javamagic
Well-Known Member
It's been a while since I've done any guitar making - I think my last completed project was the Cipollina Tribute SG about three years ago - but an ebay buy last December got my brain working and a bit of online research turned up some inspiration.
What I bought was a pair of Kent Armstrong toaster-top pickups and initially I had no idea what I was going to use them on. With a bit of browsing I found an interesting thread on My Les Paul by ltdave32 in which he made a John Lennon style Rick 325. I found the construction process very interesting and realised that it was pretty much the same for the majority of Rick models.
I didn't want a 325 (Though I know a man who does. More later.) but I did like the idea of having an early 360 Capri. More research found some nice pics which I enlarged to full size and printed off to make templates. Luckily for me there is a good supplier of hardwoods locally and a visit to his yard found some nice 9"x2" maple which would make the bodies along with some other maple and walnut for the necks.
I've used the plural because chatting with another ETSG member about my idea for a Capri made him think that he had always wanted a JL type 325. An arrangement was agreed and I began work on two Rick copies. Progress has been a bit slow (for various reasons) but I have something to show at last. Below are the ply templates for the guitars alongside the maple blanks. The 325 image is in negative in case you were wondering. Shows up better on the template.
I also managed to glue the neck blanks together. Maple/walnut/maple for the 360 and three-piece maple (for strength) for the 325. The "pins" at either end are 3mm drill bits used to keep the parts aligned when gluing up.
A bit of time spent on the bandsaw at work got the body blanks roughed out.
That's all so far but I'm hoping to get the bodies shaped properly next week and then begin on the hollowing out. :)
What I bought was a pair of Kent Armstrong toaster-top pickups and initially I had no idea what I was going to use them on. With a bit of browsing I found an interesting thread on My Les Paul by ltdave32 in which he made a John Lennon style Rick 325. I found the construction process very interesting and realised that it was pretty much the same for the majority of Rick models.
I didn't want a 325 (Though I know a man who does. More later.) but I did like the idea of having an early 360 Capri. More research found some nice pics which I enlarged to full size and printed off to make templates. Luckily for me there is a good supplier of hardwoods locally and a visit to his yard found some nice 9"x2" maple which would make the bodies along with some other maple and walnut for the necks.
I've used the plural because chatting with another ETSG member about my idea for a Capri made him think that he had always wanted a JL type 325. An arrangement was agreed and I began work on two Rick copies. Progress has been a bit slow (for various reasons) but I have something to show at last. Below are the ply templates for the guitars alongside the maple blanks. The 325 image is in negative in case you were wondering. Shows up better on the template.
I also managed to glue the neck blanks together. Maple/walnut/maple for the 360 and three-piece maple (for strength) for the 325. The "pins" at either end are 3mm drill bits used to keep the parts aligned when gluing up.
A bit of time spent on the bandsaw at work got the body blanks roughed out.
That's all so far but I'm hoping to get the bodies shaped properly next week and then begin on the hollowing out. :)
