Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Guitars, Amps and Effects => Topic started by: Roobubba on February 27, 2009, 11:36:32 AM
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:D
C'mon then! You've peaked our interest ;)
Roo
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Proposed Spec:
* 5 piece neck through, Maple/Mahog/Wenge/mahog/maple
* Mahogany body wings
* Quilted maple top covering whole body front
* WV vendetta shape
* 1 3/4" body thickness
* black accent line between body and maple cap -
* Ebony fretboard - unbound
* ebony headplate
* 25 -26.5" scale lengths fanned from 5th fret
* Ebony bridge plate with Graphtech acousiphonic saddles (chrome screws)
* Bone nut
* medium fretwire
* 2 way truss rod + dual Cf reinforcement
* BKP Bridge humbucker (mule or crawler) + MQ Neck - matt black covers with chrome polepiece screws
* Chrome pickup rings
* Graphtech ghost preamp
* Ebony Knobs
* Black sperzel tuners with chrome buttons
* Inlays - pearl side dots
* black jackplate with chrome screws and jack - side mounted
* Controls for magnetic - vol, vol, tone, 3 way toggle switch
* Controls for piezo - volume, piezo/both/mag switch
* Battery box located on back for Pre-amp
* Minimal body carving on front, sculpted heel and gut cut round back
* Blue washed denim finish on front, natural back and sides
here is the drawings and materials:
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/new/start1.jpg)
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/new/plan1.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/new/routeplan.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/new/ghostpre.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/new/mahog1.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/new/neckwood2.jpg
the top wet down to show figure
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/new/XL805058.jpg)
and the start of work, the neck blank has been glued, squared and the neck profile roughly cut:
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/new/neckprofile.jpg)
and the inspiration for the finish
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/new/marcovis1.jpg
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just measured up the fretboard properly, i'm not at work today so may get that tapered and slotted now
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just measured up the fretboard properly, i'm not at work today so may get that tapered and slotted now
I think you should ... someone's going to be getting very excited waiting for his new guitar to take shape ...
:lol:
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Wez, can I ask a dumb question about the neck through thing?
Do you stick the wings on flush with the top, or with the bottom?
Gut says bottom to bring the fingerboard closer to the strings...
Mark.
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its going to have a bit of a neck angle so currently the body section is waiting to have that angle cut into it - in other words i am going to take a door wedge off the back plane it flat and align the wings with new back. That will leave the opposite doorwedge shaped piece protruding from the front which will also be planed off
at the moment the body section is quite thick to allow me to cut the actual body out from it
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Will look amazing! :D
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its going to have a bit of a neck angle so currently the body section is waiting to have that angle cut into it - in other words i am going to take a door wedge off the back plane it flat and align the wings with new back. That will leave the opposite doorwedge shaped piece protruding from the front which will also be planed off
at the moment the body section is quite thick to allow me to cut the actual body out from it
I never realised you did it like that, to keep the grain in line. I just thought that you'd attach the wings on the angle (I'm sure that's what Gibson do on the Firebird and Thunderbird). It looks like a really interesting guitar though.
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Mrbump & phil - quick paint sketch to show what i mean
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/new/throughneck.jpg)
the red lines are the cuts i made already, purple stripe is the fretboard, blue stripe is the maple cap the green lines will be cut soon for the body - esentially i am just attaching the wings on an angle - but with the size of tools i have i need to cut that angle into the neck blcok first... all pretty straight forward
the yellow is all waste, looks to be a lot but bear in mind when i have done basses this way the offcut is big enough for a whole other guitar neck, even the guitar ones are enough for a short scale guitar neck with scarved headstock... then there is the odd door wedge shaped piece with an obvious use
the other option would be to have the body section straight on the neck blank and angle the neck through it - but i have straight grain going down the length of the blank so want that to be in the neck section rather than the body section
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I see - I misunderstood. I thought you were talking about shaping the body wings not the neck!
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Looks great! I know someone is going to be very keen to see this progress, but words from the wiseish: patience! It's worth the wait! :)
Roo
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words from the wiseish: patience!
You must be kidding :P
If he spent less time drawing pictures and more time cutting wood, it would almost be finished by now
:wink:
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words from the wiseish: patience!
You must be kidding :P
If he spent less time drawing pictures and more time cutting wood, it would almost be finished by now
:wink:
:lol:
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words from the wiseish: patience!
You must be kidding :P
If he spent less time drawing pictures and more time cutting wood, it would almost be finished by now
:wink:
i would be further along but i ended up being ill for most of the free time i had last week :( ... and then there was the delay getting the top wood sorted (worth the wait!!)
its all started now and i have everything i need so things will move a bit quicker. i have tapered and marked out the fretboard and am just about to go slot it. then i can route for CF bars and hopefully get them stuck in today to let the epoxy cure tomorrow whilst i am away in Manchester
this is the problem with build threads.... they slow down the build :P
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this is the problem with build threads.... they slow down the build :P
Wait til the customer decides he wants to come visit the work-in-progress every other weekend ... then you'll really be slowed down :wink:
Looks like I've got to go to Liverpool in the next couple of weeks, so that'll be a trip up the M6 ... right past your door.
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cool, you might actually get to try a multiscale before yours is done ;)
anyway - just slotted the fretboard - all came out well, will put up some pics later. 3 hours work to slot a fretboard instead of the usual 15 minutes, admittedly most of that time is spent headscratching :)
Right now i am going to route for the Carbon fibre neck reinforcement
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ok, heres the fretboard
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/new/fretboard-1.jpg)
i decided to do a mock up with dots for those of you that struggle to look at these things
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/new/fretboardmockdots.jpg)
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How's about ...
(http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QYdDO5-bV1Y/SagZDnhaOxI/AAAAAAAAC4Q/RcjUmWDCq2E/s400/fretboard-2.jpg)
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ah yes - thx for reminding me ;)
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These build in progress threads of yours are very interesting
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that looks great :)
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This looks ace.
