Cyclone Posted December 31, 2004 Report Share Posted December 31, 2004 (edited) In the past few months that I have been a part of this forum I have been thinking of Ideas that I would like to incorporate into my first real project. The first thing that I wanted to come up with was the design, so I thought of all of the different shapes that I liked and combined them into one shape. The resulting shape is very much like a PRS. It has the rear shape of a Les Paul, the deep recess horns of a Jackson Soloist and the carved top of a PRS as you can see below. The next thing that I thought of was the type of wood that I wanted to use so I picked a mahogany core with a flame maple cap and back. I went to one of our local wood supply stores and found a couple of boards that would fit my needs. I found an 8' X 8" X 1 1/4" piece of mahogany and a 8' X 7" X 1" piece of flame maple for $58.00. Out of this I should be able to get two bodies and two necks. I should be able to transfer my design to wood some time with in the next week and post its progress. If anyone would like to comment please feel free as all constructive criticism is welcome. Edited January 4, 2005 by Cyclone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skibum5545 Posted December 31, 2004 Report Share Posted December 31, 2004 Pics don't work; too bad, I really wanted to see your progress! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyclone Posted December 31, 2004 Author Report Share Posted December 31, 2004 sorry about that I have gotten one pic to post but I cant seem to figure out why the other two pics of the wood will not post to the server. I will continue to work on it and edit it later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skye Posted January 3, 2005 Report Share Posted January 3, 2005 yes yes, definitely keep us posted! I just want to ask, in case you've already planned ahead- how are you going to finish this? I love translucents but I just wanna pick your brain for a bit; also, what's your plan for the fun stuff (pups, hardware, designs, inlays, etc) just if you've thought that out already? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skibum5545 Posted January 3, 2005 Report Share Posted January 3, 2005 Well, the pics work for me. I like it! Classic, yet original. Good work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CudBucket Posted January 3, 2005 Report Share Posted January 3, 2005 When I first saw your drawing I thought i was looking at a page out of my sketch book. I started with the idea of a Petrucci model Ernie Ball and then sort of shortened it. It looks almost identical to yours, so of course, I like it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xebryusguitars Posted January 3, 2005 Report Share Posted January 3, 2005 That guitar design is insane. Really slick and clean. Cant wait to see this thing started Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyclone Posted January 4, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2005 how are you going to finish this? I love translucents but I just wanna pick your brain for a bit; also, what's your plan for the fun stuff (pups, hardware, designs, inlays, etc) I will be finishing it with a translucent finish. I think that to cover up the grain on the Maple would a sin. For the pups I will be using twin humbuckers each with a split coil. I just havent decided which make and model to use yet. I think that I will have time to decide. The hardware will be in black as the finish will be on the darker side and I plan to use a hard tail type of bridge. For the designs and inlays I havent given much thought as to what I would like, however I do think that I would like to incorporate something on the head stock. Well, the pics work for me. I like it! Classic, yet original. Good work! thank you for the complements. I think that you have nailed what I was trying to achieve, comething classic and original. Below are two new pics of the mahogany cut and trimmed into a body blank. I hope to be able to rough out the outer design later this week at which point I will post new pics. Everyone thanks again for your complements and comments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyclone Posted January 6, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2005 Today I had a chance to cut the body blank into shape. I hope to get my riser block kit for my band saw with in the next week or so at which point I can resaw my maple, plane it and make the book matched tops and back. Below is a picture of the core cut to shape. Please feel free to post any questions or comments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThePlague Posted January 6, 2005 Report Share Posted January 6, 2005 i love that design. that's the kind of design that i like to make. i can't wait to see it with that carved top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyclone Posted January 6, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2005 (edited) Thank you for the complement, to develop it I took parts of my favorite guitars and combined them to develop it. Edited January 6, 2005 by Cyclone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xebryusguitars Posted January 6, 2005 Report Share Posted January 6, 2005 im in love with this design, if you're willing to make one, id love a template, no harm if you dont want to Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Vai Posted January 6, 2005 Report Share Posted January 6, 2005 I like it! The design is really nice. It will be nice to see it when it's finished. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyclone Posted January 10, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2005 im in love with this design, if you're willing to make one, id love a template, no harm if you dont want to I have no problem with giving you a template, however before I do so I would like to gage the response that I get from the finished product as I may want to register the design and shape when finished. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyclone Posted January 10, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2005 Does any one have any opinions on the various fixed bridges that are available, as I am undicided on which one I will use for this project. I do know that I would like something that would not require me to use a neck angle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xebryusguitars Posted January 10, 2005 Report Share Posted January 10, 2005 im in love with this design, if you're willing to make one, id love a template, no harm if you dont want to I have no problem with giving you a template, however before I do so I would like to gage the response that I get from the finished product as I may want to register the design and shape when finished. haha well get working than , by any chance do you still have that original drawing? it looks a little different from the body for some reason, probably just because its not carved top yet. Greats job though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nalo1022 Posted January 10, 2005 Report Share Posted January 10, 2005 well you could recess a TOM adn make it string through i think that would look nice with that design. A hipshot hardtail might look good as well. Do you have a design for the headstock yet becuase i look at a guitars overall appearance and depending on the headstock shape my opinions might change Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nsherman2006 Posted January 10, 2005 Report Share Posted January 10, 2005 if you make templates for that, i would gladly pay materials+shipping+labor costs for one, as it's a great body shape. The project looks great, keep up the good work. Neal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThePlague Posted January 10, 2005 Report Share Posted January 10, 2005 i'd go with a hipshot hardtail. i love that bridge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted January 10, 2005 Report Share Posted January 10, 2005 I have no problem with giving you a template, however before I do so I would like to gage the response that I get from the finished product as I may want to register the design and shape when finished. Sorry to butt in, but....register your design shape? how does one go about doing that? And where does your design really differ from the tons of other strat 'extensions' out there? I'm not trying to be nasty, I just don't see what's original about this design and why you think you can somehow trademark it. Other question: is this wood already aged? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CudBucket Posted January 10, 2005 Report Share Posted January 10, 2005 I have no problem with giving you a template, however before I do so I would like to gage the response that I get from the finished product as I may want to register the design and shape when finished. Sorry to butt in, but....register your design shape? how does one go about doing that? And where does your design really differ from the tons of other strat 'extensions' out there? I'm not trying to be nasty, I just don't see what's original about this design and why you think you can somehow trademark it. Other question: is this wood already aged? +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyclone Posted January 10, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2005 I have no problem with giving you a template, however before I do so I would like to gage the response that I get from the finished product as I may want to register the design and shape when finished. Sorry to butt in, but....register your design shape? how does one go about doing that? And where does your design really differ from the tons of other strat 'extensions' out there? I'm not trying to be nasty, I just don't see what's original about this design and why you think you can somehow trademark it. Other question: is this wood already aged? +1 With regard to registering my design and shape, I do not know if I used the correct termonology, however my design is my own just like the Les Paul is a Gibson owned design. There are many guitars out there that resemble it but when a company or individual creates a guitar that too closely resembles this design it becomes a legal issue. It may be arrogant of me to assume that what I have come up with may have future marking value. However the possibility still exists and if that possibility does exist than I just like any other aspiring business man would be a fool to give his ideas away. Let us remember that fortunes have been made by many people who have capatilized on anothers ideas. As for how I would go about registering the design or if it is even a viable issue, I do not know but if and when I do find out I will be sure to post. To the best of my knowledge the wood is aged. Why do you ask? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted January 10, 2005 Report Share Posted January 10, 2005 To the best of my knowledge the wood is aged. Why do you ask? I had the idea that you just walked into a wood shop and bought a piece of wood --I thought guitar woods had to be aged a certain amount of time and a certain way in order to make the stable enough to use? As for the design, I didn't realize this was going to be a business. In that case, I definitely think you should put more thought into coming up a with a truly original design. I mean, there are so many things you can do with guitars, why stick to a strat shape (okay, okay, you have some little tweaks in there, but that doesn't make it original). For that matter, I don't consider my bocaster design original either, to me, it's a 'based on' design. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyclone Posted January 10, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2005 To the best of my knowledge the wood is aged. Why do you ask? I had the idea that you just walked into a wood shop and bought a piece of wood --I thought guitar woods had to be aged a certain amount of time and a certain way in order to make the stable enough to use? As for the design, I didn't realize this was going to be a business. In that case, I definitely think you should put more thought into coming up a with a truly original design. I mean, there are so many things you can do with guitars, why stick to a strat shape (okay, okay, you have some little tweaks in there, but that doesn't make it original). For that matter, I don't consider my bocaster design original either, to me, it's a 'based on' design. Idch, To the best of my knowledge the only thing that would restrict you from taking any piece of wood and making anything out of it, weither it be a book shelf or guitar, would be its moisture content. As long as it is an acceptable percentage their should be no problem. If I am wrong some please let me know. With regard to my design and shape, as you have said and like many have said elsewhere within this forum,"There is only so much that can be done with a piece of wood". I am no historian but, from everything that I have read and seen it appears that insperation has had to come from somewhere. When Les Paul made the first Gibson "Log" he got his inspiration from the acustic models that were available at the time. One needs to remember that while there are infinate possibilities for that piece of wood it also must meet form and function and those are finite. With regard to your bocaster it appears to be a derivitive of the Bo Diddley "Square Guitar". In itself it may posess many defining attributes that make it different from everything else out there. I guess that if you wanted to capitalize on them you would have to figure out what they are and go from there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted January 11, 2005 Report Share Posted January 11, 2005 With regard to your bocaster it appears to be a derivitive of the Bo Diddley "Square Guitar". In itself it may posess many defining attributes that make it different from everything else out there. I guess that if you wanted to capitalize on them you would have to figure out what they are and go from there. Nah, I'm in this for the fun of it...it's a great way to fuel my GAS and GMS (gear modification syndrome) ...and my wife doesn't nag be about all the guitars I'll have this way ("Look honey, I just created another piece of ART!" ) Although eventually I might toss one of the Bocasters up on ebay, to see what kind of price it'll bring. But I'll have to change the F3nd3r logo for that... The Bocaster started out as a copy of the Bo Diddley rectangle. I didn't want humbuckers and I've wanted a telecaster for a while, so I decided on the telecaster parts for that. Bought a tele copy to modify...then I decided I liked the curved bottom (and besides, it was one less area I'd have to cut n glue)...so by now, it hardly looks like a bodiddley at all...but I'm keeping the name out of respect. I'm betting Leo and Les stumbled into their designs too...trying different things out. Right now I'm playing around with a strat copy...what I really like is how you can clearly see the evolution Leo made with the strat over the tele...I'll want to incorporate that kind of feel into the next generation, the Strabocaster... As for your design, maybe what I'm really saying is, if what you're really seeking is your own original design, well, hey, don't stop there...keep pushing your design along a bit more, you'll probably find it . Part of this comes from a bit of frustration...I've been hanging out in these forums for a couple of months now, and I get the feeling I keep seeing the same guitars over and over again...I STILL don't see the point of building your own Telecaster, for example. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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