avengers63 Posted January 31, 2008 Report Share Posted January 31, 2008 Ah - as it happens I tested playing positions earlier today on a cardboard mockup! I have posted a series of pictures on my blog http://guitarworks.thestrandbergs.com/ and in particular the classical position (guitar resting on left leg) was incredibly comfortable. This is not the position I normally play in, so that was interesting. DUDE! Having the body shaped to accomodate 4 seated playing positions is brilliant! It looks like it'd be extremely comfortable to play. Of course, that's the whole point of ergonomics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TemjinStrife Posted January 31, 2008 Report Share Posted January 31, 2008 If you manage to work out a Steinberger-style "locking" whammy bridge... I recommend patenting it immediately, then selling one to me, as it is just what i am looking for in both six and seven-string configurations! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strandberg Guitarworks Posted January 31, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2008 If you manage to work out a Steinberger-style "locking" whammy bridge... I recommend patenting it immediately, then selling one to me, as it is just what i am looking for in both six and seven-string configurations! I did start making the two first bridges yesterday... I brought my camera to work today to snap some progress pictures but forgot to bring it home again, so I will post an update tomorrow or so. The company I had planned to make them for me are just too bogged down with paid work to sneak in a job like mine, so I will make them myself. It's more fun anyway :-) These guys are supposed to come out with a Steinberger style trem soon. Here is the original Steinberger patent. It's locking as you can see! Haven't seen a one on the market though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted February 1, 2008 Report Share Posted February 1, 2008 Ah - as it happens I tested playing positions earlier today on a cardboard mockup! I have posted a series of pictures on my blog http://guitarworks.thestrandbergs.com/ and in particular the classical position (guitar resting on left leg) was incredibly comfortable. This is not the position I normally play in, so that was interesting. Very cool...especially that second position -- it's not one I'd considered before, but it would make an excellent 'solution' for the way I like to play while seated. I can see how one could build a much smaller guitar that still remains comfortable to play. As an example, I built a copy of a Rickenbacker 350... I love the shape of the guitar, which is much smaller than a typical guitar (i.e., the end doesn't extend back very far) but playing it seated was annoying because the guitar is forced too far to the right. Which in turn forces the left arm in...which gets really uncomfortable really quickly. But your curve would help shift the guitar forward again. I was a little skeptical about this design but with the mockup the ergonomics are much more apparent. I'm wondering though -- if you look at the Klein design, part of its 'secret' is that the front part of the lower bout is larger than the back part. Which of course instantly places the neck in alignment when it's resting on your leg. Why not incorporate something similar (not as extreme) into your design? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strandberg Guitarworks Posted February 2, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2008 A bit of progress on the tuner/bridge: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aidlook Posted February 2, 2008 Report Share Posted February 2, 2008 You don't happen to have any detailed plans on that bridge that you'd like to share? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Irizarry Posted February 3, 2008 Report Share Posted February 3, 2008 Ah - as it happens I tested playing positions earlier today on a cardboard mockup! I have posted a series of pictures on my blog http://guitarworks.thestrandbergs.com/ and in particular the classical position (guitar resting on left leg) was incredibly comfortable. This is not the position I normally play in, so that was interesting. Interesting observation about classical position. I found the same with my Klein based project guitar as well. Unfortunately, the real Klein places the output jack in an inconvenient location for playing in classical position but I remedied that by moving the jack to the surface. In classical position, the guitar sits up beautifully with no effort. You can actually remove your hands from it without a change in position. It also mimics standing position more closely than a casual seated position with the guitar more centrally located on the guitarist's body. Regards, Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strandberg Guitarworks Posted February 7, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2008 I have posted a couple of progress pics on my site. The bridge is the most tangible and straight-forward piece at the moment and it will turn out really cool once it's finished (finished as in the surface treatment) if things go according to plan. In the meantime, here's my acrylic router template. The first attempt broke along with my saw, so this is very hand-made :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TemjinStrife Posted February 8, 2008 Report Share Posted February 8, 2008 If you end up being able to produce these bridges in multiple quantities I might be interested in purchasing one. Also, seeing the template, I really like the body shape. I'll have to keep that one in mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Irizarry Posted February 10, 2008 Report Share Posted February 10, 2008 If you end up being able to produce these bridges in multiple quantities I might be interested in purchasing one. +1. I'd love to see another source for headless bridges. Musicyo rarely has stock of the R-trems, the Trans-trems are all but unavailable and ABM is out of business. Regards, Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregP Posted February 10, 2008 Report Share Posted February 10, 2008 And ETS seem slow to respond to individual queries... if there were a good dealer channel, that'd be fine, but there doesn't seem to be one of those either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strandberg Guitarworks Posted February 10, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2008 I have uploaded complete plans for everything I have done so far on my site. Feel free to donate if you like them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carousel182 Posted February 20, 2008 Report Share Posted February 20, 2008 This helix neck thing really interests me. I have problems in my wrist and this would make guitar significantly easier for me to play. Is there a way to do this with no CNC? