Gimme Some Input

[avengers63]

I'd like some opinions and the thoughts behind them, if you please. =o)

aluminum 3+3 neck

purpleheart fretboard w/ white pearl dots

RAD purpleheart HSH pups

all chrome hardware, strat-like trem

Defender body shape - just like the SuperThin

I'll be making the body mostly from white limba, dyed yellow, repeated soakings with linseed oil, and polished out as much as reasonable. I'm wanting to put some PH into the body as well.

Here's the question:

1) 2 3/4" PH stringers going on either side of the "center block"

2) 2 1/4" PH center block

It's mostly a question of aesthetics. Yes, PH vs limba under the bridge & pups will effect the tone, blah blah blah. If I have the PH center block, it'll be a solid line of PH all through the center, including the pups. Two stringers will break it up, but it might look disjointed visually.

So whaddya think - center block or stringers - and why?

[ScottR]

Are your stringers or block going all the way through the body, essentially leaving limba wings, or are they going to be inset into the top....say to the depth of your neck pocket?

SR

edit: er, a 1/4" center block? Is that 1/4" deep by the width of.....what?.....fretboard, pups?

[RestorationAD]

Nothing you do will offset the tone of an aluminum neck.

So I say go for the 3/4" PH stringers. I always like thinner stripes in my work but the bigger stripes will show more under all the hardware.

[bob123]

For a cosmetic standpoint alone, Id say do stringers. It seems to give it more a sleek, racing stripe vibe.

[avengers63]

SR: The stringers/block will be the full thickness of the body, not just an inlay. The "center block" would be 2.25" wide.

[ScottR]

In that case, I agree with the others, the stringers would be more visually interesting in my opinion and would break up that center purple stripe and creat more contrast for the pups.

On the other hand I'd probably feel more comfortable bolting an aluminum neck into PH from a purely structural point of view.

SR

[bob123]

In that case, I agree with the others, the stringers would be more visually interesting in my opinion and would break up that center purple stripe and creat more contrast for the pups.

On the other hand I'd probably feel more comfortable bolting an aluminum neck into PH from a purely structural point of view.

SR

You could align the strings to coincide with the bolt holes

[avengers63]

I decided to go with a combination of the two: a 2.25" center block, some limba, then 1/4" stringers, and the rest limba.

I had an issue with the neck, though. I epoxied the fretboard on months ago. I looked at it earlier this week and the end had lifted off. I figure it was from the cheap epoxy I had at the time. I'll try again with the good stuff I picked up, but now the issue is how to clean the old epoxy off of the aluminum without dorking it up.

[zyonsdream]

Martin made the alternative X with an aluminum top mated to wood sides. The epoxy we had to use to get the top to stay was so caustic that the EPA made us build a separate booth away from our standard glue-up area to properly vent the fumes. I'm not sure what the exact brand of epoxy was. Monday, I'll try to find out.

[avengers63]

I'm giving serious consideration to making a PH neck and ditching the aluminum thing.

[ScottR]

Good choice. That's a pleasing combination.

SR

[avengers63]

I decided to make the neck. Limba/PH, essentially matching the body. Pics later.

[whalehazard]

Good call. This will be way nicer without aluminum. Love the body.

[avengers63]

It's kinda hard to separate the neck from the body, but here it is.

[avengers63]

After it's all dyed up, all I'm gonna do is soak it in linseed oil three times and give it a light buffing with steel wool.

[maull]

dang, that is a bright geet.

[avengers63]

This is nothing. I have a history.....

[ScottR]

I'm not a big fan of that yellow.....but I'd love to know how you kept it out of the purple.

SR

[westhemann]

I don't know that he did...something like purpleheart won't take yellow very well at all,so it all but disappears.

I sort of like the color...like a muscle car with racing stripes

[avengers63]

[ScottR]

Bravo. Well done.

SR

[avengers63]

The body got the 3rd coat of linseed oil Friday. I'll let it dry another few days before I try and buff the wood to 1000 grit. Yesterday I managed to rout the headstock, radius, oil, fret, dress, and polish.

Sunday is my NFL/lazy day, so I worked on nothing today. I have an extra day off tomorrow, so I plan on finishing up the neck carve and dyeing the neck limba yellow.

[Our Souls inc.]

that color combo suits that shape very well. nice going so far.

[avengers63]

WESS - THe original plan for this thing with the aluminum neck was tribute to the muscle cars. I wanted to paint it yellow with purple rally stripes and put a Dodge "Super Bee" decal on it. When that all tanked, I did this.

OSI - The earthy yellow matches up pretty nicely with the earthy purple. Yellow and rally stripes on a strat-like shape seems like a natural fit.

So here's the neck before dyeing the limba. The transition and volute turned out a LOT better than I was anticipating. This is one of those times where I just went to work on it and let the wood tell me what it wanted to me. It's better to let it happen than to try and fight it.

[avengers63]

GOSH DANG THIS THING PLAYS AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!

I can't find out exactly what it sounds like plugged in yet. Rad's wiring colors aren't what I remember them being. I want this wired up like an Ibanez HSH, so I need to get with him via email and get the colors all sorted out. Aside from that and some fine-tuning of the neck shelf on the body, this thing is just spectacular. It's easily the lowest action I've made yet.