I'm getting goose pimples!
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Looks great, the spec sounds cool too. Is it for you?
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its for GuiTony, we had lots of crazy ideas but eventually narrowed it down to something a little crazy and out there that should still be approachable for mere mortals
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its for GuiTony, we had lots of crazy ideas but eventually narrowed it down to something a little crazy and out there that should still be approachable for mere mortals
At one point it was going to be chambered ... and/or a 7/8 string (a la Charlie Hunter) ... and/or with embedded synth controls to drive my GR20 ... but we settled on something just a "little different" rather than completely barking :lol:
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Can suggest stainless steel frets, they feel so slick.
Earvana compensated nut. Very nice open chord intonation.
Good luck with it. It sounds like a very exciting project! :D
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its for GuiTony, we had lots of crazy ideas but eventually narrowed it down to something a little crazy and out there that should still be approachable for mere mortals
At one point it was going to be chambered ... and/or a 7/8 string (a la Charlie Hunter) ... and/or with embedded synth controls to drive my GR20 ... but we settled on something just a "little different" rather than completely barking :lol:
:lol: :lol: I know what you mean, once you start bouncing ideas it becomes infinite! :D
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Earvana compensated nut. Very nice open chord intonation.
Actually, I wondered about that ... but then it might not work so well with the multi-scale fretboard :?
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Can suggest stainless steel frets, they feel so slick.
Earvana compensated nut. Very nice open chord intonation.
Good luck with it. It sounds like a very exciting project! :D
i am still not completely sold on SS frets...depends on the guitar
as for the earvana - i dont think i will get one to fit a multiscale and the presets would be off anyway... i might look at crafting a compensated nut at the end if i feel it needs one but the multiscales so far have been fine... definatly something to consider
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^ Oh of course good point! The intonation would be all over the shop!
It's another 'Kitchen Sink Guitar' though, I love it!!
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just got the truss rod slot done and the fretboard stuck down
next job is to make the body wings... i have a huge slab of mahogany for this so need to do some careful cutting to see if i can get two sets of wings out of it - its huge but light and has an amazing tap tone,
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has an amazing tap tone,
:D
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cutting went really well... gotta love new bandsaw blades - I reckon Roo's guitar had completely killed the old ones
the new ones cut so well i was able to take a very even 7mm slice off the face of each wing before smoothing the wings down on the thicknesser. i only have a small bandsaw so this is unusual - it does open up options for backplates, matching mahogany ones for instance
get some pics in a bit
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so, big ole hunk of mahogany marked out
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/new/Mahoganymarked.jpg)
there is a couple of knots and discoloured sections in the plank but the wings for this guitar are priority so get the best bit.
here it is all cut:
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/new/mahoganycut.jpg)
a whole other set of body wings available to me - albeit probably paint grade but definatly too nice to waste... got some thin slices off the wings for a cavity cover as well
so here are the wings
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/new/mahoganywings.jpg)
and me tapping the big plank before i started cutting
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBXAvxSzDDs
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there is a couple of knots and discoloured sections in the plank but the wings for this guitar are priority so get the best bit.
That's what I like to hear :D
and me tapping the big plank before i started cutting
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBXAvxSzDDs
That clip has the potential to become a cult classic!
Sounds almost hollow and not at all dull, so I'm guessing that it's a relatively light piece of wood. We did right in deciding not to chamber it. 8)
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yeah, obviously the mic on my camera doesnt capture everything i am hearing but this thing is clearly resonant and it is very light
thats just me tapping it with my knuckles - not a little drum stick or owt like that.
some people reckon it doesnt matter as much for the wings on a neck through but i am happier sticking a resonant piece onto the neck that will vibrate with it than i am something acousticly dull that will soak up the vibrations
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and me tapping the big plank before i started cutting
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBXAvxSzDDs
Godammit, I'll never get that 4 seconds of my life back! :rock:
:wink:
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i did say it was me tapping a big plank of wood... am i the only person that gets excited tapping big planks of wood ;)
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i did say it was me tapping a big plank of wood... am i the only person that gets excited tapping big planks of wood ;)
I do more than tap my wood.
ANYWAYS!
Is that a Tele shape on the leftover block? The paint grade left over wood.
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yeah but that was just me grabbing the nearest ordinary shape template to see how much wood was available
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i did say it was me tapping a big plank of wood... am i the only person that gets excited tapping big planks of wood ;)
haha i spend hours in the woodyard doing it. people look at you like you're a mental
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These pics are right after saw, without sanding? :o
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yeah but that was just me grabbing the nearest ordinary shape template to see how much wood was available
You can make me a Telecaster then! :D
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These pics are right after saw, without sanding? :o
nope! the body blank was 1 3/4" thick but obviously i am adding the maple top which is about 8mm +1mm for a accent veneer. so i sliced of 7mm and took the last 2mm off with a router thicknesser and sanded smooth.
i could make a telecaster with those parts but they are not wide enough for a whole body so it would need something in the middle - i will most likely use them as another set of through neck body wings.. i did manage to save quite a bit of an outline so i may actually be closer to a full body blank than i thought, i will check again before cutting anything
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A neck-thru Tele, that's extreme, lol
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A neck-thru Tele, that's extreme, lol
Calls Piledrivers :twisted:
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i am doing an extreme tele - but its not a neck through its a bolt on 1 piece macasser ebony neck - lots of sanding to do and a few holes to drill and it will be ready to send of for finishing.
this is a mock up with some spare parts - not the actual pickups. it will be finished blue similar to the multiscale
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/new/mockup2.jpg)
Its taken a while because its a lower priority - but when it is finally done it will be auctioned off for charity.
anyway - back onto the multiscale. the fretboard has been stuck on so it was time to sort out the neck angle - this was cut into the body section of the neck through blank. The back was planed flat - the front will all be levelled off ready for the maple cap once the wings are glued on
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/new/neckthrough.jpg)
and with wings placed next to it - not quite in the right place ;)
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/new/wingsmockup.jpg)
its all in clamps at the moment with the wings being stuck on
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I was wondering how it was getting on ... and now I know :D
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its still at the slow stage i am afraid - but at least its starting to look guitar shaped.
