I don't know how I stumbled across your channel but I did, and I'm so glad. I may try to build a Partscaster at some point, but mostly I just enjoy watching you work and hearing you explain your process and your tools. Keep up the great work!
Thanks for you encouragement. Give it a go I’m sure you’ll enjoy the process. The tools will come with the required skills. Just take it easy and proceed with care. C
Wisdom? I look at as… I’ve done the other way and it was a disaster. I guess I’m trying to share what has worked for me. But I thank you for your kind words. C
After a bad experience trading a Les paul for a strat, today I decided to build my own with parts from fender and Warmoth. This video really inspires me to build my own hard tail Strat
Thanks Gary. Thought I might be n France by now but that’s stalling at the moment. So let’s all thank Putin and Brexit for stranding me here on fantasy island this summer. The world gets another guitar. C
Great episode! Each episode teaches you many new and inspiring educational techniques. Thank you Chris and pleased to see you’ve hit the 3K mark with this one. Well deserved as nobody edits and creates such professional episodes like you do.
Thanks Lewe. Always good to hear from you. I’m on a break at the moment but Ep 2 has been started and is underway. I just need so more content before I publish. This build is progressing quickly which is good after the long Les Paul build. C
Ah yes. Philosophy corner. My moment to be a person. I love doing it. I had to miss one last time due to the passing of a friend. Didn’t want to get maudlin and throw a huge downer on the show. But I’m back with a new build and a Joi de vivre. I’m very much looking forward to the finish in this one. I have a plan
Thanks so much. I do my best to make them interesting but not ultra serious. Guitar making is fun and shouldn’t get bogged down in rule and limitations. Experiment and don’t get bent out of shape if stuff breaks as it happens a lot!! C
Am I a pro? I’m not really a seller. I tend to keep all my guitars. I simply like to keep them all. This is actually a huge problem as I am now in the low 40’s when it comes to guitars. I will need to sell a few I think. I am looking forward to the evolution though Dan. Take care C
Thanks Greg. It lifts me when I hear that people enjoy my videos. The opening music is me a few years ago. The reggae is from the CZcams library. I target dub reggae to be precise. I find it soothing
Thanks Carl. I never went away and the way things are going it looks like I’m going to be stuck here for a while to come. I’m looking forward to getting this build done. As a luthier a parts build is low stress which is good thing for the times we find ourselves in. C
Neck join is something I want to do on my build - thanks for the video Chris. Was wondering about taking it a step further and adding a contour... but might be a bit ambitious
Interesting. I could re-engineer the joint further by ditching the metal plate completely and just fitting some 12mm ferrules in the body where the screw holes are. The beauty of this is that we could then really contour the body lump without having the plate in the way. I have done this many times. It might scare the Strat purists though.
Damn it! I woke up humming something the other day, I’ve been wondering what it was. It’s the blooming music at 14:55! It was in my head for hours, and now it’s back again! Good to have you back though sir!
Just checked that out. You are correct that is an annoyingly enjoyable tune. I’m going to have to source some good dub reggae for the next episodes. Surprisingly difficult to find nice music. The theme tune is my work. But I don’t have enough time to score my own videos.
I’ve been trying to keep www.boobooguitars.co.uk a secret for a while. Some of them are a bit of a mess but by far, most have quite minor problems. If you plan to spray there is nothing you can’t fix. If you want help just post me a message. I answer every one personally. Go for it Phil. C
I see him every time I look in the mirror. He’s ok I guess. He really does enjoy the craft as much as it seems. Thanks for the love Zombie. Best regards Chris Reynolds. C
You can and indeed I did. I started after a career in television. It was something I held in me throughout my life. A love of guitars and fascination with the making of them. I was adrift for a while but my passion drew me to go back to college. I loved it and it was an important step in my life.
I just stumbled upon this channel this weekend. You are doing an amazing job. I basically watched your entire video catalogue over the weekend. Thank you for such a relaxing interesting time and keep it up.
I love the cheeky joke about cheating the scraping process of that neck. You can see the half scraped neck in the background after you pick up the neck you already had shown previously. Funny stuff.
Hey hey! I just discovered your channel and spent a lovely Sunday morning watching your Tele build. Great tips and demos of what you’re doing and in what order plus you crack on with it. You have a new fan. Oh, my name is Chris Reynolds too 🤘😎👍
Man, you are good. I have a guitar building YT channel as well and I can learn a lot from you. I have just now started a strat build so I’m keen to follow you and see how you approach things. Thanks Michael
Top quality video. In every aspect. Oscar - that's what you deserve! The content, the sense of humor, the camera positioning, the montage, the voice sound - perfect! It's a very difficult job to put a video together. Here is an example of a video which I would call "the golden standard". Great job, Chris! Like-subscribe! Oh... Sorry... I forgot to say what I didn't like... Why didn't you use a hammer to nail the neck to the body?! You could use the baking soda and super glue to stick them together and just nail them after. Use a nice heavy hammer and it's done! Just that simple! No need to drill any holes. The screw hole is a lot bigger than the nail one. Cause you know... Bigger the holes - less guitar body wood left. Less wood you have - less sustain you get. Philosophy corner... Understand?
