Need opinions on my guitar design/shape!

[The amazing Phil]

That looks like a pretty cool design man!

[_tom_]

cheers! I decided on doing this design, I cant wait to get the wood!

[Drac]

Nice One, Tom...
looks good-
I also think mahogany is a good choice for body mass...
You might  draw a horizontal plan at full size, working out your body thickness, neck joint/string angle, and final string height as per your chosen hardware,all the way up to the headstock profile, or at least the nut...
-This may well mean commiting to ordering your neck of choice, and waiting for it to arrive, but can save your precious slab of mahogany from winding up on the fire,and having to spend again-
 -You would be surprised at the demands your chosen bits and pieces will have on your final design, and it's better to realize  conflicts on paper than in wood in the 3rd dimension.
It's much easier to measure and relate to the neck in hand, than to anticipate it's "real" dimensions from catalog measures...

I hope I'm not discouraging you!- I mean well, & think you're off to a good start!- cheers, mate!- Drac

[_tom_]

yeah I was gonna cut out the shape etc of the body then order a neck with a paddle headstock so I can go about getting the pocket just right etc. The only query I have, I want to go with a single wraparound stoptail bridge like a PRS, does that mean I'll need to make my neck pocket angled, or can I just shim it? Or can it just be flat?

Thanks!

[PhilKing]

Ideally you would angle it a bit, but you can have a shallower pocket.  The Wilkinson wrap around is not too high.  I'm not sure about the Schaller or Pigtail ones.

I think it looks better to have the neck lower in the pocket, and it is not too difficult to do an angled rout if you put a template with a piece under it on the body, and then use the router on this.

Cheers
Phil

[_tom_]

Ideally you would angle it a bit, but you can have a shallower pocket.  The Wilkinson wrap around is not too high.  I'm not sure about the Schaller or Pigtail ones.

I think it looks better to have the neck lower in the pocket, and it is not too difficult to do an angled rout if you put a template with a piece under it on the body, and then use the router on this.

Cheers
Phil

yeah I was planning on getting a Wilkinson one. And I agree, it does look better with the neck in a deeper pocket. I dont really understand what you mean about the routing template and all that, I'm kinda new to woodworking, this will be the first time I've used a router haha! A little explanation would be nice if you feel upto it, if not I'll just go the shallower neck pocket route I guess  :P

[PhilKing]

Hi, when you are setting up to rout the pocket, you need to calculate the angle that you want the bottom to be at.  Once you know this, you need to make a template for the neck pocket shape (cut it from plywood).  Then you need to fix this to the body so that it is at the same angle you need the bottom of the pocket to be.  

If you dont want to use a lot of maths to do this, then you can measure how high the bridge needs to be.  You then make the template long enough to reach the bridge, and add a piece of wood to the bottom of the template which is the height of the bridge.

Don't forget to include the thickness of the template when you are setting the router depth, and don't try to take it all out in one go.  I would drill a lot of 5/8 (1.5 mm) holes in the pocket before routing.  Just be careful on the depth of these.

cheers
Phil

[_tom_]

hmm I'm still confused haha. I think it might just be best, for my first body at least, to just do it "flat" then shim if need be? I guess theres less chance of messing it up that way..

[chrisola]

Dean do a similar axe, but its hornier (  :roll: )

http://www.deanguitars.com/usa_proffesional_series/images/usa_proffesional_series_spl.jpg

[_tom_]

Dean do a similar axe, but its hornier (  :roll: )

http://www.deanguitars.com/usa_proffesional_series/images/usa_proffesional_series_spl.jpg

call me bigheaded, but I actually like my design more than that one  :lol: Hm, Craft Supplies only have 2 piece Mahogany in stock, the one piece will be out of stock till next year! Should I get that, or Ash from a different shop?

Cheers!

[chrisola]

not the only one, i dont like the bigger upper horn, looks like a cr@ppy ESP bass guitar to me!!! :)

[Joe Dorcia]

There's a couple more good suppliers around (better than craft supplies) i think Touchstone is one. and another. I just started my HNC MUsical instrument technology course today (building various fretted instruments), so i can get you the number if you want.  

I get to make a mandolin, wooooo!

Joe

[_tom_]

There's a couple more good suppliers around (better than craft supplies) i think Touchstone is one. and another. I just started my HNC MUsical instrument technology course today (building various fretted instruments), so i can get you the number if you want.  

I get to make a mandolin, wooooo!

Joe

I wish I could do a course like that, I had my first business studies lesson today and its sooo cr@p   Touchstone is pretty expensive for Mahogany, but I think I might just get some Ash from them coz its cheaper. What kinda sound can I expect from Ash? I guess this guitar will be my more "modern" sounding guitar, for metal and stuff like that I guess!

[Joe Dorcia]

Mahogany is expensive everywhere at the moment mate. I would go to the more expensive places, or go through every single piece a place has as the quality has dipped over the past few years and its getting rarer and rarer. Try going round some old antique shops or little scr@p shops for old mahogany wardrobes or drawers etc. Then you will have a well seasoned sturdy piece of mahogany to work from, it wouldnt even matter too much if it wasnt quartersawn.

Ash is a strat material. pretty versatile and Har Ash is dense with good sustain. alternatively you could go for the softer, mellower swamp ash. Tight grain, easy to finish with both

Where dyu live?? there mite be a course near u tom?

[Minty]

I would buy that guitar! :D