Would it also be worth shimming up the neck stick minimally to widen the gap a tiny bit to build some pressure into the glue ups when shim is removed later This part I don't quit understand. Could you…
Graph Tech have Ghost saddles for other styles of bridge too. Check out https://graphtech.com/collections/fender. You should get something that'll retrofit a two-point trem. Their Acoustiphonic preamp…
I'm with James on this. Sounds like you need to move backwards from the jack, isolating the outputs of both circuits to make sure each works on its own first. Unsolder the hots from the jack and try e…
Thanks Ian. I have seen the Doug and Dan video with TJ Thompson but could not find any others. I was thinking of splining the wider crack but it is cupped up. How would you handle that? Also looking i…
Could there be 2 glues in the picture? The tan/brown translucent glue looks like HHG. The purplish red-hued glue looks like Weldwood resorcinol, which was a 2 part powder/resin system. My father and I…
Alex, that looks like a tough customer given the amount of misalignment. If I wasn't sure about the neck pocket being a dovetail joint I would try something like this first - https://loothgroup.com/lo…
Hey Ian, it looks much better with the Fill and Finish CA! I still need to sand a few areas a little more and apply some gloss lacquer, but I think it’s going to turn out great! Thanks so much. It’s t…
With a break like this with plenty of surface area, I would just glue it without any additional supports. My glue of choice is hot hide glue, but there will be lots of opinions on that and many option…
it is been a while since I wanted to replace my glue (standard Titebond) with epoxy. The best I can find in EU, and specifically in Italy, is the West System 105 with 206 hardeners.
Is it any good for fretboard and top gluing or neck gluing? For all the other small task, like top jointing etc I'll still use Titebond or polyurethane glue.
As an alternative to West System, which is a great product, I've used Superbond, by Superclear epoxy systems, pretty regularly for almost 15 years. It doesn't require a very accurate ratio mix in my experience and perhaps a little cheaper? The formula I use is almost a puddy viscosity and I spread it with a razor blade. They also sell a formula that is more viscous but I've never used it since I have the West System for that. It does dry very hard and though doesn't quite sound as glassy as hide glue, it does have a "ping" to it when dried and dropped. Not as plastic sounding as one might think. Anyways, another option for you. I also use it on carbon fiber and fingerboard/peghead glue ups.
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Do you glue top (standard industry thicnkess) with it too?
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↪ Private memberI mostly build flat tops and the occasional archtop. I use titebond to join tops and backs and have used the superbond to glue cocobolo in the past. I would have no objection to using the superbond for what you want to do though.
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↪ Private memberGuess the same. As said I'm also willing to switch my clamping method, from clamps to vacuum once I found the correct tools here in Italy
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Hi Alex:
I use west systems to glue on the fretboard to the neck. I like it becuase i'm not adding any water into the neck and it will glue to the carbon fiber embedded in the neck. I also use it on back joints for some oily rosewoods.
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Hi Michael, how are you?
I was watching your StewMac video of the acoustic build and in fact I noticed the West System epoxy. I'll go with that, hope it have a good storage time tho.
Anyway may I ask you a question about your backplate cnc setup/drawing? Would you prefer a DM or a separate thread/post?
Thanks!
Alex
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I use west system and system 3 Silvertip a lot. I use g flex gel epoxy a ton. Sometimes 5 or 1 minute epoxies too for less critical stuff. I would not use epoxy for a traditional acoustic neck joint
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I basically need a non-water based wood glue to glue down maple top on electric guitar, but polyurethane tend to be a bit thick so I prefer to not use it if I can
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↪ Private memberI have not found that tbh.
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For lamentations I would try a polyurethane glue like Gorilla Glue or Gorilla Glue Clear. There are euro equivalents. No water so no warping.
Do note that any sort of tape doesn't work around Gorilla Glue. Took me 3 years to figure that out.
We used West at Breedlove for gluing on bridges and I have fond regard for the idea generally. The nice think about epoxy is that it fails remarkably well under heat load. I had to take a fair amount of bridge off in my days there and it really was just a quick heat lamp and a pallet knife.
If the reason people like hide glue for tone is because it's rock hard, well, West is rock hard. You can also epoxy epoxy to epoxy, so it's repairable without too much effort unlike titebond.
As far as necks go, it responds well to dry heat like a heatstick or a foam cutter, so you could take them apart I suppose. I personally would just use hide glue for everything because it's easier to deal with. That includes bridges etc.
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Thanks Ian.
I want to switch mainly cause I'm finding out that, since most of my builds involve radiused top (i.e. the body is radiused then the top is bent over) that the glue, particularly Titebond, tend to have the body warped, even if the woods are accurately dry (all of my woods came from Rivolta, tops from Kimball) and I'm currently using woods stored at least 3yrs ago.
I already switched to a different clamping method, and I will switch again to vacuum press. I have done 4 test with 4 different woods using Titebond and all tests has bent a little. Nothing major than I can't rectify over the cnc, but ist still a pita. I'm also planning some even thinner body solution (ala Parker) so you know, bent wood isn't an option then.
Would you use hide glue on electric guitar too? I built some (REALLY) accurate LP 59 replica, and for tops I used urea formaldehyde f.e. but is still water based, never used hide glue for a top gluing, basically for the short open time