Thanks for your glowing appraisal. I have to admit the years at film school and the 38 years as an editor have payed off. I wish I had started this venture earlier, but only a couple of years ago I would cringe at the sound of my own voice. I appear to have gotten over that. As for your construction idea, I’m pondering an episode where we do it your way. I needs to be done. Just to show that my way isn’t THE way. C
Fellow guitar builder here strictly a amateur. Great videos and editing, really enjoyable to watch. Would you consider a workshop tour video? All the best 👍🏻
A few months ago I used super glue and baking soda to plug off an old water line that comes off of my water heater. I went to the hardware store and purchased a fitting for the job but I picked up the wrong size so I decided to try the super glue and baking soda and so far it's working great with no leaks. 👍
Shock the fox's channel he showcased an electric sander that used a soft sponge like abrasive block. Looks super handy for curves and neck profiles. Or strat horns. Love your channel btw! Especially the bit about your hippie vegan cat
Brando eats the grass then throws up. I have a similar reaction, but I need to go more in that direction. Brando cannot be described as a hippie though. The carnage and dead, or almost dead, mice he’s bringing in betray his carnivorous leanings. I’m getting a bit tired of treading on half a dead rodents in the walk in shower. 21st century issue I guess. C
It simply doesn’t make sense to just remake the same guitars over and over without at least trying to improve them. Leo Fender was a master engineer and designer. But surely there can still be change? C
Splendid! Most enjoyable part of my day, so far! Granted, it’s 0400 and I’m a nurse in a psych hospital, so your competition isn’t that impressive. Seriously though, exceptional production.
That is amazing to know. I’m sitting here in London pondering my breakfast whilst you are watching me thousands of miles away. I’m sure you are doing a difficult and challenging job. I hope you are appreciated. Thanks for your kind words. All the best C
Hi Chris, I've really been looking forward to this series. I've built 5 guitars since I watched your tele series and I must say out of all of the youtube videos I've found yours are the most informative and entertaining! Keep up the great work. After finishing a number of bodies in nitro I've played it safe and only done rosewood necks, so I'm looking forward to learning how you finish the maple neck... and also how you screwed in the tremelo claw into the back, surprisingly I found that a challenge for the strat I built 😅. And thanks to you every neck is attached using a laser. One tip an old luthier told me.. when you screw in your pilot holes for the neck don't do it in the centre of the holes in the neck pocket, do it slightly towards the neck side, that way when you screw the neck on it gets pulled tighter into the neck pocket and better connection to the body. He swore by it.
Wow that’s amazing Andrew. Love to hear stories like yours. Maple brings with it it’s own conundrums. I’ve never heard of deliberately angling the neck screws. I have to say I’m dubious. It’s hard enough to get them in the right place without messing with them. I’ll give that some thought. Great to hear of your guitar making progress. C
Hi Chris, the screws not angled, he would just use the predrilled body holes as a guide, and drill them straight, but he would use the neck side as the guide. I was dubious as well (im an engineer 😊), but it seemed to work very well.. main thing was the screws are straight, just a fraction of a millimetre on the neck side.
But... I've never seen anyone else mention it. Anyhow.. I think your work is exceptional and at the end of the day all the major manufacturers drill them centred.. and as engineer my only concern with his method is unnecessary tension in the timber around the screws.. but.. he also had me thinking as well as it should, in theory, pull it in tighter.
You could do with a CNC to cut out your necks and bodies, some people don't like CNC'd parts but you can adjust the digital files to your preference and then hand finish them
I’m a big fan of CNC machines. I consider myself progressive and I don’t have a problem with using any available technology whenever appropriate. Space is the only problem.
Nice build. Just shows you how different we all are. I buy my bodies either painted (when I am feeling lazy) or raw. I buy them brand NEW from Guitarfetish and they are cheaply priced around $79.00 to $119.00 (these bodies are flawless however, make sure in the description it says alder or ash because otherwise you will get some crappy wood like Poplar, basswood or whatever) depending on what you want. I usually spend the most money on a neck and I always buy either a Fender soft V Fender neck (classic player's 50's neck) or a baseball neck from AllParts (usually around $99.00 to $179.00) and shave down the neck to a medium C, Oval C or a little thicker soft V. I personally hate thin necks because to me it's like playing on a desk top. In a pinch I will tolerate a regular C neck (no modern C or modern D). In this vid, that neck that you didn't like the color or feel of, is perfect for me (love the color and love thicker necks). I also never buy fender bridges, as I can never tell if they are zinc (which I don't like) or not, because they almost all look and feel the same. What I use instead (which is much more affordable and useable) is a Wilkinson bridge, with steel block and upgraded string saddles for a more clear sound and better sustain. The pups I use are Dragonfire, Fender Tex-mex, Fender 54's, 59's or fat 50's (on occasion I will use an expensive set of EMG's for more versatility) and I am good to go. As far as changing the frets on necks, I do that as well because I prefer wide jumbo's and I know if I do the fret job it will be done right and feel right in the end. Anyway, sorry to drone on so. Thanks again for the vid. Just my 2 cents worth. Peace.
Fascinating. We disagree on pretty much everything m, but we both have our reasons. I prefer thinner necks and banjo frets. You obviously know your stuff and I’m sure your guitars are great. Maybe you should make some vids like me and spread the word. All the best. c
Woohoo!! Maple board like i was hoping for. Now, please make the body Candy Apple red, Fiesta Red or some sort of a green color please haha! Looking forward to the other episodes Chris!!
Hi Chris, have enjoyed your site since I watched your tele build which made me an avid fan of cabinet scrapers. At present I am in the process of building a strat and am looking forward to pt2 of this build. Another plus for the curved neck plate. Is your plate the aluminum composite one available on Ebay or is there another source for a steel one?. Not my first build just a talented pensioner with time on my hands and never too old to learn something new. Best regards, George.
Thanks for you kind words George. The plate is the one generally available. I got them originally from eBay but now I’m buy them from AliExpress for even less. Not sure about the exact material though. C
I have an ash body tele with a mapple neck and rosewood fingerboard. I got it new B-Stock and i kind of regret it. Why? terrible frets, the neck pocket is not quite correct (or maybe the neck), something is off with the brige and so on. After watching a few of your videos, you are inspiring me to tackle the darn thing and "correct it" instead of trashing it. I already learned a lot of some of your videos, i need to make a list of things i need but , i think i may just take it on as a project.
