Author Topic: The obnoxious Frenchman's guitar project (Read 13007 times)

Pierre · « **on:** August 24, 2005, 06:33:48 PM »

Well at first I thought I'd get Stew Mac's refretting kit and learn how to refret and fret dress... But I bought another neck for the guitar that needs it. So I could just use the spare neck to learn how to take the fingerboard off and then replace it later. Since I have some money, I was thinking about getting a neck through neck blank.

The first one I have I have in mind would be Carvin's. I'd get the one with the large, uncut headstock and forge my own headstock on it (tool needed: bandsaw). Then I'd need 2 pieces of Mahogany to do a soloist body (can anyone give me an estime of how much money would a Mahogany piece able to do 2 Soloist (er... strat, but pointier ) sides?) of the same thickness as the neck, and then a router to do the routing. I figured it'd be the cheapest and easiest way to start. I'd leave it all unfinished but for some sealer.

What neck blanks for neck through guitars are under 200 dollars, can ship to Europe and are of very good quality? The guitar will have a humbucker and a slanted single coil size humbucker in the neck, 2 volumes, a tone on a concentric pot and a split.
Also, where to find free templates (if they exist... )? I'd base the body on a Jackson soloist shape.
Any help is welcome as to what tools I'd need, but all I can think of so far is the router, bandsaw, a manual saw, drill, wood glue, sealer, and the guitar's hardware.
Thanks guys
It should look like this:

Fake F hole, natural Mahogany color for now.

Joe Dorcia · « **Reply #1 on:** August 24, 2005, 09:04:25 PM »

Although i dont know where to get templates from, i can make them, full size, and then send u a file with it in to print out. I make them in Adobe Illustrator (i did this for my own custom build). Y do you ask about Imports from americ too??? There are quite a few very good Europian (UK) guitar wood suppliers who could ship to Europe for less eg Sound wood (part of craft supplies). For mahogany wings ur looking from £30.00/45 EU upwards from sound wood. A Mahongay neck wood be from £6.00/9 EU. Obviously prices will change and it depends on the quality you want and where from. If you wanted to make ur own neck you would need a spoke shave but if you were going to buy one, Sound wood have a guy who custom bulds necks. Alternatly you can go to warmoth - http://www.warmoth.com they are very good. I think the charge for European delivery is like $70.00/60 EU so it aint too bad. As a plus for warmoth, all of Rivers Cuomo's guitars (lead singer from weezer) that look custom made are warmoth. I'm thinkin of getting a warmoth explorer to do myself.

Also, i would advise at least oiling the guitar to finish it, it would protect it alot more than just sealer. its very easy to apply and gets great results.

Joe

Pierre · « **Reply #2 on:** August 24, 2005, 09:19:25 PM »

Well I want a neck through, and for now I'll just build the body.
I mentioned the US simply because Stew Mac and Carvin are the only two places I know which do what I need for now, and they're in the US :lol: There's one in Holland but that's at least 230 euros for a non inlayed, non fretted neck through neck... too much for me.
Warmoth only make bolt ons.
For the wood, I'll definitely go to Europe. I'll also be in Edinburgh by then, so I'll contact Sound Wood :) thanks for that! I just wish to use an already built neck thru with body part.
If I buy 2 slabs of decent Mahogany and do the guitar like this, will it be resonant, or even with really good Mahogany there are risks that it's not you think?

I can't find the sound wood website though, google gives nothing :(
Ah wait no I found it. They sell (though it's out of stock) 2"" Mahogany body blanks, but I don't know what the 2"" stands for (2 feet? Length?) and neither the other dimensions...

chrisola · « **Reply #3 on:** August 24, 2005, 10:04:21 PM »

theres a couple of luthiers on here who may be able to advise you, namely Bob Johnson from www.legraguitars.co.uk and Laz Gajic from www.gajicguitars.com

Worth maybe emailing them for advice\to order one :)

Pierre · « **Reply #4 on:** August 24, 2005, 10:20:46 PM »

I had heard a lot from Laz, his work looks amazing. I sent an email to both, I'll see what gives.
Regarding the wings, what size of wood should I aim for, for let's say a Strat body? Thickness, width? I'm totally out of it on the imperial system, I'll go measure my strats approximately but since it'd be neck thru it'd be quite different...

Ah well Laz doesn't do this... I'll see what else there is.

