Scratch Guitar Build: "Walnut II"

Finally finished my "Walnut II" scratch build that I started back in September. It has been one of those projects where nothing seems to go easily, but in the end I'm happy with the results. Here are a few pix of the process and finished guitar:

Original mockup. Loosely based on a PRS SE I own.

Maple & Walnut laminated neck in glue-up.

Neck blank glued up and planed flat & square. The extra length on the walnut strips meant no snipe when using the power planer.

My jig for cutting the headstock angle on the table saw.

Maple & Walnut body blank. The last of the walnut harvested from my own trees.

Rough cut body shape, fresh from the bandsaw.

Neck tenon extends through pickup rout. Astute observers will recognize that the neck pictured is not the maple/walnut neck pictured elsewhere. At one point I thought of using a maple only neck.

Finally completed! Dimarzio 36th anniversary PAFs, Gotoh hardware, V/T/T.

String through design. The bridge sits in a routed channel, though there is a small 2 degree neck angle.

Decided to keep it clean: no fret markers on the FB face- just side dot markers, and a simple French polish shellac finish, with just a touch of dye to help the maple grain pop.

Nice figure in the maple. One of my favorite touches is the truss rod cover milled from a scrap of the laminated neck.

Walnut veneer on the back. Just because.

Almost looks like through neck construction, but it's not. The control cavity cover is milled from the same walnut the body was cut from.

Hand carved the belly contour, but didn't bother with a forearm contour. The body is thin like an SG, and has fully rounded edges, so quite light and comfortable.

Another shot of the finished back.

Closeup of the finished maple-walnut neck.

"DIY Guitar Therapy:" What To Do With The Guitars I Build?

I've really struggled this fall and winter with my hemiplegic migraines and other neurological issues, so while my "in shop" hours have been curtailed, I've had lots of time to think and plan. Having something to think about besides the pain and immobility is a blessing, as is being able to lose myself in the work on those days I'm able to actively work in the shop.

I hope to continue building & playing guitars for as long as I can physically. Adaptation and evolution have to be part of the process: sometimes just sitting with a guitar has to be enough. I'm really grateful that I have this outlet for my hands, mind and heart.

Given my physical limitations, my production output will never get out of single digits in a year, but even at that rate, guitars will soon start to pile up: even more than my Gear Acquisition Syndrome requires! So what to do? I have no desire to sell guitars as a business. Mt thought at the moment is to donate them to charities. Either to auction off at their fund raising events, or possibly for actual use in programs like "Six String Heroes," that provide guitars and lessons to veterans. I like the thought of passing along the therapeutic value I've enjoyed.