German Carve

[(Dom)]

That’s the one! Better work... but if Fralin rewound it then it should be great & will be wax potted too. I’ll clean up the patina enough that I don’t get tetanus but I’m looking for that ancient bell tone. Can’t go back further than 30’s and when would I find another that old? The inch 1/2 is better from a tonal standpoint although a 50’s/60’s 1 1/4 would have been simpler & was what I was expecting to eventually find. Step one will be to wire it up in my dormant Electro & wake it up. Then figure out how to mount it...maybe hog out under the top so I can attach it with no surround?

Sanding...
Sanding...
Sanding...

[(clementc3)]

... I’ll clean up the patina enough that I don’t get tetanus ...

[(collin)]

Hand-carving into a 350 body sounds like quite the undertaking! (and it would definitely need to be shallow since the body is thinner than you might expect, the Polynesian might have started as a thicker body to allow for the German carve).

Post some pics though! Would love to check out your progress. The carve is one of the nicest features of the handmade Rossmeisl guitars, in my opinion. Gorgeous.

[(Dom)]

Hi Collin! I came to my senses on carving the 350 & continued with what was a 3/4 Washburn Idol *pinecaster. The carve really needs the extra depth to look “right” & there’s no room for error. Besides the 850 carve is really what I want to replicate. I’m trying to do everything on the carve by hand. Roger would have had jigs to make things faster but I’m really getting a feel for the process.

The gooseneck scraper does the rough out, sanding dowel evens up any grain inconsistencies, re-burred scraper does the final pass. I’m doing some work using small files especially where the carve ends above the pickguard point.

*I’m getting video of the build from here on out...constant interruptions & all Since it won’t be a Ric I’ll do a build page where appropriate.

[(Dom)]

https://imgur.com/gallery/09jjqjN

https://imgur.com/gallery/o8cuBya

Here’s a link with my latest progress. I still don’t know how to post directly from Imgur...cheers!

[(Dom)]

https://imgur.com/gallery/rTVXanO

The carve is nearly complete! I routed the edge down 1/4” and this allowed me to even up the carve using sanding dowels in 80 and 150 grit. The facet by the controls was left rough until this last stage so the radius & final depth could first be established. This section was then done by hand with a small file. The most difficult part has been the treble horn and getting the compound curves correct. Very minute divots due to the different densities in the grain required hours to even out. Hours. Pine wants to do whatever the grain says but diligence paid off. Maple on the other hand behaves consistently & I bet this job would have gone much quicker over pine. Check the pics to see.

Yes, a separate build thead will be happening in Forum 51. Cheers!

[(clementc3)]

Awesome work!

"Hours" is right!