Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Guitars, Amps and Effects => Topic started by: ToneMonkey on October 03, 2008, 11:33:41 AM

Title: Who's building a guitar then?
Post by: ToneMonkey on October 03, 2008, 11:33:41 AM
There seem to be a fair few people popping up and saying that they're building a guitar.  I was just wndering who is and what you are doing?

Also for those who are building, I can print off A0 drawings 1:1 scale in most formats (although dxf is prefered) so if anyone needs them, then I'll help where I can.  I have to do it at work so I can't take the piss too much, but I've done it for people in the past.  All for the cost of a beer if you see me.  Please though, only ask me to print them if you really need them as I don't want to have to say no people if it all gets a bit too much.

I have access to all the drawings over at the projectguitar website, and I'll try to find a link to what's there.  Please note however that I wont send out prints of these drawings unless you send them to me.  Projectguitar works on donations and you only get access to the drawings through donating.  Besides, it's a good resource if you are building, so worth joining and donating.

Right - O then, what you got?
Title: Re: Who's building a guitar then?
Post by: Sollophonic on October 03, 2008, 12:12:34 PM
I have always got a guitar on the go, usually a solid-reso.

But I have also built the following.

A LP Jnr style, with one lairy pickup, and a body more like the size of a Gibson L5

A beech bodied Esquire, which my daughter now plays.

A pine bodied Esquire, based on the original Telecaster prototype. This now resides at my workplace.

All these are based around existing necks, but I have simply built the bodies, and added the hardware.

If you are planning to build from scratch though, theres probably loads of other folks on this forum that can show you the way too.
Title: Re: Who's building a guitar then?
Post by: FernandoDuarte on October 03, 2008, 02:10:23 PM
Good to know it Monkey!
When I hit UK you'll know and get a dozen paints :D
Title: Re: Who's building a guitar then?
Post by: badgermark on October 03, 2008, 05:56:27 PM
Out of curiosity does project guitar  have mustang layouts? I'm thinking of building a body up soon and wanting another mustang body shape. Just wondering if they have one before i donate.
Title: Re: Who's building a guitar then?
Post by: WezV on October 03, 2008, 06:14:53 PM
not that i can see, might be worth finding a mustang to draw around or enlarging a full frontal photo
Title: Re: Who's building a guitar then?
Post by: badgermark on October 03, 2008, 06:31:57 PM
not that i can see, might be worth finding a mustang to draw around or enlarging a full frontal photo

I have the first one ;) thought i might be able to get a more accurate tracing though. Thanks anyway
Title: Re: Who's building a guitar then?
Post by: Oli on October 03, 2008, 11:55:07 PM
Currently working on the 8 string (http://oli.doom-metal.com/8string/8string_3.jpg), a 4 string neck-through bass, and a Les Paul, although the LP is going to be a slightly longer project, I need to find a nice maple cap to go on her. After the 8 string and the bass are completed, i'll be building another fanned fret ( you may remember the fanned-fret 7 string that i finished a while back), but this time, a 6 string :)

I'd like to build a strat at some point, as i'm really digging the expressive strat playing of late :) It's all time and money though! I find it really therapeutic and rewarding building an instrument from scratch- taking lumps of wood and crafting something playable, something to be proud of :)   
Title: Re: Who's building a guitar then?
Post by: WezV on October 04, 2008, 12:16:42 AM
come on oli - i think we have seen the 8, but we need pics!!
Title: Re: Who's building a guitar then?
Post by: Jamie on October 04, 2008, 11:29:27 AM
Ive just bought Melvin Hisc--ks 'How to build an electric guitar', so soon i will be making a very poor attempt at building one. :D
Title: Re: Who's building a guitar then?
Post by: hooglebug on October 04, 2008, 11:45:55 AM
iv just finished this one

(http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h284/hooglebug/deco/th_28.jpg) (http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h284/hooglebug/deco/28.jpg)

and am waiting for the clear coat to harden off on this one

(http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h284/hooglebug/th_44.jpg) (http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h284/hooglebug/44.jpg)

i dont really want to be doing this by the way - i dont want to be doing someone elses design, rather be doing my own, but i just cant afford to say no. what i can say no to however is the request to put Mansons logo on it!!!???!!!! needless to say his dream of that happening didnt last very long
Title: Re: Who's building a guitar then?
Post by: Philly Q on October 04, 2008, 12:26:08 PM
iv just finished this one

(http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h284/hooglebug/deco/th_28.jpg) (http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h284/hooglebug/deco/28.jpg)


