Ep.6 Carving the Neck and Preparing for Frets - The 9 Hour Build

[@scottenosh4548]

Living in the United States, I have never heard of Crimson Custom Guitars until these 9 hours videos showed up in the recommended section of KZbin. I'm really impressed with what I am seeing here. The wooden back plates is absolutely brilliant. I'll be heading to guitar building and repair school in Michigan later next year, so I'm watching as many guitar construction videos as I can to get an idea of what to expect....and to learn some helpful tips here and there.

[@burado1974]

I have to say, watching this while you work with a voice over really works well. I think you've found the magic formula!

[@brettbonenfant8193]

Ben please write a luthier guide book following you through the process of making a guitar. Preferably a written version and an audio reading of it by you

[@AName-mg2bd]

great idea

[@Mikeyprs21]

"make it so" can only apply here.

[@allynbarnes702]

Im amazed at this every time i watch it. Took Ben 8 minutes to carve the neck with his angle grinder. My first neck took me 7 weeks with a draw knife a file and sandpaper. This second neck took 4 days to get from lumber to almost final dimensions. But, now i have a jig saw and rasps. I highly doubt i will ever be able to carve a neck in 8 minutes. 8 hours maybe...

[@charlie-sg7vp]

Great series again, just a thought how to use the waste from the finger board. I drilled a 2.5mm hole in a flat steel bar. Counter sunk it. Then I shaped short pieces of the waste wood, about 2 inches long with a knife ( like rough cocktail sticks ) Then gently hammered them through the hole. They make good side markers, also it works for contrasting wood with a 10mm hole for fret dots. Best wishes Steve.

[@FaithsFallen]

Its pretty amazing how fast this is coming together, great work! who needs a CNC just hand Ben the wood and offer him beer in 5 hours BOOM guitar!

[@ramaroodle]

New strategy. Be like Netflix. Wait til they're all done then release them. We can't binge watch if they aren't all released! It's Thanksgiving here in the US. You're my distraction while everybody talks politics!!!! Love your videos, work and format. Assuming there will be nine. Guess I'll have to start on the 12 hr build until episode 7. Now this is like a real thriller. He'll be back at 7:30!

[@agustinburroni8745]

Ben, I suggest that with the leftovers from the nice woods you use for fretboard and such, to do handle blanks for knives/tools and sell them already glued in different ways, colors and sizes but no carved, just the rough sizes,

[@prs0124]

One thing I have done with the super-glue and masking-tape trick is to use a wider piece of tape on the side that gets the accelerator. This gives me a larger margin of error when aligning the workpieces than having to perfectly match up the strips of masking tape.

[@esa062]

Use for fretboard cutouts: Light wood inlays.

[@dimitrisz6858]

About the left overs from the fretboard....heat them, curve them,use them as body binding.

[@Nikel87]

Chop-Sticks. Guitar music and good food go hand in hand and what's more cool than being able to eat with the same material as your Guitar?.

[@eliotmccann2589]

The voice over is brilliant! Loving this build so far!

[@unsaltedskies]

Ben I've been thinking this for a number of videos: buy (in bulk) a can of compressed air! Saves you from inhaling wood dust. Also means we get Crimson Guitar videos for yet more years to come. :)

[@danburrill8716]

That could get very expensive, even in bulk. I have seen other workshops that have one large compressor supplying compressed air piped all around the workshop, with regulated connection points at each bench. That solution would also allow Ben et al to use air tools, which are often lighter, more reliable, and a bit quieter than their electric counterparts.

[@AstroGhoulWizard]

PlanoRex are quickchange bobbins for oscillating spindle sanders and they're swedish.

[@SusanGardener]

Thanks for reminding me about the rubber sanding spindles Ben. I have always remembered to slacken them off in the past, but I was rushing today. As I was watching this I had that "Did I leave the oven on?" moment. My spindle is slack once more :-)

[@stenmartens7179]

Ive seen an american bass builder (on youtube) who makes his neck radius like this with the use of an overhanging jig. Basically an overhaning swing which the neck attaches to that he swings over the sanding belt (the swing is as high as the radius needs to be)

[@leocomerford]

I wonder if a narrowish black binding might be a good idea to set off a kingwood fretboard like that; might make it look more glamorous and expensive.

[@Erowens98]

I build furniture and small decorative items like boxes as well as guitars. I like to use fretboard off cuts as perfling in my box lids and if i have enough matching pieces of the same species for table top perfling.

[@jesse_cole]

"We need to seriously find a better way to dust extract..." As you said that, I remembered my days in Biology lab in college. We used to mix chemicals underneath a "fume hood" which had a glass wall, and that kept the fumes from getting out into the room. Some types have holes for putting your arms through. It occurs to me that if you had a one or two of those, you could carve your necks under them. That would keep the dust contained, and you could even suck it out through a vacuum without having to really ever encounter it at all. Just a thought.

[@gerbutt]

It's brilliantly funny you talking to yourself, I'd love to see an unboxing done in a similar manner, just for a laugh :)

[@michaelrado9409]

Oi Ben! Love the channel and this build. Have your man in the tool shop start building woodworking marking gauges with a mitre jointed box. Take your fretboard cutoff and use it for spline joints for contrast and strength in the box.