Do you have an idea on how many guitars you have built/put together? Do you feel that your instruments have already developed a certain identity? Looking forward to the next episode. Cheers, Chris!
Woooo deep question. I must be in the upper double figures bracket. Never counted really. I have my own designs but it’s very hard to get anyone interested in original shapes. I like to pose myself questions and challenge myself a bit. If you aren’t a factory why are you making factory guitars is a question I grapple with. What about you Pedro?
Great to have you back Chris! I'm in the process of building my first partscaster in part due to your videos! In both your Tele and Strat series your neck and bodies seemed to already allign. Is that normally the case? What would be the option if they didn't allign?
They don’t really align until you line them up and fix them that way. It’s normal for the joints to be pretty sloppy. The tight joints are actually a bit of a pain to align and they don’t account for the layers of paint and lacquer that is applied to body and neck. I use the laser to line them up and then fix them there.
@@chrisreynoldsguitarmaking Ah thanks, so it's more the micro adjustments that affect the allignment. I probably shouldn't have selected a neck with pre-drilled mounting holes
Hi Chris. I’m finding your channel really inspirational and I’ve already built a Tele Thinline partscaster, which I adore. Next step for me is another Tele, but this time I’ve ordered a swamp ash body from BooBoo with very minor defects on the rear only. The top is beautiful and I’d love to do a stain and clearcoat finish but I’m hoping you’ll be able to find the time to give me a little advice on sealers/fillers on swamp ash. Do I stain first, then sanding sealer over the top or do I use sanding sealer and sand smooth before staining. The internet, as usual, is full of conflicting advice. Cheers Chris.
The best thing to fill damage with is the wood from the guitar. I mix sawdust from the body with nitrocellulose filler or clear nitrocellulose finish. Don’t use super glue/ca it dries dark. Once your repairs are good and levelled You need to grain fill the whole body. Let it set, sand and do it again. Sand that and apply two coats of sanding sealer. These steps will get you a nice flat even finish. Skip them at your peril. If you are staining, consider a water based finish before applying several coats of clear gloss. Sand with 400 between coats.
Just a quick update Chris. My swamp ash body is starting to look really great. Once I’d followed your advice and filled blemished with a sawdust & glue mix, I sanded it with 120, 180, 240 and 320 before using some Rustins grain filler dyed with Mixol universal tint to really bring out the grain structure. This has now been sanded with 320 and a further coat of Rustins has been applied. One tip that really helped me with the sanding process was to cover the body in pencil marks between each sanding session (the guitar’s, not mine 😂). This ensured I sanded adequately and evenly. Weirdly, I’m actually enjoying the whole sanding process, which I thought I’d really hate. I’ve really enjoyed following your Strat build and I’m really looking forward to the next video. Thanks once again Mike
Way I went about getting a strat I want is I bought a parts caster from my mate for £250 has a squire body, fender Tex max pickups and a fender roasted maple neck and he had a pearloid pickguard which is was going to spend like £40 on brand new but he gave it too me for free, I then bought a shell pink alder body on eBay for £80 and currently have it in a shop having work done on it and having all the electronics switched over and that’s £80 so for £400 I have my dream guitar
Is that an Ovation Viper on the wall? My dad has a cream one - the first electric I learned on before I got my own. Saw the Arctic Monkeys live this year and was amazed when he whipped one out on stage - my 14 year old self just felt a little bit cooler.
Oh yes. My son Ed became fixated on them and I fell for them too. As always this led to me getting a breadwinner too. But I did have to build a neck for it from scratch. Ovation electric guitars are amazing and underrated. In a world of of Gibson and Fender fixated players, Ovation couldn’t make electrics pay.
I know what you mean...all the other bass players I know are all about Fender Precision and Jazz basses, and I just don't care for them. I mostly play metal, and Fender doesn't really have a lot going on there, either in guitar or bass. There are a few high profile people who play them, but for the most part, metal players want humbuckers and sleek, lean (and pointy) designs, and that kinda precludes Fender from the start.
I’m unsure why there is such a limited attitude to guitar design. Few players seem to want to strike out with something unique or even challenging. It’s seems to be that most settle for the guitar played by their guitar hero. This the genre gets fixed on one of the very small number of accepted designs. It takes a certain type of player to commission or seek out originals. Notably Prince who commissioned quite a few unique instruments. I’m sure there are others. I still find it odd that guitar making seems locked into design from the 50’s. But that’s the way it is. C
Hi Chris, quick question, I've stripped the paint off the body of an early 90s squire strat and its left a fairly thick layer of what I assume is polyurethane. Would a scraper work on this as trying to sand it is soul destroying?
The best way I have seen this done is with a heat gun. We call them hot air paint strippers in the UK. You apply enough heat to really soften it and use a pallete knife to lift and scrape it off. Be care with the fumes. You need a good mask and don’t let it catch light or burn. Sometimes it peels well. Resign yourself to a long job as poly is a pain to strip. Be careful and good luck.
I tried my first strat built this year with a harley benton kit, the only problem is that the action is really weird and as a result I can’t set it up properly and I can never play it, I could’ve just burned all my money at once
I’m sorry you feel that way. Have a look at the last episode of the telecaster build. The set up stages and nut cutting part are standard for all fender style guitars. Get the neck on straight and flat and it should work out. Any problem, message me here and we will sort it out. C
Hi Chris, I am sure you have been asked many times about the necks you bought in bulk and use in these videos. I have tried a few far Eastern supppliers but despite sending very specific specs, i am always disappointed with the quality.the most common error is the depth of the fret slots, which are always way too deep. Would you be prepared to share the name of your supplier? I am in Portugal setting up a small repair/custom build workshop and would need 20-30 necks so it would be good to know the quality was there. Many thanks. Alan.
