Wednesday 17.01.07
22.31
Well, we have news, and it involves the cd below.. we've been talking to Jakko since last years London Guitar Show about doing a guitar for use in both live and studio work. He's been very busy getting the album below completed and we've been unable to get together.. the album arrived in the post this week and it's been on quick rotation ever since! Anyway, Jakko has agreed to showcase his still-to-be-built guitar over the three days of the show, which means we need more space!! We'll be building a Double-cutaway version of Roberts hollow-body model.. gonna be fun! More on that to follow later.. Ps.. buy this album! It's awesome.. oh, and Robert Fripp is just one of the artists who guested on it! You can buy this album through Jakko's website at www.jakko.com
Here we hae the Robert Fripp hollow body prototype.. last week we decided that the only change needed was to make the neck/body joint a bit more comfortable.. so this is that process..
Rasping the new shape out very roughly..
Using a drum-sander to smooth out the lower curve a bit..
The finished result.. obviously still in need of some sanding, paint.. strings etc.. but what can you do...
This is the layout for all the myriad of controls on this model.. it's hard to be ergonomic with this many, but we try..
Holy guitar... (or a Beast as Robert says)
This is the Burny guitar given to Robert by Jakko as thanks for playing on the album at the top of the page.. we've modified her exptensively with all the required electrickery and she's a lovely guitar, I've come to the conclusion though that in order for Robert to get the most out of his technique the frets have to be as low as possible.. ala the 70's 'fretless wonder' LP's... hence you see me masking off the fingerboard prior to major surgery!
the first tool.. a 6inch file set in a hand-made handle.. for roughing down the frets..
half-an hour and a lot of sweat later the frets are much lower and have been polished and had black marker pen on the top so I can see the profile as I shape each fret with the file in the pic..
Strings back on and using my trusty Peterson tuner to re-intonate etc... Robert, on our first meeting, said that if I did not have one of these tuners I was not going to be a world-class luthier... he was right.. it's the best tuner I've ever seen!!
this is a newer version of the RF slimline model being routed etc.. here most of the waste has been removed with a drill..
And then with a router.. dusty work again..
you can see how small the cavity for the Kahler trem needs to be.. very little excess timber removed, which can only be a good thing! The top here has been rough-carved to the aproximate dimnsions of a LP.
The interesting bit.. shaping on the rear begins.. the most important part to a guitarist.. screw the audience, if it's not comfortable you can't play as long..
And rough shaping/sanding complete.. very pretty but it fits like a ...... .. pick your own metaphore..
The back wall of the workshop through a viel of dust, RF hollow prototype, PAF stained, RF slimline, and a P-bass going left to right.. with various other guitars on the floor and hanging from the ceiling.. what the hell, gotta find the space somewhere...
It's now 23.15 and I'm going to bed.. have a good one, one and all!
B
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