[@ggc8j]

Hello Ben, I have found a supply of Carroll quick change bobbins 2" and 1" diameter. Limited supply!

[@jonathanoakey4745]

Addictive watching, and even more enjoyable if you've spent a week there building your own guitar! :)

[@patrickjaroch5084]

we can rename this series various stages of Ben Crowe. from the freshly shaven and showerd man bright eyed and bushy tailed in the morning to the sweaty disheveled crafstman as he pours his heat and soul into a labour of love watch the magic unfold as one man drains his soul to give life to an instrument and witness the broken husk of a man at the end of the day. go ahead pitch it to the networks

[@IPGuitars]

patrick jaroch This. Is an amazing idea!

[@Tim_Duran]

Man, you are completely insane! ;-) But this is an astounding show of art and craftsmanship. I love it!

[@amphetamineblue4172]

I do like the rear plate designs on these guitars, but that lower one needs to be a bit longer at the neck end so it flows into the lower horn !

[@stratton78ja]

i really like the fact the back plates grain does not line up!! i makes a nice contrast!

[@docjoe1]

Not sure if it was mentioned, alas I did not look at the other comments, but you could possibly use that excess fretboard wood for other fretboard inlays, yes?

[@yetanotherbassdude]

While sanding in the fretboard radius freehand on the sander as Ben does at about 13 mins is probably not a good idea, I've seen a video of Randall Wyn of Wyn Guitars doing something similar with a kind of swinging jig to do compound radius fretboards smoothly and evenly. It's a bit mad but it seemed to work for him.

[@CavemanWithAStringStick]

+Crimson Custom Guitars take the excess fingerboard materials, join them together, and you can make anything from multiple timber fingerboards to gift cutting boards.

[@revy_moto]

If it makes you feel better... I was covered in dust like this today and the vibration hasn't left my hand yet.

[@beardedcatguitarplus9485]

Use the extra wood from the fretboard to make inlays/ fret dots

[@BradAngove]

Hi Ben. I know you probably get more questions than you can possibly handle, but I would really love to know how you feel that sander compares to the Geared Eccentric Orbital Sander from Triton. They both seem capable of fine sanding and/or of fast material removal. I'm referring to the Mirka orbital sander of course.

[@BradAngove]

I welcome info from other informed people on here as well.

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

Hey Brad, I've not played with the Triton one properly yet, I only had a go with the prototype early on and it is a beast of a machine, however the Mirka is more useful for guitar building simply due to its size, the Triton is more industrial and sanding a carved top etc, I think, could get tiring. I'm going to talk to Triton tomorrow and see if I can get one to play with for a bit of a head to head soon though.

[@BradAngove]

Thank you for taking the time to get back to me. I can see why the Mirka would be more appropriate, particularly when working for extended periods of time. I look forward to the video if Triton decides to accommodate your request.

[@PiediDiFormaggio]

Is there a reason that the router work isn't all done at the same time before the carving is done? Surely that would be quicker overall as you're not going to need to clamp an awkward shaped workpiece. Also, is there no hole between the truss rod access and the truss rod yet? Would that not have been easier to drill when doing the neck routing?

[@evansmith1284]

I was thinking the scraps from the fretboard could be used for inlays (headstock, body or fretboard (when using opposing tones)).

[@GabrieleOrlandoLuthier]

Ben,I love the way you talk yourself ahahahha!!!! I love learning things from you and laughing :) thank you to share your experience and your knowledge wuith us :) your videos are a treasure for who wants to become a luthier like me :)

[@davidrahn9903]

24:30 Yes Ben. I feel it too.

[@jameslewis2635]

For the 90 hour version how about a full length inlay in the shape of a Chinese dragon? That would surely help to burn up the time.

[@Chaktastick]

Hey Ben, looove your channel, but I do find some of the camera work a little trying at times, if your camera has focus peaking it really helps with finding your focal point, I think your camera operator would be able to focus much faster if they used it! Keep up the great work!

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

My fault, the auto focus is so awesome with face tracking that I forget I would much rather go manual for most close up shots.. Things will improve, I promise! B

[@timbeaton5045]

some kind of pendulum might work over the belt sander to make a fretboard radius???

[@martinbaker7502]

Did you say PPI instead of PPE alt the start of carving the neck Ben? Another great series. Thank you

[@chipperdrinkard]

you can use the excess wood to bind maple fretboards?

[@Erowens98]

If there is enough of it, I use it about 33% of the time for binding.

[@chipperdrinkard]

Birki gts I've always like the contrast between darker woods and maple especially on a fretboard

[@Erowens98]

Indeed, i find that black Walnut gives the most pleasing contrast with Birch and Maple.

[@wildpuppymusic]

I’m about to dip my toe into luthiery (is that a word?) and while I’m not amazing at wood working I will try anything. Couldn’t the off cuts of the fingerboard be used as a custom inlay on the back of a neck? It’s something I’m going to try on my first build.

[@askwho69]

I want to get some coffee too. I really like CG channel very entertaining.

