skipmurphy Posted March 25, 2005 Report Share Posted March 25, 2005 Allright Guys, The Pics I have decided to post my first project guitar. I purchased a body on ebay for $50. Pretty good deal. One piece solid Brazilian Mahogany. I have decided to go with a Tune-o-matic bridge which will be recessed into the body. I just picked up a new bolt on neck from Carvin as well. I have already stained the headstock to match the body. All Chrome Hardware (2 Volume, 1 Tone, with a 6 Way Rotary Switch). Pups: Dimarzio Air Norton in the Neck Dimarzio Tone Zone in the Bridge This has been a fun project, and I plan to add pictures as I go. I appreciate the tutorials on the site. Any feedback or constructive criticism is appreciated. I must say that I have had my troubles with it being my first time using a Nitro finish, but all in all - I still can't wait to finish this thing. -Skip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Digideus Posted March 25, 2005 Report Share Posted March 25, 2005 Nice Colour! looking good, but one thing, it may have been a better idea to do any routing before you added the stain. once you start scratching it with routers and drills, youll have to revisit it anyway! Good start tho!. well done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marco-Brazil Posted March 25, 2005 Report Share Posted March 25, 2005 yeah! It´s looking good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stalefish Posted March 25, 2005 Report Share Posted March 25, 2005 I like that shade of blue.. Looking forward to seeing the rest of it.. I must say, though, that I tried that particular combination of pickup before but never really liked it that much.. I prefer a more vintage tone, by the way, just to let you know where I'm coming from.. But then again, tone is a very subjective thing.. Also, the guitar I put it in may have been made of some PoS wood for all know.. Do tell how it turns out though!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skipmurphy Posted March 25, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 25, 2005 (edited) Thanks for the feed back guys. Originally I wasn't sure what bridge I would put on. I decided to go with the tunomatic, but then realized that I would either have to shim the neck which would suck... or set the bridge down a bit into the body. Stalefish - Thanks for the feed back on the pups. I already have the ToneZone and the Norton is coming in next week... but I also have a SD Custom Custom I can toss in if the tone isn't up to par. Thanks guys! Edited March 25, 2005 by skipmurphy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RGGR Posted March 25, 2005 Report Share Posted March 25, 2005 Ibanez uses TZ and AN combo in most of their (Mahogany) J-Custom line....so can't be that bad. Although some people don't like the combo of the TZ and the Mahogany. In my limba JS, because of the same reason, I have opted for Blaze/AN combo. one piece solid Brazilian Mahogany. Are you sure....body look awefully pail for Mahogany........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
american_jesus Posted March 26, 2005 Report Share Posted March 26, 2005 it does look pale, plus, it might just be my eyes, but it looks like it's bookmatched anyways... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skipmurphy Posted March 26, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 26, 2005 Are you sure....body look awefully pail for Mahogany........ positive about the body being mahogany... if you look at the first pic, you can see a stain at the base that goes all the way across the body. I had to sand that down and actually bleach the wood a little to get the stain out. That maybe why it looked a little pale. No top on it either, but the guy I bought it from actually is doing many bookmatched tops out of wood that I have really never heard of. I wish I actually had bette pictures of the body before I stained it, but I got excited and slopped it on right after it came out of the box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maiden69 Posted March 26, 2005 Report Share Posted March 26, 2005 Nice blue, too bad about your bridge dilema, I use hipshot hard tail or TOM with string thru and in your case since you already painted I suggest you go with a hardtail. A TOM like you mentioned needs the angle at the neck or a recessed TOM which is how I do mine. Like the one in the GOTM this month. I like this guitar is resembles mine but I rounded the edges and then carved from the waist down. Good luck with whatever you decide to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skipmurphy Posted March 27, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2005 Maiden - That guitar is gorgeous! I actually purchased 2 bridges, one TOM and another Hardtail. Where the neck sets in the pocket now - the hardtail fits perfect, and I wouldn't need to rout the body. Routing is actually something I am very comfortable with at this point. SO... I think I will end up with the hardtail, but I really like the looks of a TOM with the strings through the body - with small top ferrules. I can save that for the next one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maiden69 Posted March 27, 2005 Report Share Posted March 27, 2005 JTM45 http://projectguitar.ibforums.com/index.ph...topic=12466&hl= skipmurphy, I know what you mean since all my other builds have a TOM in it with out neck angle http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/Maiden69/DSC01898.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/Maiden69/DSC01782.jpg A hardtail will look great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skipmurphy Posted March 29, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2005 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/Maiden69/DSC01898.jpg Maiden - I love that quilt! If anyone can point me into the direction of a cheap(est) quality wood supplier that would be great. I really don't want to pay $150 for a piece of ASSH! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maiden69 Posted March 29, 2005 Report Share Posted March 29, 2005 ebay, look for durawoods, he is great, lots of nice pieces, and the one there was 15/16 thick and I got it for $66. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skipmurphy Posted March 29, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2005 Now that I have my feet wet in the forums - I will show you what gave me the bug. About 6 months ago my buddy had a guitar sent to him from a friend and in the bottom of the box was a 3 piece maple body that the guy had made 15 years ago in shop class when he was in high school. My buddy didn't want it, I offered him the $7 that was in my pocket. I call it the Butcher--not because its bloody or mean, but because it reminds me of a butcher's block. I purchased a neck on ebay for about $40. Now what did we learn from this project? A rookie could heed this advice: 1. Drill Pilot Holes. (yeah you can't see the broken screw thats underneath the neckplate, but you know its there.) 2. Buy a Decent Neck. (sure it stays in tune, but the fact that the truss rod is frozen in place kind of sucks. I still had to pay $40 to have the frets dressed). 3. Use Proper Ventilation Nitro Cellulose lacquer when sprayed in the backroom of your office will smell up your entire office. 4. Measure Make sure your pickup cavity is in the right position. (this guitar sounds pretty muddy) 5. Mount the neck before you mount the bridge. (The body came with a bridge in order for the right scale length I purchase a new bridge and moved it back. Now there is a hole in the body.) 6. Pick-Guard material will cover holes in the body (in case your bridge is in the wrong position) Sure some people say duct tape works too, but if you are going for low-class instead of no-class, use the pick-guard. This is actually going to be the guitar I probably experiment with. I now have a router to work with so I will be moving the bridge pickup back and adding a neck pickup in the future. And you can see the strip of glue where the pieces where joined on the arm-rest. The original maker got a little excited with a belt sander, so I will probably paint it a solid color and try some new things. But only after I finish the Blue one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marzocchi705 Posted March 29, 2005 Report Share Posted March 29, 2005 I like that guitar alot!! I think its cool. the pickgaurd looks very Tele-ish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skipmurphy Posted March 29, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2005 Thanks Marzocchi! Its got a SD Custom Custom in it right now with a concentric pot for Volume/Tone. Its got some good tone to the wood when not plugged in, but like I said before its pretty muddy when plugged in now. I cant wait to get that pup in the right position. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle Cavanaugh Posted March 29, 2005 Report Share Posted March 29, 2005 Thanks Marzocchi! Its got a SD Custom Custom in it right now with a concentric pot for Volume/Tone. Its got some good tone to the wood when not plugged in, but like I said before its pretty muddy when plugged in now. I cant wait to get that pup in the right position. ← I bet if you changed the magnet to an 1/8" Ceramic, making it a Duncan Custom with a few extra winds, you'll get a lot more clarity, but more output at the same time. AlNiCo V would make it much too different of a beast tonewise, IMO. If you listen to the sound clips on the Seymour Duncan website, you probably won't notice much of a difference, but I don't think they did a great job of recording. *Hint* Check their forum out! Tips & Clips! *Hint* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skipmurphy Posted March 31, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2005 New Headstock Pic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marksound Posted March 31, 2005 Report Share Posted March 31, 2005 Is that a Carvin neck? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Incarnation Posted March 31, 2005 Report Share Posted March 31, 2005 Your own design headstock? Ibanez headstock would have looked cooler... maybe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marzocchi705 Posted March 31, 2005 Report Share Posted March 31, 2005 Looking good mate, cant wait to see it finished. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CudBucket Posted March 31, 2005 Report Share Posted March 31, 2005 Looks good. What kind of stain did you use. Oh and never put one of your trem studs in backwards. I'm just sayin'. I know a dork who did that yesterday. Somebody kill me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skipmurphy Posted March 31, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2005 Yes that is a carvin neck. I got burned by ebay on my first project guitar. (I think the guy put the truss rod in with lock-tite). That pic was actually taken before I hit it with Nitro, so it pops alot more now. Cudbucket - The stain is ColorTone Liquid Stain #5039 from StewMac - And I read about that poor guy and the trem stud. I feel for him Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
User01 Posted April 3, 2005 Report Share Posted April 3, 2005 made any more progress? got any more pics? btw, that rg shape looks a lil off, that guy prob didnt cut it right...maybe its just me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skipmurphy Posted April 3, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2005 lol... whats an RG shape? I have mocked up the guitar... and the neck fits fine, as does all the pups and the electronics, but I still don't know what you mean... I will post some more pics soon. I am actually getting pretty close... I need to throw a couple more coats of nitro on the body, and then finish the logo on the headstock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.