Drac · « **Reply #5 on:** August 24, 2005, 10:51:22 PM »

Carvin's neck through blanks are great!-
I've used them before I had the tools to build after moving to Europe, and they are consistantly good-
Strange to note that both StewMac's & Carvin's neck throughs are only available in 25" scale last time I checked-My favorite scale , luckily enough...I believe that StewMac gets their's from Carvin, too...
Carvin has graphite reinforcement, and radius/inlay/headstock options that StewMac doesn't offer-consider these, as working on a finished neck is very tedious...
-Inspect your neck immediately when it arrives-before the delivery driver has a chance to escape!- Fed Ex broke a custom curly Koa neckthrough I special ordered-had to graft the headstock back on before it ever played a note-DAMN.
When it arrives, examine it thoroughly, and you'll see it's not so far out for recreating yourself the next time around- You can find a local woodshop that can help you with thicknessing your lumber and ripping blanks, and easily handle the rest with your basic tools-
-Any questions, just ask, and best of luck to you from Drac in Dk

Pierre · « **Reply #6 on:** August 24, 2005, 10:56:48 PM »

Carvin doesn't have those options anymore it seems :( I wanted a no inlay, all maple neck with a 25.5 scale and a 12/16 compound radius. The radius isn't even specified on the link I give you... It does seem that it's my only possibility so far.
Maybe I should start with this first and then move on to the more expensive custom things. That'd be the sensisitve thing to do...I just hope I'll have the mental strength to do that :P
Since the radius isn't compound, will I be able to achieve a low action...(under 2mm)?
Thanks for the tips, I'll do just that :)

Ratrod · « **Reply #7 on:** August 25, 2005, 10:47:26 AM »

Where can one find a set neck blank?

Joe Dorcia · « **Reply #8 on:** August 25, 2005, 12:03:37 PM »

Quote

Since the radius isn't compound, will I be able to achieve a low action...(under 2mm)?

Yer, of course you can. What you have to do is make sure u know how high the bridge is so that you can get a good enough angle all the way down the strings. IF you go for a standard neck through first, it would be a lot safer than going all out first time (i leanrt that the hard way). From sound wood the 2" means 2 inches, that is 5 cm. Their wood is cut to the average size of a guitar. The can cut pretty much anything for you so it should be cool.

I hope it all goes well

Joe

Pierre · « **Reply #9 on:** August 25, 2005, 12:30:59 PM »

Thanks! I'll contact sound wood with questions and then get started as soon as I know for sure how to proceed :)
Of about the neck angle... Does that mean I'll have to glue the wings slightly angled up (at the rear) and then sand it all so the top is uniformly flat?

Bob Johnson · « **Reply #10 on:** August 25, 2005, 02:05:26 PM »

Pierre, check out www.luthierssupplies.co.uk for all your timber requirements, they also do most of the rest of the bits you'll need; nice bunch of guys. Most bodies these days are around 45mm thick, you can buy "wings" as they are called, to make the body sides already thicknessed to whatever you want. The only bit of advice I'd give you is don't over compicate the design with features you don't really need and will be difficult for you to do. I'm talking compound radius, stainless frets and angled neck.

TwilightOdyssey · « **Reply #11 on:** August 25, 2005, 03:21:20 PM »

Bob, that is a very interesting site.

Pierre · « **Reply #12 on:** August 25, 2005, 04:01:07 PM »

I concur. Thanks for the link! I think I'll call them for the wings wood, as they don't seem to do the neck thru types I'm looking for.
If I don't angle the neck and use a TOM bridge, wouldn't it be quite er, not right?

Bob Johnson · « **Reply #13 on:** August 25, 2005, 08:47:30 PM »

Pierre, you can get a through body neck blank, a truss rod and a pre-slotted fingerboard from Luthiers Supplies. If you need sizes of timber that are not listed in their catalogue just call them and they'll always do their best to help you. just make sure you have all the sizes sorted before you call. If you use a zero neck to body angle the normal height from the centre of the finger board (highest point) to the body top is 8mm - 12mm any more gives a large pickup protrusion any less puts the strings very close to the body top. Add the fret height - say 1mm - 1.4mm and the action about 2mm. That gives you a bridge height of about 11mm -14mm. There are lots of really good bridges in that range.

Hope this helps. email me if you want more info.

Pierre · « **Reply #14 on:** August 25, 2005, 09:33:13 PM »

I just did. Thanks a lot!

Author Topic: The obnoxious Frenchman's guitar project (Read 13007 times)

TwilightOdyssey