My First Project

[Bytrix]

While I'm nowhere near starting this yet (atleast a few months away) and therefore it's not in progress or finished, just thought I may aswell start a thread off for my first project with my first idea for the kinda shape I want.

I first took a pic of a Jackson RX10D, dropped it into photoshop and resized it to full scale (I know it won't be exact, but it's close enough for now). Then I started to draw in the body shape over the top, and started looking at how I could make it a little more curvy. For some reason I had the idea this morning (looking at striped through-necks) of putting a union jack on it with the red stripe over the neck (and red on the back of the neck). So here's what I came up with :

Standard Body (Hi-Res)

Curved Body (Hi-Res)

Obiously not completely to scale (and the neck came out a bit fat but that's kinda what I'd like to end up with (not looked at the headstock yet, would want something curvy on there too)).

So what do you think of the curved body, or the union jack (I assume it'll be easy enough to do something like that by masking off areas when I paint with the different colours, that's about as far as my painting skills go though).

Please share any ideas you have, and remember this is gonna be my first project

Basic Spec

Modified 6 string RR V (almost roswell like)

Neckthrough 24 frets

2x Humbuckers

Tune-O-Matic

[duo2]

Personally i hate the curved body. i would deffinitly leave it the way it is. And as far as the union jack i have always really liked that design so i say go for it.

[drinkchoglit]

i think the curvey one looks pretty cool, it's kinda like the jackson roswell rhoads

roswell

[Hunter]

I think you should make the top part curve slighty inward instead of outward.

[ByronBlack]

I think you should make the top part curve slighty inward instead of outward.

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I think it looks odd at the moment, I would add a curve to the bottom part of the body aswell to add some symmetry to the body - as the previous poster pointed out, it could look a little like the roswell rhodes which is an insanely beautiful guitar.

[Bytrix]

The original sketch I draw out was like this :

Curved Cutout Body (Hi-Res)

Which I like, but it looks a bit more complicated and for my first project I think something simple will be best.

[Mr.Churchyard]

I think it looks cool and not much more complicated than the other two designs...

[GEdwardJones]

I like the last drawing a bit more, it keeps it from looking too muchc like a Rosewell, as people above have stated. That being said, I also agree with curving the bottom a little more for symmetrical purposes.

[Bytrix]

Yeah I could probably do it

I'm messing with the idea of doing the headstock in the same kind of shape (like the roswell has the headstock the same as the body):

Curved Cutout + Headstock (Hi-Res)

[ByronBlack]

Yeah I could probably do it 

I'm messing with the idea of doing the headstock in the same kind of shape (like the roswell has the headstock the same as the body):

Curved Cutout + Headstock (Hi-Res)

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IMHO it's starting to look a little bit 'busy'. If in doubt, keep it simple (see LP, Tele & Strat as an example).

[Jehle]

I think either of the first two design would be great for a first build because they are simple, but then I think about Perry. He didn't dumb down the design he wanted on his first guitar. He set the bar high and eventually got it done.

So, given all that, I say build the guitar that you envision. But, be prepared to take more time to learn and work on the extra flair you are putting into it.

[Bytrix]

ok, here's the body again with slightly larger cutouts on the sides, and a little bit more curvy (actually not far off the roswell curves, which wanted to try and stay away from), trying 24 frets, and the lower curve comes in closer giving access to the higher frets.

Think I'd rather use a tune-o-matic, as I have enough problems setting up my floyds on my other guitars, nevermind on a project, ; and I've marked on the 22nd and 24th fret positions :

[Bytrix]

Well I think I've decided on the final body/scale/headstock now. Someone suggested it might look better if the paintjob covered the pickups too, so when it comes to painting I will probably try that, if I don't like it, I may then get the chrome covers :

I can't wait to start this , just need to decide what bandsaw and router I'm gonna get

[Mr.Churchyard]

Cool. But I would not want those body cutouts at the neck join part of the body. Seems both a weakening part and not particularly comfortable, either...

[Bytrix]

Well it's going to be a neckthrough so the cutouts shouldn't really make it any weaker I don't think. Plus I probably won't use the 23/24 frets much anyway, I just wanna make something cool for my first project Depending how this turns out.. I might try an alpine white les paul 'style' for my second.

[javacody]

So this is your "easy" project, eh? LOL Well, no one can say you don't aim high my friend. I love the design.

What type of wood are you going to be using?

Good luck, and I hope you'll be posting build pics.

[Bytrix]

Well ofcourse it's not easy. I like a bit of a challenge, plus I don't own a neckthrough (or a set neck) guitar yet, so want to build one. The only woodwork skills I have are what I got at school, but it's not like there's nowhere to learn about it all

I will be posting pics here, aswell as keeping a full build progress on my own site. Moving house is coming first, then when I've got the space I can get the tools I need and start building. I don't know for sure yet as to what wood I want to use, I'm waiting for Melvyn's book to arrive so I can have a good read through that before I really plan too much into it.

My aim is to build guitars that rival or better the ones I already have, then sell my 'old' ones, and just use the ones I made (which includes an acoustic and a classical guitar, which I have absolutely no idea how to make). But that's looking at years from now anyway.