Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Guitars, Amps and Effects => Topic started by: _tom_ on September 04, 2005, 02:52:58 PM
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So today I decided to draw up the outline etc of the guitar I'd like to build. I basically traced the outline of my two guitars - strat and les paul, combined them, and shortened and rounded the horns a bit. Decided to add pickup outlines etc aswell. I need some opinions of the shape, I think it looks cool, kinda PRS ish. I will probably end up changing the pickguard shape as I think thats the only part thats not that great.
Oh and the colour scheme I think would look cool is dark red body, creme zebra pickups, black pickguard with a thin creme stripe around the edges, and creme knob/selector switch tip. I dont really want a tone pot as I never use em anyway :lol:
Cheers!
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Not bad at all. I like the bat wing influenced scratchplate.
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Not bad at all. I like the bat wing influenced scratchplate.
thanks! It wasnt really meant to look like a bat wing, but nothing else looked good. Oh and I plan to do a kinda PRS style headstock as I really like that aswell, maybe do it upside down though :lol:
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I like that a lot more than the PRS shape - if they looked like that I'd probably want one, but I find the PRS shape ugly
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^ oh right, cool :P Would it be possible to wire it up so I have one push/pull pot which controls the split coil feature of the neck pickup only, I have no use for bridge singlecoils!
I basically want pretty simple electronics: A 3-way switch with either bridge, middle, or neck options. And a single master volume which i can push/pull to get single or humbucker sounds from the neck pickup only.. And ofcourse a jack socket!
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kinda like it (pickguard too.. has an sg vibe to it)
but it reminds me of a dif guitar.. though i dont know which =P
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kinda like it (pickguard too.. has an sg vibe to it)
but it reminds me of a dif guitar.. though i dont know which =P
yeah, same :lol: I think its kinda like a LP doublecut junior thing. I cant wait to get my wood! I think I'm gonna get a 1pc mahogany blank from Craft Supplies UK as its only around £45!
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I think that's a cherry looking axe!
If you do it up in bright yellow with a black brushed aluminum scratchplate, let me know.
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I wont be doing it bright yellow, thats for sure :P If it turns out nice TO I could make you one :lol: I even have an idea for a singlecoil conversion surround to fit in the humbucker slot, simple and it might work ok!
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kinda like it (pickguard too.. has an sg vibe to it)
but it reminds me of a dif guitar.. though i dont know which =P
yeah, same :lol: I think its kinda like a LP doublecut junior thing. I cant wait to get my wood! I think I'm gonna get a 1pc mahogany blank from Craft Supplies UK as its only around £45!
that be the one.. a stratified LP doublecut =)
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yep :P only in a deeper cherry color probably and with a different headstock :lol:
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kinda like it (pickguard too.. has an sg vibe to it)
but it reminds me of a dif guitar.. though i dont know which =P
yeah, same :lol: I think its kinda like a LP doublecut junior thing. I cant wait to get my wood! I think I'm gonna get a 1pc mahogany blank from Craft Supplies UK as its only around £45!
that be the one.. a stratified LP doublecut =)
I think it is a lot like the Hayman/Shergold shape. Of course many of you might not remember them :lol: The DC junior has a more symetrical shape with no offset.
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The DC junior has a more symetrical shape with no offset.
You mean like this :P :
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The DC junior has a more symetrical shape with no offset.
You mean like this :P :
Like this:
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Yeah, I guessed, I was just doing a demonstration on my design :lol:
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That looks like a pretty cool design man!
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cheers! I decided on doing this design, I cant wait to get the wood!
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Nice One, Tom...
looks good-
I also think mahogany is a good choice for body mass...
You might draw a horizontal plan at full size, working out your body thickness, neck joint/string angle, and final string height as per your chosen hardware,all the way up to the headstock profile, or at least the nut...
-This may well mean commiting to ordering your neck of choice, and waiting for it to arrive, but can save your precious slab of mahogany from winding up on the fire,and having to spend again-
-You would be surprised at the demands your chosen bits and pieces will have on your final design, and it's better to realize conflicts on paper than in wood in the 3rd dimension.
It's much easier to measure and relate to the neck in hand, than to anticipate it's "real" dimensions from catalog measures...
