XII Build (my first ever lefty)

Talk about modding or building your own guitar from scratch.
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CROSS_guitars
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Re: XII Build (my first ever lefty)

Post by CROSS_guitars » Fri Aug 16, 2019 4:45 pm

Rgand wrote:
Fri Aug 16, 2019 11:56 am
CROSS_guitars wrote:
Fri Aug 16, 2019 8:45 am
Rgand wrote:
Fri Aug 16, 2019 7:52 am
i like that string through ferrule plate. A bit of polishing and you have a beautiful item. How close to a mirror finish can you get with that material?
I don't know. I don't really have the right gear to polish it properly. I reckon it can get pretty shiny though, as shiny as you can polish aluminum.
That's pretty cool. Polish it and if you need more gleam, plate it.
At the moment it will match the control plate and bridge surround, which is polished steel. Both unplated.
Looks cool like that.

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JVG
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Re: XII Build (my first ever lefty)

Post by JVG » Fri Aug 16, 2019 7:51 pm

Rgand wrote:
Fri Aug 16, 2019 5:57 am
That's beautiful. I don't generally like binding but it really works on that one.
I used to be all about blocks and binding, but these days I really enjoy the look of dots and binding. It’s classy, without being too showy.

Very nice to see all the parts coming together :)

J.

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Re: XII Build (my first ever lefty)

Post by Rgand » Fri Aug 16, 2019 9:26 pm

CROSS_guitars wrote:
Fri Aug 16, 2019 4:45 pm
Rgand wrote:
Fri Aug 16, 2019 11:56 am
CROSS_guitars wrote:
Fri Aug 16, 2019 8:45 am


I don't know. I don't really have the right gear to polish it properly. I reckon it can get pretty shiny though, as shiny as you can polish aluminum.
That's pretty cool. Polish it and if you need more gleam, plate it.
At the moment it will match the control plate and bridge surround, which is polished steel. Both unplated.
Looks cool like that.

Image
There you go. Very nice looking parts.

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Re: XII Build (my first ever lefty)

Post by Deed_Poll » Sat Aug 17, 2019 10:59 am

This is awesome! I second the fact that leftys always look a bit weird! There are lots of moments where my heart skips a beat and I think I've made a terrible mistake!

They only look normal to me when they're sat at playing angle :)

Fantastic work.
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Re: XII Build (my first ever lefty)

Post by CROSS_guitars » Sun Aug 18, 2019 1:51 am

Thanks.

It is starting to look like a guitar now.

I routed the neck pocket larger to accommodate the neck.

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Re: XII Build (my first ever lefty)

Post by Rgand » Sun Aug 18, 2019 5:31 am

Good fit on that neck. You know, seeing it left handed takes all expectations out of it's appearance. Visually, that really is a nicely balanced design.

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Re: XII Build (my first ever lefty)

Post by CROSS_guitars » Sun Aug 18, 2019 6:17 am

Rgand wrote:
Sun Aug 18, 2019 5:31 am
Good fit on that neck. You know, seeing it left handed takes all expectations out of it's appearance. Visually, that really is a nicely balanced design.
I agree. Fender had a good eye for design, way back when.

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Re: XII Build (my first ever lefty)

Post by JVG » Sun Aug 18, 2019 4:47 pm

Loving it :-*

Funny thing: even though I am a lefty, i am so accustomed to seeing right-handed guitars in photos that pictures of lefties sometimes look weird to me too!

It is a beautiful design, and that neck fit is spot-on. There was a thread somewhere on this forum about things you used to hate, but eventually came to love..... the hockey-stick headstock is in that category for me.

Cheers!
J.

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Re: XII Build (my first ever lefty)

Post by CROSS_guitars » Sun Aug 18, 2019 5:37 pm

JVG wrote:
Sun Aug 18, 2019 4:47 pm
Loving it :-*

Funny thing: even though I am a lefty, i am so accustomed to seeing right-handed guitars in photos that pictures of lefties sometimes look weird to me too!

It is a beautiful design, and that neck fit is spot-on. There was a thread somewhere on this forum about things you used to hate, but eventually came to love..... the hockey-stick headstock is in that category for me.

Cheers!
J.
Ha yeah, when I see a 12 string headstock that doesn't have the big goofy gumby bit, it looks weirder to me. Like it's too cropped off or something.

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Re: XII Build (my first ever lefty)

Post by CROSS_guitars » Sun Aug 25, 2019 10:18 pm

Mirror shots!

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Re: XII Build (my first ever lefty)

Post by CROSS_guitars » Mon Aug 26, 2019 1:17 am

And flipped, for my own satisfaction.

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Re: XII Build (my first ever lefty)

Post by Rgand » Mon Aug 26, 2019 6:01 am

That's looking mighty good.

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Re: XII Build (my first ever lefty)

Post by Pacreamer » Mon Aug 26, 2019 7:05 am

Looking really good! Keep it coming!

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Re: XII Build (my first ever lefty)

Post by Shadoweclipse13 » Mon Aug 26, 2019 8:58 pm

That looks incredible Cross!! Can't wait to see it finished!!
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Re: XII Build (my first ever lefty)

Post by JVG » Thu Nov 21, 2019 6:42 pm

.
Please allow me to hijack this thread, as it turns out this beautiful piece of work was for me! Who knew! :P

Well, work on it has been ticking away slowly during the last couple of months, since it arrived in my hands. You know how it is - squeezing bits and pieces in as time allows.

The body, as detailed earlier, is by Australia’s own Cross Guitars using Faction templates. And I couldn’t be happier - very neat woodworking at a thoroughly reasonable price, and all done by a great guy. Very pleased that he autographed the neck pocket :)

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The neck is Musikraft. I chose them partly because I have had great stuff from them before, partly because they have heaps of spec options, and partly because they make a fairly vintage-accurate XII headstock (unlike Warmoth’s squashed-up version). The fret board is the stuff they are calling Brazilian Walnut - rosewood was a non-option due to CITES. I asked for a fairly dark piece, and they delivered.

7.25” radius, 0.83” to 0.92” taper, 1 11/16” nut, 6105 frets, pearloid dots, white binding. Love it :-*

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Of course Mr Cross made sure the neck and body were a perfect fit before sending it all back to me. Here it is all laid out, as one does when one gets a whole bunch of guitar bits...

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More to come....

Cheers!
J

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