Two Years in the Making

Jun 29, 2009

I have been working on the electric cello project for two years now.  It's not been an everyday sort of project.  In fact, I had to take 6 months off of working on it while I drove around the country.  So on weekends, or whenever time was availible, I worked on it.

Now, after all this work I am nearing the end.  I have finished the coats of shelac.  I buffed on the protective wax coats over the shelac.  No more finishing work needs to be done.  Now it's about adding on the hardware, and setting her up. 

Today I:  1.  Glued in the end-pin.  2.  Started assembling the electronics.  3.  Installed the tuners.  4.  Assembled the tailpiece and fine tuners.  5.  Started carving the bone nut.  6.  Carved the recesses in the tailpiece nut.  7.  Started fine carving the bridge. 

(Note:  My Girlfriend Roxy (not her real name) helped me out in some of these steps.  She would be mad if I didn't make note of that.)

(Picture note:  I put pictures of these steps under my Myspace photo section, under the Electric Cello Project.)

I still have quite a few things to do.  1.  Make corrections on the bone nut.  I'm not quite happy with it.  2.  Finish the electronics.  3.  Adjust the bridge.  (So much easier said than done.)  4.  Maybe adjust the tailpiece.  I'm not sure.  I'm not happy with the way the fine tuners are so close to the tailpiece.  It's not allowing them their full range of motion.

Because this project is so intricate and original, there are no "standard" parts.  Everything is custom on it.  So when things don't fit like they should, it's just part of the building process.  It's to be expected.  So I can't complain when things take longer to complete than I think they should. 

Actually, I'm already thinking of making changes.  You see, the electronics system has a microphone, and a pickup.  The microphone is horribly microphonic, and squeals like an angry pig.  I'm thinking of changing it out, and using a soundhole pickup instead.  I like the idea of the microphone, but if it's not working then I can't use it. 

So I'm going to try and continue working on it tonight and tommorrow.  Let's see if I can actually get it completed before I head on vacation.