Adding the nut, pegs, bridge and strings

Category: Guitar building

At this point it's starting to look like a guitar.

I've drilled the holes for the pegs, and installed them temporarily so that I can get an idea how the strings are going to sit. I've also installed a string holder to get the angle for the middle strings correct.

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There was a bit of a disaster with the bridge - when putting the first screw in, it snapped off when it was about 30mm into the wood. There's no way that's coming out. I've managed to drill down the centre of it with a smaller drill bit, so it's mostly out of the way. I'll just use a shorter screw over the top of the mangled screw that's stuck in there.

(On later inspection, I realised that I'd used the wrong screws for the bridge anyway - there were smaller, shorter ones that I'd set aside. Too late now, as I've drilled holes for larger gauge screws. I've decided to replace them with shorter screws, which I'll have to paint black to match the other hardware.)

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Fitted the strings, put a bow on it, and presented it on Christmas morning. It still has a lot of finishing work to do, but at least it's looking close to finished now.

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