Gronertone #5 - Done

Bill Groner · Post by **Bill Groner** » 11 Jan 2018 1:00 pm

My compact, lightweight #5 Gronertone is finished. It tips the scale at 4 pounds. 22.5" scale, 29.25" total length. I have to shim the Pup down a little but other than that it all worked out well. Thought you guys might like to see the inside? Jack shaft was a minor problem. Guitar was so thin (1") the shaft protruded out the bottom. I made 3 feet for it to set on (one at the head and 2 at the tail) The one bottom foot I made hollow to house the jack shaft. Sounds pretty dang good with the Aluminum Spine! I can't wait to hear my friend Jim Hartman come over and give it a spin.

Michael Greer · Post by **Michael Greer** » 11 Jan 2018 2:49 pm

Bill

Excellent looking guitar....very clean , classic lines.

It is truly " Gronergood"

Congratulations on a fine build.

What brand of pickup did you use?

Mark Eaton · Post by **Mark Eaton** » 11 Jan 2018 2:55 pm

Pretty darn cool Bill!

Very impressive workmanship.

Joe Elk · Post by **Joe Elk** » 11 Jan 2018 4:15 pm

Very Very Nice Bill!!! How about a Demo.
I liked when i saw the first Picture. Then the WOW factor at the end. Nice Nice
Joe Elk Central Ohio

Brandon Minnix · Post by **Brandon Minnix** » 11 Jan 2018 4:28 pm

I'm in love with that frame and head stock! Strong, light, and beautiful... My kind of girl

Stephen Abruzzo · Post by **Stephen Abruzzo** » 11 Jan 2018 5:18 pm

Stunning! What kind of wood is that on top? I love the fretboard. The whole thing came out great.

Bill Groner · Post by **Bill Groner** » 11 Jan 2018 5:40 pm

Thanks guys for the positive comments. I will answer any and all of your questions this weekend. Tomorrow night I will be helping my Grandson's Cub Scout Pack get their Pinewood derby track set up. I sure am going to miss not being able to play the new build.

Joe Breeden · Post by **Joe Breeden** » 11 Jan 2018 6:29 pm

You have the right to feel pride. Looks great. Joe

Andrew Zehner · Post by **Andrew Zehner** » 12 Jan 2018 3:49 am

Looks great Bill!!!

Andy Henriksen · Post by **Andy Henriksen** » 12 Jan 2018 6:45 am

The addition of feet to fix the jack problem is very clever!

The whole thing looks fantastic. I want one!!!!

C. E. Jackson · Post by **C. E. Jackson** » 12 Jan 2018 7:07 am

Very nice, Bill. Keep up the good work.

C. E.

Mike A Holland · Post by **Mike A Holland** » 12 Jan 2018 7:35 am

Thats a really cool guitar with very clever design features. I have a feeling it will sound really great. Hats of to you Bill.

Bill Groner · Post by **Bill Groner** » 12 Jan 2018 5:25 pm

Michael, the pick up is a cheap strat style Pup. I made a cover for it and that is probably what threw you off. I had it in a box and quite frankly the whole guitar was an experiment so I wasn't going to spend a lot of dollars on a pickup if the guitar didn't sound good. Much to my surprise it does sound good. I am looking into getting a Lollar string through for it.

Steve, the wood I used was walnut and maple. I got the maple from Lowes and the walnut was salvaged from a dumpster outside a cabinet shop. The walnut was big enough to make a lap steel, however, it had a nasty knot that no matter how I laid it out, it seemed to be in the way. I ripped some 1/4" pieces from it and used it that way. I bought the fret markers on eBay. I never used anything like them before, but I went on good old Youtube and watched a couple of how to videos and they worked out great. Finish I used Formby's gloss.

Mike Holland and Andy, the jack had me scratching my head for a while, but I think my solution worked out quite well. White dots in the feet are teflon........keeps the wife happy when I lay it down on the night stand.........no scratches.

Joe Elk, I will email you about the Demo. I can tell you it looks better than I can play, so maybe you should just look at it and not ask for a Demo. Maybe hold off till I get a new Pup?

My next one will take pretty much planing. I loaned a lap steel I made to my boss. He plays guitar and was eager to try a lap steel which he had never heard of. He loved it and asked me if I would build him one. The one stipulation was it had to have a Union Jack theme on it. He comes from the UK......so I guess Mike Holland you will appreciate it when done. It won't be till the weather gets warm so I can spray paint it outside, but I have all winter to figure out how am going to make it.

