Wow, they are both amazing looking. Love that headstock. Really incredible impressive when all dry fitted. 
Got all the areas covered in copper tape that I want to get. Conductive paint is up next and then get those bridges grounded. Thereās enough of a gap that I donāt think I can reasonably hide little strips of copper tape. It would REALLY stand out. I think using little sections of high E strings will be the way I pursue this one.
I need to investigate this more, but it might be possible for me to drill tiny channels between the bridges and the pickup cavities. Definitely on the guitar that will work. With the bridge being a single large piece, thatās no problem. That will be a little harder for the uke, but I might be able to utilize the little recesses that I drilled for the string ball ends (top loading bridge).
I think you can drill a hole at an angle from each bridge into the pickup cavity. Then inside the pickup cavity join the four wires into one and run that to the control cavity.
Here an example of drilling a single hole from the bridge area to the bridge pickup cavity. I had to use a manual egg beater drill to drill at a shallow angle
The wire can be thin. Maybe 24 gauge bare wire.
2 Likes
I was thinking of going into the sides of existing holes. So I donāt have to do the shallow angle thing you did. Iāve got a couple crazy long (small diameter) bits that can make channels plenty long enough.
Got the bridge ground wires run. Itās 100% hidden on the guitar. I did a shallow angle hole from right next to one of the bridge mounting screws into the pickup cavity. The wire wraps around the bridge mounting screw and will be soldered inside the cavity.
The uke was more of a pain. Had to do a couple of holes and then figure out how to fish the ground wire through with an angle inside. I used a drill bit and grabbed the wire to pull it partially past the angle and was then able to fish it through. For connecting each bridge piece, I used little bits of bare copper wire wrapped around the bridge mounting screws. That wire is technically still visible, but itās subtle enough that it wonāt be noticeable unless you know itās there. Especially when itās strung and being played. I tried going to one of the mounting holes but I couldnāt get the wire past the angle. Then I realized I had to go to the little cavity for the ball end of the strings.
After I get the pickup cavities painted with the conductive paint, Iāll stick a piece of copper tape in there to solder the ground wires.
3 Likes
Oh, man. Big fail.
I was painting some cavities with conductive paint today (first coat - itāll take a good chunk of the week to get this done since I need to apply a minimum of 3 coats and I have to give each coat a full 24hrs to dry). I noticed that on the saddle for the A-string, the little roller and threaded post have snapped off and vanished.
I know exactly when it happened. I was removing the bridge in order to run the ground wire and I stupidly didnāt hold down that saddle. So when I unscrewed it, the spring sent it shooting across my workshop. It hit the side of my camper and ended up on the floor just beneath. But the roller? Itās gone. I spent probably an hour today on my hands and knees searching for it with no luck. It may have bounced/rolled somewhere surprisingly far away. Orā¦it could have been wrapped up in some trash that ended up in the bin. The same bin where the old cat litter goes. Yeah, Iām not going to go digging through that if I can avoid it.
Of course, itās not a part I can find for sale anywhere. and the manufacturer is a European one.
1 Like
Is it magnetic? Eww cat litter, 
unfortunately, not magnetic. itās brass.
Schaller responded overnight (I hoped they would given the time difference). I wasnāt looking in the correct spot, but they do sell replacement saddles. Thatās good, but counting shipping, that will hit me for over $50. and who knows if Iāll get hit with needing to pay a tariff on top of that.
Before I pay up, Iām going to spend a little more time searching today. Iām going to do some vacuuming in case itās hiding in a spot I canāt see (but the vacuum can suck it out), go through the sawdust and whatnot in my shop vac again and also hope for a response from stewmac.
So my worst case potentially got a bit less expensive. That said, right now this looks to be my next least expensive option. And potentially the least expensive, given the unknown about whether Iāll have to pay a tariff or not.
Amazon.com: Schaller Roller Bridge, Chrome : Musical Instruments
and yeahā¦used cat litter gets bagged at the litter box and then tossed into the garage trash before going outside. it helps keep the smell down. and it helps us wait until as late as possible to put it outside. helps a TON with bears. Weāve lived here for 9 years now and have never had a bear get into our trash. it happens to our neighbors pretty regularly, so I would say that weāre doing something right in that regard. but I still donāt want to dig around in there looking for a nearly microscopic brass part.
1 Like
FOUND IT!
I decided to do a big, thorough search in the garage before placing any orders. Pulled out the shop vac and started vacuuming all the little nooks and crannies and underneath the workbench and stuff.
I heard something heavy get sucked in from under the workbench (which was the OPPOSITE direction from where the other part of the saddle went) and started rattling around inside the shop vac hose because it was too heavy to get pulled all the way in.
Turned off the vacuum and out rolled the little brass piece I was missing. That went into a little container with other screws and parts that I have removed while I work with the conductive paint. Thank goodness. Saved me $50-$80, the wait from ordering from Europe (who knows how long it would sit in customs?), and the uncertainty of whether Iād have to pay any tariffs.