I hope I'm not discouraging you!- I mean well, & think you're off to a good start!- cheers, mate!- Drac
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yeah I was gonna cut out the shape etc of the body then order a neck with a paddle headstock so I can go about getting the pocket just right etc. The only query I have, I want to go with a single wraparound stoptail bridge like a PRS, does that mean I'll need to make my neck pocket angled, or can I just shim it? Or can it just be flat?
Thanks!
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Ideally you would angle it a bit, but you can have a shallower pocket. The Wilkinson wrap around is not too high. I'm not sure about the Schaller or Pigtail ones.
I think it looks better to have the neck lower in the pocket, and it is not too difficult to do an angled rout if you put a template with a piece under it on the body, and then use the router on this.
Cheers
Phil
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Ideally you would angle it a bit, but you can have a shallower pocket. The Wilkinson wrap around is not too high. I'm not sure about the Schaller or Pigtail ones.
I think it looks better to have the neck lower in the pocket, and it is not too difficult to do an angled rout if you put a template with a piece under it on the body, and then use the router on this.
Cheers
Phil
yeah I was planning on getting a Wilkinson one. And I agree, it does look better with the neck in a deeper pocket. I dont really understand what you mean about the routing template and all that, I'm kinda new to woodworking, this will be the first time I've used a router haha! A little explanation would be nice if you feel upto it, if not I'll just go the shallower neck pocket route I guess :P
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Hi, when you are setting up to rout the pocket, you need to calculate the angle that you want the bottom to be at. Once you know this, you need to make a template for the neck pocket shape (cut it from plywood). Then you need to fix this to the body so that it is at the same angle you need the bottom of the pocket to be.
If you dont want to use a lot of maths to do this, then you can measure how high the bridge needs to be. You then make the template long enough to reach the bridge, and add a piece of wood to the bottom of the template which is the height of the bridge.
Don't forget to include the thickness of the template when you are setting the router depth, and don't try to take it all out in one go. I would drill a lot of 5/8 (1.5 mm) holes in the pocket before routing. Just be careful on the depth of these.
cheers
Phil
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hmm I'm still confused haha. I think it might just be best, for my first body at least, to just do it "flat" then shim if need be? I guess theres less chance of messing it up that way..
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Dean do a similar axe, but its hornier ( :roll: )
http://www.deanguitars.com/usa_proffesional_series/images/usa_proffesional_series_spl.jpg
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Dean do a similar axe, but its hornier ( :roll: )
http://www.deanguitars.com/usa_proffesional_series/images/usa_proffesional_series_spl.jpg
call me bigheaded, but I actually like my design more than that one :lol: Hm, Craft Supplies only have 2 piece Mahogany in stock, the one piece will be out of stock till next year! Should I get that, or Ash from a different shop?
Cheers!
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not the only one, i dont like the bigger upper horn, looks like a cr@ppy ESP bass guitar to me!!! :)
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There's a couple more good suppliers around (better than craft supplies) i think Touchstone is one. and another. I just started my HNC MUsical instrument technology course today (building various fretted instruments), so i can get you the number if you want.
I get to make a mandolin, wooooo!
Joe
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There's a couple more good suppliers around (better than craft supplies) i think Touchstone is one. and another. I just started my HNC MUsical instrument technology course today (building various fretted instruments), so i can get you the number if you want.
I get to make a mandolin, wooooo!
Joe
I wish I could do a course like that, I had my first business studies lesson today and its sooo cr@p :cry: Touchstone is pretty expensive for Mahogany, but I think I might just get some Ash from them coz its cheaper. What kinda sound can I expect from Ash? I guess this guitar will be my more "modern" sounding guitar, for metal and stuff like that I guess!
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Mahogany is expensive everywhere at the moment mate. I would go to the more expensive places, or go through every single piece a place has as the quality has dipped over the past few years and its getting rarer and rarer. Try going round some old antique shops or little scr@p shops for old mahogany wardrobes or drawers etc. Then you will have a well seasoned sturdy piece of mahogany to work from, it wouldnt even matter too much if it wasnt quartersawn.
Ash is a strat material. pretty versatile and Har Ash is dense with good sustain. alternatively you could go for the softer, mellower swamp ash. Tight grain, easy to finish with both
Where dyu live?? there mite be a course near u tom?