Ok. This is tricky. I bought them 5 years ago. They were ok but you need to be ridiculously specific. I had 40 made and the Telecasters were all amazing. The strats were flawed. The finish was kinda polyurethane not nitro and I didn’t give them a colour reference. In my experience you just need to tell them and they will do what you want. If you want 1.5 mm by .5 mm slots then they will do it. I paid less than 25$ a neck so quite honestly I’m not upset. The maple would cost me way more. I’ll look up the supplier. C
Hi Chris, one more detail that always seems to be missing on repro necks..the fret markers size and position. Is it possible to order 6.3mm dots rather than 6 mm? I am convinced that that tiny difference in diameter makes for a truly authentic fender neck. I tend to make my own clay dots, but I know that they are available in 1/4" from some suppliers. ..also I prefer the narrower position at the 12th fret...I guess this can be specified too? Many thanks.
@@chrisreynoldsguitarmakingHi Chris, nice to see you back on the Toob! Can you possibly give me the name of your neck manufacturer? Since I last spoke to you I have tried a couple more suppliers in the far East... same problems! Cheers!
You do not need to comment on my site in such an aggressive and negative way. If you watch my channel you will find that I do scratch builds and builds from parts. I embrace guitar making in its entirety. I have even considered doing a cigar box build. I spent the pandemic getting banned from facebook for my shouty sweary posts. In the end it severely impacted my mental health to the point that my sons came to sit down and talk with me. The fact that you hate the term partscaster is interesting I so much as you have set yourself artificial limits and made assumptions that probably don’t hold for my output. My telecaster build is called ‘beyond partscaster’. I don’t just bolt a neck onto a body on my kitchen table. It’s far, far more. Maybe watch the show rather than react to the title. This build is very similar involving reshaping body neck and re fretting. Normally I would not spend so much time responding to a post like yours, but I think everyone is entitled to at least one chance to redeem themselves. I don’t use shite by the way. I source my parts carefully and the necks I commissioned 40 of and had custom made a decade ago. So all of your assumptions collapse under scrutiny making you look foolish. Dial down the hate and we can be mates. C
I don't know how I stumbled across your channel but I did, and I'm so glad. I may try to build a Partscaster at some point, but mostly I just enjoy watching you work and hearing you explain your process and your tools. Keep up the great work!
Thanks for you encouragement. Give it a go I’m sure you’ll enjoy the process. The tools will come with the required skills. Just take it easy and proceed with care. C
A pleasure to see you back Chris.
Thanks Les. Hope you enjoy this build
LOL, Chris your Mr Rogers'esk intro was brilliant!
Thanks. It was a bit ott but it made me laugh doing it. Now I have think of something for part 2. C
Can't wait to see the rest of the build! Loving the asymmetrical neck joint!
Thanks very much. I thought I might get some flak over this. But.. it appears to be a popular move so I’m very heartened. C
Great stuff, as always!! Thank you for your videos!
Thanks very much. I’m so glad you enjoy them. C
Thank you for taking the time to share with us! Your videos are always enjoyable and your wisdom is appreciated.
Wisdom? I look at as… I’ve done the other way and it was a disaster. I guess I’m trying to share what has worked for me. But I thank you for your kind words. C
After a bad experience trading a Les paul for a strat, today I decided to build my own with parts from fender and Warmoth. This video really inspires me to build my own hard tail Strat
Warmoth is good stuff. Take it steady. C
im so happy about finding your channel your advice is great and valuable
I’m really glad you found me. Thanks C
Great video once again. Looking forward to the rest of the series. Loving the asymmetric neck joint.
Thanks Gary. Thought I might be n France by now but that’s stalling at the moment. So let’s all thank Putin and Brexit for stranding me here on fantasy island this summer. The world gets another guitar. C
Great episode! Each episode teaches you many new and inspiring educational techniques. Thank you Chris and pleased to see you’ve hit the 3K mark with this one. Well deserved as nobody edits and creates such professional episodes like you do.
Thanks Lewe. Always good to hear from you. I’m on a break at the moment but Ep 2 has been started and is underway. I just need so more content before I publish. This build is progressing quickly which is good after the long Les Paul build. C
Can't wait for the next episode, glad to see you're back with a new build & also philosophy corner!
Ah yes. Philosophy corner. My moment to be a person. I love doing it. I had to miss one last time due to the passing of a friend. Didn’t want to get maudlin and throw a huge downer on the show. But I’m back with a new build and a Joi de vivre. I’m very much looking forward to the finish in this one. I have a plan
These videos are incredibly well done and extremely helpful! Thank you!
Thanks so much. I do my best to make them interesting but not ultra serious. Guitar making is fun and shouldn’t get bogged down in rule and limitations. Experiment and don’t get bent out of shape if stuff breaks as it happens a lot!! C
Great video. Love the little comedy touches. Looking forward to the rest of the series 👍
Thanks Scott. The comedy just happens. If I forced it I would get self conscious and that would ruin it.
Another great video. Always looking forward to the next.
I’m back from vacation tomorrow so I’m straight on the next part. All the best to you Gary. C
Great job, so far. Love your work.
Thanks so much Rob. I’m going going to be concentrating on not mucking it up going forwards. C
Perfect timing to watch this project. I’m about to give it a go myself. Looking forward to the evolution and learning from a pro!
Am I a pro? I’m not really a seller. I tend to keep all my guitars. I simply like to keep them all. This is actually a huge problem as I am now in the low 40’s when it comes to guitars. I will need to sell a few I think. I am looking forward to the evolution though Dan. Take care C
Great content Please continue as you were! Fantastic stuff
I am on holiday right now but the next episode is underway and I shall complete it upon my return. Thanks for your support C
Chris, Really enjoy your videos! Keep them coming!