5 Likes
Spent some time on the uke yesterday. Ready to start soldering it. I had to make an adjustment to my planned method of mounting the pickups, though. I had planned to direct mount them to the body, but the clearances were so tight I was not confident I could measure the spots I needed to drill precisely enough. So instead, I drilled the trim rings for a more traditional top mounting method. Iām not exactly thrilled with this method. They are āokayā and theyāre functional, but a little mistake I made with the trim rings when I was making them means that the trim rings have minimal walnut between the mounting hole and the central opening for the pickup itself. Iām going to install them this way for now, but Iām going to work on making better rings. Iām just not confident that they wonāt break. Iāve ordered some more 1/8" walnut sheet since all I currently have are little scraps.
If I have to, Iāll make them by hand again. And Iāll have enough material to be able to redo them a few times if I make another mistake. But Iāve also reached out to the local makerspace. They have both a CO2 laser and a CNC. I might be able to get really precise trim rings made up (assuming I can make good CAD drawings I guess). Weāll see how that goes. They have a monthly open house next week and I plan to go. They tend to operate on a membership basis but it seems like some members will also help non-members with one-off projects.
I plan to get the guitar ready to solder today, also. That way when I pull out the soldering iron, I can do both instruments at once. Iām going to start by soldering all the ground connections between the shielded cavities. Then Iāll check continuity before diving into other connections. I might have time today to solder all the grounds. Weāll see. I have other things planned for the day, too.
local makers group is pretty cool. someone has already stepped up to run through making pickup rings on the CO2 laser.
I have a few scraps of walnut laying around that MIGHT be enough to get suitable rings. With a laser, I think Iām going to try to come up with a little bit snazzier design. Because why not?
I also did manage to get the ground wires soldered on both instruments. Itās MADLY uncomfortable to work out in the garage right now in the heat. Iāve got fans going but they can only do so much.
1 Like
Temps are cooling off so itās not so uncomfortable to work in the garage (even with the overhead door closed to keep out the mosquitoes)!
Did some continuity testing and saw that I had not sufficiently coated the conductive paint. It would have taken longer to put on more coats of the stuff (how many more? no idea) so I just messed with more copper tape. Hopefully the spots where it wrinkled and packed up in the curves donāt cause any problems.
Time to start wiring the pots and switches.
Iām a little bit concerned about the uke bridge. Itās not very conductive. I have good continuity through the mounting screws, but the bridge pieces themselvesā¦meh. Weāll see how things go. I suppose worst case, I can sand down the undersides of them so they have a better connection to the ground wires running underneath. The ball ends of the strings will also touch the undersides of them so I might be able to handle it without messing up the visible chrome finish. I hesitate to compromise it even underneath, though, because I donāt want that to be a spot where chips start and propagate to the visible portions of the bridge.
2 Likes
Hi Nate, thanks for asking me to suggest a name 
Itās been fun reading through this diary!
How about Calliope or Calliope Sylvan or Sylvan Muse or something like that? Calliope is the smallest hummingbird species in North America; Sylvan means wooded, or āof the forestā and I see meadowhawk headstock, spalted maple, hummingbird and owls burnt into the headstock etcā¦ nature/woods seem to be the inspiration for this instrument?
1 Like
I like the direction of your thinkingā¦but itās not quite speaking to me yet. fwiw, the owl is definitely an eastern screech-owl (modeled after the pair that hatched two owlets in my yard this year). I dunno that the hummingbird is anything specific, but if it is, itād be most likely to be a ruby-throated hummingbird (the one native to my area). I say that because the plants in the background are mostly based on natives. oaks, rhododendrons, ferns, etc.
Good eye on picking out the style of the headstock from Warmoth. I did not choose it based on its name correlating to any other elements of the design. I just liked the shape.
More specifically, I think Iād prefer to have a single name for each one. I donāt really want to have a ābrandā name at this point. Iām going to have to work on that one if Iām going to make more instruments. Canāt use my last name because thereās already some other guy (not a close relation, but likely to be a distant one) using it.
Today was a resounding success with the CO2 laser. The guy who volunteered to help me out did a nice job translating my sketch into CAD. Had a bit of a hiccup when getting the machine fired up because the (new) control computer was insisting on a microsoft login that I donāt think the makers group has. So he had to figure out how to hook up his Mac to control the laser.
I ended up with 3 pickup rings out of the scrap pieces I brought along. So I have a spare in case I break one. And heās sent me the CAD file, as well, in case I need to make more.
Iām more than a little annoyed that the countersink bit leaves that ugly surface behind so Iām going to need to touch that up at least a little bit (even though it wonāt be visible). But I really like the new shape of the trim rings with the 4 point star shapes around the mounting holes. Iāll have to get the other one sanded down tomorrow so I can start applying oil to them.
