RestorationAD Posted November 15, 2012 Report Share Posted November 15, 2012 T906 #1 El Mariachi Body: Limba/Walnut Veneer/Ambrosia Maple Top/Chambered/34mm Neck: Limba/Walnut Veneer/Maple Veneer/Macassar Ebony/18mm/44.5mm Hardware: Hipshot Bridge/Hipshot Grip Lock Scale: 25.5 Pickups: Dirt Bridge Humbucker/P90 Neck Electronics: 3-Way/Vol (Push-Pull) I had one last project to sneak in this year. The 9 Series singlecut prototype T9...I have a mini LP style single cut in the works but it is scheduled for late next year. We are following my usual design methodology of taking something vintage and dragging it "kicking and screaming" into the modern world while trying to retain what I consider the important features. For this model I am introducing chambering. However do to increasing idea theft I am not going to show it at this time. There are going to be two types of chambering available for this model. Weight reduction and Sound Chambers. This one has weight reduction. Moving forward I plan to keep the 9 Series within a specific weight range and will carry this type of chambering over to the S9 as well. Also introducing a new 4+2 headstock design that I hope to translate into 7 and 8 string models as well. I am designing a new P90 for this model that fits in a Humbucker route. Nothing new just adding to the versatility. I think on the second one I will do a traditional tele pickup config. Enough jabber here is the work... Ebony board on a Limba blank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted November 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2012 Ambrosia top has some really nice figure... too bad I am going to lose some to pickup routes. Head plate and the works... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted November 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2012 When dealing with worm holes I have learned to using a clear epoxy to attach the top. Titebond always leaves nasty little yellow spots... A look at the walnut veneers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted November 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2012 Sanding through the grits on the fretboard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted November 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2012 New headstock and the body are about ready. The back... I have decided to leave out a belly cut or arm rest for this one. I think with the thin body and 3/16" radius edge I can probably get away with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted November 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2012 Cleaning up the edges. When I do the new bench I will have a nice vise for this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted November 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2012 Random headstock pic. Details details details... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted November 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2012 Full shot before gluing the neck in... Hardware check. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted November 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2012 Tuner check. Neck glued in... almost ready for finishing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob123 Posted November 15, 2012 Report Share Posted November 15, 2012 Interesting design. Body shape is les paul meets tele meets axis. Cool headstock design, but Im not sure it meshes well visually for me. Guess we shall see when its all together Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted November 15, 2012 Report Share Posted November 15, 2012 That is some awesome ambrosia---the head stock cap looks like some old Indian art. I love the new headstock design. It's got nice echoes of the inline HS with a little more visual balance. So you've chambered a 1 3/8" body........are you shooting for a 2 pounder or what? When dealing with worm holes I have learned to using a clear epoxy to attach the top. Titebond always leaves nasty little yellow spots... Honestly, that's the main reason I use epoxy more often than titebond. The glue is supposed to be invisible except in cases like yours....but sometimes it shows up. I prefer it to not look like old boogers. Unless you've disguised that P-90 to look like a humbucker as well as fit in a humbucker route, I assume you don't have it built yet or didn't when you took those shots. The Dirt/P-90 combination sounds promising. I don't suppose you have any sould clips of the Dirt on your site yet. (Obviously, I haven't been by in a while). This is going to be a nice addition to your line, I like it. SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
demonx Posted November 15, 2012 Report Share Posted November 15, 2012 A lot of my guitars are thinner than standard. I've tried what you are doing and found the rear carve is needed. The front can be done away with. I've got a similar "tele" build with modern headstock at the moment. Flat top, carved back. Nice looking build you've got going there. Will look great when finished. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pauliemc Posted November 15, 2012 Report Share Posted November 15, 2012 Looking good man. I dig the hell outa this thing. Ambrosia is excellent lookin stuff. Just cant seem to find any here in Ireland thats woth a damn. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
killemall8 Posted November 15, 2012 Report Share Posted November 15, 2012 How do you tigthen the tuner nuts, when they are recessed like that? I did that on my recent guitar because they werent long enough, but now i cant tighten them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob123 Posted November 16, 2012 Report Share Posted November 16, 2012 (edited) How do you tigthen the tuner nuts, when they are recessed like that? I did that on my recent guitar because they werent long enough, but now i cant tighten them. Check out some thin wall sockets, they should work really well in that kinda thing. That said, some needle nose pliers and a lot of care would work well too. Edited November 16, 2012 by bob123 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