[@theodorthiele]

Can't you use that fretboard excess for filling inlay rings - I guess a pencil sharpener could round it enough for it to go in one of those small tubes you use from time to time.

[@jabrooke1]

Why not use the fretboard offcuts to make feeler gauge or nut file holders?

[@peterlustig2332]

31:45 Ben s coffee probably always has a slightly taste of exotic woods..

[@atakdragonfly1675]

I need some of those grinder discs.. what are those? I think I can make a sculpture with that thing...

[@DStilkenboom]

So will you get a go-pro so we can see your point of view?

[@timbeaton5045]

could those Kingwood strips be used for bindings on something???

[@HeliXpro123]

30:39 Is that working man by Rush I'm hearing in the background?

[@mattwaghorne9609]

Ben, those safety specs don't really look up to current HSE standards. Have you been mis-sold PPE?

[@stratton78ja]

90 hour version!!!!!! mmmmm

[@dougbrett-matthewson2640]

Use the fret board offcuts for a skunk stripe down the back of the neck?

[@Renters999]

I do believe someone was playing a bit of Working Man by Rush at 30:35...

[@paphy]

There's guitar building and guitar building .

[@cantormentorsofficial206]

make handles for Crimson back scratchers

[@ZuoLuoT]

"Trust yourself Ben"... Trusting doesn't prevent one from checking :p

[@kemptonklutz]

As Bagshit said, you really need an airline , Ben.

[@Furiora]

[Insert poor joke about how old blues players are upset he took the neck beyond baseball bat.] [Insert equally poor joke about how shredders are complaining he didn't take it far enough.] If I ever can get my backside down to Dorset for one of your building corses, I'm using this inlay tec but with MoP dust.

[@Ryan_Sens]

looks like ben is moving with more of a sense of urgency at this point lol

[@AlanW]

That sigil is curiously close to my initials ... clearly a conspiracy. Illuminati confirmed!

[@StMoritzGuitars]

Ben, What model is that Mirka sander..........I have to have one !

[@CorbinMusso88]

Guitar build idea: all the lines are wrong, all the angles are weird, but try to make that pretty somehow.

[@TyphonKrazilec]

You can make chopsticks with the excess fretboard wood. I'd be proud to eat with luthier chopsticks.

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

COOL! I might just try that :) B

[@shaggymannnn]

ben, will you ever tell us the history behind those tattoos?

[@pablogriswold421]

Woah, I've been watching these with a lollipop. Coincidence? Illuminati confirmed.

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

+Pablo Griswold it's a conspiracy!

[@pablogriswold421]

Crimson Custom Guitars So, you have lollipop believers on the inside! We're in danger.

[@michaelmasin1996]

I bet Toby wathces Lee's and Chappers videos because of the "option paralysis" quote

[@TheAtherion]

Is that T-shirt available for purchase ?

[@acidchristo]

Any off cuts of that sapele Ben?

[@timbeaton5045]

shame about that small bit of tearout right at the bottom of the body by the control cavity cover. Or should I just wait????

[@willgibsonguitar]

do you guys not have fret leveling files anymore? site just says page not found

[@ThunderBulb]

8:00 Depending on thickness could it not be used for binding or inlays?

[@cantormentorsofficial206]

At 50.18 that looks like a mason inlay? I'm not havin it. of Course it isnt but there is a million better looky likey symbols that would've worked just as well.

[@MouldyGuitars]

Oh dear, I just heard I have left my spindle sander tightened up MUCH too long :/

[@bobheadzeek]

what is that tiny router called, 48:00

[@rossispossiofone]

Offcuts as cosmetic skunk stripes.

[@strawman3059]

Is it possible to use a dremmel for routing out cavities?

[@burntartic2239]

I don't see why not. Would probably just take a long time.

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

I bought one thinking exactly this for my very first guitar build and did not last very long.. it is simply not powerful enough even if you predrill the cavities. Get yourself a real router for not much more than the dremel and you will be able to sue it for so much more. I'm a fan of Triton personally, check out www.yandles.co.uk/triton-dual-mode-precision-plunge-router-tra001/p13953 B

[@thomasmoon4219]

Bane Crowe

[@brandonb1681]

You mentioned a baseball bat earlier. Just curious if you own a lathe or use them at all as a luthier?

[@mctheta]

*drop of sweat* yeaahh, we'll just sand right over that. nothing to see here.

[@monchoflores1794]

I'm I the only one how feels that voice over Ben and Video Ben are two different persons?😅😅

[@matthewmorrison2071]

57:57 michael jackson?

[@craighay7461]

what does ppi mean?

[@dwcramer92]

craig hay he means ppe, personal protection equipment. I.E. eye protection, hearing protection, and dust mask.

[@craighay7461]

David Cramer i understand what he means, I just want to know what the i refers to

[@JoeThornhill]

Payment protection insurance, i'm surprised you haven't heard of it, miss sold PPI adverts are on TV and radio alot.

[@aaronsargent9525]

I will work for you, with compensation only including permission to build ONE instrument a month, off the clock, with mid grade materials for free, and the occasional scolding, and access to ToneHenge on off hours so I don't look foolish when my builds sound terrible.