MIMF Archtop Guitar Project

[Steven Wheeler]

Michael,

Thanks for bumping this. How about a list of what still needs to be procured and what work still needs to be done. I can help out with any of the work that needs doing.

Steve

[Dennis Duross]

I'd still love to see any pictures anyone might have.

Maybe posting pictures would be one way of generating interest? Feels kind of abstract otherwise.

[Michael Lewis]

We'll be depending on John Hamlett for pics then, as he has the body.


I think maybe we can begin a new resurgence of energy after the new year and everyone has the holidays behind them.

[Mark Langner]

Glad to see some activity on this. I would like to help also, but as I recall, fretting was the next job and I'm still struggling with that (after 13 builds). I second the motion to list what is left to be done. And pictures!

[Steven Wheeler]

Hi guys,

Just checking in to see if the holidays are over. Not trying to be pushy but my work is seasonal and I'd love to help out and see this project finished.

Steve

[Tim Hammett]

Bump.
I'd love to help, but I've been retired for a few years now. (physical reasons)
Hate to see this project die on the vine.

[Michael Lewis]

John Hamlett has the body, but I understand he is busy settling into a "new" shop. We have no neck yet.

[Jacob Porter]

John Hamlett has the body, but I understand he is busy settling into a "new" shop. We have no neck yet.

Has the neck blank been supplied? I don't feel qualified to make the neck, but I've got to go and pick out some wood this week and I could pick up some maple for the neck/heel/heel block... I also don't want to see this project go flat.

Jacob

[Michael Lewis]

I'll bump John to see where he is at with this. I know he is undergoing a transition of moving his shop among other things. That in itself is a daunting task.

[Michael Lewis]

Well folks, finally some news! John Hamlett has the body bound and ready to go the next station along the route . . . . . . . . to completion. We need a neck. One was going to come from Louie Atienza but apparently he is busy with life, and I haven't seen his presence here for some time.

. . . . "not going to drag along for years" . . . . Well, my apology but here we are.

I originally thought it would be a community effort to make this happen, that each step would be eagerly and quickly done by the person taking on that process. Well, life began happening all over the place for lots of folks. John Hamlett has been moving his shop from one state to another while trying to keep up with business so I am not faulting him at all, it just happened.

Who is up for making a nice neck with adjustable truss rod and fingerboard?

[Mark Swanson]

Good work John and Michael! Just a word of encouragement here, this is what happened with the bass too but we hung in there and it did get done. A fine bass it was, too. So I hope the archtop folks can step up to the plate too! By the way, if you are on facebook Michael, it would be good to talk about this on our page there. We need all the activity we can get.

[Michael Lewis]

HEY! Anybody out there? Who wants to help make some 'history' here? We need a decent neck, a case, machines, bridge and tail piece, etc.

To remind you all of the purpose of this project, it is to auction or sell for the benefit of this FORUM. It costs money to keep a 'place' like this going. Are you a luthier, or just a wannabe?

[Jacob Porter]

Is Louis not working on the neck? I read back through and it seems he began working on one?

Jacob

[Darrel Friesen]

Is Louis not working on the neck? I read back through and it seems he began working on one?

Jacob

Louis dropped off the radar some time back. I know he has had some family issues. I had offered a fingerboard sometime back and that offer still stands. If it isn't required, then I'll offer to spring for a set of tuners.

[Michael Lewis]

Thanks Darrel.

[Brian Evans]

Last post was 2 1/2 years ago. I'd be happy to do something on this, but where is it at, does anyone know? The body was done and bound in John Hamlett's shop in October 2014.

Brian

[Charlie Schultz]

Well, Michael Lewis had to drop out of the project for various reasons (we very much appreciate his work). He left me with this summary:

As for as the archtop project: It needs a neck, for the neck to be fitted, and hardware and case to be supplied. Also someone to apply the finish, and finally the set up. The neck should be fitted to accommodate a bridge height of about one inch (25mm).

Set up will consist of:
fretting the fingerboard and making it true,
making a nut,
fitting the bridge to the top,
installing the hardware,
making the guitar play well.

Hardware will consist of :

Tuning machines,
bridge
tailpiece
pick guard
pick up (or not)

The Benedetto carved top and back plates that were supplied are less than I would have hoped for but should function very well. They are not my preference for arching and graduations but Bob Benedetto has a following, so they must satisfy folks.

The person assigned to do the finish will have a great deal to do with the appeal of the guitar. a good job will be very attractive, but a less than good job can spoil the project. It can always be painted a solid opaque color if the latter occurs. The neatness of the finish will determine much.

John Hamlett says his part is done and he still has the body.

We've stumbled on the neck- my last couple e-mails to the guy that said he'd do the neck have not been answered.

[Brian Evans]

If I can get details of the neck requirement (I guess scale length, width at the body join, cutaway or not, tenon type, side depth etc) I might be able to make a neck. I could leave the joint a little rough so the next guy could fit it. I quite like making necks, always a little bit disappointed that there is only one per guitar... Is there a picture of the body?

I always do a bolt on neck, wrench in through the tail block, fwiw.

I had an interesting conversation with a friend who dropped by my shop yesterday. He said that for several years part of his business included getting nice Nova Scotia maple cut and seasoned, he would make them into Fender neck blanks and sell them to a guy in Vermont for $12 each. He said he sold hundreds a year, the guy had a CNC shop and turned out electric guitar necks for all sorts of people. I have around 200 board feet of quite decent maple seasoning in my wood shed.

[Charlie Schultz]

Hi all,
John Hamlett sent along the below photos of MIMF archtop (he's had his work done for a while)- it looks great, thanks John!! Brian Evans has volunteered to do the neck (and attach it).

If anyone else would like to tweak and attach the neck, please let me know (here or by PM) ASAP, thanks.

Going through the old posts:

• Barry and Rodger offered up a preamp- I did not see a decision on whether this should be added or not- any opinions?
• Nelson Palen offered up Gotoh 510 tuners. Not sure if the offer still stands- Nelson are you still around?
• Darrel Freisen offered a tailpiece?

Still we need a fretboard done and someone to do the finish- any takers?

[Brian Evans]

Charlie sent me the body a month or so ago (probably two months if I am honest, spring sucks for free time in the country) and I started making a neck for the archtop guitar. Perhaps audaciously I decided to make it a dovetail joint using a router template method, which I hadn't done before. So I glued up what I thought might be an interesting blank - basically quarter sawn maple and mahogany, three stripes down the middle, with a scarf headstock, and a mahogany top cap on the headstock. I'm planning kind of an early L-5 headstock shape. I also stacked the heel joint with mahogany stripes, so there should be a kind of checkerboard effect on the heel. I have a double acting truss rod for it.

I finished the neck tenon jig last week, did several trial runs and decided it was good to go. I am using a 4.5 degree joint, right out of the Benedetto book. I finished the body mortise jig today, again many trial runs, put the body on the jig and cut that joint (cursing, swearing, and really hoping that I was doing it right). Turned out as perfect as I could hope for, dead on center and square, and the joint binds up about an inch in, so I have room to hand fit after I flush the cheeks. Next is the fretboard extension, the fretboard (I had a nice piece of Padauk), and carving the neck. So some progress to report, anyway.

Brian