Glad you like them! I’m away at the moment but the next episode is in the works. C
Good to see another project. I just wanted say how much I enjoy your videos, and the background music is top notch.
Thanks Greg. It lifts me when I hear that people enjoy my videos. The opening music is me a few years ago. The reggae is from the CZcams library. I target dub reggae to be precise. I find it soothing
Looking forward to the rest of the build, Chris 👍
Me too. The paint job is going to be challenging in this one. I have a really silly idea that I want to try. C
This is without a doubt the most incredible thing I've witnessed on a guitar. God bless you, brother. Legend
Wow, thank you Tim. Praise indeed. I hope I can live up to your praise. C
Love these videos!
Glad you like them! C
Nice to see you back Chris!
Thanks Carl. I never went away and the way things are going it looks like I’m going to be stuck here for a while to come. I’m looking forward to getting this build done. As a luthier a parts build is low stress which is good thing for the times we find ourselves in. C
Absolutely love your channel, a bientôt!
Thanks so much!
brilliant videos love your sense of humour ..
Thanks Shane. Keep them smiling and you get forgiven. Thanks C
nice work dude! love the use of the laser - really good idea
Thanks very much Jan. c
Neck join is something I want to do on my build - thanks for the video Chris. Was wondering about taking it a step further and adding a contour... but might be a bit ambitious
Interesting. I could re-engineer the joint further by ditching the metal plate completely and just fitting some 12mm ferrules in the body where the screw holes are. The beauty of this is that we could then really contour the body lump without having the plate in the way. I have done this many times. It might scare the Strat purists though.
Damn it! I woke up humming something the other day, I’ve been wondering what it was. It’s the blooming music at 14:55! It was in my head for hours, and now it’s back again! Good to have you back though sir!
Just checked that out. You are correct that is an annoyingly enjoyable tune. I’m going to have to source some good dub reggae for the next episodes. Surprisingly difficult to find nice music. The theme tune is my work. But I don’t have enough time to score my own videos.
Great video again. I've been looking at boo boo bodies for a while, this is a perfect video for where I am at.....thanks
I’ve been trying to keep www.boobooguitars.co.uk a secret for a while. Some of them are a bit of a mess but by far, most have quite minor problems. If you plan to spray there is nothing you can’t fix. If you want help just post me a message. I answer every one personally. Go for it Phil. C
New subscriber, I’m so glad I found your channel. Exceptional content, informative, inspiring and really entertaining. Thank you!
Thanks so much. What higher praise could I ask for. C
I admire you and your videos. Thank you.
I appreciate that. I try to keep them light and interesting. Guitar making is my passion but life is bigger. C
never seen this guy before but you can tell he really loves the craft.
I see him every time I look in the mirror. He’s ok I guess. He really does enjoy the craft as much as it seems. Thanks for the love Zombie. Best regards Chris Reynolds. C
I study music and music production at college, never knew you can or used to be able to study being a guitar luthier that’s really cool
You can and indeed I did. I started after a career in television. It was something I held in me throughout my life. A love of guitars and fascination with the making of them. I was adrift for a while but my passion drew me to go back to college. I loved it and it was an important step in my life.
Great vid and very good explanation 👌🎸🔥
Glad you liked it! Part two is up as of this evening. Best C.
Hi there - a new build !
Looking forward to see more of your techniques and insight!
Have a great day!
Thanks Mario. I hope you enjoy the build. Hopefully you will find something that you find interesting. Take care C.
@@chrisreynoldsguitarmaking I sure will enjoy it.
I am almost finished with my first project!
Did a speaker cabinet and only have few details left. ☺️
Wow - loved the episode - philisophy corner, jokes and guitar making - great combo !
I just stumbled upon this channel this weekend. You are doing an amazing job. I basically watched your entire video catalogue over the weekend. Thank you for such a relaxing interesting time and keep it up.
Thanks very much. I’m doing episode 2 right now. Should be up this week. It’s looking good.
Would love to see what you would do to "Relic" a poly Strat one day for us folk stuck with poly bodies.@@chrisreynoldsguitarmaking
I love the cheeky joke about cheating the scraping process of that neck. You can see the half scraped neck in the background after you pick up the neck you already had shown previously. Funny stuff.
Thanks very much Sam. Humour is hard. Sometimes it’s easy but generally you can’t force it. C
Hey hey! I just discovered your channel and spent a lovely Sunday morning watching your Tele build. Great tips and demos of what you’re doing and in what order plus you crack on with it. You have a new fan. Oh, my name is Chris Reynolds too 🤘😎👍
Brilliant!! You can never have too many of us. Thanks Chris Reynolds.
That’s odd.
Good show.
Glad you enjoyed it. More to come. C
Chris I enjoy all your videos. And they seem to fly by.
I so wish that was true at this end. Thanks for enjoying them. You know I make them just for you Gary. C
@@chrisreynoldsguitarmaking well then thanks Chris I think they are great.
Your video is very well done. Your content is underrated!
I’m glad you enjoyed the video. More to come soon. C
and now it has been said. Entertaining as ever Chris. Cheers
Thanks so much.
Man, you are good. I have a guitar building YT channel as well and I can learn a lot from you. I have just now started a strat build so I’m keen to follow you and see how you approach things.
Thanks
Michael
That’s great. I will definitely check you channel out. All the best C
Top quality video. In every aspect. Oscar - that's what you deserve! The content, the sense of humor, the camera positioning, the montage, the voice sound - perfect! It's a very difficult job to put a video together. Here is an example of a video which I would call "the golden standard". Great job, Chris! Like-subscribe!
Oh... Sorry... I forgot to say what I didn't like...
