Archtop Build Journal Video

[Mike Conner]

A slideshow showing the build progression of a 16" archtop guitar - Englemann spruce front, cherry back and sides, red maple neck and binding. Built for Bridget Marie Egan of Columbus OH. The music tracks were recorded by me using the guitar in the video - lots of mistakes since I only had time for single takes, no effects or editing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08H8k0JTGV4

Hope this helps describe the building process for anyone considering an archtop project.

I also have a detailed journal that I can email to anyone interested.

[Greg McKnight]

Wow, nice build and video Mike! Of course, good quality control is ultra important when building something this demanding, so hats off to Winston too. Sweet playing too btw.

I would be interested in seeing/hearing more about how you use the Workmate to hold the neck and body mortise/tenon jigs if you would be so kind.

Also, you finish the neck and body separate from one another. Do you scrape the finish off the top and mating surface on the fb extension before gluing? Why don't you tape those sections off first, out of curiosity?

Thanks again for a great run through of your process.

[Mike Conner]

Greg,
Thanks for the kind words!

If you PM your email I can send you a copy of my journal with detailed documentation. (I don't see a way to attach pdf files in posts).

The Workmate just serves as a stand to hold section of 1x8 lumber with a wedge attached a one end to support the headstock. (trying to add a photo, but the file size is too big. Let's see if the url to FB below works). The beam has a shallow groove lengthwise the allows the radiused fretboard to rest without rocking. I carve the neck after fretting, so I have a layer of blue tape on top of the beam to avoid scratching the frets.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... =3&theater

For the dovetail mortise and tenons, again the workmate is just a stand to hold the jigs.
The tenon jig is a box. The wall of the box the holds the neck is set a the approximate neck angle, and a 1/4" dado lets me use some 1/4" small tenon pieces to align with the 1/4" truss rod groove in the neck. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... =3&theater
I use a 3/4" dovetail bit and the guide plate is made from 1/2" plywood. Made quite a few dummy necks out of framing lumber to refine the setup! The plate overhangs the box so that it can sit down in the workmate and clamp securely.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... =3&theater

The body mortise jig has some padded bolts in threaded inserts to help align the body with the 1/2" plywood router guide plate.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... =3&theater
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... =3&theater

I commit heresy and do not glue the neck joint!!! The dovetail makes for a very secure connection. I wanted to be able to finish the neck and body separately, and have the neck removable for future repairs or adjustments. The f-hole archtop design does not really allow for the usual bolt-on neck joint (without creating a elaborate tool to work through the endpin hole). The guitars need a strap button anyway! So, I drill out a strap button and secure the neck in the dovetail with a #8 2-1/2" screw.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... =3&theater

I hope all this helps!

[Greg McKnight]

I hope there are lots of builders taking advantage of Mike's generous offer. This journal is well written, detailed, and contains lots of pictures, so it at the very least makes a good companion to Benedetto's book. It's over a hundred pages too btw.

Thanks, Mike, for sharing another great resource for archtop building.

[Mike Conner]

Wow, Greg! Thanks for the nice comments.
I've contact with Charlie (Sysop) and sent the file to him. I guess it could appear in the Library section? I'll post back when I find out.
Thanks again, //mike

[Mike Conner]

Sysop Charlie has created a new forum topic - Detailed Builds/Tutorials. He also added the lower res version of my Journal to the server. I am pleased to create the first post under this new topic and provide the link to the Journal.
http://www.mimf.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=59&t=3905
The new Journal thread can be found here:

//mike