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looks good, but hey, leave this tele natural :(
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no :P
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no :P
:cry:
Have you bought it from Fraser Valley Fine Woods? I've a maple who looks like the cousin or brother of this top... Will try to take a pic this week :)
EDIT: mispelling solved
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it was indeed... and you are the second person i have come across who has an identical set!! must have been a nice big chunk of burl
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Newssss???
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yes... it is now guitar shaped, plan for the day is add some channels for the wires and maybe do the control cavity before prepping the maple top and accent line to be stuck down
pics later
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plan for the day is add some channels for the wires and maybe do the control cavity before prepping the maple top and accent line to be stuck down
That sounds like a good plan to me :D
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this is the guitar waiting for its maple cap:
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/new/pretop.jpg)
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Looking good!
Seeing how much wood has been & will be cut out of it, I'm guessing that it's not going to be a hugely heavy guitar? Which will be nice for a change ... the last ones that I've built have been on the weighty side!
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this ones going to be on the light side. definately no need to chamber it!!
atm its neck heavy - but considering i have a lot of wood to remove from neck and headstock, and a lot of wood/hardware to add to the body.. i know its going to balance perfectly once done
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Looks like the headstock goes into the table :lol:
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/new/mockup2.jpg)
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Looking damn nice Wez!!! :D
Looks like the headstock goes into the table :lol:
I took long time looking at it when Wez posted it, as I could see everything clear, I gave up :lol:
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the headstock has been shaped since then - its clearer now. that one isnt too far off ready to be sent for spraying - but its still low priority as far as time scales goes
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the headstock has been shaped since then - its clearer now. that one isnt too far off ready to be sent for spraying - but its still low priority as far as time scales goes
Time to update the thread/pics :P
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still no more pics of the tele i am afraid but i did get the top stuck on tony's guitar tonight
first job was to roughly cut the top to an oversized shape and then a 'neck pocket' was cut out to allow it to sit over the raised fretboard
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/new/topready.jpg)
the sharp eyed amoung you will notice the pocket has a round end and the neck has a square end. This was done to allow some wiggle room in placing the top. it leaves a slight gap at the end of the fretboard but that isnt a problem as it is where the neck pickup will be - it was a safety precaution to save me killing this top.
what you cant see is that the joined top also has a layer of dark veneer on the back so that will form an accent line around the edge once its all trimmed back
its now all in the clamps!!
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still no more pics of the tele i am afraid but i did get the top stuck on tony's guitar tonight
:)
It's gonna be mine, mine, mine ...
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to add to the success of the 4 second youtube clip of me tapping some wood i though i would show this top a bit better too :P
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0d9sIRfM6Eg
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Did that top just crack as it hit the table? :D
It's very very pretty!!
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you would have heard the tears!!
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looks damn good! :D
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to add to the success of the 4 second youtube clip of me tapping some wood i though i would show this top a bit better too :P
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0d9sIRfM6Eg
Even the video doesn't do it justice, it is a great looking top.
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top all attached and trimmed to shape, inlays are just white crayon for the time being ;)
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/new/a2.jpg)
side view:
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/new/a3.jpg)
i also have the neck 90% carved and have made a rough start on the transitions and rear carving.
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/new/a4.jpg)
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/new/a5.jpg)
Fretboard is radiused. headstock is rough cut but i am wondering whether to veneer it black as originally intended or go for a quilted maple veneer and blue finish to match the body... i will finalise the shape and get some pics once that has been decided. I have also got the bridge plate design sorted. Its taken a bit more time because the fan is greater at the bridge and i also want the piezo wires going from each saddle to look neat
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I wasn't at all convinced by this shape in the drawings - but seeing the body taking shape, it's kinda growing on me...
... or maybe I'm just getting used to it? :lol:
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:o
Awesome! This quilt is looking damn cool!
Looking forward to see it built!
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you will see a big difference when i go from flat top to subtley carved and contoured - thats when it really pops into a nice looking guitar shape... oh, and when i get rid of the rasp marks too :)
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Keep it coming...
I'm starting to see why GuiTony is getting excited now... (don't peak too soon GT!! :lol:)
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I'm starting to see why GuiTony is getting excited now... (don't peak too soon GT!! :lol:)
:lol:
That's looking beautiful Wez ...
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Tomorrow, I will see the guitar - for the first time - in the flesh :D
I will touch it, and tap it.
If Wez lets me of course!
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any idea what time tony? dont make it too early - i am just on my way out :)
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any idea what time tony? dont make it too early - i am just on my way out :)
Emailed you. S/be mid-afternoon. If that changes by more than +/- 30mins, I'll call your mobile ...
I am NOT getting excited.
Not at all.
Not even a tiny little bit.
:lol:
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well dont get too excited... it aint done yet - still got rasp marks, glue and general roughness about it. it is starting to look pretty damn good though!
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well dont get too excited... it aint done yet - still got rasp marks, glue and general roughness about it.
Hey, no problems.
You've got about 18 hours before I turn up ...
:P
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How are you covering the rounded part of the cap, just below the end of the fretboard, pickup ring, or a little cover? Looks really good, we'll have to see about the denim blue though!
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Hey, no problems.
You've got about 18 hours before I turn up ...
