved to make.

http://www.gibson.com/Files/USA/Proprie ... nt-Two.jpg

[Chuck Tweedy]

Definitely a strange thing delivering a partially completed guitar!

But it's real nice!!

[John Kingma]

Definitely a strange thing delivering a partially completed guitar!

I sorta had to.

A friend of mine built this little 1 watt tube amp that I fell in love with. But he didn't want to sell it. So after a few beers and some arm twisting I got him to hand it over. However, he wouldn't take any money for it. In trade, I had to partially build him an SG... since his woodworking skills are not up to par with his electronic skills.

It turned out to be a good trade. We both ended up with something we couldn't have had otherwise.

[Jason Rodgers]

Dang, I need some drinking buddies like that!

[Chris Richards]

A bit of a change of subject and btw really nice woodworking... The back view of the headstock shows a serial number that looks to be stamped into the wood, the thing that caught my eye was how accurately this has been done both alignment and number spacing...Damn perfect to my eye! Everytime I do this on my guitars I've got my heart in my mouth, yes I clamp a straight edge on to give me a guide but getting everything perfect seems impossible and you only get one chance at it!... What's your secret please!

Thanks
Chris

[John Kingma]

....What's your secret please!

Practice. Lots and lots of practice.

[Chris Richards]

Hi John

I guessed that would be the case! It just seems that with this kind of thing the eye spots any slight misalignment and it ends up "shouting" at me when I get a slight error!!!

Anyhow I love SG's and this one looks as though it's going to be a beauty

[John Kingma]

I stopped in to see how my friend was making out with the SG and took this picture. He did a tobaco burst and then applied a couple coats of tru-oil. It looks pretty good.

[Art Davila]

"Consequently I had to recess the bridge into the body by about 3mm."
"I would have liked to have a slightly longer joint. Plus I ended up cutting the neck blank about 1/4" shorter than I should have... so let's just say "my fingers are crossed"

First thing first I really love your guitar.
I like the recessed bridge.
So the sg is a pretty thin body and your neck joint looks very comfortable to play.
You stung it up in one photo it was obviously holding ok, and your friend finished it and has it strung up too.
Have you had any indication that there are any problems?
How long before you can uncross your fingers as to the strength of the joint?
I would love to have a guitar like that I may just try one next year, as I am working on 3 bolt ons projects currently, but thats the kind of work I would love to have the skills to do in the future.

[Henrique Schneiter]

It looks great!

[Jim Outman]

I've always loved SG's. Great build.

[Beate Ritzert]

Great work - although i would have chosen a different color if it were mine.

[Gordon Bellerose]

Nice woodworking John. That's a nice piece of mahogany.

I'm more interested in the neck joint also.
Can you show us more information? A picture would be nice, or a good description.
You say it is like a bolt on, but just glued in. Epoxy glue, or wood glue?
How far does the tongue of the neck stick into the body?
Under the pickup?

BTW your friend did a nice job of finishing.