araz Posted October 17, 2005 Report Posted October 17, 2005 Hi folks, I'm a bit embarrased to show you this but I cut the neck pocket too long. It should have ended about 3/4 into the pickup cavity (see photo) but it actually goes on another 1 3/8" Don't ask me how this happened because I'm not even sure myself... The obvious thing to do is to fill it with a block of wood but I don't want to do that because it will not look very nice since this portion of the body will be visible. What to do? Does anyone have an idea what to do with this extra pocket? Let me know, even if you think it's crazy. On another note, you probably noticed that the binding is kind of big and deep. Well, you are right This time I know what went wrong. The router bit was not tight enough and slide down a bit and chewed-up more wood than I wanted. Anyways, I'm just planning on putting a big binding or ... any original ideas on this one ? Quote
Duff Beer Man Posted October 17, 2005 Report Posted October 17, 2005 Well, is this going to be painted or natural? If painted u could easily cut a block and put it in there if no then is ur neck already built? If no then just make the part where the heel of the neck (where it glues in) as long as the neck pocket. About the binding i have no idea... Quote
erikbojerik Posted October 17, 2005 Report Posted October 17, 2005 Make an extra-long tenon, longer fretboard with more frets, and slide the pickup to the end of the neck pocket...??? Quote
araz Posted October 17, 2005 Author Report Posted October 17, 2005 (edited) Unfortunately, the neck and fingerboard are already built. I was going to have stained finish but this may force me to paint it. Araz Edited October 17, 2005 by araz Quote
jay5 Posted October 17, 2005 Report Posted October 17, 2005 Make an extra-long tenon, longer fretboard with more frets, and slide the pickup to the end of the neck pocket...??? +1 Quote
duo2 Posted October 17, 2005 Report Posted October 17, 2005 I vote that you fill the space and paint it. And as for the binding I don't really know how to go about fixing that but if you can make it look good i think the extra large binding could look pretty cool. Quote
thegarehanman Posted October 17, 2005 Report Posted October 17, 2005 Strategically cut out some flamed maple to bind the body in. You'd have to cut it out instead of bending it because it's so thin and wide. Then paint the body, but leave the binding naturaly, that'd be nice imho. peace, russ Quote
JPL Posted October 17, 2005 Report Posted October 17, 2005 You could go all out and route it out to the bridge (since it doesn't look like you have a bridge pickup planned) and fill it with a nice laminated section of decorative wood. Just call it a happy accident. A laminate of the top and back woods running down the center might look good. Quote
Mattia Posted October 17, 2005 Report Posted October 17, 2005 I did this on my first guitar, which got a blackburst/transblack finish on flamed maple. My stopgap solution, short of moving the neck/pickup (which may make the bridge placement look like complete butt, and not in a good way), was to inlay a matching piece of maple (top offcut), 'bind' the edges with some abalone, and inlay my initials there. Kind of a little on-the-body emblem. It's not perfect, but it's not terribly distracting, and would mess with the look less than a contrasting strip down the entire body. As for the binding, I'd be tempted to carve all the way down to it (deeper carve), and fair the mahogany edge into the maple top. No binding, but a pretty distinctive look. Chalk it up to a learning experience, and move on, don't go solid-color on it unless you actually like the solid color look. Quote
Maiden69 Posted October 17, 2005 Report Posted October 17, 2005 There is a siple solution. 1.Get a piece of figured maple(this is veneer, but that's the kinda figure that you wan't), not lightly figured but 5A, small that it will fit between both pups and wide enough that it will be the width of the pups with out the ears. 2.Get 2 purfling strips 3.Take a look at this guitar and just do the same thing! It won't be the same because his is just inlayed, but it will look good and be strong enough. Quote
verhoevenc Posted October 17, 2005 Report Posted October 17, 2005 (edited) Here's my two cents. Go with what mattia said, make it a DEEP carve, and if you do it right you'll end up with something like the Kritz guitars I'm always praising around here. Also, I'm in favor of taking say a big CONTRASTING color wood.... like ebony.... or purpleheart, and filing that in, then inlaying your "comapny" name or initials and make it like a "beauty mark" kinda like your signature on the guitar. Then people will think it's intentional. Chris PS: NICE body, I'm REALLY diggin' that, my kinda style to say the least. Edited October 17, 2005 by verhoevenc Quote