:P
:lol:
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How are you covering the rounded part of the cap, just below the end of the fretboard, pickup ring, or a little cover? Looks really good, we'll have to see about the denim blue though!
neck pickup
on roo's baritone we had no neck pickup so it had to fit perfectly, but it was a dark top so easier to hide if problems did occur. luckily they didnt and roo's went very well
on this one with the cap we were using i didnt want to risk loosing the wood so that little extra cut out is a safety measure to ensure i dont waste wood... very costly wood
it all went well and it was a precaution i didnt need... but i am still glad i did it
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Let us see!
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Let us see!
I'm just back from my special viewing ... and it's looking good :) Surprisingly light, but that's before the hardware's been installed. Lovely neck profile, and I love the way that thru necks can be blended into the body.
I also got the chance to play another multi-scale guitar, and found it reassuringly easy to play. I'd been having worrying thoughts along the lines of "suppose I get it, and can't get my fingers around the fanned frets" ... but all was OK.
It also amused me to see some of Wez's wrecks ... the guitars that he deems unfit for public consumption. They all looked pretty good to me - this man's just a perfectionist!
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Dont mention the wrecks!!! ;) most are alright players and sound alright but have a fault or two that really annoy me
anyway, nice to meet tony. he brought one of his builds along - the Yam SG shape with SD P-rail pickups and a varitone switch. That guitar was very versatile and i have to say the P-rails impressed me more than i expected, i would still rather have 3 guitars equipped with P-90's, humbuckers and single coils but it definately worked better than the purist part of me wanted it to :) .. also the maple top on it looks way better than it does in any photo's - the sort of top that would look excellent on a green or blue feline lion
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This thread will now be re-named as the Tony & Wez mutual appreciation thread ...
:D
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:lol:
just drilled all the important holes in the bridge plate, came out very nicely... i can go and cut the plate to shape now and maybe even get it mounted to the guitar. Once thats sorted its plain sailing
will put some new pics up later!!
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OK, here is the bridge plate with all the holes drilled and the ghost saddles test fitted
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/new/bridgeholes.jpg)
here it is cut to shape and mounted to the guitar - i think i will get some black bridge screws for the plate as those chrome ones really do nothing for it.. although i will leave the saddle bolts chrome as it will match the pickups nicely
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/new/bridgetest.jpg)
in other news... neck carve and transitions are starting to come together nicely
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/new/back-1.jpg)
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/new/neckcarve-1.jpg)
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I like days when I see real progress pics :D
I think you're right about the chrome bridge plate screws too.
I was already really pleased with the way that the neck heel just sat comfortably in the palm of my hand, should my fingers ever feel the need to venture north of fret 12. And that was before it was fully carved. I reckon that it's going to feel a whole lot better now
8)
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Looks great!
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:o
Man! I really like it!!! You should stop posting it, the FF thing is growing on me again and it shouldn't happen :evil:
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May i ask around what price this guitar costs?
Just for curiosity actually, im not looking to order anyhow (ill stick to local builders) :)
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im not looking to order anyhow (ill stick to local builders) :)
why does it matter then? :P
its coming in a little more expensive than usual because of the very high spec parts and the extra work involved in making a multiscale... still well below £2000 though
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im not looking to order anyhow (ill stick to local builders) :)
why does it matter then? :P
its coming in a little more expensive than usual because of the very high spec parts and the extra work involved in making a multiscale... still well below £2000 the cost of many mass-produced guitars with far less soul, feel or human attention to the little details that make all the difference between a good guitar and a great one though.
Wez, just a suggested edit to your last post, just in case my wife ever sees it :wink:
And anyway, I work hard ...
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[duplicate post]
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:lol:
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This is looking really good guys - each time I come in here I like the design more and more. Looks like you're on to a winner here :D
And can we see some of these wrecks? :lol:
Perhaps you could do a Wez "Seconds" sale?
(Imagine if it was PRS - the one's he'd made but wasn't happy with... if they came with a certificate of authenticity, a sort of "I think this is cr@p... signed Paul" certificate - they'd cost a fortune! :lol:)
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nice one tony!! I dont normally talk prices publicly - not sure why i felt the need to then.
I am not ashamed of the wrecks at all, i learned how to build guitars by building guitars - i tend to do stuff i havnt done before on personal builds, some get finished, some dont. Sometimes i wing it along the way, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesnt... all in the name of experimentation!! all that means i have the skills i need when someone asks for crazy shite!!
so i will show a couple!!!
this one looks good from the front:
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/PICT0199.jpg)
gives me nightmares from the back
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/PICT0217.jpg)
I tried to redesign an all access neck join - it didnt work, after trying to save it and shape it into something different i ended up with what you see above. It plays and sounds great but i wouldnt let it go looking like that so it makes a nice guitar for me to test out new wiring ideas or pickups
This one was a proper nightmare, one of my early ones. my second bass in fact. Very happy with the design, some pickuo indecision had left the routes oversized but that was all going to be scratchplated so no bother. It has messy cavities like a lot of my early guitars. and all was going well untill it came to finishing:
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/1792425192_8c52772eba.jpg)
looks good but went horrible so had to be stripped, so we tried clear:
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/Picture_1_039.jpg)
Blue:
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/Picture_1_077.jpg)
then we decided to burn it with a blow torch and dye it green.. can you tell we were getting fed up!!
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/IMG_0027.jpg)
after that it got abandoned untill i wanted to try gold leafing - which is harder than it looks ;)
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/30_11_06_2014.jpg)
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/30_11_06_2012.jpg)
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/30_11_06_2010.jpg)
and then i brought some dirt cheap headless hardware to try so guess what became the doner
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/new/XL803908.jpg)
What did i learn from all that??
*I have a bass design i like and want to revive at some point.
* check the air line for contamination when spraying. that was one for nath- took us four finishes to realise what was going wrong but at least it was all on this practice build
* dont buy cheap headless hardware
*I can actually gold leaf quite well now even though i havnt got around to using that skill on a guitar
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"I think this is cr@p... signed Paul" certificate
:lol: awesome!