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I would buy that guitar! :D
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and id buy it after minty decided he didnt want it :lol:
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haha its gotta be made first, then I'll start takin orders :lol:
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it didn't attract me particularly; it wasn't on the revolutionary side (very standard-ish shape). i think it'd look good in dark cherry with P90s though.
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it didn't attract me particularly; it wasn't on the revolutionary side (very standard-ish shape). i think it'd look good in dark cherry with P90s though.
yeah I know what you mean, but most guitars I see that are "revolutionary" look cr@p in my opinion :lol: Dark cherry was the colour I had in mind, but I dont think P90s will work very well in it seeing as it will probably be my metal guitar :P
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you have a good point with the "revolutionary" guitars looking cr@p! :P hehe, okay, P90's was a bad idea. has anyone got any experiences of trying to play metal with P90s? Has anyone ever been stuck in a situation where they have the totally wrong equipment for what they were trying to play? i especially wanna hear stories of people playing a black metal show and accidently packing their tele.
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you have a good point with the "revolutionary" guitars looking cr@p! :P hehe, okay, P90's was a bad idea. has anyone got any experiences of trying to play metal with P90s? Has anyone ever been stuck in a situation where they have the totally wrong equipment for what they were trying to play? i especially wanna hear stories of people playing a black metal show and accidently packing their tele.
I bet it could still be done, it just wouldnt look the part in a black metal band :lol: I have another question about woods. Is 2pc a good or bad idea? The only body blanks I think I can get are 2pc.
Cheers
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Is 2pc a good or bad idea?
I don't know. I didnt mind that record he did with Elton John, though.
I just wanted to chip in and say about the 'wrong' guitars, well I always thought Tom Morello got more than enough power for his rap/metal groove thing with just his tele.
Nice guitar man, we want to see photos when its done!
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Is 2pc a good or bad idea?
I don't know. I didnt mind that record he did with Elton John, though.
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hahaha was that intentional? If not, I meant 2 piece :lol: I cant wait till its done either! I might make the horns a tad more pointy as I really want a jackson style headstock for it, and I dont think it'll suit it at the minute, heres a "photoshop" of it with a jackson neck haha
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WOW, finally someone as bad and un-devoted to photoshop as I! thank the lord. Still looks odd to me, i've gotta say, i still associate the shape in my mind with the more vintage variety of guitars. (kinda cross between LP junior, alembic tribute)
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WOW, finally someone as bad and un-devoted to photoshop as I! thank the lord. Still looks odd to me, i've gotta say, i still associate the shape in my mind with the more vintage variety of guitars. (kinda cross between LP junior, alembic tribute)
yeah I know what you mean, I cant be arsed to learn proper photoshop, MS Paint is good enough for me :lol: I've kinda redesigned the upper horns now, it doesnt look so "stratty" now, I actually prefer it, its not so PRS-ish now. Watch'all think?
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Won't you need to angle the tailpiece more? Most guitars with a wrap around have it angled so it is further from the neck at the bass end.
Other than that, go fo it. Have you worked out the thickness yet? I don't think 2 piece is a problem as long as you get the joint OK. Fender used to do 5 piece guitars in the 70's (3 pieces on the back and 2 at the front).
If you are spraying it a solid colour, no one will know. You can always vaneer it if it bothers you.
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That looks MUCH more metal now. i'm very impressed, like it!!! why did yu choose to use a wraparound bridge? stick the strings thru the body!
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reflecting on all the stuff i've said in this post now, i've decided to stop trying to make your dream guitar into my dream guitar. SORRY! :oops:
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Won't you need to angle the tailpiece more? Most guitars with a wrap around have it angled so it is further from the neck at the bass end.
Other than that, go fo it. Have you worked out the thickness yet? I don't think 2 piece is a problem as long as you get the joint OK. Fender used to do 5 piece guitars in the 70's (3 pieces on the back and 2 at the front).
If you are spraying it a solid colour, no one will know. You can always vaneer it if it bothers you.
yeah the tailpiece thing was just a quick drawing, I would sort it out properly when I actually got round to it. Its probably gonna be the same thickness as my LP, but if I find a spokeshave I might contour it for comfort. I was actually thinkin about string thru earlier, it might look cooler :lol:
So, normally, do 2pc bodies come with the pieces separate? That will really piss me off if they do, because I dont have the right clamps etc to get a decent joint!