Custom Seven String

[zEr0]

Hello, I'm new here so please excuse me if I'm posting in the wrong section. I am having a custom seven string made from an Argentinian luthier in a month’s time.

Here's a drawing I made of the finished guitar as I hope it will be.

I am a bit worried that the inlay or the finish of the guitar may give the guy some problems.

The inlay is not shown in the mock-up because I couldn’t draw all the details on such a small neck.

Here’s an example of what’s in my mind:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v180/metal15/c026a799.jpg

That thing is supposed to be a golden sun on a figured maple fretboard and as for the design, that’s the best I could come up with. I MUST have a sun as the inlay since this axe has to be a representation of the Argentinian flag (yes, I'm argentinian). I’ve always sucked at drawing so I am quite pleased with it so far but I realise it’s not perfect either. I still have to come up with a pattern to fill the 12th fret circle and I am not certain if the inlay is possible at all (maybe it’s too detailed or something like that???). The luthier says he shouldn’t have a problem with it but I wasn't expecting a negative answer either. Do you guys see anything I should be avoiding or have any comments on the design? THX.

As for the finish, it's supposed to be an equivalent of the Ibanez Jem BSB or the Ibanez JS BTB finish with white as the main colour and light-blue stains. I've been told that you can't get blue burnt stains (doh! ) and I was wondering if maybe there is another way of doing it. Again, the luthier said he has many techniques to get similar finishes but I’d like the finished guitar to look as original to the mock-up as possible (not just similar). Any ideas? I found on the Project guitar Gallery a pic of an axe that comes quite close to what I'm looking for. It's called Bad Moon RIsing and here's a pic of what I'm talking about:

I’d really appreciate any thoughts you guys may have on the project since I have no idea about guitar making and all this stuff. I don't want to get too ambitious with this and then end up with a mediocre looking instrument. I just want my axe to be beautiful. THX in advance.

-Freddie

[westhemann]

hey zero...don't put an image that big on the page.side to side scrolling is very annoying and images that large are against the rules.

i redid it as a link,which is much more courteous to the viewers of this forum

thank you

there is a "burnt stained blue" tutorial on the main site

http://www.projectguitar.com/tut/bsb.htm

[zEr0]

Hey thanks for the link I'm sure it will turn out useful and sorry about the image being so big. Won't happen again, I promise!

[darren wilson]

Since it's your luthier who's actually going to be doing the finish, why not let them do some finish tests with techniques they're familiar and comfortable with?

[zEr0]

Since it's your luthier who's actually going to be doing the finish, why not let them do some finish tests with techniques they're familiar and comfortable with?

Hi, Darren. What you say obviously makes a lot of sense but I am just looking for a safe way to get where I want to go and not only where he can. I don't know if I have explained myself.

I'll be in Buenos Aires for only a couple of weeks and that's all the time I have to explain to the guy personally how I want the instrument to be. After that, I return to Milano and only go back to pick the finished instrument in Agaust next year. We'll be keeping in touch via email and over the phone of course but it's still not the perfect situation (I'd prefer to supervize the making of my axe at least once a week).

I gathered, from what you told me on Jemsite, that making this type of finish may not be that easy and I don't want to get to meet the guy and be let down because he can't do it. I'd rather collect some information now and know that if what he shows me doesn't please me, I can point him in this direction. If I still think he's not up to it, I won't go ahead with the project.

I know I've been doing much of the job that could be left to him but that's only because I want my axe to be exactly like I imagine it.

Hope all of this makes sense.

BTW: I really dig your new tune!