I would like to see some wrecks too! :twisted:
EDIT: Still can't find the mess on that burl guitar :lol:
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And I like this bass design!!!
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i like the bass design - i also like how that series of photos shows a nice design descending into a complete travesty!!
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i like the bass design - i also like how that series of photos shows a nice design descending into a complete travesty!!
:lol:
Like it in gold too, I would have, but no damn pickguard on it :D
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i like the bass design - i also like how that series of photos shows a nice design descending into a complete travesty!!
The wood looks nice in the two clear finishes. How did it end up with all those little holes(?) in the neck pocket?
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thats something a few of my really early guitars have. i was removing the bulk of the neck pockets with a forstner drill bit before routing to final dimensions.
(http://www.drillspot.com/pimages/1407/140743_300.jpg)
now i use a better router and much better bits so i dont need to bother with such crude methods... although i still use that method when chambering guitars, but i do allow enough room to do the final cleanup with a router so the tell tale forstner spots are nowhere to be seen
I should point out this was way before i made anything for anyone else!! ;)
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Ah, understood! :)
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back to the interesting build rather than my messy past.
i have all the routing done on this now and am ready for the final stages. which are fret, carve and sand. sand and sand some more!!
here is the inlays, green abalone bars
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/new/B1.jpg)
the routing and control layout
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/new/B2.jpg)
and a parts layout
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/new/B4.jpg)
although it was at this stage that i realised i might need to make the control cavity 3mm deeper since me top is 3mm thicker than i normally use ::)
controls are:
Bridge volume with Push/pull split (crawler)
Neck volume with Push/Pull tap (MQ)
Master Tone
Piezo Volume with push/push tone presets
3 way switch for Mag pickups
3 way mini for Mag/mix/piezo
here is the cavity now
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/new/B3.jpg)
gonna be crowded but not as bad as i expected.
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Looking very nice!
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Looking very nice!
"nice" ?
"nice" ??
"nice" ???
That's looking absolutely stunning!!
"Nice" is how my mother describes a cup of tea.
:P
I'm really impressed with the neatness of the control cavity - which might be sad, but I reckon that anyone who spends so much time getting something (which, after all, is hardly the first thing that you look at on a guitar) looking so good is taking a lot of pride in his work.
So, it's nearly ready for plugging in and giving it a thrash ...
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it might not look as tidy with all the wires in it ;)
i am thinking i might shorten a lot of these quick connect bits from the pre-amp as they just dont need to be long for this guitar
at first i wasnt completely sure about the bridge design - but now i am really thinking it fits well with the overall look, especially the fretboard. I like how the front edge of the bridge is straight like the end of the fretboard, and the back edge of the bridge mirrors the nut angle. i wasnt sure that would work visually at first but i am glad i did it. the straight edges on bridge and fretboard marry the normal pickups into the angles of the design
oh and the pickups were ordered today along with a couple for myself!!
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Looks absolutely great!
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oooo piezo, I've got gas for one of those at the moment, is that in the hole under the bridge? I've only read a little in them but are all piezos a little round thing you attach to a bridge?
do they need a battery? the other cavity looks like it's for a battery to me
I'm also wondering how these things sound with distortion :) (probably awful!!!)
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oooo piezo, I've got gas for one of those at the moment, is that in the hole under the bridge? I've only read a little in them but are all piezos a little round thing you attach to a bridge?
do they need a battery? the other cavity looks like it's for a battery to me
I'm also wondering how these things sound with distortion :) (probably awful!!!)
I think it does need a battery, plus with distortion it sounds well weird.
This is all from trying a Parker however (but ultimately I f**king loved the guitar)
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piezo is a word to describe materials that produce electricity under pressure. If you have one of those candle/oven lighters thet normally have a peizo crystal that is squashed and produces a spark that ignites some gas
As far as guitars go it generally involves piezo crystals under pressure. changes in the pressure produce a very low current. This current is the signal and needs a pre-amp to boost it to normal pickup levels
this particular system i am using has a piezo sensor in each saddle, and a wire from each saddel going to the pre-amp. Most systems that fit electric guitars are similar. Acoustic guitars with piezo's usually have a piezo strip under the saddle. other strings instruments like violins and cello's have a piezo sensor attached to the bridge
i believe the throat mic's used by the military use piezo technology
there are may ways to detect a strings vibration and most can be used as a pickup device. We are used to detecting the vibration by focusing on changes in the magnetic field. piezo pickups focus on the pressue changes, usually at the bridge. there are other ways such as optical pickups which focus on the actual movement of the string and how that changes the reflection from an light source
piezo by itself tends to be a bit harsh, possibly because they tend to focus on string movement at the bridge. thats why EQ is important when buying an electro acoustic with and under saddle tranducer
on the one i am making here we are using graphtech saddles which actually makes a lot of sense with piezo pickups, it helps to take away some of the harshness present in other systems and is naturally more acoustic sounding from the start
PS. Here is some info on optical pickups
http://www.lightwave-systems.com/index.html
i havnt been convinced its a viable alternative yet but it may be one day
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right. despite the whole world acting against me today i managed to get this guitar just about to the point i wanted for the end of my easter holidays.
top is rough carved
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/new/1.jpg)
whole thing
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/new/2.jpg)
i also got the pickups as i said above
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/new/4.jpg)
along with a few others (strangely monotone selection for me)
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/new/3.jpg)
the pickups for this guitar are black covers with chrome polepieces... should nicely match the black bridge with chrome saddle screws, the black sperzel tuners with chrome posts. i was consiering tonight that it needs ebony knobs with a little silver dot on top as a marker - just to tie them in with everything else!!