demonx Posted November 16, 2012 Report Share Posted November 16, 2012 Ambrosia is excellent lookin stuff. Just cant seem to find any here in Ireland thats woth a damn. I was told by a guy from a Melbourne timber yard that deals with exotics that Ambrosia is just Enlgish grown maple. Same tree. The English decided to rename it. So if thats true (I've never bothered to research it) then this top is spalted maple, grown in England, which because of the climate difference, height above sea level difference etc eta, the timber will appear different. I assume RAD already knows this as he listed "Ambrosia Maple" in the specs, so I'm more commenting towards others that are unaware. For example. Take Australian Blackwood. Tassy, Vic and Qld blackwood are all different. Yet they are the same tree. Different locations/hights and climates turn out different colored timber. Tasmanian is the most sought after, the darkest, grown in more rainforresty locations. Vic is located in the middle of Tassy and QLD and the timber is in the middle of the darker tassy and the lighter more plain QLD blackwood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob123 Posted November 16, 2012 Report Share Posted November 16, 2012 I can't say thats necessarily accurate demon, one of my suppliers (a MAJOR wood supplier for the midwest) has a large stock of "ambrosia". Im never a fan of spalted/burled maples so I never bother to look. You may be correct at the name origination, but its more common of a name then a regional growth pattern most likely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juntunen Guitars Posted November 16, 2012 Report Share Posted November 16, 2012 How do you tigthen the tuner nuts, when they are recessed like that? I did that on my recent guitar because they werent long enough, but now i cant tighten them. Stewmac also sells nut tighteners, basically a socket on the end of a handle. I just use a rachet set when I don't have my stewmac tighteners. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted November 16, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2012 Interesting design. Body shape is les paul meets tele meets axis. Cool headstock design, but Im not sure it meshes well visually for me. Guess we shall see when its all together Funny you should say that the other project is an Axis... My headstocks never make sense until the guitar is done. Even then some people hate them. That is some awesome ambrosia---the head stock cap looks like some old Indian art. I love the new headstock design. It's got nice echoes of the inline HS with a little more visual balance. So you've chambered a 1 3/8" body........are you shooting for a 2 pounder or what? Yes I am shooting for very light weight but still balanced. The limba neck is really light and it is allowing me to do some things I can't usually get away with. We will see when I am building a maple neck... One thing that has made the guitars inconsistent in the final weight are the exotic tops. Bloodwood, Ziricote, Maple, Soft Maple, etc... all have very different weights. It feels weird picking up a guitar so thin that is normal guitar weight. So I want them to be consistently light. Chambering is the answer. I plan to chart all the weights next year to create a matrix of how much chambering for the different tops/backs. Unless you've disguised that P-90 to look like a humbucker as well as fit in a humbucker route, I assume you don't have it built yet or didn't when you took those shots. The Dirt/P-90 combination sounds promising. I don't suppose you have any sould clips of the Dirt on your site yet. (Obviously, I haven't been by in a while). This is going to be a nice addition to your line, I like it. SR I am going to put the P90 in a nickel humbucker cover. However they are not done yet so I used dumby pickups. I don't have any sound clips because my customers are lazy. They promise sound clips but never send them to me... I guess if you want something done... How do you tighten the tuner nuts, when they are recessed like that? I did that on my recent guitar because they werent long enough, but now i cant tighten them. See what Bob123 said. I modified a socket by thinning the sides and grinding the face flat. Then polished the crap out of it... I will post some pictures of how to make one without a lathe when I get some time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
demonx Posted November 16, 2012 Report Share Posted November 16, 2012 I can't say thats necessarily accurate demon.................. You can say it's not necessarily accurate as I just googled it. It is not accurate! This will explain: http://www.spaltedma...paltedwood.html HOWEVER: If you google Ambrosia England, you will discover that terminology is used differently there... This is Ambrosia flooring in England. Just looks like B grade Maple. So the guy at the timberyard is correct. The website above is correct. Yet both are different. I guess its a case of where you are located as to the terminology used. ??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted November 16, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2012 For the record in the US "Ambrosia Maple" is nothing more than hard maple that has been attacked by the ambrosia beetle. As the beetle bores in it brings a fungus with it that discolors the wood. When the little buggers attack figured eastern rock maple you get good stuff! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted November 16, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2012 I love the new headstock design. It's got nice echoes of the inline HS with a little more visual balance. Glad you caught that. The little cut away is the identical set of curves to be exact. I wanted a 4+2 without losing the identity I have worked hard to establish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted November 16, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2012 We always talk about sound clips of my pickups... well the guitarist for Pivot has a custom S9 loaded with Diablos and all his other guitars and the singers guitars are loaded with Diablos as well. My friends have a new album called Enter the Exosphere on which the guitarist only used the Guitar Logistics S9 known as Spazmatron and a very nice Mesa Boogie Mark V make some good work. Check them out. http://www.reverbnation.com/429 http://www.reverbnat...w/song_14317238 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wretched Posted November 16, 2012 Report Share Posted November 16, 2012 LOVING the new headstock design. Might be the traditionalist in me, but I prefer it for having shoulders on both sides of the headstock, unlike your usual one that only has it on one side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ripthorn Posted November 16, 2012 Report Share Posted November 16, 2012 I like the headstock, but have to say that the body shape is not my cup of tea. Doesn't mean the workmanship isn't fantastic, though, because it always is. I'm wanting to get my hands on some macassar. I've also got a nice piece of ambrosia maple just waiting to be put to use, probably on the upcoming prototype build I have for a new body shape. What kind of finished weight are you shooting for with these guys? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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