Thank ALL you guys for the nice comments, I appreciate them.

Paul Arntson · Post by **Paul Arntson** » 12 Jan 2018 7:57 pm

Beautiful, Bill!

Andy Henriksen · Post by **Andy Henriksen** » 13 Jan 2018 5:34 am

Can you explain the plexiglass (?) thingy? Why is it needed?

Bill Groner · Post by **Bill Groner** » 13 Jan 2018 5:39 am

Andy Henriksen wrote:Can you explain the plexiglass (?) thingy? Why isnâ€™t it needed?

I can. 2 screws and it's off. I have been blessed with hands that sweat. I tend to rest my hand on the body and after awhile it tends to dull up the finish, so it's there for comfort (heel rest and sweat protection) I used clear so the grain would still be visible. When I work with walnut the sweat in my hands and the sanding dust causes my palms to turn a purple hue from the tannic acid in the wood and my chemical makeup.

Eric Gross · Post by **Eric Gross** » 14 Jan 2018 9:25 am

Hi Bill

That looks awesome. I am from Perkasie, I would love to stop by and play it some time.

BTW, what tuning do you use on the pinewood derby track, and what is the scale length??

Eric

Bill Groner · Post by **Bill Groner** » 14 Jan 2018 9:43 am

Eric Gross wrote:Hi Bill

That looks awesome. I am from Perkasie, I would love to stop by and play it some time.

BTW, what tuning do you use on the pinewood derby track, and what is the scale length??

Eric

PERKASIE! That's like next door! We will get in touch.

Tuning on the Pinewood derby track........don't "B" flat, with a scale length of 42'......6 lanes, not 6 strings.

Andy Henriksen · Post by **Andy Henriksen** » 14 Jan 2018 10:12 am

Bill Groner wrote:
Andy Henriksen wrote:Can you explain the plexiglass (?) thingy? Why isnâ€™t it needed?
I can. 2 screws and it's off. I have been blessed with hands that sweat. I tend to rest my hand on the body and after awhile it tends to dull up the finish, so it's there for comfort (heel rest and sweat protection) I used clear so the grain would still be visible. When I work with walnut the sweat in my hands and the sanding dust causes my palms to turn a purple hue from the tannic acid in the wood and my chemical makeup.

Makes sense! And another clever solution!

James Hartman · Post by **James Hartman** » 2 Feb 2018 5:01 am

When I first played this little beauty a couple weeks ago, my first thought was this instrument deserves a much better pickup. It had one of those pseudo Strat pickups with steel slug pole pieces and bar magnets underneath. Happy to report it's gone from rags to riches in that department:

Now sounds as good as it looks. It's so small and light weight, really a pleasure to play.

Nic Neufeld · Post by **Nic Neufeld** » 2 Feb 2018 5:13 am

Beautiful! Great detail/finish work...I love the inset pots...the feet look really nice, even if added as a practical workaround. And I think the pickup / chrome knobs are a great upgrade, personally!

Andy Henriksen · Post by **Andy Henriksen** » 2 Feb 2018 5:48 am

SOUND CLIP! SOUND CLIP!!!!

Stephen Abruzzo · Post by **Stephen Abruzzo** » 2 Feb 2018 6:40 am

Is that a Supro string-thru pup in there now?

Or maybe a Lollar or Mojo-tone Supro?

That thing must really growl now.

Bill Groner · Post by **Bill Groner** » 2 Feb 2018 6:53 am

Stephen Abruzzo wrote:Is that a Supro string-thru pup in there now?

Or maybe a Lollar or Mojo-tone Supro?

That thing must really growl now.

It's a Lollar with a .047 cap. Jim came over last night and wired it up. I know my limitations. I can build them, but when it comes to wiring and playing I will, for now, leave that up to Jim. Hopefully after Jim's patience and knowledge last night I have learned a little more in the process of how to do a proper wire job. Jim is a great teacher.

Ralph Czitrom · Post by **Ralph Czitrom** » 2 Feb 2018 7:30 am

Bill - Thatâ€™s a major league looking lap steel. Perhaps Jim can help you post a sound clip.