Wenge Rhoads Build

[gwEm]

heel cutout looks good

[JacksonRR]

Ok, so I put the body in the same place as my Rhoads with Floyds, but I didn't account for the string locking thumb screw that comes out the bottom of the trem. This is a problem as the lowest string will extend beyond the crotch of the V there.

Not an emergency in the least. I have two options.

1. Use my buddies belt sander to alter the part of the bridge that touches the string so that when it's locked the thumb screw is much closer. I had to do this on my other guitar with the same trem so I know it works and is fine.

2. This has been a feature that I have been going back and forth over for about 7 months. I looked at this pic like twice a week and right now I just may pull the trigger and do this route here. I don't like much about the rest of the guitar, but I do fancy how the bottom of the trem route just keeps going. I really like it, even though it's different, but it's a risk. I had convinced myself to not do it just to keep more in shape with the standard Rhoads look, but now I sort of have a reason behind it.



What do you guys think? Progressive and stylish or regret waiting to happen?

[Jonny]

Regret waiting to happen.

And I'd go with the belt sanding, seeing as you've done it before and can do it again hopefully.

[JacksonRR]

    Well I started thinking more about how the straight lines there aren't very natural looking combined with the shape of a Rhoads. Last night I watched a movie and started doing sketched of other possibly neat routes I could do that would look a bit more aggressive.
     Here's what I came up with in photoshop. It's off kilter and not to scale, but it shows the idea. The dark brown part is all routed down 1/2", the normal depth of the area under the tuners. The light brown area is a half-round curve up to the body top. Of course, I'd have to route smaller in front of the bridge so the posts and anchors are at the right height, but the bridge will block view and confuse things to where you can't really tell, it will be the same curve after all. A depth of 1/2" on the sides and tail still comes up to the bottom of the bridge at the sides(no wood under of course), so it will still look tight.



So sort of an embellished version of this idea:



And then this guitar was also in my thoughts:

[FernandoDuarte]

don't do it mate... just don't...

[JacksonRR]

Alright. I'll give it some more thought then. My buddy makes knives for a hobby and he has a special belt sander just for putting the rough edge on blades. He has a little jig setup for it that I put the string lock assembly in and that keeps the angle exact while I take 1/4" off. It's fast and easy, but I am a sucker for interesting curves and carves so I'll see if a few more designs can't be churned out in the meantime.

[FernandoDuarte]

I believe something like the korina v above would be the best, if you really need doing that recessing...
The RR already is a busy looking guitar, the less things you add, the better to keep it cool... If you add many things, if get saturated....

[JacksonRR]

Yeah, I'm getting a really mixed amount of feedback on these options. You guys seem to be lovers of traditional design and others are saying do something different and unique. I'm gonna have to mull it over extremely well, can't put the wood back.

Too busy Fernando?  :lol:

It also has LEDs in the body, but they're not turned on here. 26 frets lol.

[FernandoDuarte]

Doh :?

[gwEm]

don't do it mate... just don't...

+1

[JacksonRR]

Yeah, I'm not gonna do anything crazy anymore. I just like exploring ideas. Like the deep bevels I did.... I really should have followed some other guitars I've seen with  bevels like that and NOT done them on the back. I made a mockup with scr@p so I knew what it was going to look like and I thought I liked it, but the more I stare at that long tip it looks more like a device for killing vampires than a guitar. It's just pissing me off now so it has to go. I have ordered a plane that goes on my drill press to take half of the Wenge on the back down and I will replace it with another type of wood so it doesn't look so much like I was forced into it. Whatever wood I choose, it will be dyed jet black. I'm thinking Alder since it's grain won't clash with the Wenge and the extended highs and lows will even out the Wenge's pronounced mid attack. I was also thinking Ash, but it's grain is probably not going to match up so well. Maybe you guys have another suggestion that would look/sound good here? I've made the final decision for a Miracle Man in the bridge and a Cold Sweat in the neck, if that helps any.
I'm not so heartbroken though as I was planning on tinting the back very very dark and having that continue to the top bevels where it would lighten up some. I've used one of these planes before and it'll do the job stunningly. I'm not worried.

Here's the bright side: Before I glue the new back, I can use my 1/4 round nose router bit to make a channel for the output jack, which will be located on the long tip. My previous plan was to use a very long 1/4" drill bit that I have. I've done a move like that before on my RR3, but this will be safer and more controlled.
     Also I can do this style of jack much easier:

Here's the plane that will be here soon:


Another thing: I won't have to as much work on the bridge as I thought to make it fit. I had a 52 in the low spot on my other with the same trem and I put a 60 on it last night. The way the saddle is made, the thicker the string, the farther back it sits and the intonation point is farther back meaning the assembly will sit closer to the neck. It will still need a little extra machining, but not a lot. So at least that is done. Regular trem route it is.

Well, here's to first builds and proper planning/design! At this rate, I'll be able to work on it at the beach. Oh well, At least I love what's staying and I've learned way more than I thought I was going to doing this. My next build, however, will have some real experience and confidence behind it so I'm looking forward to that as well. All Mahogany ESP Ninja with a spalted top and 25.5" scale is the #1 contender for build #2. :D

[JacksonRR]

I feel really good about making this decision on the top of the guitar. I found a site that showed how to distress wood with a wire brush so I decided to give it a go on some scr@p. Of course, I can get a much more exaggerated version if I spend more time brushing, but I really dig how it makes the grain come out a lot more. It doesn't look unnatural at all in real life either. The wire bristles follow the grain 100%.  Here are two pics of smooth and then brushed. I think brushing just the top, not the bevels with look real good in  contrast to the smooth jet-black Alder that will be on the backside. I will also brush the face of the headstock. I dig the Amfisound Kelo finish a lot and this will be a more buttoned down version.

[WezV]

that is how wenge ages!  if you see any old eko acoustics they tend to have very ridged fretboards like that.  I think it is the lighter streaks in wenge that will wear away first so pay attention to your grain patterns before you start

[Roobubba]

That's cool! It's also interesting to know how my guitar will age too :)

[JacksonRR]

that is how wenge ages!  if you see any old eko acoustics they tend to have very ridged fretboards like that.  I think it is the lighter streaks in wenge that will wear away first so pay attention to your grain patterns before you start

     I tried more techniques on other scr@p and the best I found was to move the brush slowly and with little pressure. It takes longer, but the edges don't tear out and the bristles follow the grain more naturally.
     Yeah, it is the lighter streaks that go a little deeper and the darker ones stay a little higher. I gave it a test with some Watco Danish Oil last night and the color is perfect. I can't find the Rustin's you had suggested here in the U.S. and the Watco seems to be very popular here for guitar finishes, recommended over many other brands. The only "fault" is that it has a slight yellowing affect. Well guess what? My Wenge, when wet with clear naptha, is slightly purplish so it turned and very dark brown and stayed that way when it cured. A combination of removing the lighter parts and then a bit of yellow has it looking EXACTLY as I had wanted it all along. Just a few shades darker than Roo's and the reddish purple is canceled out. The color rests somewhere between the lightest and darkest parts of the Ziricote.

edit: The brush I used was about 2 inches or 5cm wide, as long as my hand and had some give in the wire bristles. I tried a smaller, stiffer brush and the results were horrible. Better off brushing it with a hammer.