Mickguard Posted January 17, 2005 Report Share Posted January 17, 2005 (edited) While I'm waiting for the Bocaster to dry, and before I get started on the Bocaster Thinline I need to learn more about technique. So I'm starting a new project...this one is going to be (almost) from scratch--I'm not ready to build a neck yet. I have a bunch of parts lying around, including a couple of necks and a couple of lipstick pickups so...Introducing... The Convertible ! (I'll find a better name...I was tempted to call it the Convertibo...). This one is going to be based on the Danelectro Convertible idea...but I'm evolving my Bocaster shape into something else...kind of looks like a Native American totem eagle to me...here's a rough photoshop mockup of the idea (I'll probably go with a square or matching hole, dunno yet): I have a bunch of wood lying around, some exotic stuff- my father in law built bookshelves with it about 15 years ago...he gave the wood to me.... Each plank is about 3 cm (1.2 inch) high--I'll be using two layers--hollowing out each layer on the inside, leaving a rim around the sides for gluing, and leaving most of a center block for structural purposes (neck pocket, bridge support) on the upper side. Note: I've never done any kind of woodwork like this, so I'm going to make tons of mistakes. Also, I don't have the proper tools (yet). HERE'S my first-ever attempt at gluing. The wider panel is the original wood, the thinner one I cut out using a jigsaw (with a neato laser guide). I then planed them using this Stanley hand planer/rasp thing I picked up...I need a wider one though. This side came out looking all right...considering...the other side is worse, but that'll be on the inside of the guitar.... Today I'm going to get a wider plane and a couple extra clamps. After I finish my work for the day, of course Edited January 17, 2005 by idch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted January 20, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2005 I'm making progress on my wood...I have two blocks prepared. As you can see, one is a three piece (a center column with wings) the other is a two-piece. I'm thinking of using the two piece as the top and the three piece as the bottom --can anyone tell me if one would be stronger than the other? (I can make a second block of each type too) I wasn't happy with the glue line on the three piece (doesn't help that the wood is dark right there either) but as I started planing it down, I discovered that the glue line isn't so bad underneath!...I can live with it, especially since I'll probably color coat the back. Right now I'm handplaning--I'll take it to a friend's table planer for the final 0.5 mm... Here's a (blurred) photo in natural light Right now I'm planing the boards--they started out as 3 cm boards, I want the bottom to be more like 2 cm. I'm tempted to just slap a cap on the top though--but all I can find are 0.5 cm, which would make an awfully thin hollowbody. Tempting though. I've decided to go with a strat-style hard tail bridge (black? chrome?) for this one. I'm going to leave a solid block under the bridge. Between the bridge and the neck pocket, I'm thinking of cutting out 'rails' (that is, the wood will be hollowed to less than 1 cm except for two 3 cm 'rails' connecting the blocks for the bridge and the neck pocket)--this wood is really strong and dense--so I can get as close to hollow as possible. I'm worried about microphonics --but I'd like a feedback machine. Electronics are going to be very simple--- the lipstick across the soundhole and I might go straight to the jack (with an on/off switch). I'm tempted to get one of those jack tailpins/strap knobs too... maybe I'll mount a volume and tone (black ice?) in the upper bout though...could be fun.... The wife is going to work up a lifesize template for me in Autocad...I'll post that when I have it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Sorbera Posted January 21, 2005 Report Share Posted January 21, 2005 you need to mount the electric pickup in wood. If you just leave it hanging there it will feedback. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted January 21, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 21, 2005 you need to mount the electric pickup in wood. If you just leave it hanging there it will feedback. ← Yeah, I've been wondering about that --I've been trying to find photos of a real Dano convertible to see how they did it....it looks like they have it suspended over the sound hole though. How about if I attach the pickup to a separate block/strip of wood --would that be enough to keep the noises away? Anyway, are we talking microphonics (bad) or amp feedback (cool)? Don't want the thing to squeak, but I'd love it wail....big problem with my Samick Royale is I can't get any feedback out of it at all... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Sorbera Posted January 21, 2005 Report Share Posted January 21, 2005 (edited) were talking about feedback like an acoutic gets wher it starts giving a low pitched wooooooooo REALLY loud. Deffinitly NOT the kind of feedback you want. If your building the insides like an acoustic I would just extend the neck anchor block and attach the pickup to that. Also if you use a regular electric bridge it will not sound as good acoustic. Those things dont transfer the vibrations as good as a regular saddle. It would sound much better if you used an acoustic saddle. You dont even need a bridge just a saddle depending on how low you want the strings. Edited January 21, 2005 by Godin SD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MKGBass Posted January 21, 2005 Report Share Posted January 21, 2005 (edited) Senor idch, I have a Dano convertible, and the pickup is actually mounted on two springs that suspend it from the back of the guitar. So the screws for installing it actually show on the backside, and the pickup is "loose" in the soundhole (its not actually LOOSE but its not attached) EDIT: Recommended tailpiece Edited January 21, 2005 by MKGBass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted January 21, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 21, 2005 Senor idch, I have a Dano convertible, and the pickup is actually mounted on two springs that suspend it from the back of the guitar. So the screws for installing it actually show on the backside, and the pickup is "loose" in the soundhole (its not actually LOOSE but its not attached) ← Thanks for the link --I actually found that a few days ago, downloaded the photo --because one idea might be to make my own design. But then I started thinking about the hardtail.... Can you post/send me a photo of your Dano showing how it's done? That'd be cool to see. And does yours go whooooooo? Godin--here's my idea for the construction...I'm taking the two blocks of wood and I'm going to route them out --I'll leave most of a center column on the upper block and a border following the body shape on both blocks. The border will probably be an inch or so wide. I'll probably leave a bridge block on the bottom half too. I figure on leaving about 5-10 mm (half inch or so) thickness for the surfaces. Then the two halves will be glued together. So it's not really going to be an acoustic. It's going to be more like a thinline than anything else. If it happens to sound good as an acoustic...well, that'll be cool too! Before I mount the bridge (won't have that for another month because the shipping got screwed up) I might do it up with an acoustic saddle though... I'm mostly doing this because I've most of the parts lying around and I'm waiting for the Bocaster to dry (and I'm having too much fun playing my future Thinline to hack it up right now) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MKGBass Posted January 22, 2005 Report Share Posted January 22, 2005 It doesn't go woooooooooooooooo. I can't send pictures because it's at my home in Nebraska, and I'm at school in New Orleans, sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted January 22, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2005 It doesn't go woooooooooooooooo. I can't send pictures because it's at my home in Nebraska, and I'm at school in New Orleans, sorry. ← That's all right, I've got a pretty good idea what you meant. Don't know if I can go with the springs idea though, since the guitar is going to be pretty thick...unless I mount a block into the guitar and mount the pickup on that...hmm... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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