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElRay Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 (edited) And ETS seem slow to respond to individual queries... if there were a good dealer channel, that'd be fine, but there doesn't seem to be one of those either.It looks like ETS has adapted to the death of Mr M of ABM. From Building The Ergonomic Guitar Blog:ETS Headless Guitar Bridge]Our products for endcustomer can be referred over the following dealer : BassLine Bassparts Mühlenweg 52 47839 Krefeld Germany Telefon: +492151-736496 Fax: +492151-743625 shop@bassparts.de Please contact this business about the price and informationBe sure to bop on over to Rob's site for full info. Ray Edited February 22, 2008 by ElRay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strandberg Guitarworks Posted February 22, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 (edited) Hey carousel, check out this or this clip of Routing the back of a guitar neck.... I am a mechanical engineer turned software engineer, so I'm itching to do it, but I'm afraid that it will take much longer than doing it by hand. I am more inclined to make a duplicarver type setup so that I can do scratch prototypes and then duplicate in tonewood when happy. Will post some more progress pictures tonight. I have completed to base plates for the bridge. I was supposed to get the knurled knobs done today but my friend with the special tool that it requires got a strep throat. Edit 30 seconds after posting: Hmmm, just re-read carousel's post. Is there a way to do it with _no_ CNC? There ought to be, but time will tell. I can think of two ways to do it: either from a solid/glued slab that is rasped/planed carefully, or creating a jig that has the right curvature and then gluing thin laminates and pressing them into shape. The third option (which is my plan A) is to create a mould and vacuum bag epoxy and carbon fiber like Edited February 22, 2008 by Strandberg Guitarworks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carousel182 Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 Hey, I think when I attempt this (in a month or two most likely) I will carve it out with a rasp, and then use scrapers to get the surface good for gluing. I'll vacuum press the fretboard on it (I'm not sure if its going to need any bending done to it first so that it glues down good enough.) One question: what type of truss rod will work in this type of neck?? Thanks, Carousel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strandberg Guitarworks Posted February 23, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2008 Hey, I think when I attempt this (in a month or two most likely) I will carve it out with a rasp, and then use scrapers to get the surface good for gluing. I'll vacuum press the fretboard on it (I'm not sure if its going to need any bending done to it first so that it glues down good enough.) One question: what type of truss rod will work in this type of neck?? Thanks, Carousel Theoretically, the same truss-rod as always, since the bending moment is essentially the same. Having said that, the profile of the neck is different from that of a straight neck, so the tension in a given point will differ. Also, it might be a bit tricky to do the routing for it. With a carbon fibre neck, there should be no need for a truss-rod methinks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strandberg Guitarworks Posted February 23, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2008 Just got back from getting some threads done on my tuners. More progress pictures on my site, but here are a couple: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strandberg Guitarworks Posted February 29, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 29, 2008 Some more progress on my site Finishing off a second styrofoam prototype that is looking good (it really does :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strandberg Guitarworks Posted March 6, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2008 Bridge progress: Carbon fibre mould progress: Little more verbose on my blog :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TemjinStrife Posted March 6, 2008 Report Share Posted March 6, 2008 That's quite the neck twist... I was originally imagining something much more subtle. I would love to be able to try it out, though! Body looks very good too. How does the bridge anchor to keep the strings straight and action consistent? Is it angled on posts? Is the body itself or the bridge rout angled? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anderekel Posted March 7, 2008 Report Share Posted March 7, 2008 I really like this build and seeing you make your own trem and whatnot. I'm very interested to see how the trem ends up workin' out, it's lookin' really good so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strandberg Guitarworks Posted March 7, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2008 Here are a couple more pictures of how the neck is set into the body. I have written up some more details on my blog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
volverine Posted March 21, 2008 Report Share Posted March 21, 2008 It will surely be a great instrument and I really like Your tuner design!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
komodo Posted March 21, 2008 Report Share Posted March 21, 2008 Wow. This is a SUPER tight design. REALLY nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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