araz Posted October 17, 2005 Author Report Posted October 17, 2005 Thank you everyone for your suggestions. I think I know what to do now. It's going to be weird but in a funnny way. 1. I will extend the neck by adding more wood to the neck tenon until the whole cavity is filled 2. I will make sure this extra portion is flush with the top (but does not need to be perfect on the sides because it will be hidden... just keep reading) 3. route the pickup hole (with the neck in the pocket) 4. now, over the extra wood (between the pickup and the bridge) I will place a short section of fretboard, frets and all, maybe 4-5 frets It will look like the fretboard is one continous long piece starting at the nut and passing through the pickup. Like I said, weird but funny. I'll try to make a mock-up of it tonight and post a photo and then decide if I'll go through with it or not. What do you guys think? Araz Quote
Mickguard Posted October 17, 2005 Report Posted October 17, 2005 Well, the problem with that is that it becomes kind of a joke, but the novelty will wear off really quickly (I'm thinking of my bocaster here.... if you don't know it, search for it in the projects section) I like maiden's suggestion --you can turn this into something quite elegant. Quote
unclej Posted October 17, 2005 Report Posted October 17, 2005 another option to consider is to make a decorative wooden pickup surround in a contrasting wood that covers the hole. Quote
gripper Posted October 17, 2005 Report Posted October 17, 2005 Boy, I am SOOOO thinking a nother pickup! Maybe a little chrome-top Tele or something. This could be FATE telling you you need more pickups! Sorry, just pumped on Red Bull and could not help but see the change to add more stuff! Quote
possum1284 Posted October 17, 2005 Report Posted October 17, 2005 have u considered using a pickguard? just my idea. Adam Quote
Daniel Sorbera Posted October 17, 2005 Report Posted October 17, 2005 (edited) A pickuard would IMO not go well with that body style. I think (since theres no really awesome or astounding grain pattern on the top) that you should do a solid color. Mabye some kind of pearl white with some cool pearl light grean lines or random shapes and stuff would look cool? Edited October 17, 2005 by Godin SD Quote
Marzocchi705 Posted October 17, 2005 Report Posted October 17, 2005 There was a pic on here a while ago with a 3coil humbucker (it was actualy 1humbucker and a single in the same surround if i recall corectly) maby that could look good. Quote
Myka Guitars Posted October 17, 2005 Report Posted October 17, 2005 I agree with Maiden since I had to do the same thing once. Take a look at this guitar. If you look closely you can see the purfling strips in between the pickups. I was reading the ruler from the wrong end and added an inch of length to the cavity. I filled it in and found a piece of the same top wood and inlaid that into place. Then I added the purfling to make it look like I meant. I still have the guitar and get sompliments on the cool idea! It will look good if you do it right and your work so far looks like you definitely have the skills to pull it off. I also think that if you added a bridge pickup it would look more like you meant it. And a bridge humbucker screams much better than the neck so you get some raunch in there as well. Just my $0.02 Good luck! ~David Quote
Hunter Posted October 17, 2005 Report Posted October 17, 2005 Do the PRS Santana thing, and go with multi-ply binding! Quote
araz Posted October 18, 2005 Author Report Posted October 18, 2005 (edited) Looks like my extended fretboard idea was not a big hit. All for the best, the novelty of it wore out even for me after a short while. Majority says purfling strips. I like the idea but I have never done an inlay before, besides the round fretboard inalys but I get the feeling those don't really count, so instead of buying expensive purflings I propose this... The fretboard is purple-heart and I have a small piece left over which can serve the same role as the purflings (flush with the top). Also, I found some scrap pieces from the top that I can use to fill the hole, like David's guitar. I photoshoped this image, I think it looks ok. This guitar was always supposed to have 2 pickups... just that I'm not sure where to place the bridge pickup, actually I want to place it under the 48th fret but haven't calculated where that is yet. Araz Edited October 18, 2005 by araz Quote
JPL Posted October 18, 2005 Report Posted October 18, 2005 The fretboard is purple-heart and I have a small piece left over which can serve the same role as the purflings (flush with the top). Also, I found some scrap pieces from the top that I can use to fill the hole, like David's guitar. I photoshoped this image, I think it looks ok. Why didn't I think of that?!? BTW; very nice carve on that. It has a nice flow. Quote
Pr3Va1L Posted October 18, 2005 Report Posted October 18, 2005 make the 2 lines continue for the whole guitar!!! It would look great, especially with that (real nice btw) body style! I always tought those Santana guitars where missing something... Quote
Maiden69 Posted October 18, 2005 Report Posted October 18, 2005 make the 2 lines continue for the whole guitar!!! It would look great, especially with that (real nice btw) body style! ← Nope, it will most definately not, I did it once here and I didn't like the way it liked the way it looked. Unless the strips are thick, it realy detracts from the guitar flowing lines. And loudandproud and Hunter, if you read david's post, this is what I suggested on my previous post. David, haven't seen you here in ages!!! Nice guitar BTW, I love that figured Limba, OMG, Quote
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