Why didn't you use a hammer to nail the neck to the body?! You could use the baking soda and super glue to stick them together and just nail them after. Use a nice heavy hammer and it's done! Just that simple! No need to drill any holes. The screw hole is a lot bigger than the nail one. Cause you know... Bigger the holes - less guitar body wood left. Less wood you have - less sustain you get. Philosophy corner... Understand?
Thanks for your glowing appraisal. I have to admit the years at film school and the 38 years as an editor have payed off. I wish I had started this venture earlier, but only a couple of years ago I would cringe at the sound of my own voice. I appear to have gotten over that. As for your construction idea, I’m pondering an episode where we do it your way. I needs to be done. Just to show that my way isn’t THE way. C
Fellow guitar builder here strictly a amateur. Great videos and editing, really enjoyable to watch.
Would you consider a workshop tour video?
All the best 👍🏻
I would indeed. It’s a bit of a tip at the moment. But I guess that’s it’s normal state!
A few months ago I used super glue and baking soda to plug off an old water line that comes off of my water heater. I went to the hardware store and purchased a fitting for the job but I picked up the wrong size so I decided to try the super glue and baking soda and so far it's working great with no leaks. 👍
I hope your baking soda solution continues to bring you great joy. C
@@chrisreynoldsguitarmaking time will tell lol
@@frankhughes5702 I always does
Shock the fox's channel he showcased an electric sander that used a soft sponge like abrasive block. Looks super handy for curves and neck profiles. Or strat horns. Love your channel btw! Especially the bit about your hippie vegan cat
Brando eats the grass then throws up. I have a similar reaction, but I need to go more in that direction. Brando cannot be described as a hippie though. The carnage and dead, or almost dead, mice he’s bringing in betray his carnivorous leanings. I’m getting a bit tired of treading on half a dead rodents in the walk in shower. 21st century issue I guess. C
The sander thing could be interesting. It might not surprise you to know we are not a fox channel household. C
Yay, he’s back! 😊
He certainly is. Thanks for noticing me. C
I wholeheartedly agree with your philosophy corner! Vivre le change!
It simply doesn’t make sense to just remake the same guitars over and over without at least trying to improve them. Leo Fender was a master engineer and designer. But surely there can still be change? C
Splendid! Most enjoyable part of my day, so far! Granted, it’s 0400 and I’m a nurse in a psych hospital, so your competition isn’t that impressive.
Seriously though, exceptional production.
That is amazing to know. I’m sitting here in London pondering my breakfast whilst you are watching me thousands of miles away. I’m sure you are doing a difficult and challenging job. I hope you are appreciated. Thanks for your kind words. All the best C
Hi Chris, I've really been looking forward to this series. I've built 5 guitars since I watched your tele series and I must say out of all of the youtube videos I've found yours are the most informative and entertaining! Keep up the great work. After finishing a number of bodies in nitro I've played it safe and only done rosewood necks, so I'm looking forward to learning how you finish the maple neck... and also how you screwed in the tremelo claw into the back, surprisingly I found that a challenge for the strat I built 😅. And thanks to you every neck is attached using a laser. One tip an old luthier told me.. when you screw in your pilot holes for the neck don't do it in the centre of the holes in the neck pocket, do it slightly towards the neck side, that way when you screw the neck on it gets pulled tighter into the neck pocket and better connection to the body. He swore by it.
Wow that’s amazing Andrew. Love to hear stories like yours. Maple brings with it it’s own conundrums. I’ve never heard of deliberately angling the neck screws. I have to say I’m dubious. It’s hard enough to get them in the right place without messing with them. I’ll give that some thought. Great to hear of your guitar making progress. C
Hi Chris, the screws not angled, he would just use the predrilled body holes as a guide, and drill them straight, but he would use the neck side as the guide. I was dubious as well (im an engineer 😊), but it seemed to work very well.. main thing was the screws are straight, just a fraction of a millimetre on the neck side.
But... I've never seen anyone else mention it. Anyhow.. I think your work is exceptional and at the end of the day all the major manufacturers drill them centred.. and as engineer my only concern with his method is unnecessary tension in the timber around the screws.. but.. he also had me thinking as well as it should, in theory, pull it in tighter.
You could do with a CNC to cut out your necks and bodies, some people don't like CNC'd parts but you can adjust the digital files to your preference and then hand finish them
I’m a big fan of CNC machines. I consider myself progressive and I don’t have a problem with using any available technology whenever appropriate. Space is the only problem.
Nice build. Just shows you how different we all are. I buy my bodies either painted (when I am feeling lazy) or raw. I buy them brand NEW from Guitarfetish and they are cheaply priced around $79.00 to $119.00 (these bodies are flawless however, make sure in the description it says alder or ash because otherwise you will get some crappy wood like Poplar, basswood or whatever) depending on what you want. I usually spend the most money on a neck and I always buy either a Fender soft V Fender neck (classic player's 50's neck) or a baseball neck from AllParts (usually around $99.00 to $179.00) and shave down the neck to a medium C, Oval C or a little thicker soft V.
I personally hate thin necks because to me it's like playing on a desk top. In a pinch I will tolerate a regular C neck (no modern C or modern D). In this vid, that neck that you didn't like the color or feel of, is perfect for me (love the color and love thicker necks). I also never buy fender bridges, as I can never tell if they are zinc (which I don't like) or not, because they almost all look and feel the same. What I use instead (which is much more affordable and useable) is a Wilkinson bridge, with steel block and upgraded string saddles for a more clear sound and better sustain.
The pups I use are Dragonfire, Fender Tex-mex, Fender 54's, 59's or fat 50's (on occasion I will use an expensive set of EMG's for more versatility) and I am good to go. As far as changing the frets on necks, I do that as well because I prefer wide jumbo's and I know if I do the fret job it will be done right and feel right in the end.
