Portland Guitar Co.

Designing and Building
Custom Handcrafted
Guitars, Ukuleles
and Accessories


Portland Guitar Co. | Portland Oregon | Contact Jay Dickinson-503.245.3276 | jay@portlandguitar.com


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Engineered Braces | Tilt Action Neck | Split Saddle Bridge | Split Saddle Nut

 

Portland Guitar Pretty Good Intonation (PGPG) System

Short Version | Introduction | Intonation Errors | Analysis | PG Approach | Comparisons | Conclusion


Finished Build

Bass Model BM 1.1.27 for Will A.

Sides and Back: Jakaranda ... Brazilian Rosewood grown in Indonesia.
Top: Sitka Spruce
Neck: Paduk
Fretboard: Purpleheart
Hardware: Chrome
Theme: Celtic
Scale length: 34 inches

Page 5


(102) 11-Sept-09
Now I turn my attention to installing the binding and purfling.  In this picture I am using my Universal Bindalator, a machine of my own invention, to route out the channels for the binding and purfling.  The universal bindalator is an overhead router with five degrees of freedom.  It allows me to easily create a channel that is parallel to the sides even though the top is curved.

(103) 11-Sept-09
Here we see the resultant channel.  The internal kerfing has been exposed.

(104) 11-Sept-09
In this picture I am installing the binding.  I install one strip of binding at a time to insure that it seats properly, i.e., without any gaps.  This is a time consuming process, but it gives me the best results.

(105) 11-Sept-09
After the binding is installed I fit the neck into the channel.  I work to get a snug, even, but not tight fit.  The neck will move around in the channel so the sides can't actuall touch the neck.  I am constantly working to make this fit more perfect.

(106) 11-Sept-09
Here is a picture of the Tilt Action Neck Adjustment bolt.  

(107) 11-Sept-09
Here I am drilling the hole in the body that will house a nut insert.

(108) 11-Sept-09
And here we see all of the neck attachment hardware.

(109) 11-Sept-09
I fit everything together and it looks like a guitar.

(110) 11-Sept-09
Next I need to route a channel in the headstock to accept the headstock binding.

(111) 11-Sept-09
The headstock channel.

(112) 11-Sept-09
I have steam bent the wings and glued them in place.

(113) 11-Sept-09
And then the end piece.

(114) 11-Sept-09
And finally the side pieces.

(115) 11-Sept-09
A bit of sanding to level everything off and here we have the final results.