xlr8 Posted August 25, 2005 Report Share Posted August 25, 2005 I sort of hijacked my Les Paul thread with a few preview shots of this guitar in progress. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v65/xlr8...in/DSC00704.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v65/xlr8...in/DSC00701.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v65/xlr8...in/DSC00703.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v65/xlr8...in/DSC00708.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v65/xlr8...in/DSC00713.jpg Specs; 5A quilt Maple over once piece Brazilian Mahogany body with natural 'faux binding' Maple pickup rings cut from the piece as the top Indian Rosewood neck and Fingerboard with Abalone inlays Graphtech nut Schaller M6 tuners Tone Pros bridge Schaller strap locks Unique Bareknuckle pickups - essentially four strat 'Irish Tour' single coils. When paired they are a true humbucker and pulling a volume or tone pot cuts one coil to give a true single coil. With the three way switch and the push/pull pots you can have HH, SS, HS, SH. I just wish I could play it - not being left handed an all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Sorbera Posted August 25, 2005 Report Share Posted August 25, 2005 (edited) Most excellent. I'm throually enjoying the figure on the mahogany I love how you made the headstock peice darker than the neck. I'll be doing the same thing on my next guitar. The finish looks like a mirror The only thing I don't like is the headstock. It would be fine without that little part hanging down. I also think the upper horn comes out really far. Kinda makes the whole thing look a little unbalanced and like a bass. Also great job on the binding. It looks nice and strait and clean. But I would sugest a more complicated binging for your next one. It's a little bit to plain compared to everything else on this guitar, like that quilt top. Edited August 25, 2005 by Godin SD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitarfrenzy Posted August 25, 2005 Report Share Posted August 25, 2005 Very nice guitar. The headstock is a little too wild for my taste, but at least it's original.. Top notch build bro!!! I love the blueburst finish. I'm guessing it's a 2° or 3° neck angle right? Did you route the pickup cavities at that angle also? Some do and some don't, just curious. Looks like all you have to do now it get the guitar setup, action and intonation wise. How's the Tone Pro bridge, do you like it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xlr8 Posted August 25, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2005 Also great job on the binding. It looks nice and strait and clean. But I would sugest a more complicated binging for your next one. It's a little bit to plain compared to everything else on this guitar, like that quilt top. ← Thanks for the nice words. There is no binding as such, it is the edge of the Quilt top used as a 'faux binding'. I'll reword the specs accordingly. Neil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jer7440 Posted August 25, 2005 Report Share Posted August 25, 2005 Gorgeous! I love it. It's so clean. The finish is excellent. I don't care for the extra little horn on the headstock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Sorbera Posted August 25, 2005 Report Share Posted August 25, 2005 OH I see that now. In this shot it looks very white and I thought it was plastic binding.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xlr8 Posted August 25, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2005 Very nice guitar. The headstock is a little too wild for my taste, but at least it's original.. Top notch build bro!!! I love the blueburst finish. I'm guessing it's a 2° or 3° neck angle right? Did you route the pickup cavities at that angle also? Some do and some don't, just curious. Looks like all you have to do now it get the guitar setup, action and intonation wise. How's the Tone Pro bridge, do you like it? ← It's 3 degrees. The pick up cacvities are routed flat and the rings angled top and part of the underside so the pickups parralell the strings. I'm really impressed with TonePros both this and the TOM i have here are top notch. And yes I do have some setting up to do Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted August 25, 2005 Report Share Posted August 25, 2005 Cons: I'm not sold on the deadstock design, as others have noted the decending knob on the bass side of the head leaves me cold. I would have preffered the mahogany to be thicker, which would have resulted in a slightly less tall binding. IMO this would be advantageous aesthetically. Pros: Eye popping shine on the finish, absolutely jaw dropping. Lovely workmanship - the fit and finish looks perfect throughout. I really like the makers on the fretboard - I've not seen that done before, it's very tasteful. Overall, great. The cons are all subjective taste issues, whilst the pro's are the bits that really count - great attention to detail and rock solid workmanship - nice one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devon Headen Posted August 25, 2005 Report Share Posted August 25, 2005 Not too fond of the shape, but then again, probably most body styles I wouldn't like mirrored. The craftsmanship looks excellent through the whole guitar. It has to be great to get shots as close as you did and have everything still look clean. The only other thing I didn't like was that I thought you should've make the carve deeper so that the 'binding' wasn't so tall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drezdin Posted August 25, 2005 Report Share Posted August 25, 2005 Awesome work! Agree on the inlays...very cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemleggat Posted August 25, 2005 Report Share Posted August 25, 2005 Here i made a right handed one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemleggat Posted August 25, 2005 Report Share Posted August 25, 2005 Bump........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toddler68 Posted August 25, 2005 Report Share Posted August 25, 2005 Beautiful! The overall package is awesome, and I really like some of the little details like your thin fret and side markers and the headstock/neck contrast. Really nice work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackZ Posted August 25, 2005 Report Share Posted August 25, 2005 i dont like that little horn on the headstock... everything else is wonderful! all in all very beatiful guitar. right handed one looks better than left handed version Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmrentis Posted August 26, 2005 Report Share Posted August 26, 2005 Very cool guitar. I also really like the fretboard side markers. I have thought for a time on how to do something different than a dot and the only way was a thin line, but yours is even better by adding the line on top and extending the line for the length of the fret, I really like it, unique. I also enjoyed the rest of the guitar, the finish is amazing, thats one of my favorite shades of blue. Nice scarf too, I dig the change in color there. And the heel looks good. Jason Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee_ Posted August 26, 2005 Report Share Posted August 26, 2005 That's a beautiful shade of blue. And I like the headstock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted August 26, 2005 Report Share Posted August 26, 2005 how do u like the BKP's? what finish did you use? MMM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xlr8 Posted August 26, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 26, 2005 how do u like the BKP's? what finish did you use? MMM ← BKPs are superb, I can'y say enough good things about them. I use DuPont 2 pack car paint. Neil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gun Posted August 26, 2005 Report Share Posted August 26, 2005 Great Neil!!! My congrats. Your building and polishing job is just great IMO. That Mahogany is spectacular!!! I'm in Italy, does that seller ship here? Does it have a website? Again cheers man!!! Gianluigi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xlr8 Posted August 27, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 27, 2005 Great Neil!!! My congrats. Your building and polishing job is just great IMO. That Mahogany is spectacular!!! I'm in Italy, does that seller ship here? Does it have a website? Again cheers man!!! Gianluigi ← The Mahogany came from a very old traditional timber yard in the west end of London. I bought two 14"x2"x14' boards in a sawn but dried state. I have no idea if they would ship as I think all of their business is by collection. Here's the proud new owner Yes that is a metal belt buckle As you can see the aesthetics change when the guitar is in the playing position. For some reason the upper horn looks very exaggerated in pictures but not so in the flesh. However this was only the prototype and I plan on shortening the upper horn slightly and inclining it a couple of degrees towards the body. Again the headstock is very small in the flesh (the whole guitar is very compact) but I'm sketching out a slightly softened horn, it won't change much as I want my own unique and recognisable design. I think he's happy with it; after finally getting home at about midnight tonight I was dying to mess around with the Merlin and get a proper play on it with my own settings, and I must say, having just had about 4 or 5 consecutive jams on Wynir0's backing that he did the other week, I can say that it is in fact true that a top quality guitar can make you play better! I was very impressed with myself! Couldn't believe some of the sh*t I was pulling off! Maybe it's all in the mind, but damn, this guitar's nice! Neil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kammo1 Posted August 27, 2005 Report Share Posted August 27, 2005 Hey Neil awesomme guitar and credit due to you. What actual brand of Dupont did you use?? just curious as this looks like a nice high build finish which is what I'm looking for. Also have you got some pics of the neck carving jig ?? I have got myself a 1/2 router and a 7/8ths bit but where and how I go from here I have to be guided. Kammo1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xlr8 Posted August 27, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 27, 2005 Hey Neil awesomme guitar and credit due to you. What actual brand of Dupont did you use?? just curious as this looks like a nice high build finish which is what I'm looking for. Also have you got some pics of the neck carving jig ?? I have got myself a 1/2 router and a 7/8ths bit but where and how I go from here I have to be guided. Kammo1 ← DuPont is the brand but any automotive 2 pack clear would have the properties your looking for. Try the yellow pages they'll have local car paint suppliers. You'll need a litre of 2K clear a litre of fast hardener and I would suggest you get five litres of thinner for clean up etc. The finish on the guitar is very thin btw. it's just very flat and very polished. I'm assuming you have a hand held router rather than a pin router. If so you need to build a fixture to hold it securely above your bench. David Myka has done exactly that HERE. You can also see the jig you need to hold the neck - mine is similar. The top of the neck is clamped parralell to the base of the jig as this is the edge you'll be cutting. By lowering the bit in small stages per pass with the bearing riding along the central part of the back of the neck you gradually form the roundover. Stop a little short of the edge and leave yourself a little sanding to finish the blend after you've attached the fretboard - assuming you haven't attached it already. Make your neck holding fixture so you can control it without your fingers going anywhere near the bit, even if they slip whilst routing, and practise on a scrap. It's much easier to do than describe. Neil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xlr8 Posted August 27, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 27, 2005 Not too fond of the shape, but then again, probably most body styles I wouldn't like mirrored. The craftsmanship looks excellent through the whole guitar. It has to be great to get shots as close as you did and have everything still look clean. The only other thing I didn't like was that I thought you should've make the carve deeper so that the 'binding' wasn't so tall. ← The carve is 9/16 so it's already pretty deep, it was a concious decision to make the top so thick. Jon, the owner, wanted Fender type clean sounds with the ability to dirty it up when using the HB switching on the pups. The mahogany and rosewood give it a nice warm but not muddy tone and the depth of the maple really lets it ring when used with the SCs. Neil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devon Headen Posted August 27, 2005 Report Share Posted August 27, 2005 I wasn't saying there was anything wrong with it, I was just saying it didn't quite suit my tastes. If it gives him what he wants tonally, that more than compensates for a slight visual imbalance (again, my opinion). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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