Modified V Build

Dewesq55

Dewesq55

Well-Known Member
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So I had this 14" x 14" piece of 1 1/2" thick mahogany which was a cut-off from my "under construction" LP. It isn't big enough for another LP or similar slab body guitar but I got to thinking that I might be able to make it work for a V. As it turns out, it's too small for an "authentic" V body, but I think I have a modified design that works. Here's the slab with the modified body shape drawn on. Ignore the dark diagonal line from lower left to upper right. That was left over from a prior design attempt:

V body drawing.jpg

The neck will be maple. I have about a half dozen of these 8/4 by 2 1/2 x 7' pieces of Eastern hard rock maple from a pencil post bed build that never was:
maple neck stock.jpg

Here's what it looks like lightly sanded and sprayed with a little rubbing alcohol:
maple grain.jpg

Next step will be to create a routing template for the body. I will post more pics when I do something else.
 
Your shop floor looks like my shop floor usually looks.:D

Unfortunately my benches are usually the same way.
Clean workshops frighten me...

Always wanted a V but they look so bulky to me, so does an explorer.
You may be on to something with an undersized body design.
Also looking forward to seeing this happen.
 
Hackmaster said:
Your shop floor looks like my shop floor usually looks.:D

Unfortunately my benches are usually the same way.
Clean workshops frighten me...
Click to expand...

LOL! I actually cleaned up most of the floor this past Saturday (after the photo was taken). But my benches are a complete disaster. I had emailed RVA a few pix of my tools, etc and said "You notice you don't see any of my work benches." .

Always wanted a V but they look so bulky to me, so does an explorer.
You may be on to something with an undersized body design.
Also looking forward to seeing this happen.
Click to expand...

Necessity being the mother of invention and all. . .
 
Here's the paper template. Now I have to transfer it to something I can rout against.
IMG_20161226_102419-01.jpeg

Dimensions:
Wing length is 14.5" from shoulder to tip.
Body length is 10.75" from the neck joint to the crotch.
Crotch depth is 4" (my main area of sacrifice due to limitations of the slab size.)
Wing span is 13.75" at the widest point of the tips.

Current plan is to do string through body in a V formation like the vintage ones. I may have to fabricate my own tailpiece due size and shape changes.
 
So. . . .

Progress today.

Here is the body rough cut on the bandsaw and ready for the template router:
IMG_20161230_181047-01.jpeg

Here is the maple neck blank cut to approximate size. It's a little bit thin for an angled headstock so I either have to shorten the headstock or laminate about 1/2" onto the bottom of the blank at the headstock end. I'm leaning towards laminating. I already ripped down a small piece to do it with:
IMG_20161230_181125-01.jpeg

Here is the neck profile routing template:
IMG_20161230_181151-01.jpeg
 
Last edited:
Mmmmmm mmmmm mmmm that neck looks like a tasty profile...
Thin at the nut & beefy at the heel.
Just like my...
Oops wrong forum.
 
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