Jump to content

Small Guitar Project


Recommended Posts

Hi everybody.

This is my first post and I want to present my new building, still a work in progess.

It's a small guitar with a scale length of 20" (508mm), semihollow sapelly body, hard maple top, laminated neck (brazilian cedar, and paduack) with a very, very small ebony fingerboard. Just one minihumbucker and a custom bridge.

And now some pics

All the woods

baby_guitar_1.jpg

Laminated neck

baby_guitar_2.jpg

Sapelly body

baby_guitar_3.jpg

this are five pieces of sapelly.

I have a question. In spanish, a piece of natural wood (no plywood or similar) it's called "Tablón". A piece made from several pieces it's called "Tablero". Can I call the sapelly body a board "Tablero" of sapelly?

More pics:

baby_guitar_4.jpg

this scarft joint it's done in the headstock so when I glue the venner the cut will be hidden.

baby_guitar_6.jpg

some work done.

baby_guitar_8.jpg

baby_guitar_12.jpg

glueing the top.

baby_guitar_14.jpg

baby_guitar_15.jpg

The headstock's template.

More to come soon ...

Edited by Noceda guitars
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I will try to use standard tunning with a string set of 0.54 - 0.10, but if i heard somo tunning problems i'll tunnig down a whole step.

It seems like at that scale length, with normal strings, you might want to tune up a minor third. My reasoning is, your scale length is about 4/5 standard, and if you apply that ratio to the 12 semitones of our scale, you chop off three of them.

Another way to look at it is to measure out 20" from the bridge on a standard guitar and see what fret it lands nearest to. Then tune the small guitar like you would a normal guitar capoed at that fret.

Or, if you want it at standard tuning, you'll probably need much heavier strings (and your low E might not sound too good).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I will try to use standard tunning with a string set of 0.54 - 0.10, but if i heard somo tunning problems i'll tunnig down a whole step.

It seems like at that scale length, with normal strings, you might want to tune up a minor third. My reasoning is, your scale length is about 4/5 standard, and if you apply that ratio to the 12 semitones of our scale, you chop off three of them.

Another way to look at it is to measure out 20" from the bridge on a standard guitar and see what fret it lands nearest to. Then tune the small guitar like you would a normal guitar capoed at that fret.

Or, if you want it at standard tuning, you'll probably need much heavier strings (and your low E might not sound too good).

Hi Geo, you are right. I was reading this (smallguitars.com):

to get a stable sound and tuning in mini electric guitars we recommend either using higher gauge strings (0.11 would be a good choice), or alternatively, use a higher string tuning, such as A-D-G-C-E-A or an open G: G-D-G-B-D-G. Please refer also to the section below about how to tune a small guitar)

Maybe I try a thicker string set (0.56 - 0.11) or tune it up, not down :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice looking guitar you've got going there. I'm working on a short scale travel guitar modeled after the old Chiquita travel guitar which is 19" scale. They recommend tuning up three half steps to G. The Chiquitas come with these string gauges: .013, .017, .022, .036, .046, .056

Good luck with the build!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

For the strings, I'd try the Zakk Wylde GHS set with the 72 low E or a baritone set. Maybe a 7 string set without the high e (it'd have a wrapped 3rd string like an acoustic, but it'd be thick). Daddaario has a new drop C set too that's thick as can be.

I like the look of that top, but I hope the body isn't finished. It looks really wide and not really fluid. The cutaway is WAY too small. You're neck clamp things for attaching the fretboard are pure genius though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the advice, IbanezDudeCK, but 72 maybe it's too much.

The cutaway, yeah, you are right, I have to work more on it, but, what do you mean when you say "the body it's not fluid"?.

The body isn't so wide, maybe it is a perspective problem in that photo.

The clamps:

Violin's clamps

Used to clamp the violin tops.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the advice, IbanezDudeCK, but 72 maybe it's too much.

The cutaway, yeah, you are right, I have to work more on it, but, what do you mean when you say "the body it's not fluid"?.

The body isn't so wide, maybe it is a perspective problem in that photo.

The clamps:

Violin's clamps

Used to clamp the violin tops.

The body just doesn't really seem like everything fits together. The holes look really modern but the body as a whole looks like a really old vintage style hollowbody. Maybe it'll look better when the cutaway is done but to me, the body shape looks vintage and the wood and holes look modern. it just doesn't seem to have a modern, slim and streamlined look like the F holes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...
  • 3 years later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...