Richey Kay

Hey Richey, I taper my necks on a bandsaw. If I did it with hand tools I think I'd draw the taper lines and then rasp my way down to them starting with a coarse rasp, then a fine one as I got closer. Now I'll have to give that a try to see how well it works! The main reason for the taper is to give a wider spacing for the picking/strumming fingers. Many CB gits have no taper and they are still perfectly playable.

Oh, I also think you could keep the 1 1/2" with no taper and space the strings a bit closer at the nut. A little extra on the sides shouldn't be a problem. Then you'd have tapered strings on a straight neck. I haven't done that yet but in my head it works!

I've made several with 15" scale but only for nylon strings. Steel strings have more tension on them than I like on 15" but that's what Uncle John has and he seems to like it. I thought I noticed that string taper in some of your photos but wasn't sure. Very nice builds you have btw! Yes, the tapered neck has a nicer, more traditional look to it. A friend of mine makes beautiful tapered legs for the funiture he makes using only hand tools. I'll have to get him to show me his method.

I sent you a friend request on here so we can use the email thing a little easier to talk that way.

Thanks Richey, that could be quite handy!   I'm in Wetherby, West Yorks.

Cheers, Matt.

Thanks for the birthday wishes!

This is my site:

http://humidorguitars.com/previously-sold-guitars/zeke-deadwood-gui...

Good work Richey. Just started and am still using piezo pickup. Next build hope to use humbucker and tone and a volume knob. 

Thanks for your comments Richey,never seen brass fret wire for sale,it would finish one like no.41 off.Thought I better get a few ready to go to Hexham,though I'm not sure about 41,might keep that one.I have a short scale one handy to plonk while watching the telly,this one might take its place.The short scale means you're less likely to poke the wife's eye out.

Love your happy customer photo.

Michael

Beautiful job on the mando Richey! Yes, I use Nylgut strings on all of mine but I buy their mandolin set. For a couple dollars more than the 5ths uke strings you get a double set and I think thy're slightly lighter guage so even on 15" scale I can bring them up to standard GDae tuning. The thing with Nylgut is they will break pretty easily if there are any bridge or nut slots which haven't been nicely rounded at the bottom. If this is a new tuning for you I think you'll appreciate the extended range of notes when you start picking out melodies. I'm glad it turned out so well.

Hey Richey, I got my Nylgut mando strings from Elderly Instruments. After checking their site, it appears they no longer have them. I bought 6 sets last time and I'm down to 2 now so I hope to find a way to get more. If I do I'll let you know.

Thanks Richey! Now I've gotta learn The Beatles song "When I'm 64"

Hi Richey

The original chair leg wood width was 2.5 inches. The bridge is a 1/2 inch banjo bridge with standard spacing. The scale length is 19.75 inches.  It does not have a truss rod.

Thanks!

Marvin 

Thanks Richey! It sucks getting old.

thanks Richey Kay, for the comments. and to think i done that one 30 years ago,forgot all about it, got some nice builds upthere, you do your own pick-ups awesome! some wood=shop! big industrial Machinery   Mick Donavan LOL !!!Greetszzz .A.D.

Hi Richey - thanks for the offer of support. Much appreciated. 

I haven't opened either of them yet, but I got a 2009 Matriarch and 2006 Pluribus.  I guess I'm waiting for a special occasion.

this is interesting read related to Dave Lynas' ricky

http://www.rickenbacker.com/history_early.asp

thanks im really diggin your playing style

Hi, Richard. Thanks for taking a look at my photos. Here is a link to what I have found to be a useful site for guitar wiring: http://1728.org/indexfun.htm. Just go to this page and under the section on electric guitars there is a link to diagrams for series/parallel master switch. There are also many other diagrams that you may find useful.

Go Man U and LVG!

Thanks Richey

Thanks Richey for the Nice complements there !

thank ya Richey ....you got a great groove goin on, keep it rollin

Thanks again Richey

Glad that taping worked out well for you, it's a lot more cost affective than trying to shield a whole cigar box.

Thanks again Richey.Let me see your version of that box when you've finished it

Thanks bunches Richey! I have been singing the Beatles song when I am 64 all day lol now I am as old as UJ!!! Yikes

Thanks so much Richey! I appreciate it. As far as the name. There were a few other people out there with my name and our stuff was getting mixed up on iTunes, so I decided to change it. It's my girlfriend's favorite flower and I'd always loved the word/name Iris so I decided to just go with it. It seems to catch people attention and confuse the hell out of them haha!

24 is a beaut man. wonderful work there for sure and of course , you know i love them bridges keep on doin what you are doin man !!

open G it will be tune in ,thanks for the time to look and coment on thanks

oh hey brotha,  guess what i got in the mail.........................  yup a tasty box of Brit goodness. would you mind if i post up a pic or two. also on my facebook and website im pretty proud of your work mate . !!

p.s. i miss your vintage bridges , I think you should just make a few for me and send em my way haha 

Thank you for your kind comment. I really love your work! I hope you have a fantastic weekend! Best wishes from Scotland!

thanks Richey,I think you will overtake soon,you're at 30 quicker than I was

Thanks again Richey,sort of have a hankering to do a solid myself,guess what shape?As for the headstock design,there ain't no patent and I'm sure somebody somewhere must have done it before,it just seems a logical shape for a three string

If I don't have a router !!!I've got two !! I'm one of those boring old farts with a compulsive tool buying disorder

Just had a look at your photo's Richey.That is a flawless build,simple and beautifully done

Toes are all in tact.As I said before that Lyre like shape just seems so logical for three strings,though my later ones seem to be getting longer and skinnier.

The standard of that build has made me wonder about your background,using craft skills in some away for your living ?

Wine expert eh! So you know lots about my other pastime

Hi there Richey! got a new tune out that incorparates all the new homemade builds ,jawharps,oakwood spoons ,3string UJ build ,harmonica and vocals, its a Cajun Traditional its maybee not your cup of thea, but you can have a lissen what a fjew simplistic home/made instruments can make a band , Greeeetssszz A.D.

Thanks Richey! Im Glad you liked it, they sure are great lines by the big Z !

you're welcome, thanks for the add Richey.. beautiful cover of "la vie en rose" love it:)

Hey Richey,  Thanks for the reply and concern.  Please dismiss the crudeness of the videography (or lack thereof) from me and my camera phone, but this video best explains everything... https://youtu.be/GuxwrfyG_NE

Thanks to you Richey. I like your multi-scale guitar. Want to build one. I'll send you pics, now i'm looking for woods and thinking the scale to use.

Thanks I´ll try it!