BC Rich Mockingbird inspired Through Neck

JGTay · July 2022

Started this build back in April, but had forgotten my log in details to the site (went through my old laptop this morning and found them). Have been keeping tabs on the site, just not adding comments. I have been posting to another forum, so will do a catch up here. Sorry for the copy and paste, will try to add/remove any non relevant things.

Had a busy couple of years building an extension on the front of my house, replastering the front room and various other jobs around the place. Also had a lot of building/plastering jobs for other people that has kept me too busy to do any fun stuff.

Part of redoing our front room included disposal of our old 1930's double iron frame upright piano, which was badly in need of restringing/tuning. This is now in pieces in my wood pile, a nice surprise to this is that it has a mix of different woods underneath the mahogany veneer, Ash, Poplar and a few pieces of mahogany, perfect for guitars.

All of which brings me nicely back to the present and a nice little project to get my teeth stuck into...

I have been asked to build a BC Rich Mockingbird inspired guitar and just started working on the through neck, which is multi-laminated oak and Ash (pictures will be uploaded shortly)

The body wings will be made out of Poplar. (originally was going to use oak, but the table I had been given didn't work out)

Going with a 25.5 inch scale, 4+2 headstock, dual humbuckers and probably a wraparound bridge.

The Hardware is yet to be decided on, as well as the type of finish and fretboard material.

Looking forward to this build!

JGTay · July 2022

Please excuse the mess in my workshop, should really get it tidied up, would make it a lot easier to find everything.

First job was doing the neck laminate, went with oak in the centre and Ash either side, I left the mahogany veneer on as well to give it a darker stripe between the woods.

It was then time to cut the headstock angle with my new Japanese saw that is a really nice addition to my tools. Makes light work of getting through the dense woods.

Then marked out the headstock and worked out the position of the tuners.

Cut, chiselled and smoothed out the pickup cavities. Will do the cavity side sections and wiring cavities in the wings before gluing them on.

Then started shaping the neck edges with the Shinto rasp, still amazed at how good they are for this type of work.

Then printed out the template for the body and checked the positioning.

Next job will be cutting some of the Poplar for the body wings. I will do some shaping on the wings, the neck profile and headstock before gluing the body on.

JGTay · July 2022

Drilled the tuner holes and started shaping the headstock, still needs more sanding, but a good start.

And then got the volute and back face started.

JGTay · July 2022

Volute shape finished from headstock side, will just need to be done on the neck side once I get the neck profile done.

Sanded to 400 grit and cleaned with white spirit. Will have another sanding once the neck profile is done and the other side is finished.

JGTay · July 2022

After gluing up a couple of pieces of the poplar for the top wing, I sketched a rough outline of the shape

Then set about getting the excess wood off and getting some shape into it, leaving some clamping points which can be cut off afterwards

rough shape done, through neck cut close to size

Next up is cutting and gluing some pieces for the bottom wing.

JGTay · July 2022

The good thing about doing the body in two pieces this way is that you can do the wiring and control cavities before gluing.

After gluing, clamping and leaving to dry for a few hours it was onto the rough shaping in, again leaving clamping points

The control cavity from the back

And all lined up.

Need to get some bits ordered before the next section, hopefully they will not take too long to arrive...

JGTay · July 2022

I will add some more of the progress later, don't want to overdo it in one go.

JGTay · July 2022

Just looking back through this on my phone and the pictures are misshapen, they were looking okay on the computer. Did I need to resize them?

RichAC · July 2022

That looks really cool. I like the laminate effect on the through neck.

Is it the same shape as a standard Mockingbird? Yours looks longer and thinner, but that might be the pic resizing issue. Although before I saw your comment about the pics, I thought the elongated effect looked good!

JGTay · July 2022

RichAC said:

That looks really cool. I like the laminate effect on the through neck.

Is it the same shape as a standard Mockingbird?

Thanks Rich. Yes, same shape as a standard Mockingbird. Have found if you click on the pics it shows the correct size.

RichAC · July 2022

I think you should consider leaving the clamping points in the final shape. Gives it a “none more metal” look.

RichAC · July 2022

RichAC said:

I think you should consider leaving the clamping points in the final shape. Gives it a “none more metal” look.

Hmm. I tried to add emoji to this, to show I wasn’t serious, but the forum software ate them.

Strangefan · July 2022

This is good stuff......... Very very good stuff

JGTay · July 2022

Strangefan said:

This is good stuff......... Very very good stuff

Thanks. Will post some more later.