 :D I like that!  21st century Brian May.
Title: Re: Who's building a guitar then?
Post by: GuiTony on October 04, 2008, 02:35:26 PM
Mine are all shown here (http://tonysguitars.blogspot.com) - though work has prevented me from doing much over the last couple of months.  However, I'm off on another course next month run by Neil Morgan (check his website to see examples of his work) and hoping to learn some more tricks & tips while I'm there  :D
Title: Re: Who's building a guitar then?
Post by: FernandoDuarte on October 04, 2008, 06:00:00 PM
I'm planning (just to start) a custom Telecaster to a friend, wenge neck-thru, HH, spalted maple top....
Make  neck to the Warmoth L5S body I've: brazillian rosewood + ziricote...
and after that end with my stock of woods building bodies or necks and try to sell them as replacement parts or build some thing... :D

After that 1 or 2 modules of Totnes (depend how much I will be able to pay): Archtop guitar and other don't know... not necessarily in that sequence
Title: Re: Who's building a guitar then?
Post by: AJDS on October 04, 2008, 07:49:11 PM
I'm making a strat with a body I built last year.
Title: Re: Who's building a guitar then?
Post by: Jamie on October 05, 2008, 02:36:34 PM
brazillian rosewood + ziricote...

Dont you just call it rosewood over there??
Title: Re: Who's building a guitar then?
Post by: FernandoDuarte on October 05, 2008, 05:27:35 PM
brazillian rosewood + ziricote...

Dont you just call it rosewood over there??

Jacarandá da Bahia is how we call it here 8)
Title: Re: Who's building a guitar then?
Post by: Will on October 05, 2008, 05:49:10 PM
brazillian rosewood + ziricote...

Can you post me some :P
pleeeeaaaaaaaaase
Title: Re: Who's building a guitar then?
Post by: FernandoDuarte on October 05, 2008, 05:54:11 PM
brazillian rosewood + ziricote...

Can you post me some :P
pleeeeaaaaaaaaase

Pictures? Don't have it yet, when I hit it with the saw I'll take some pictures to you :D
Title: Re: Who's building a guitar then?
Post by: Will on October 05, 2008, 06:01:28 PM
No, I mean post me some Braz boards, like parcel, internationally, for Will to treasure forever and ever :D
Is there much Brazilian rosewood to be had out there anyway? - on a more serious note
Title: Re: Who's building a guitar then?
Post by: FernandoDuarte on October 05, 2008, 07:00:09 PM
No... There is pratically none more left in wild... I've heard some guys is making plantation of, but don't know anything about... I know one guy who sells it, all his blanks were cut before 1992 when become crime cut Brazillian Rosewood... He send together with the woods the papers from IBAMA (the organ that take care of nature here) to give it legality... He told me the police men arrived at his home almost the day after the prohibition and make an catalogue of all his blanks and he has to make an document telling what have been sold every month...

FWIW, if you cut a brazillian rosewood tree or sell it without the papers you're going to jail by crime against nature... here it's more severe punishment than murder... (farmers here says: if an alligator get in your farm and start to eat your animals and you kill it and a police see it, kill the police... you'll get less time in the jail than if you're arrested for killing wild live)
Title: Re: Who's building a guitar then?
Post by: ToneMonkey on October 09, 2008, 05:36:53 PM
I finally wired and set up my Cigar Box Guitar.  It was wicked until I broke a string  :violin1:

Now I've made my first, I now know what I'm doing and might rebuild it soon when I can be arsed.  The bridge is about 0.75mm out and everytime I look at it, it does my head in.  Still, it looks well funky.  Might put a big fat P90 on it if I do rebuild it.
Title: Re: Who's building a guitar then?
Post by: Nadz1lla on October 16, 2008, 11:29:55 AM
My first guitar body is going well so far. Had a minor hiccup and broke a small piece of wood off, but thankfully it was repairable and was only a cosmetic feature anyway. I'll post pics when it's nearer completion. All going well, I may make my first neck-thru for the next project.   :D
Title: Re: Who's building a guitar then?
Post by: WezV on October 16, 2008, 03:54:20 PM
my second guitar was a neck through - its a surprisingly easy way to make a guitar, you just dont have the security that you get making the body and neck seperately. 