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Burl maple tele body has gone off to the sprayers as well
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/new/bare1.jpg)
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/new/bare2.jpg)
the mahogany has some knots but it sounded too good to ignore!!
started a bass for myself too
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/new/XL805345.jpg)
just simple and kinda vintage styled (based on my teisco spectrum bass i am selling on ebay). i went for the large pickup route under the scratchplate because it will allow me to knock out a few scratchplates and try different bass pickups in it.. although i have a p-bass BKP to start with!
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So whats the peizio pickup/bridge and whats the eq system on it
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WOW WOW WOW :o
All are looking good! Tony, your FF is sexy! :D
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graphtech ghost acoustaphonic pre-amp and saddles
http://www.graphtech.com/products.html?CategoryID=2
http://www.graphtech.com/products.html?ProductID=36&CurrencyID=2
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thinkin replacing system on my Parker..think is fishman..with a seperate eq
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yeah i think it is a fishman bridge on the flys. probably worth seeing if fishman do a better/newer version of their seperate EQ. the fihsman saddles may not fit into other makers EQ's.. not sure htough
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think is power chip wilkinson fishman trem
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well most of the piezo saddle systems have a hot and a ground wire attaching to the pre-amp. the Graphtech and powerchip are both the same in that respect. the main difference is that the graphtech has a little plug but the fishman gets soldered to the powerchip. but either could be made to work with the other.
but personally i think its worth sticking with the saddles and preamp from the same manufacturer because they have been built (and EQ preset )to go together.
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That's a nice picture to get on my birthday :D
I will apologise in advance for ripping off a couple of pics of guitars that others have bought and posted on here ... I'm undecided whether to go for the washed denim finish (original plan) or the shinier blue finish ... so will grab the pics when I've hunted through the threads and found them and post them here for opinion ... see what y'all think!
It's looking really good Wez ... Andy has asked for a pic of the top when it's done ... I told him that you'd bought it for a custom build for me!
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I would go for a blue matteo finish personally, like on the PRS Satins singlecuts, light blue on the top, and natural for the body and neck.
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any pictures will help loads - we still have a few weeks before the point of no return!!
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The orginal plan was ...
(http://www.peachideas.com/acatalog/257.jpg)
(http://www.guitars4you.co.uk/guitars/2485.jpg)
Or should it be ...
(http://www.guitars4you.co.uk/guitars/2597d.jpg)
Or even ...
(http://www.guitars4you.co.uk/guitars/2431c.jpg)
The neck, back and sides will be finished clear, and the top will be blue ... just not sure which blue! The hardware will be black & chrome (no bling bling).
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Like this:
http://www.elderly.com/new_instruments/items/SCT18.htm
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This:
(http://www.warmoth.com/Paint/images/bodies/dye/blue.jpg)
Blue dyed
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blue matteo has always been my favourite
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This:
(http://www.warmoth.com/Paint/images/bodies/dye/blue.jpg)
Blue dyed
as much as it looks great in a photo that is a dye black, sand back and spray trans blue finish. The reason i love quilted wood is for the 3d illusions it creates when moved - once you dye it black you can really stop that from happening. so they look great in a photo but not as special as they should in real life. at worst case it ends up looking like a joe perry epiphone
there will be no black dye touching this quilt - although i may be persuaded a dark trans blue stain, then sand back, then spray a lighter blue trans lacquer over that. the wood doesnt need help to make it pop!!
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So although "the camera never lies", sometimes it just doesn't show the full picture either!
My preference is still the washed denim type colour (shown in the first pic of the 4 that I posted), but that's without any appreciation of how that sort of finish would enhance or ruin the quality of the top. What's your view Wez?
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i think the top two or 4th one would work great with the wood we have I am really liking the 4th actually but its nor my decision. we could get it looking just like that warmoth one - but it just wouldnt be as pleasing in the hands
i am still liking the one i linked to before
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/new/marcovis1.jpg)
edit: i am not saying its always bad to do a black stain and sandback. its a tool like any other. not for this though!
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for me those first two prs's, the modern eagle and the lighter coloured custom 22, are the best. i just love that "faded denim" colour! i think i first saw it on a Dean doublecut thing, whatever it was they called that. gorgeous colour.
the guitar's looking fantastic Wez, looking forward to seeing the finished article, whatever colour it gets.
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I think it's either #1 (the faded denim one) OR #5 (Wez's post) ...
When's decision time?
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you probably have about 2 weeks max
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The Warmoth body is on "blue dye" section, so not sure if it was dyed black and then blue too or just black and a trans blue finish (as I don't know cr@p about finishes)... I saw pics of the finished guitar on W forum, but the pics are not very good (very dark), so won't help nothing...
But I was mainly saying about the tone of blue, I remember you saying before you don't like the black dye to "pop" the figure :D
Would be alike the 4th from Tony but a bit lighter, I guess
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you probably have about 2 weeks max
That's actually quite good news :lol:
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The Warmoth body is on "blue dye" section, so not sure if it was dyed black and then blue too or just black and a trans blue finish
well maple varies in colour a lot and if you try to spray blue over anything that isnt really light it turns a bit green ish (you can almost see a tint of it in tony's 4th picture)
That warmoth one goes from very light to very dark which to me screams black dye. it may also have had a middle stage of dye blue with a slight sand back before a light blue clear. it does look awesome in photo's and still awesome in real life. but hold it next to a guitar that has been done without the black stage and the difference becomes apparent.
this guitar may get dyed and sanded back to create a depth of colour, but i would rather loose a little bit of the photogenic appeal to protect the extra special 3d effect that tony is going to get when he opens the case for the first time (and every time after), i imagine there will be a period where he is completely hypnotised by it - well i will be anyway!!
i do like that shade of blue. imagine that being the darkest it gets and its more where i am thinking it will look good
tony- the 2 weeks was based on doing some tonight. then my mum turned up and took me out for dinner. i had a nice 36 day old fillet steak and a few good pints so now its 2 weeks and 1 day!! ;)
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[but i would rather loose a little bit of the photogenic appeal to protect the extra special 3d effect that tony is going to get when he opens the case for the first time (and every time after), i imagine there will be a period where he is completely hypnotised by it - well i will be anyway!!
