ZekeB, "Mako I"
"Here we go. Big thanks to the ProjectGuitar.com family for helping me through it. This is the Mako I
- Wood - Honduras mahogany body, figured maple top, macassar ebony fretboard
- Scale Length - 25.5"
- Compound Radius - 12"-15.6"
- Pickups - Tom Anderson pickups H2, SF, SFR (neck)
- 10 position Freeway Blade switch
- Master Volume & Tone Pots
- Push/Pull volume pot to act as a kill switch (standby switch)
- Schaller Non-Tremelo Bridge
This is my 1st build. I've done other wood work but nothing to this scale. Spent about a year reading, researching, and designing before going after it. I built it in my garage starting with a few tools. As it progressed I accumulated more and tried different things before moving forward. Some worked, some really didn't, haha.
I had an idea of what it was going to be and I didn't think I would break from that plan but I was pleasantly surprised it changed it so much. As I built it kind of took on its own character and I just went with it. It definitely took longer to change things but on the artistic side its a lot more pleasing to let the design take its own course. The other element was how it played. I'm much more a musician than a luthier and I'm really happy how well that turned out. Sounds nice and smooth with plenty of ringing sustain, some great flexibility, and low consistent action.
The original idea was to take all the elements I love from other guitars and make something unique with all those variables. I feel I was pretty successful in that regard. I really enjoyed the whole process and this definitely won't be my last build.
Thanks!
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Komodo - "'66 Korina Super Sport"
Of course the date is fictional, except it was the year -I- was manufactured and the touchstone for this guitars aesthetic. My goal was a vintage looking and very modern playing muscle car of a guitar. As a player it is easily my favorite, with the wood combo it has sustain for days, and action is fast. Bridge tones are thick and edgy, cleans sound super chimey on either pickup but the center position is amazing.
- 25” scale
- Korina / white limba body
- Pau Ferro neck with Macassar ebony fretboard and MOP dots
- Gotoh tremolo and tuners
- Seymour Duncan SH-11 bridge pickup, A2 14k, added nickel cover
- Seymour Duncan Black Winter neck pickup, ceramic 16k parallel, added custom nickel cover
Volume and tone, both pickups have split switch, the bridge also pulls some low-end from the second coil and retains most humbucking. Switches are Honeywell 6AT2 SPDT used in military aircraft. $90 minis! (these were $5 used on ebay). Toggle has custom smoke / fire plate. CTS pots are sporting oxblood “Klon” knobs on them.
The finish is nitro, the body was put in a deep freezer for a few days then pulled into a warm room to produce crazing and checking.
The hardware was all new and shiny, it was dinged and rubbed with steel wool and sandpaper, and fumed with muriatic acid to produce a heavy relic finish. Neither the clear nitro or hardware was intended to look like a naturally aged instrument but more of a fictitious barn find. I do not have to worry about scratching this one as it only gets better!
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Gallery
Mako I
'66 Korina Super Sport
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