I started mapping out the control wiring on the guitar yesterday and found that I donāt quite have the right 3-way mini toggle switch. I bought two different ones, even. And neither is the right one. So I had to order yet another (I think this one is the right one). and itāll be about a week before I get it.
This is the wiring diagram Iām following for the guitar.
2PRail_3G_mt_1V_1T.pdf
A 3-way DPDT mini toggle with 6 lugs and ON-OFF-ON function and a longer ābatā instead of a stubby thing is actually hard to find.
I was doing similar for the uke and even though the wiring for that one should be similar, the wiring diagrams Iāve got are a bit less clear. Apparently, people who do two single coil pickups, with one volume knob and one tone knob seem to almost invariably copy Tele wiring. I wanted a different switch, so I am using the same 3-way toggle as on the guitar. I have a wiring diagram that shows a pretty generic 3-way toggle, but the lugs donāt really match what I have, so I am not exactly clear on exactly where to solder my wires. This most closely matches what Iām trying to do.
But Iām using a Switchcraft toggle. The pictures on Stewmacās website arenāt exactly like what I have. But the lugs on this switch match. Youāll note that the pickup selector switch lug layout shown on the wiring diagram Iām using for the guitar matches what I have. I have an inkling of how I ought to wire it up.
AxLabs 3-Way 2-Pole, 4-Lug Toggle Switch - StewMac
I have time to work this stuff out, at least. I should also make sure that the wiring kits I bought include caps with the values that I need.
3 Likes
So the switch I ordered was finally the correct one.
I debated whether I should wire it first and then install the components or install the components and then wire it. I decided to install the components first. Makes soldering tighter, but it also means I donāt have to fuss with a tangle of wires and stuff while trying to install everything. Making extensive use of tweezers and needlenose pliers.
since the grounds are the ones that need soldered to the back of the pots, Iām going through getting most of the grounds done before starting on the pickups. trying to solder the 3 way mini toggle last. That one is going to have 13 wires attaching to 6 lugs the way Iām running the controls. Iāve got the jacks soldered and those joints covered with heatshrink tubing so hopefully Iāve removed the jack plates for the last time.
1 Like
Got all the soldering finished on the guitar yesterday only for my first test to fail. inserting the instrument cable into the jack. lol. the cavity for the jack didnāt have enough room for the tab that contacts the tip of the cable to flex as it should. So I had to pull the jack, desolder some stuff to get it out of the way, and then hollow out the cavity some more. I did lots of double checking to make sure that the cable would insert properly.
Today I got that jack soldered back together. I used a little extra heat shrink tubing for insurance purposes to make sure that I didnāt short everything out with that tab touching the copper tape inside the cavity.
I realized it was fortunate that I just ordered a pack of guitar strings for the uke. Because now I have 2 extra strings I can use for testing purposes. So I put one of them on the guitar and plugged in. It works! Now obviously this thing needs a LOT of setup work. Pretty sure Iām going to need to sand down the nut to drop the action. Have to do some fret leveling/crowning. Somewhere along the way Iām going to need to be checking/dealing with any neck relief. Adjust the action at the bridge. Raise the pickups. Adjust the pole pieces to roughly follow the radius of the fretboard. All the jobs.
But since the guitar works now, I can move on to soldering the uke.
My dad got the knobs finished. He said he had some issues with the 1/4 inch drill bit (for the pot shafts) flexing. Lovely. I had that problem, too. Even with a brand new, sharp, brad-tip bit on the big lathe at the community woodshop. Hopefully his problems with this are significantly less than mine were and the knobs are āgood enoughā.
4 Likes
Congratulations!! Great looking guitar. Hope it sounds as good as it looks.
Lots of YouTubes about setups. Ask if you have questions. Iām no expert, but Iāve done enough to understand the process.
Thereās definitely a growl to the pickups. Thatāll change when I get the pickup heights dialed in better. Hopefully I wonāt lose the growl. I can definitely notice that the bridge pickup is pretty weak right now (itās the lowest) and the rail portions of both pickups are also kinda weak.
Turns out I need to replace the volume pot, though. I forgot to actually check the function of both pots. The volume pot was scratchy and cut out sporadically when I turned it. I cleaned it out with electronics cleaner and it actually got worse. so Iām calling it done and replacing it. I must have overheated it while soldering because it was fine beforeheand.
So Iāll switch over to the uke for now. Iāll probably get the knobs from my dad before the pot shows up, so Iāll get started on finishing those, also.
I think Iām good on the setup side. The only things that are totally new to me are leveling and crowning the frets and sanding down the nut, but I did get the tools for those jobs so they shouldnāt be a problem. As for the nut, I just need to take it slow and make sure I donāt get it at a funky angle.
The bridge is SUPER adjustable so getting that dialed it wonāt be hard. just fiddly. Each saddle has 4 separate adjustments. theoretically I should be able to get a really good setup.
2 Likes