My second turned out really nice... my 3rd was also a neck-through and i was obviously getting a bit c--ky because i carved the neck too much and suddenly the truss rod popped out the back.  Expensive mistake on a neck-through and it was also my first commission :(

luckily it was for a mate who new my skill level and i had decided to make two at once - so when the worst happened i had a spare :)
Title: Re: Who's building a guitar then?
Post by: Nadz1lla on October 16, 2008, 03:57:04 PM
That's a great idea! I might try that out just in case I do make a mistake, hehe.
Title: Re: Who's building a guitar then?
Post by: ToneMonkey on October 16, 2008, 04:31:57 PM
I broke into a truss rod cavity when I was reshaping a neck once.  I was going to carbon fibre it anyway, but ended up giving my carbon fibre to my old man instead  :(
Title: Re: Who's building a guitar then?
Post by: rohlfo on October 16, 2008, 10:33:06 PM
My first build was a 5-string bass-guitar. It has a 7 piece thru neck and a 4 piece laminated headstock. I also got a custom inlay made for me - it's a lizard made out of a turquoise stone, hmmmm, tasty!

My guitar is based on a PRS but is thicker, heavier and has the scale length of a gibson les paul. It has crawler humbuckers and again, I got some stone inlay.

Next one, Christmas holidays, Explorer style guitar - still thinking the details through, so if you have any tips/ideas post here!

oh, and one day I'll use a really nice old bit of Walnut waiting in my grandad's shed for a lovely strat. But once I'm really good at building, would hate to waste that wood, been drying out for like 20 years now, hmmmmmm!
Title: Re: Who's building a guitar then?
Post by: WezV on October 16, 2008, 11:07:30 PM
My first build was a 5-string bass-guitar. It has a 7 piece thru neck and a 4 piece laminated headstock. I also got a custom inlay made for me - it's a lizard made out of a turquoise stone, hmmmm, tasty!

sounds interesting, any pics.  I did a malachite lizard inlay recently
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/d5.jpg)
Title: Re: Who's building a guitar then?
Post by: rohlfo on October 16, 2008, 11:41:02 PM
Wow man, that looks really awesome!
After long searching in long forgotten files from my old PC, I found a couple, but unsure if you can see the lizard (on the 12th fret)  :?
(http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z295/rohlfo/72dpi1.jpg)
(http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z295/rohlfo/72dpi2.jpg)
Title: Re: Who's building a guitar then?
Post by: opprobrium_9 on October 17, 2008, 01:23:02 AM
Damn Rolfo, that is seriously awesome for your first build.  A lot of great choices there.  I wish i had done a thru-neck on my first build.  My next shall be a through neck however.
Title: Re: Who's building a guitar then?
Post by: WezV on October 17, 2008, 07:00:31 AM
Damn Rolfo, that is seriously awesome for your first build.  A lot of great choices there. 

+1
Title: Re: Who's building a guitar then?
Post by: Roobubba on October 17, 2008, 08:48:01 AM
Yeah that is one seriously tasty bass, and for a first build too, very very impressive!

Roo
Title: Re: Who's building a guitar then?
Post by: rohlfo on October 17, 2008, 10:35:20 PM
Thanks so much guys  :D
I admit I did have a mate who was giving me tips and tricks and general helpful hints/guidance along the way. It's also good that you cannot see the mistakes too well  :P
And although it looks really impressive, the low b string rattles a little...

My guitar on the other hand may not look as amazing, but is brilliant for playing and hardly got anything wrong (except when spray-painting, I got carried away with the black, lol) and is an archtop on a flat-top body and without a body scollop.....making it rediculously heavy, but meaty!

edit: Oh, and if you're looking for ideas etc. - I also made two hollow cavities in the wings of the bass. (routed out before putting the lids on) which may sacrifice meaty sound but makes it lighter. It's actually lighter than my guitar!
Title: Re: Who's building a guitar then?
Post by: Nadz1lla on October 18, 2008, 05:11:12 PM
Well, I kinda wanted to keep this under wraps for a little bit but I needed to show someone, so might as well be all my friends here on the forum, hehe.

Here's a sneak peek at the body I'm building:
(http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b189/SnakeStyleMaster/14-10-08_1547.jpg)

I am sticking extra bits of wood on to parts of it because the slab of mahogany wasn't quite wide /  tall enough for the ends of some of the spikes, but when it's all don it should look fairly sweet, hehe.

