Technology4Musicians Posted February 2, 2014 Report Share Posted February 2, 2014 (edited) Let's start from the beginning: why a headless? I've always like the small and confortable guitars like Kramer Baretta, Washburn Steve Stevens and Nuno Bettencourt, and finally Music Man. To have a small body the bridge should be positioned as close as possible at the end of the body. Consequently it must have a small headstock not to unbalance the design. In a headless the bridge is placed at the end of the body to be able to easily access to the intonation adjustment, and the headstock is so small that you can't see it. I've never been interested in the egonomic design guitars. A guitar should be confortable to play (I had a Jackson Randy Rhoads and I know what it means plays an unconfortable guitar) but it should be also nice, otherwise we'd all have a Klein. Design a guitar trying to make an original design is something very difficult. After the aluminum GL replica I decided to try to realize a new original guitar, this time entirely made of wood. I decided to create an asymmetrical design, a carved top, and ribs that I have always liked in Parker guitars. I start from two different design: a single cut and a double cut which share the lower part of the body. I derive from these two design the headless version: hence four different guitars. It took me about a year to get to this first guitar. I've had two body blanks: a poplar one and a flamed poplar one. I split them so you get two guitars with figured top. Once glued them I cut out the body. As you can see it came out a hole in the top. I have to fill it. at this point, however, I have to hide it with the paint. I decide that I will use a sunburst. I draw directly on the wood the curves which the will report to CAD. Here begins the most time consuming and hard work... Edited February 2, 2014 by Technology4Musicians Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Technology4Musicians Posted February 2, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2014 Begin to carve... I decide to use a neutrik jack I use a piece of flamed maple for the neck and a rosewood fingerboard. Before I start I build my own single action truss rod. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Technology4Musicians Posted February 2, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2014 (edited) After finishing the neck it's time to paint the body... I decide to make a binding on relief carvings. Subsequently I decide to use the sunburst also with the neck. Edited February 2, 2014 by Technology4Musicians Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Technology4Musicians Posted February 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 3, 2014 At this point it's time to start assembling the guitar. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verhoevenc Posted February 3, 2014 Report Share Posted February 3, 2014 Very cool. I really like the carve, very interesting way of addressing it and I think it paid off in the end. Especially the way the asymmetry of the protruding areas of the carve accentuate the asymmetry of the overall design. I tried my hand at headless design for a design contest awhile back and actually found it kind of difficult. I'm not used to designing small guitars so changing one of my designs to be headless proved hard. But I finally just started from scratch and came up with this: Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Technology4Musicians Posted February 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 3, 2014 Nice design, congrats! I can't understand the way you've carved the lower horn. Probably also my next build will be a multi scale with the same body as this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
killemall8 Posted February 3, 2014 Report Share Posted February 3, 2014 I am really surprised that method of gluing the top worked. Even with a ton of clamps, i really have to focus quite a bit to get it just right. And why all the complex designing only to use a single action truss rod? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Technology4Musicians Posted February 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 3, 2014 (edited) And why all the complex designing only to use a single action truss rod? I decide to use the least possible use of commercial components for this build. Everything you see, except the electonics and pickups was self built. I've owned about a dozen guitars, mainly Charvel and Jackson, and I've never had to use the truss rod in extension. However, I bought 4 new truss rod, two singles and two doubles for the next build. Edited February 3, 2014 by Technology4Musicians Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted February 3, 2014 Report Share Posted February 3, 2014 I like it.I am interested to see the single cut in real wood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verhoevenc Posted February 5, 2014 Report Share Posted February 5, 2014 Haven't made one yet... but I'm gunna say it'll probably be difficult. For those that don't know this appears to be the same guy out of Italy that RestoAD gets his headless hardware from. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Technology4Musicians Posted February 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2014 For those that don't know this appears to be the same guy out of Italy that RestoAD gets his headless hardware from. Chris Yes I am. Brett got his headless and multiscale hardware from me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Technology4Musicians Posted February 14, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2014 Finally I've finished it. Here are some pics. I'll post some better pics as soon as I can. Here is a comparrison with my MusicMan Axis. My purpose was to build a compact guitar. I think I have reached my goal. I'm really satisfied. There some details which I think I'll change in my next build. I'm evaluating to stretch the lower horn in order to give a better grip when you play it sitting down. Also the jack will be probably repositioned. A straight jack could annoy if you play sitting down in classical way. No problem instead with L jacks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psikoT Posted February 15, 2014 Report Share Posted February 15, 2014 I'm not fan of headless, but this one is really beautyful... sunburst tonalities are simply amazing. Congrats! I had the same issue in the past with the lower horn of one of my guitars, now i think it is probably the most important body part to keep in mind at design stage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted February 15, 2014 Report Share Posted February 15, 2014 Nice work. I like it. Just so everyone knows Alberto's hardware is beautiful and well made. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Technology4Musicians Posted February 16, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 Nice work. I like it. Just so everyone knows Alberto's hardware is beautiful and well made. Thank you Brett! My hardware here is known primarily thanks to you. Soon expect to see some of your new headless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SykoDJ Posted February 28, 2014 Report Share Posted February 28, 2014 such a nice looking guitar well done I love the stains you chose Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Technology4Musicians Posted March 16, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2014 Some better pics... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Technology4Musicians Posted August 29, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2014 Some laminated necks for next builds. I'm drawing the 6,7,8 multiscale versions of my headless guitar. What do you think about the best scale to use for each of them? I thinked: 6 strings - 26"-24.75" 7 strings - 26.5"-24.75" 8 strings - ??? what do you think about it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curtisa Posted August 30, 2014 Report Share Posted August 30, 2014 You'll probably get lots of different answers and opinions. Personal circumstances may dictate the scale lengths you settle on - how much of a stretch the player is comfortable with on the lower strings, how "steep" the angle is at each end of the fretboard, the position of the perpendicular fret, the tuning the guitar will be used in, how taut the player likes the strings to be... I've only built one multiscale so far - 7 string, 25.5" - 26.5", perpendicular at the 7th, tuned standard. As a former Strat guy I'm quite happy with 25.5" on the treble side, and I feel an extra inch on the bass for the low B is a good compromise between string tension and fret span. What I have noticed from playing the guitar is that my left hand would probably still be comfortable with a slightly more exaggerated angle at the nut, either by going to 27" scale length, or keeping the scale length at 26.5" and shifting the perpendicualr fret higher to the 8th or 9th position. I'm currently planning a new build - 6 strings, 25" - 26", perp at the 9th - which will spend its time tuned in open-C or drop-C. I've always liked the looser feel of the slightly shorter 25" scale on my PRS, and an extra inch for the low C would probably work quite well without making the stretch too much for my hands. I imagine most people would view an 8 string multiscale to be best at 27" to 28" on the bass side. I personally don't like the sound of the high-E when tuned to pitch at scale lengths above 25.5" as it starts to get a brittle and piercing quality, so maybe use your own experiences/ears/hands with "regular" guitars as a guide to deciding on your treble scale length. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Technology4Musicians Posted August 30, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2014 I imagine most people would view an 8 string multiscale to be best at 27" to 28" on the bass side. I personally don't like the sound of the high-E when tuned to pitch at scale lengths above 25.5" as it starts to get a brittle and piercing quality, so maybe use your own experiences/ears/hands with "regular" guitars as a guide to deciding on your treble scale length. I've owned several guitars in the past, mainly Jackson and Charvel. Every of them had 25.5" scale length. I remember my brother had a Jackson Fusion model, with shorter scale (24.75") and it was super confortable. So i think to use that scale length for the higher strings. The perpendicular fret will be at the 10th. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Technology4Musicians Posted December 19, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2017 (edited) Here I am again... A lot of time is passed from my last post. During this time I have developed my hardware until last release about one month ago and I have worked into my own guitar design, changing some details from my last build and developing three prototypes for the same model: one six strings standard 25,5" scale length with fixed single bridge saddles one six strings multiscale 26" - 25,5", with tremolo one seven strings multiscale 26,5" - 25,5" with fixed single bridge saddles Here were some laminated necks I used... Edited December 19, 2017 by Technology4Musicians Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Technology4Musicians Posted December 19, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2017 Here is one neck from front side, ready for the truss rod installation. This is the back view Here is a special jig I made for gluing the fretboard. I use some non stick film to avoid the glue flows onto the neck.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Technology4Musicians Posted December 19, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2017 But something has gone wrong... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Technology4Musicians Posted December 19, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2017 As wood selection for bodies I opted for: six strings with standard scale: poplar back, figured poplar top. six strings with multiscale: maple, padauk, zebrano and padauk seven strings with multiscale: maple, zebrano, figured poplar Here are the guitars unfinished with their necks. I have no good pics for the bodies making process.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Technology4Musicians Posted December 19, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2017 And this was the final result.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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