Anyway, sorry to drone on so.
Thanks again for the vid. Just my 2 cents worth. Peace.
Fascinating. We disagree on pretty much everything m, but we both have our reasons. I prefer thinner necks and banjo frets. You obviously know your stuff and I’m sure your guitars are great. Maybe you should make some vids like me and spread the word. All the best. c
You rock! btw love the reggae vibes... )
Thanks so much. Reggae is a much overlooked form.
Woohoo!!
Maple board like i was hoping for.
Now, please make the body Candy Apple red, Fiesta Red or some sort of a green color please haha!
Looking forward to the other episodes Chris!!
It was time for a maple neck I think. C
The paint job will probably upset someone. It’s a nuts idea I came up with. It might fail. But it should entertain
@@chrisreynoldsguitarmaking haha who doesnt love guitar surprises!
I am sure it will be entertaining
!
Thank you
You're welcome
You have a ton of knowledge…thank you so much for sharing it with an idiot like me😫
An absolute pleasure Eddie C
missed you
And I missed you too Justin. C
Hi Chris, have enjoyed your site since I watched your tele build which made me an avid fan of cabinet scrapers. At present I am in the process of building a strat and am looking forward to pt2 of this build. Another plus for the curved neck plate. Is your plate the aluminum composite one available on Ebay or is there another source for a steel one?. Not my first build just a talented pensioner with time on my hands and never too old to learn something new. Best regards, George.
Thanks for you kind words George. The plate is the one generally available. I got them originally from eBay but now I’m buy them from AliExpress for even less. Not sure about the exact material though. C
I have an ash body tele with a mapple neck and rosewood fingerboard. I got it new B-Stock and i kind of regret it. Why? terrible frets, the neck pocket is not quite correct (or maybe the neck), something is off with the brige and so on. After watching a few of your videos, you are inspiring me to tackle the darn thing and "correct it" instead of trashing it. I already learned a lot of some of your videos, i need to make a list of things i need but , i think i may just take it on as a project.
Great idea. There is nothing like starting. Sounds daft but starting is a big thing.
Do you have an idea on how many guitars you have built/put together? Do you feel that your instruments have already developed a certain identity? Looking forward to the next episode. Cheers, Chris!
Woooo deep question. I must be in the upper double figures bracket. Never counted really. I have my own designs but it’s very hard to get anyone interested in original shapes. I like to pose myself questions and challenge myself a bit. If you aren’t a factory why are you making factory guitars is a question I grapple with. What about you Pedro?
Great to have you back Chris! I'm in the process of building my first partscaster in part due to your videos! In both your Tele and Strat series your neck and bodies seemed to already allign. Is that normally the case? What would be the option if they didn't allign?
They don’t really align until you line them up and fix them that way. It’s normal for the joints to be pretty sloppy. The tight joints are actually a bit of a pain to align and they don’t account for the layers of paint and lacquer that is applied to body and neck. I use the laser to line them up and then fix them there.
@@chrisreynoldsguitarmaking Ah thanks, so it's more the micro adjustments that affect the allignment. I probably shouldn't have selected a neck with pre-drilled mounting holes
Hi Chris. I’m finding your channel really inspirational and I’ve already built a Tele Thinline partscaster, which I adore.
Next step for me is another Tele, but this time I’ve ordered a swamp ash body from BooBoo with very minor defects on the rear only. The top is beautiful and I’d love to do a stain and clearcoat finish but I’m hoping you’ll be able to find the time to give me a little advice on sealers/fillers on swamp ash. Do I stain first, then sanding sealer over the top or do I use sanding sealer and sand smooth before staining. The internet, as usual, is full of conflicting advice. Cheers Chris.
The best thing to fill damage with is the wood from the guitar. I mix sawdust from the body with nitrocellulose filler or clear nitrocellulose finish. Don’t use super glue/ca it dries dark. Once your repairs are good and levelled You need to grain fill the whole body. Let it set, sand and do it again. Sand that and apply two coats of sanding sealer. These steps will get you a nice flat even finish. Skip them at your peril. If you are staining, consider a water based finish before applying several coats of clear gloss. Sand with 400 between coats.
@@chrisreynoldsguitarmakingthank you so much.
Just a quick update Chris.
My swamp ash body is starting to look really great. Once I’d followed your advice and filled blemished with a sawdust & glue mix, I sanded it with 120, 180, 240 and 320 before using some Rustins grain filler dyed with Mixol universal tint to really bring out the grain structure. This has now been sanded with 320 and a further coat of Rustins has been applied.
One tip that really helped me with the sanding process was to cover the body in pencil marks between each sanding session (the guitar’s, not mine 😂). This ensured I sanded adequately and evenly. Weirdly, I’m actually enjoying the whole sanding process, which I thought I’d really hate.
I’ve really enjoyed following your Strat build and I’m really looking forward to the next video. Thanks once again
Mike
Way I went about getting a strat I want is I bought a parts caster from my mate for £250 has a squire body, fender Tex max pickups and a fender roasted maple neck and he had a pearloid pickguard which is was going to spend like £40 on brand new but he gave it too me for free, I then bought a shell pink alder body on eBay for £80 and currently have it in a shop having work done on it and having all the electronics switched over and that’s £80 so for £400 I have my dream guitar
Any photos please
@@bassa69 if you have any social media o could show you
@@bassa69 I
Really looking forward to see how this one goes. What are your views on shielding the cavities?
You may be disappointed. I’m very ambivalent about shielding in general.
How’s part 2 coming along? ETA? Looking forward to it!
