Martinedwards Posted March 18, 2006 Report Share Posted March 18, 2006 (edited) Ok then the design specs for this are a quiet acoustic. I don't need volume. I get plenty from my Turner, Epiphone and Yamaha 12, so I'm looking for a quiet practice guitar......... Until it's plugged in....... Then I want it to sound like an acoustic!!! I have a Strat with a LR Baggs Xbridge onboard, so last resort is to put one of them in, but for now I'm looking to make a hollow bodied Les Paul that sounds like an acoustic, with an acoustic under saddle pickup. Gibson make a $6000 one of these but I'm not spending that on a guitar and staying living in the same house as my wife!!!!! OK the wood...... I teach technology in High school, so I have access to a pile of what used to be benches in a science room that was refurbished. 40 year old mahogany. for free!!!!!!!!! Add to that a few lumps of local hardwood that have been stachked outside for 10 years and my piece of Birch has been flat on blocks in a store for at least 3......... heres the back, cut out but still with 40 years worth of gum, grafitti & acid burns......... http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e328/gow...bitdrilling.jpg now I forstner bitted down to near the back. I left vertical bars in as struts...... (why cut them out to just replace them later?) http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e328/gow...dplankofoak.jpg and a big old lump of birch. bowed as Robin hood's weapon of choice.... but we can deal with that!!! http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e328/gow...jointonneck.jpg neck lammed up and scarfed. Mahogany and a bit of sycamore from the back of the store......... http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e328/gow...ittiremoved.jpg WOW that looks better after a bit of sanding!!! http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e328/gow...acktogether.jpg top cut out beside back. On the back you can see where I've started to mill the inside down to 3mm. (it's great to have access to highschool workshops!!) http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e328/gow...arvedinside.jpg Now, I'll admit, things start getting a bit weird....... The top will be archtop ish, so out comes the forstner bit again......... http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e328/gow...urvesslots2.jpg and the top gets something like a Les Paul profile. The slots are as close as it's gonna get to a soundhole. horazontal slots on the front meet vetical slots on the back to give a latticework of holes..... sort of luteish? http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e328/gow...rds/lpbody1.jpg http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e328/gow...rds/lpbody2.jpg shows the body halves stuck together and trimmed........... http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e328/gow...rds/lptenon.jpg neck pocket and tenon. angled back a bit to get the angle from the tailpiece to the neck......... http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e328/gow...s/lpassemb3.jpg and the whole thing set together. the bridge is too low at this point so I'll fabricate another from mahogany instead. Nut & saddle to be bone http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e328/gow...s/lpassemb2.jpg OK, since this little photo essay was taken I've moved on. the neck is glued in and carved (but it needs some more), the faceplate has lost a thickness of mahogany to bring it down to birch to march the body and I got tired of waiting for the saddles to arrive from ebayland so I stuck ityt all together, supposedly to check the fretting and put some tension on the neck.......... It works!!!!!! only one fret needs work, and it is indeed a quiet acoustic (though I cant try it with the pick-up till the saddle arrives. It twangs a bit, very bright like a .... dare I say it........ b@njo but that's ok, it's kinda cute!!!! I need to shave some more off the neck as it's still a little "chunky" and I had to go a bit weird with the tuners to avoid the voluteish back of the headstock/neck join. I'll post more pix when I have something to show!! PICS TOO BIG, AND ONLY OPNE PIC PER POST ALLOWED! PICS RULES Edited March 19, 2006 by Maiden69 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canada2113 Posted March 19, 2006 Report Share Posted March 19, 2006 That looks pretty hot, nice carve on the face. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redwhiteandthemaple Posted March 19, 2006 Report Share Posted March 19, 2006 Um.. just a warning for the picture rules... before the Mods get here... Picture Rules 1 pic per post.. and link the rest... -IR HURRY!!! p.s. Nice features. I'm digging the retro look of the hole or.. "speaker" Also, that looks REALLY thick.. how thick is that?? And isn't this really a "hollow electric?" You could try doing something like the Taylor T5. "Acoustic/Electric" Also, where is the truss rod access? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patman Posted March 19, 2006 Report Share Posted March 19, 2006 (edited) Looks awesome, dude. I like the soundhole pattern, very cool. P.S.- how heavy is it? looks like it would weigh a ton. EDIT: duh, of course it would be lighter. not sure what I was thinking Edited March 21, 2006 by patman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martinedwards Posted March 19, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2006 Nope, MUCH lighter than a real LP cos after all, it is hollow......... Hopefully this week I'll get a strap on it and get the bridge sorted. and as to the pics...... oops, sorry mods, I'm new here so I didn't realise.... i'll fix it later today when I have 15 mins is that ok? ta!