Jason Beam
Member
- Messages
- 1,364
- Location
- Sacramento, CA
So I haven't posted much new stuff here in awhile. That's my fault ... some of you know I run my own forum and I tend to put all my new stuff there. But I thought that this project I'm on lately would appeal to a lot of the folks here... at least I hope so.
It involves a lot of things - CNC, Hand Tools, Luthiery - but just generally a good range of standard woodworking functions so I figured General made the most sense. I'm certain I'll have some questions along the way and there are quite a few guitar builders here that might have some great answers. So that's the reasoning ... now on to the project...
Some of you may know that I'm an unhealthily obsessed fan of Eric Clapton. No other artist has come anywhere near the importance, influence, comfort, inspiration, fun, exciting, consoling, therapeutic and just general soul-enriching power over me as his music and his life. His music has gotten me through some of the toughest time in my life. I'd give quite a lot to be able to tell him how important he's been to me in person.
Anyway - because of that, and because I had such a good time building my first guitar a couple years ago - an acoustic, from rough stock, no less - I figured I'd take it easy this time and try to pay homage to the music of a man who's been there for me for a very long time. Something simple, you know? Nothin' tough like some acoustic guitar ... no no ... let's take it easy this time, right?
Sure.
Easy, he said.
GUFFAW.
I have decided to take on building, as historically close as I possibly can, the very first NEW guitar that Eric bought himself. This guitar is the 1964 Gibson ES-335. For those who don't know, this is a semi-hollowbody electric. It's basically the combination of a solid body electric that's built very much like a hollow body acoustic. If you don't think you've heard of it, you probably have -- Chuck Berry's famous guitar was a similar model. BB King's Lucille is a fancied up version (a 355). They're very well known for their tone ... a good quacky, squawky, honk type sound ... And their construction is VERY unique -- not carved like an archtop, but bent ... very very interesting challenge ... Read: NOT EASIER, not by a long shot. LOL!
Oh - and I'm going to video the entire process - from testing techniques and building jigs to the setup and final playing (if i get that far)...
This is the part where I must apologize to you all as a whole. Those of you who are my friend on facebook know this project started awhile ago. I've already shot a good deal of footage and have released a few videos already and I had this feeling in my gut all along that I should be sharing this with you all since there's such a great musical and luthiery friendly audience here. I didn't at first, and I should've - so I'm sorry for that. But I have gotten over those blocks and hope some of you will find this endeavor useful, interesting, entertaining, or at least comical.
This project is probably the most emotionally attached project I've built thus far. I hope you all can get something out of my journey as well ... I'll post the first 4 parts here, to get everyone caught up. I am releasing one part per week so that I can spread the process out a bit - and buy myself time to wait for parts or tools to ship and keep a steady stream of updates for everyone.
Anyway - hope some of you get a kick out of this kinda format...
Here's Part 1:
It involves a lot of things - CNC, Hand Tools, Luthiery - but just generally a good range of standard woodworking functions so I figured General made the most sense. I'm certain I'll have some questions along the way and there are quite a few guitar builders here that might have some great answers. So that's the reasoning ... now on to the project...
Some of you may know that I'm an unhealthily obsessed fan of Eric Clapton. No other artist has come anywhere near the importance, influence, comfort, inspiration, fun, exciting, consoling, therapeutic and just general soul-enriching power over me as his music and his life. His music has gotten me through some of the toughest time in my life. I'd give quite a lot to be able to tell him how important he's been to me in person.
Anyway - because of that, and because I had such a good time building my first guitar a couple years ago - an acoustic, from rough stock, no less - I figured I'd take it easy this time and try to pay homage to the music of a man who's been there for me for a very long time. Something simple, you know? Nothin' tough like some acoustic guitar ... no no ... let's take it easy this time, right?
Sure.
Easy, he said.
GUFFAW.
I have decided to take on building, as historically close as I possibly can, the very first NEW guitar that Eric bought himself. This guitar is the 1964 Gibson ES-335. For those who don't know, this is a semi-hollowbody electric. It's basically the combination of a solid body electric that's built very much like a hollow body acoustic. If you don't think you've heard of it, you probably have -- Chuck Berry's famous guitar was a similar model. BB King's Lucille is a fancied up version (a 355). They're very well known for their tone ... a good quacky, squawky, honk type sound ... And their construction is VERY unique -- not carved like an archtop, but bent ... very very interesting challenge ... Read: NOT EASIER, not by a long shot. LOL!
Oh - and I'm going to video the entire process - from testing techniques and building jigs to the setup and final playing (if i get that far)...
This is the part where I must apologize to you all as a whole. Those of you who are my friend on facebook know this project started awhile ago. I've already shot a good deal of footage and have released a few videos already and I had this feeling in my gut all along that I should be sharing this with you all since there's such a great musical and luthiery friendly audience here. I didn't at first, and I should've - so I'm sorry for that. But I have gotten over those blocks and hope some of you will find this endeavor useful, interesting, entertaining, or at least comical.
This project is probably the most emotionally attached project I've built thus far. I hope you all can get something out of my journey as well ... I'll post the first 4 parts here, to get everyone caught up. I am releasing one part per week so that I can spread the process out a bit - and buy myself time to wait for parts or tools to ship and keep a steady stream of updates for everyone.
Anyway - hope some of you get a kick out of this kinda format...
Here's Part 1:
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