Just raise my expectations that little bit higher :wink:
and a few good pints
Put the guitar down sir ... step away from the guitar ... look this way sir, do not look at the guitar ... do not even think of looking at the guitar ... nice and slowly sir, step this way ...
:lol:
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and a few good pints
Put the guitar down sir ... step away from the guitar ... look this way sir, do not look at the guitar ... do not even think of looking at the guitar ... nice and slowly sir, step this way ...
:lol:
Nah... now's the time to get those dulux test pots out Wez, and try out a few ideas...
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time for a Jem style swirl maybe!!
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well the swirl just wasnt looking right so we took it all off and went back to the blue ;)
here is after the first coat of clear. this is very much in progress and will be perfectly smooth one done - but it does show the colour nicely
(http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff141/clennon/25052009231.jpg)
(http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff141/clennon/25052009223.jpg)
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Gorgeous!!!!
Roo
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Oh yeah!
I second that :D
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Crumbs! That is looking good! :o
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Yeah, looks OK ... not bad.
See, I'm not getting excited at all
8)
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Awesome!
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:D
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Tasty!
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Whooooaaah, nice! :D
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Nice :D
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more pics from mike before sending it back
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/new/pm1.jpg)
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/new/pm2.jpg)
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/new/pm4.jpg)
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/new/pm5.jpg)
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man. shame you're out all the way in UK. i wouldn't risk shipping a guitar overseas. but I'd love to get my hands on a guitar built this way :D
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Truly gorgeous!
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That neck looks remarkably familiar!
Gorgeous looking axe :)
N1 Wez :)
Roo
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Gorgeus woods and great work! Truly beautiful.
-Zaned
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That neck looks remarkably familiar!
:lol:
yeah - tony really liked the look of the neck on yours. It mahogany stringers instead of bubinga but the look is pretty identical
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here is a mockup with hardware, bridge plate still needs more work but it should give you an idea of teh final look
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/new/c1.jpg)
top is glossy, back and sides are satin finished - very happy with that too.
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(http://www.penguin.com.au/covers-jpg/9781846466236.jpg)
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Cool at extreme rates!
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Oh yeah... :D
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Wez, which color does looks more alike of the "real color"
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the colour looks different depending on light. but i would say its a rich mid to light blue rather than a mid to dark
nath was round so we did some quick clips recorded on my digital camera
piezo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RppMtVub62s
neck BKP MQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NW9l7UJ-_U
Bridge BKP Crawler
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQBLvTr3N0M
piezo/mag mix
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLlwK21KGmo
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I'm now waiting for Saturday (pick up day) with all the patience and excitement of a 4 year old waiting for Christmas ...
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Mr Wez is a clever man.
The guitar is absolutely everything that I hoped for.
I'll post some pics later, but I'm off to play it for a few hours now ...
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Nice one :D
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Hadn't visited this thread for ages, and I'm absolutely astonished at how great the guitar both looks and sounds! Tony, I'm deeply jealous (even though I'd probably just get confused by the fanned frets!). Wez, another stunning piece of work there!
Oh, and that sound clip has sold me on getting a Crawler bridge for something!
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even though I'd probably just get confused by the fanned frets!
thanks for the kind words guys
i hope tony will now be a new soldier in the war against this kind of talk!!
tony came today and picked it up and started playing. a few moments later he said he had to look to check it was actually fanned fret. thats exactly the same response i got from roo. i hope hat means i got the scale lengths right for both of them. i know some people find it odd (it tends to be people that have played the same scale length for most of their playing that struggle most) , but its always less odd than they expect it to be
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Does that bridge only work for multi-scales, Wez?
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that bridge is just graphtech saddles attached to an ebony plate - it could be made non-fanned too. its a very comfy design
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Here's some pics ...
(http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QYdDO5-bV1Y/SlnyWFvtQQI/AAAAAAAAEM0/97AhoNFJBik/s800/WezV1.jpg)
(http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QYdDO5-bV1Y/SlnyZ7KLZiI/AAAAAAAAEM4/mcVEF4b51VQ/s800/WezV2.jpg)
(http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QYdDO5-bV1Y/SlnzjWgtgvI/AAAAAAAAENY/oism1_Wn7-w/s800/Wezv.jpg)
(http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QYdDO5-bV1Y/SlnydEoy2MI/AAAAAAAAEM8/dRxMdVidRCY/s800/WezV3.jpg)
After I'd been playing it for a couple of minutes, I seriously did have to check that I was playing a fanned fret guitar because it felt so natural and easy. Now, I'm not a 50-note-per-second shredder, so it might differ for different styles, but for "normal" playing, this thing just feels completely comfortable.
The Crawler is totally excellent for vintage rock sounds through my JTM 60, the MQ is also a great sounding p'up, but I'd expected "more" for some reason. The Graphtech Ghost piezo system produces some really nice warm acoustic sounds, and add an extra bit of clarity and bite when blended in with the other pickups.
I started this year with a plan to thin-out my collection of guitars - just because I realised that I had some that I wasn't playing often enough. So far, I've sold 2 and taken one to pieces. This Vendetta is the 6th addition though ... so the plan hasn't been too successful.
If I ever get permission to post in the "Seconds Out" forum, then expect to see some "for sale" postings from me over the next few weeks. Does anyone know why I'd be blocked??
THANKS WEZ
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might just be worth having a play with the height on the MQ - small changes can make a big difference and i have had BKP's thats just jumped into life with half a turn
thx for the pics!
on the 2nds out thing - i think it took a few weeks for me once i had asked permission
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might just be worth having a play with the height on the MQ - small changes can make a big difference and i have had BKP's thats just jumped into life with half a turn
thx for the pics!
on the 2nds out thing - i think it took a few weeks for me once i had asked permission
Will do - screwdrivers are coming out next.