I call it the Shuriken.  8)
Title: Re: Who's building a guitar then?
Post by: FernandoDuarte on October 18, 2008, 05:45:37 PM
I call it the Shuriken.  8)
:lol: Huahahahahaha!
That's exactly my first thought when I saw the pic! :D looking nice for a metal guitar!
Title: Re: Who's building a guitar then?
Post by: opprobrium_9 on October 19, 2008, 04:14:35 AM
Here's a sneak peek at the body I'm building:

You almost have a full swastika there :lol:
Title: Re: Who's building a guitar then?
Post by: Johnny Mac on October 19, 2008, 11:18:28 AM
I prefer strats meself!  :lol:
Title: Re: Who's building a guitar then?
Post by: WezV on October 19, 2008, 02:33:10 PM
well if we are goinf for crazy crowd dividing shapes... here is a double neck bass/12 string i hope to build next year
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/new/XL804280.jpg)

with this veneer for the body wings and centre section
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/new/XL804282.jpg)

That veneer is completely dry and nothing has been done to enhance the quilt
Title: Re: Who's building a guitar then?
Post by: PhilKing on October 19, 2008, 04:04:23 PM
The quilt is even more amazing in real life.  It looks like the sand under the water on a caribbean beach!  I saw it when I picked up my SG from Wez.
Title: Re: Who's building a guitar then?
Post by: Nadz1lla on October 19, 2008, 09:43:48 PM
Aww Wez that design is so close to the design I made for my next axe! I must say yours is awesome, can't wait to see it in the flesh. That veneer is beautiful!
Title: Re: Who's building a guitar then?
Post by: FernandoDuarte on October 21, 2008, 03:05:35 AM
My god! That quilted is evil!!!!
Title: Re: Who's building a guitar then?
Post by: ToneMonkey on October 21, 2008, 05:35:20 PM
Wey hey, just had an offer accepted on a house and although there's plenty of time for it all to fall flat on its arse........ I'M GOING TO HAVE A GARAGE YAY!!!

I've been working in the kitchen, spare bedroom (although it's my office now and a bit difficult to guitar fiddle in) and front room and it's a right pain in the arse.  Just got to sort out some electric into it which might be a bit difficult as it's 50m from the house and across a private access road, but as my job involves putting BIG electric cables along distances of about 10 miles, it shouldn't be that hard in the grand scheme of things.  Queeny has already said that the garage is my domain (i.e. everything else is hers) so hopefully I'll still have some moeny left to sort it out at some point (and then some left over for some wood).  Hopefully I'll be back in business soon.

Oh yeah, I'd like to say that your axes are nice, but I can't see any pics, goddam you all and your photobucket activity  :(  :D
Title: Re: Who's building a guitar then?
Post by: WezV on October 21, 2008, 05:42:43 PM
TM - did you notice that old teisco neck i sent you is almost the same as seasick steves red 3-string beater, different woods  but very close


that veneer above was a very generous freebie.  I saw someone build a guitar with some and asked if they had any to sell... they sent me this, some poplar burl, massir birch, rosewoods and curly bubingas.. and then wouldnt even let me pay postage!!!!
Title: Re: Who's building a guitar then?
Post by: ToneMonkey on October 21, 2008, 05:45:05 PM
Yes I had.  I was thinking about that, but think that it'll go on a reso CBG.  Good thing about CBG's is that it's a good place to store parts rather than have them just laying about.  If you've got enough of them, sling them together and TA DA, a new guitar  :lol:  Doesn't even matter if you build them shoddily, they're supposed to be  :D
Title: Re: Who's building a guitar then?
Post by: ToneMonkey on October 21, 2008, 05:48:35 PM
Oh yeah, I've restung my CBG after breaking a string within about 2 minutes of playing (although the strings were previously on another guitar, which is probably why it snapped).

I love the thing man.  It's good to have sitting about to play in the front room.  There's something about playing it through a wah, where you just can't be any cooler.

Got to get it to a propper guitarist soon to see what it's capable of.
Title: Re: Who's building a guitar then?
Post by: Nadz1lla on October 21, 2008, 09:57:30 PM
eneer above was a very generous freebie.  I saw someone build a guitar with some and asked if they had any to sell... they sent me this, some poplar burl, massir birch, rosewoods and curly bubingas.. and then wouldnt even let me pay postage!!!!

That's nuts! Are they too friggin' loaded or something!??! Nice grab dude!
Title: Re: Who's building a guitar then?
Post by: WezV on October 21, 2008, 11:10:42 PM
sometimes you just gotta ask!
Title: Re: Who's building a guitar then?
Post by: rohlfo on October 22, 2008, 12:26:45 AM
sometimes you just gotta ask!

So, err, any spare?  :P
Title: Re: Who's building a guitar then?
Post by: WezV on October 22, 2008, 07:20:42 AM
no :P  :lol:

 i made plans for it