BillDL · July 2022

@JGTay ;;; Just curious about something. What bridge are you going to fit, and do you think it will require creating an angle on the neck such that you will have to plane down the through-neck section that would otherwise be raised above the body getting higher towards the bottom end?

JGTay · July 2022

@BillDL it is a wraparound bridge with a sunken area, which will be shown in the next few posts.

BillDL · July 2022

Aaah, that should negate a neck angle. looking forward to seeing the build. It looks great so far, and that's from me that doesn't even like pointy guitars

JGTay · July 2022

While waiting for parts to arrive, I decided to get on with making the control cavity cover. Cut a piece to the right size

Then got the chisels out and started cutting out the ledge

Once deep enough it was on with flattening the cover to fit correctly, testing in place and adding the thumbnail access slot (bottom of the picture). Still need to put the magnets in, happy enough with the grain matching, not perfect but close enough.

JGTay · July 2022

Still can't work out how to resize the pics, but clicking on them shows the correct size on phones.

JGTay · July 2022

The truss rod had arrived, so marked out the position and chiselled around the edges.

Then on with the chiselling...

Testing in place. Almost there, just a bit more.

And it's in. Nice tight fit and access slot almost finished.

Just need to tidy the edges and finish the access slot.

JGTay · July 2022

Next on the list was flattening the wings to the same thickness as the through neck. I put some pins in the wings, lined them up and clamped it all together. After a short while sanding they were level.

Sanded up to 240 grit and cleaned with white spirit

Then it was out with the chisels and I set about doing a sunken area for the wraparound bridge. This is similar to something I did on the Def Robot Flying V a couple of years ago, It means I don't have to do a neck angle, which on a through neck can be a pain and makes it easy to get the string height correct.

After a lot of chisel work and small amount of sanding it was ready for testing with the bridge.

And testing the string height with a spare piece of fretboard (which isn't big enough for this project, waiting on the fretboard wood to arrive)

There is a small drop towards the bridge, which allows for plenty of adjustment.

Testing with pickup rings

Plenty more sanding to be done, but that will wait until the wings are glued in place. The sunken area will need to drop a bit more to allow for the posts, but that can wait.

JGTay · July 2022

While I was waiting on delivery of the fretboard wood, it was taking longer than expected, I decided to get on with the sanding of the sunken area and get it as close to the finished shape as possible.

After a few hours sanding up through the grades and getting everything straightened up, I tested it with the bridge in position.

And then measured out the positions, drilled for the posts and got it all tested in place

Then it was back on to waiting for the f/b wood to arrive.

JGTay · July 2022

Really sorry about posting so much in one go, it is a catch up from April so a few more to go before it is up to the current position.

Roland · July 2022

JGTay said:

Please excuse the mess in my workshop, should really get it tidied up ...

A tidy workshop is a sign of someone who makes YouTube videos of themselves making something, rather than actually doing it.

This build looks interesting.

JGTay · July 2022

Thanks @Roland. Good to hear from you, really enjoyed your local timber build.

JGTay · July 2022

And then it arrived...

Nice piece of Ziricote

JGTay · July 2022

Got the 12" radius done up to 240 grit (will do finer grits after the fretboard markers are done) and then cut the fret slots.

Measured again to make sure it was in the correct place, then lined up and pins put in place to stop it moving before the gluing starts.

Then on with the glue and clamped in place. Think it is getting time to replace my smaller clamps, they are bending out of shape...

Then it was on with getting it close to shape, leaving a small amount of excess.

And tested back in place, all measurements correct. Also saved some sanding dust for when I am doing the fretboard markers.

JGTay · July 2022

Then started doing the neck profile, just a rough shape until Dan brings round one of his guitars with his favourite neck shape. He said it is a flat C or maybe D shape and I have got it to a similar type shape with room for adjustment.

I can adjust it from here when I see the profile.

The abalone for the fretboard markers has arrived, so that is the next job on the list, then sand it to a nice finish and I can then get the frets in.

JGTay · July 2022

Made a start on the markers.

First one in and marked for the second.

Went inside the pencil marks with a Stanley knife, then around the marks with a chisel and started taking out the wood.

Once deep enough it was glued in.

A few marks around the edges, but they will go when I sand back. Then marked out for the third one and again went around the edges with a chisel.

Had to stop there as it was time to make dinner, but back on it hopefully in the morning.

JGTay · July 2022

Things never go to plan... had to go round to the father in laws this morning to fit a new concertina door, but managed to get back on with the fretboard inlays this afternoon. Just waiting on the glue to dry fully on the 24th fret inlays and then I can sand them level and get on with the radius sanding up through the levels.

Cleaned up with white spirit after sanding all the others level.