Like many mortals, I’m currently having a holiday. I will return to the project in a couple of weeks. Sorry for the delay. C
Is that an Ovation Viper on the wall? My dad has a cream one - the first electric I learned on before I got my own. Saw the Arctic Monkeys live this year and was amazed when he whipped one out on stage - my 14 year old self just felt a little bit cooler.
Oh yes. My son Ed became fixated on them and I fell for them too. As always this led to me getting a breadwinner too. But I did have to build a neck for it from scratch. Ovation electric guitars are amazing and underrated. In a world of of Gibson and Fender fixated players, Ovation couldn’t make electrics pay.
I know what you mean...all the other bass players I know are all about Fender Precision and Jazz basses, and I just don't care for them. I mostly play metal, and Fender doesn't really have a lot going on there, either in guitar or bass. There are a few high profile people who play them, but for the most part, metal players want humbuckers and sleek, lean (and pointy) designs, and that kinda precludes Fender from the start.
I’m unsure why there is such a limited attitude to guitar design. Few players seem to want to strike out with something unique or even challenging. It’s seems to be that most settle for the guitar played by their guitar hero. This the genre gets fixed on one of the very small number of accepted designs. It takes a certain type of player to commission or seek out originals. Notably Prince who commissioned quite a few unique instruments. I’m sure there are others. I still find it odd that guitar making seems locked into design from the 50’s. But that’s the way it is. C
I missed something - why did you use the “yellow” neck instead of the bare one you mocked up at the beginning?
I have a load of them and I wanted to demonstrate how I reengineer them to be what I want not just accept how they are.
Hi Chris, quick question, I've stripped the paint off the body of an early 90s squire strat and its left a fairly thick layer of what I assume is polyurethane. Would a scraper work on this as trying to sand it is soul destroying?
The best way I have seen this done is with a heat gun. We call them hot air paint strippers in the UK. You apply enough heat to really soften it and use a pallete knife to lift and scrape it off. Be care with the fumes. You need a good mask and don’t let it catch light or burn. Sometimes it peels well. Resign yourself to a long job as poly is a pain to strip. Be careful and good luck.
I tried my first strat built this year with a harley benton kit, the only problem is that the action is really weird and as a result I can’t set it up properly and I can never play it, I could’ve just burned all my money at once
I’m sorry you feel that way. Have a look at the last episode of the telecaster build. The set up stages and nut cutting part are standard for all fender style guitars. Get the neck on straight and flat and it should work out. Any problem, message me here and we will sort it out. C
Part two is now available
czcams.com/video/z0Ammm6fP_c/video.html
Where are you buy ash body? Link please 🙏
I get most of my bodies as second hand failed projects from eBay. C
What grid of 3M stickit are you using for the wood?
250. I use for everything
I only can found 220 or 320
@@glem7570 sorry yes it’s the 220.
I put different parts on a guitar I purchased brand new, and someone calls it a "partscaster".
It takes all sorts. What is a partscaster anyway? It’s a guitar. It’s a guitar you made. Revel in your creation. Cx
Hi Chris, I am sure you have been asked many times about the necks you bought in bulk and use in these videos. I have tried a few far Eastern supppliers but despite sending very specific specs, i am always disappointed with the quality.the most common error is the depth of the fret slots, which are always way too deep. Would you be prepared to share the name of your supplier? I am in Portugal setting up a small repair/custom build workshop and would need 20-30 necks so it would be good to know the quality was there. Many thanks. Alan.
Ok. This is tricky. I bought them 5 years ago. They were ok but you need to be ridiculously specific. I had 40 made and the Telecasters were all amazing. The strats were flawed. The finish was kinda polyurethane not nitro and I didn’t give them a colour reference. In my experience you just need to tell them and they will do what you want. If you want 1.5 mm by .5 mm slots then they will do it. I paid less than 25$ a neck so quite honestly I’m not upset. The maple would cost me way more. I’ll look up the supplier. C
@@chrisreynoldsguitarmaking That's incredibly good of you, Chris, thank you. Maybe it's best to order them unfinished and unfretted?
@@alanstclair8040 yes. I think you’re right. C
Hi Chris, one more detail that always seems to be missing on repro necks..the fret markers size and position. Is it possible to order 6.3mm dots rather than 6 mm? I am convinced that that tiny difference in diameter makes for a truly authentic fender neck. I tend to make my own clay dots, but I know that they are available in 1/4" from some suppliers. ..also I prefer the narrower position at the 12th fret...I guess this can be specified too? Many thanks.
@@chrisreynoldsguitarmakingHi Chris, nice to see you back on the Toob! Can you possibly give me the name of your neck manufacturer? Since I last spoke to you I have tried a couple more suppliers in the far East... same problems! Cheers!
80 quid in UK
What’s £80?
I hate the term "partscaster" makes it sound cheap and nasty. When i build guitars I use top quality materials. Not sh*te.
You do not need to comment on my site in such an aggressive and negative way. If you watch my channel you will find that I do scratch builds and builds from parts. I embrace guitar making in its entirety. I have even considered doing a cigar box build. I spent the pandemic getting banned from facebook for my shouty sweary posts. In the end it severely impacted my mental health to the point that my sons came to sit down and talk with me. The fact that you hate the term partscaster is interesting I so much as you have set yourself artificial limits and made assumptions that probably don’t hold for my output. My telecaster build is called ‘beyond partscaster’. I don’t just bolt a neck onto a body on my kitchen table. It’s far, far more. Maybe watch the show rather than react to the title. This build is very similar involving reshaping body neck and re fretting. Normally I would not spend so much time responding to a post like yours, but I think everyone is entitled to at least one chance to redeem themselves. I don’t use shite by the way. I source my parts carefully and the necks I commissioned 40 of and had custom made a decade ago. So all of your assumptions collapse under scrutiny making you look foolish. Dial down the hate and we can be mates. C