westhemann Posted June 26, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 26, 2005 the heel works fine...complete upper fret access. and i like the way it looks.we just do things differently but i don't like the heel so much that i am going to duplicate it or anything..if i do another set neck i am going to go back to doing it like my carved top.... i also think i am going to stray away from the way i have been doing things.i don't spend very much time at all building anymore,but i think the next one i am going to make templates and use a router table...and i am tired of all these figured woods...i think i am going to get into more solid finishes. spend less time on trying to get these expensive woods and spend more time on interesting finishes ...and i think i will try inlays as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egdeltar Posted June 27, 2005 Report Share Posted June 27, 2005 Wes, the guitar looks very nice. I only have a few minor critiques. Im not liking the heel shape either. Also the top horn seems a bit thick and bulky. Nice guitar though! How does she play? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
!!METAL MATT!! Posted June 27, 2005 Report Share Posted June 27, 2005 Hey Man Im glade You got It done, and It look's GOOOOOOOD! So Are You happy With the aluminum bridge,tailpiece combo? !!METAL MATT!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
82DeanZ Posted June 27, 2005 Report Share Posted June 27, 2005 Very, very nice work Wes. I know what you mean about the humidity in Texas. I drove through the pan-handle one summer and everytime I had to stop for gas I thought I was going to pass out it was so hot and humid. I can still vividly remember how it felt everytime I opened the car door.....wham! I lived in Indiana for nearly six years and in New York for nearly 4 years so I'm no stranger to humidity. Texas has those places beat hands down. Anyway, congrats on the awesome axe. Good work. Best Regards, Mike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarMaestro Posted June 27, 2005 Report Share Posted June 27, 2005 Very nice axe! The wood choice and shape is great. Looks very cleanly done. Only thing I don't like is the neck joint: it looks kinda "un-smooth" and hard and does not flow as nice as it could. What does that cut between neck and body come from? Aside from that this thing simply rocks! Congrats! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedoctor Posted June 27, 2005 Report Share Posted June 27, 2005 I have to be honest in that I didn't expect this to be done until late fall of 2006. The contours of the butt of your guitar must have taken you weeks to get square-blocked like that. I wouldn't even attempt that but you did. Grovers! Grovers! WOW! I thought you had to be over 50 to use Grovers and here they are on a cool, metal axe! Worth the wait to see what your mettle is up to. BTW, my hickory trees can kick your oak's butt any day of the week. Well, until you hang a guitar on them for pictures. My trees are a little camera-shy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted June 27, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2005 So Are You happy With the aluminum bridge,tailpiece combo? it sounds and feels nice.other than that i do not reccomend it. Only thing I don't like is the neck joint: it looks kinda "un-smooth" and hard and does not flow as nice as it could. What does that cut between neck and body come from? let me explain this...i was going for that look.i wanted a clean edge surrounding the neck heel,not a smooth transition.it is something i was trying and it affects the playability not in the least.my choice.i could have easily blended it ,but i did not want to be so cliche...maybe the look works,maybe it doesn't for you guys...but i quite like it The contours of the butt of your guitar must have taken you weeks to get square-blocked like that. i am not sure what you mean?to be honest i don't remember how long it took to shape the body...it was so long ago my hickory trees can kick your oak's butt any day of the week. not an oak...box elder Grovers! Grovers! WOW! I thought you had to be over 50 to use Grovers and here they are on a cool, metal axe! okay..time to spill the last secret i was trying to blend modern and vintage looks on this guitar...hence the fixed,yet aluminum bridge,the metal shape...yet not at all modern wood or finish...grover tuners(not schaller minis like i always use) on a bat wing ish headstock... emg actives,yet with a vintage look to them.....SQUARISH neck heel,yet all access at the same time... i got the idea by looking at the antique-ie looking wood and the top and back laminates from the side look kind of thinline-ish ya'll get it yet? i figured at least one or two of you would notice the blending of "eras",so to speak,by now..it was the biggest "secret "of all of them,and why i have been so closemouthed...i have not said dick about it to anyone...not even drak...who has been my single outlet for most of my secrets i guess it did not work... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted June 27, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2005 Also the top horn seems a bit thick and bulky. are you guys serious? if i make something thin and delicate(like the headstock wings,which do nothing but look good) i am told it looks too fragile if i make the upper horn(which supports the body weight...remember?) thick enough to do it's job,i get told it is "too thick" i bet if it was any thinner at all,i would hear the "fragile " thing... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maiden69 Posted June 28, 2005 Report Share Posted June 28, 2005 Wes, I like it a lot, with the exeption of the headstock. It is nice, but I think it should be a bit sharper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted June 28, 2005 Report Share Posted June 28, 2005 I think it totally looks like a vintage BC Rich guitar. Like it's a 20 year old guitar, but in brand new condition, does that make sense? That's a good thing, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted June 28, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2005 I think it totally looks like a vintage BC Rich guitar. Like it's a 20 year old guitar, but in brand new condition, does that make sense? That's a good thing, right? ← thank you,drak...that's what i wanted to hear Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted June 29, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 29, 2005 okay...i think i figured the resizing out...with some help from drak...if this works..this is much more what this really looks like in real life... ah yes..it worked. i played with the color and brightness a bit to get it close to what you see when you really look at the real thing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemleggat Posted June 29, 2005 Report Share Posted June 29, 2005 I think its really nice, i dont know why some are giving you a hard time. Could you explain the battery situation? I know some active pups can use 9 or 18 but i wasnt aware that emg's could. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted June 29, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 29, 2005 I think its really nice, i dont know why some are giving you a hard time. Could you explain the battery situation? I know some active pups can use 9 or 18 but i wasnt aware that emg's could. ← yes emgs are good for either...i put 2 boxes in to see what all of the fuss is about...but i actually prefer 9 volt operation...but i can go back and forth in about 5 seconds...just flip open a box and remove or add a battery i don't know if they are giving me a hard time or not...but the old "i am afraid it would break" excuse irks me a bit,to be honest...because that is no good reason... i am quite sure this guitar will stand up to all of the abuse i give it... by the way,it really does have a great smooth sound...it is so expressive...it makes me feel like a better,more soulful player...but it is still agressive and articulate enough to really hit it hard on thr rythm. i am actually quite surprised at how articulate it is...no muddiness to speak of...i think the super dense top mahogany helped that out. i was quite afraid it would end up sounding like mush...but my fears were unfounded. the playability is the best of any guitar i own at the moment.smooth as silk.those stainless steel frets are so slick it is just effortless.just like a guitar should be. the good thing about all this is that now i am confident i can build a guitar to play as well as any i could buy....so it kind of put the kibosh on all of my thoughts of quitting building. i just need to develop my finishing and sealing skills i now need to get a spray rig and check out that waterbased finish myka linked to in that other thread...although it seems as if the epoxy sealer may be what gives the finish it's durability...but no matter...if it is nontoxic,looks good,and last then it's got to be better than spraycan nitro or spraycan poly thanks for your support Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haggard Cky Posted June 29, 2005 Report Share Posted June 29, 2005 im not much of a beast fan but DAMN. that thing is nice. i would kill to have that guitar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted June 29, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 29, 2005 thank you... i have never actually played a real beast...or even touched one.i drew this off a picture on the net...if you are really familiar with the bc rich version i am sure you can see some differences here and there.my version is very comfortable...but i think if you have a belly that upper horn may poke you in it.luckily i no longer have a belly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VanKirk Posted June 29, 2005 Report Share Posted June 29, 2005 HEYYYYY!!! Nice guitar. I usually think beasts seem unbalanced and kinda gaudy (sp?) but I like that one. It looks mean and metal without trying to be in-your-face, over-the-top about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmrentis Posted June 30, 2005 Report Share Posted June 30, 2005 How much angle did you put in your headstock? Man that last pic the guitar looks slick, it looks super nice, I really liked that wood! Amazing stuff! Jason Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted June 30, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2005 How much angle did you put in your headstock? Man that last pic the guitar looks slick, it looks super nice, I really liked that wood! Amazing stuff! Jason ← i really don't know...i just matched the nut angle i like the guitar alot more every day...but i DID hit my hand right at the base of my thumb on that big point on the upper bout...it really,really hurt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemleggat Posted July 1, 2005 Report Share Posted July 1, 2005 Cheers for straightning out the battery thing. Beasts are cool, its just a shame most are painted black! Well done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hughes Posted July 1, 2005 Report Share Posted July 1, 2005 Wes, what did you use to draw the body design? like did you free hand, trace a real one, or found a good DWG on the net? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted July 1, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 1, 2005 like i said before...i did it freehand from staring at a picture on the web Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
!!METAL MATT!! Posted July 2, 2005 Report Share Posted July 2, 2005 okay...i think i figured the resizing out...with some help from drak...if this works..this is much more what this really looks like in real life... http://westhemann.com/finished%20beast/IM000034.JPG ah yes..it worked. i played with the color and brightness a bit to get it close to what you see when you really look at the real thing ← Man I was In love Before!, And Now Im blind SEXY SEXY GUITAR PORN!! !!METAL MATT!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dachuck Posted August 21, 2005 Report Share Posted August 21, 2005 matt is right this gutar is sweet I dont know whate Im going to hide under my pillow now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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