I'll do some proper pics for you, for (a) the website and (b) your next PG submission! Those were just some quickies that I took this afternoon whilst the sun was out, and whilst I'd been told to turn the amp off for just a little while. Apparently 60w of Marshall amp can be heard on the road outside the house, even with all the windows closed. The road is a good 100m away, and I didn't turn it past halfway. :lol:
Who do you ask for "permission" to post in 2nds out?
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that bridge is just graphtech saddles attached to an ebony plate - it could be made non-fanned too. its a very comfy design
Would non-fanned make it just straight? I like it cause it's angled to be honest.
What is a multi-scale for tbh? I don't know much about them at all.
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Looks damn cute GuiTony, damn cute...
Lovely work Wez :D
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that bridge is just graphtech saddles attached to an ebony plate - it could be made non-fanned too. its a very comfy design
Would non-fanned make it just straight? I like it cause it's angled to be honest.
What is a multi-scale for tbh? I don't know much about them at all.
the plate can be any shape you want - the saddles are placed according to scale length. so yeah, they would be more straight on a standard guitar
the point in doing fanned frets is to try and improve the tension across the strings - this has tonal benefits too and if you want the sales pitch look at the novax site
http://www.novaxguitars.com/info/concept.html
i quite often use a upright piano analogy. I have a vertically strung piano at home. its bass notes have the sound of the wet fart and this is common on most vertically strung pianos, a weak note with a lack of sustain.
what piano builders did is decide to put the bass strings diagonally instead - this is an overstrung piano and gives a string length more comparable to a grand piano. they have much stronger bass notes.
piano and harp buidlers understand that string work best at a given length. thicker strings that are intedned for lowe notes work best when they are long. High note strings work best when they are short and thin.
guitars are no different - except most are built with a fixed scale length for ease of construction. you really start to see the failing with this when playing 7/8 string guitars or 5 string basses. quite often people have issues with tension and the 'wet-fart' effect on these extra strings... its because a compromised system is being pushed beyond its limits
most people dont think its necessary to do it on 6 string guitars as they 'work just fine'. i agree that its not necessary as i still like normal guitars, but it does seem to be producing the same positive effect it does on extended range instruments
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I understand where you're coming from, and owning and seven string I understand the 'wet fart' effect. I just can't fully accept that you're gonna have to adjust your fretting a slight tad.
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I understand where you're coming from, and owning and seven string I understand the 'wet fart' effect. I just can't fully accept that you're gonna have to adjust your fretting a slight tad.
When you're next over these parts, i should have my 2nd FF7 done, and i'll convert you :)
Wez, you've outdone yourself man :) Way to fly the FF flag!
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Wow, that came out looking awesome! Congrats Wez and Tony!
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I just can't fully accept that you're gonna have to adjust your fretting a slight tad.
you do have to adjust a little - but didnt you have to adjust when switching from a 6 string to a 7, or even when switching from a strat to a les paul.
i would say its easier than switching to a 7 string guitar, no more difficult than switching from a strat to a LP
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I just can't fully accept that you're gonna have to adjust your fretting a slight tad.
I'm sure my fretting has adjusted - but the point (for me at least) is that the adjustment is pretty much automatic and sub-conscious. It wasn't something that I had to think about or work at, it just felt natural.
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This sounds prettttty interesting now. I might ask for a neck for my seven string maybe :P
Good build nonetheless, grats to Wez and GuiTony
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Great looking axe.
Tony - you need to PM 'Ol' the BKP web guy to get Seconds Out access ;)
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Great looking axe.
Tony - you need to PM 'Ol' the BKP web guy to get Seconds Out access ;)
Thanks.
I should admit that the colour scheme was based on the PRS in your avatar pic :D
It's not quite as washed-out blue as yours, but I'm still most happy with it!
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You can't beat the Faded Blue Jean Modern Eagle scheme! :D
It looks good with Emerald Green too.....
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FREAKING AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :o
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Just got back from Holiday and this is GORGEOUS
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I understand where you're coming from, and owning and seven string I understand the 'wet fart' effect. I just can't fully accept that you're gonna have to adjust your fretting a slight tad.
If you're around Oxford any time Jonny, you're welcome to check out my WezV 6-string multiscale baritone.
Congrats GuiTony and Wez!! This is a truly stunning looking guitar, and I consider myself incredibly fortunate to know just how well this puppy will play!!
Great stuff - now for the clips!
Roo
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feel free to vote for this guitar in Projectguitar's 'Guitar of the month' competition:
http://projectguitar.ibforums.com/index.php?showtopic=41272
or vote for one of the others, there are some real nice entries this month
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Some months the quality of entries is incredible.
Which one should I vote for ...
:D
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the ashbory bass ;)
actually i started one of them a few years back, relegated to the corner of the workshop at the moment but it was fun
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I am not too keen on any of those other designs :?
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Voted on you
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I'm not a Project Guitar member, but I would have voted for yours.
They seem to really go in for spiky things on that forum... :?
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We need more Wez votes!!
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:lol:
in all seriousness i picked a particularly difficult month to enter - which is fine by me. i would rather lose on a hard month than win an easy one :)
its really just a beauty contest, and its been said before that a nice blue quilt provides a sure win - which means some people just wont vote for this because of it now. and some wont vote because of my previous wins. in truth you cant predict it - the ones i am sure winners have never done as well as the ones i am unsure about. mylast win was with roo's baritone and i felt that the shape would have really split the crowd :?
if this one doesnt win i will but the spangly blue tele in next month. i am after 5 wins. why? Perry Ormsby has 5 ;)
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if this one doesnt win i will but the spangly blue tele in next month. i am after 5 wins. why? Perry Ormsby has 5 ;)
:lol: