# Guitar amplifier headshell.



## lateralus819 (Jul 22, 2012)

Hello all. I'm 24 VERY new to this kind of carpentry work. This was actually my FIRST project of this kind. Usually i build shipping crates at work so it's a new realm, not much experience at all. 

Anyways, I've been wanting to do this for a LONG time. This amp has stayed with me the longest so i thought i owed it to it to make it a nice home! 

Started off with purchasing a 9.5"x3/4"x96" curly maple board off ebay for $100 (May seem steep BUT i checked at my local curtis lumber and they had NO usable figured maple that I could do anything with and once you see the pics i think youll agree its quite pleasing to the eyes! 










The paduk was from a nearby lumber yard. $25 for a 5' board not bad for a pretty piece.

Bought a cheap-o- dovetail jig by general tools which i now regret as i don't feel it's as accurate as i'd like but it worked okay for $40. 

Glued and clamped









First test fit


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## lateralus819 (Jul 22, 2012)

The front. Side note (My girlfriends brother works for epilogue lasers in Colorado and did up this sweet faceplate for me on the laser machine!). This was the most time consuming of the whole project. I had to cut a lot of different pieces and make sure everything was spot on. The top/bottom are continuous pieces so i glued everything together BUT those and then did my miter cut to make sure all the pieces were cut to the appropriate angle. 









The back- Also, because i previously tried to do the front and back as one piece cutting out the excess with a jig saw i learned that I'm not quite skilled with one so i opted for cutting 3/4"x3/4" pieces and laminating them together with some maple/paduk! Turned out great. 









Just starting the minwax tung oil


















Check out this figure, this was today, 3 coats so far.


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## sawdustfactory (Jan 30, 2011)

Very nice.


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## zooker89 (Aug 9, 2012)

that looks great. Upstate New York?


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## burkhome (Sep 5, 2010)

If My 20/20 memory serves me right, my first project didn't look like that. Very, very nice!!!


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## lateralus819 (Jul 22, 2012)

zooker89 said:


> that looks great. Upstate New York?


Yes sir! About an hour from you, south glens falls NY. :thumbsup:


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## lateralus819 (Jul 22, 2012)

burkhome said:


> If My 20/20 memory serves me right, my first project didn't look like that. Very, very nice!!!


I've had a decent amount of help through forums and from a great carpenter at work who gave me some good tips. I practiced a LOT. 

I actually made a practice box before i used the good wood and repurposed it to hold my router/drill/ other misc stuff










Below all my auto detailing supplies lol. :icon_smile:

I have the privilege of working for a company that does a lot of fabrication work (you name it they build it, theme park scenery) so i have access to pretty much any building material i need or tools.


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## hansmike (Sep 5, 2010)

That amp housing looks awesome! Now you have to build your own tube amp www.ax84.com


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## lateralus819 (Jul 22, 2012)

hansmike said:


> That amp housing looks awesome! Now you have to build your own tube amp www.ax84.com


I'd love to try a DIY kit someday, now it's just easier to buy one made! :thumbsup:


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## lateralus819 (Jul 22, 2012)

So i did another coat of tung oil tonight and grabbed my girlfriends DSLR camera, not too sure how to use it quite yet but heres a few pics. 



















One thing i noticed was that the shirt im using is leaving almost tiny lines in the finish, is this normal or should i switch to a different cloth? I'm using a "wifebeater"


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## thomask (Apr 6, 2011)

lateralus819

That is a nice cabinet for that classic amp. Great job for your first time out, I am impressed on your detail and patitence all great traits of a fine woodworker.

Way back in the 60's I had a good friend who built "Fender" style speaker cabinets. He found the corner chrome pieces, handles and grill cloth. When he was finished they looked pretty good. 

Your wood finish amp cabinet is way over the top. 

Have you thought of planning a speaker cabinet to match or do you have one already?


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## lateralus819 (Jul 22, 2012)

thomask said:


> lateralus819
> 
> That is a nice cabinet for that classic amp. Great job for your first time out, I am impressed on your detail and patitence all great traits of a fine woodworker.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the nice comments, It's been a long time dream, to become a great finish carpenter. It's so relaxing working with wood, I've also been trying to be a carpenter at work so i'm working towards that! 

The cabinet MAY seem over the top for a guitar amplifier, BUT, if you care for a short story here's why. 

This guitar amp I've had for roughly 6 years. It was my first "real" tube amplifier, bought by myself. It's remained the ONLY amp i've kept. Had a laney GH50L, Peavey 3120, yada yada. I just can't seem to get rid of it, i always go back to it so i thought i owed it to it to make it a nice home! :thumbsup: The tone this thing produces is just fabulous. 

I've wanted to build this for probably around 4 years now and i just finally got bored and bought the material. It's been tough, trying a lot of new tools and ideas and luckily for me they paid off big time. It's about 95 percent completed as it sits. Got the handle on today, just need to order the LED' and it will be done. The last coat of oil is drying as we speak. 

Heres a few photos from today.


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## lateralus819 (Jul 22, 2012)

Also, I've been contemplating building a cabinet for the speakers, but the cab i have is a 4x12 so it's quite monstrous! Would probably require at least $300 in wood i would say. Not to bad, but my main thinking is that if i did plan to go play with some friends or the like I would'nt want to have to worry about nicks and scratches. The thoughts still there and who knows i may just end up doing it..

For sure though i NEED a new dovetail jig. This one keeps giving me headache after headache. I'm trying to build a nice box for my mother and i used it again yesterday and it was gap after gap. I KNOW it isn't me ha. Guess thats what $40 will get you.


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## zooker89 (Aug 9, 2012)

lateralus819 said:


> Yes sir! About an hour from you, south glens falls NY. :thumbsup:


You should enter it in the North Eastern Woodworkers Show. It happens in March every year and it is held in the Saratoga City Center. If you haven't been to it, go. You will see all sorts of pieces from some really talented people. I might enter one of my flutes this year.


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## lateralus819 (Jul 22, 2012)

zooker89 said:


> You should enter it in the North Eastern Woodworkers Show. It happens in March every year and it is held in the Saratoga City Center. If you haven't been to it, go. You will see all sorts of pieces from some really talented people. I might enter one of my flutes this year.


I don't think it's that kind of caliber lol. Thanks though :thumbsup:


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## zooker89 (Aug 9, 2012)

lateralus819 said:


> I don't think it's that kind of caliber lol. Thanks though :thumbsup:


I dissagree. there are a lot of pieces in the beginner class. I think it is absolutely worthy of being there. You just might surprise yourself. The pieces are judges on many criteria; wood choice, design, scale and proportion, fit and finish. 

At least go to the show so you can see for yourself. It is a good time.


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## gideon (May 26, 2010)

lateralus819 said:


> So i did another coat of tung oil tonight and grabbed my girlfriends DSLR camera, not too sure how to use it quite yet but heres a few pics.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Not sure if anyone answered you but, yes, this is normal. You'll get the streaks out with 0000 steel wool. After the steel wool you will want to buff again with fresh t-shirt type cotton cloth to polish. You might want to put a light coat of paste wax on but the heat from the amp could melt it. 

Great amp head case. Really love it!


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## Chaincarver Steve (Jul 30, 2011)

Great work man. Kudos achieving such great results on your first real project. It's all very sharp and classy looking.

I know what you mean about the cheapie Harbor Freight dovetail jig. I bought it too, tried to use it and eventually gave up. Now I'm trying to sell it just to get my money back. I ended up receiving a nice Rockler DT jig from my mom this past Christmas. Much nicer. Much better built. Comes with the bits and decent instructions. (Sadly though, I still haven't actually used it).


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## lateralus819 (Jul 22, 2012)

It's finally done! well sort of! 


















































Thanks to everyone who helped me along the way! :thumbsup:


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## rayking49 (Nov 6, 2011)

I think you should absolutely enter that contest. That box is sa-weet!


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## gideon (May 26, 2010)

that'll turn a lot of heads. awesome!

did you use the 0000 steel wool and buff again?


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## lateralus819 (Jul 22, 2012)

gideon said:


> that'll turn a lot of heads. awesome!
> 
> did you use the 0000 steel wool and buff again?


Thats just one finaly coat of minwax tung oil. Everytime i used 0000 wool it became less glossy and really dull and lost its pop.


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## gideon (May 26, 2010)

lateralus819 said:


> Thats just one finaly coat of minwax tung oil. Everytime i used 0000 wool it became less glossy and really dull and lost its pop.


how did you get rid of the cloth marks?


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## Fishinbo (Jul 23, 2012)

Looking very good ... 
You gave it a warm home.


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## lateralus819 (Jul 22, 2012)

gideon said:


> how did you get rid of the cloth marks?


No don't know how.


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