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Sorbera Posted March 19, 2006 Report Share Posted March 19, 2006 You don't have to change anything, your good now. One pic per post refers to the picture that you can see. You can have have as many links in your post as you wan't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Druss Posted March 19, 2006 Report Share Posted March 19, 2006 Man it would be nice to have something like that for recording. I want hear what it sounds like as much or more as I want to see how it looks when its done. Envious Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martinedwards Posted March 19, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2006 when it's all done I'll post a soundclick, don't worry!! My mates over at the Jam session forum are screaming for a recording, so it'll happen honest!!!! (then the bidding can start ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hughes Posted March 19, 2006 Report Share Posted March 19, 2006 (edited) wow awesome idea. looks great. so did you just hollow out the two pieces and stick the little sound slots on the top and side? and that made it like an acoustic? how loud is it? Edited March 19, 2006 by Hughes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martinedwards Posted March 19, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2006 well using a block of mahogany as a bridge as the bone saddle hasnt arrived in the post, its a LOT louder than an unplugged electric and tonally much better too, but it's still way quieter than my "real" acoustics. Tone wise it's VERY trebbly hence the b@njo reference, but hopefully once I get the piezo in the bridge sorted, it'll sound at least as good as my X-bridged strat. What amazes me is the amount the back vibrates. It really goes som when I'm strumming!!! I'm really looking forward to getting into school tomorrow to shave the neck a bit more and see if leaving it strung all weekend has doe any harm......or good!! my original idea on the sound slots was to use a fly cutter to give circular slots on the outside, but I couldn't get hold of one so I clamped it to the mill table & cut straight slots....... The only problem is that they're not quite parallel to the strings!!!!! Ah well, it's a prototype!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yahilltrade Posted March 20, 2006 Report Share Posted March 20, 2006 sorry if you already stated this but are you keeping the finish natural? if i was you i would paint it a nice cherry red. that would be hottttt. good luck with her. cheers bax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martinedwards Posted March 22, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2006 (edited) Ok, the postman has done his stuff and my 20 tiawanese bone saddles arrived today. I milled a slot in the mahogany block (only slightly wrecking it, but I can replace it at my leisure!!) and filed the bone down to size with a compensation wiggle for the second string up. Strung it all up, plugged it into the aincient tranny guitar amp I have in work and it works!!! I'll need a new set of strings as I broke one, but I'll let it rest a day or two with the neck under tension, but I'm really delighted!! I'll hopefully remember the camera tomorrow............. oh yes, and it's staying natural. Edited March 22, 2006 by Martinedwards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted March 22, 2006 Report Share Posted March 22, 2006 Kind of a shame you got rid of the gum, graffitti and acid burns though...that would have looked very cool on a guitar... As for the tone...I was working on a similar concept for my first project (subsequently aborted). And yeah, you can't just slapped two hollowed out boards together and get good acoustic tone. Too bad! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martinedwards Posted March 23, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2006 all done!!!! Plugged in she's actually very good!!! I'll post a soundclick or two when I get the chance....... Public debut in church over Easter..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegarehanman Posted March 23, 2006 Report Share Posted March 23, 2006 Looks good overall, but there is a lot of sanding to be done. Looks like there are some nasty gouges and chips on the back of the body and neck. peace, russ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted March 23, 2006 Report Share Posted March 23, 2006 Not only that but it looks lopsided...the upper bout looks like it's too narrow. But maybe that's the camera angle? Truss rod cover doesn't look straight either. I'm with the Garenhanman on this one, this one doesn't look 'done' to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martinedwards Posted March 25, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 25, 2006 Yup, y'both are right, it's a bit "rough and ready" but it's a first fretted build and it was 90% experiment, and to be honest I'm just so high on the fact that I can make a playable instrument that sounds great through a Marshall AS50 that cosmetics aren't that big a deal... (I'm ginger, wear glasses and weigh 16 1/2 stone (230lb) how much do you think looks mean to me?????????) the truss rod cover is at an angle cos the nut end screw broke into the truss rod slot as I screwed it in and it twisted....... NEXT time I'll use 3 screws...... the sanding? man I got bored!!!! symetry? Well, I copied it directly off a Gibson, so if MINEs wrong, then Gibson are too!!!! It could be the angle that distoerts the look....... thanks for the critique though, dont think I'm getting all defensive and throwing my teddy out of the pram!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marksound Posted March 25, 2006 Report Share Posted March 25, 2006 Yup, y'both are right, it's a bit "rough and ready" but it's a first fretted build and it was 90% experiment, and to be honest I'm just so high on the fact that I can make a playable instrument that sounds great through a Marshall AS50 that cosmetics aren't that big a deal... A Marshall AS50 can make a 2x4 with strings and a piezo sound decent ... (I'm ginger, wear glasses and weigh 16 1/2 stone (230lb) how much do you think looks mean to me?????????) Hi Ginger! the truss rod cover is at an angle cos the nut end screw broke into the truss rod slot as I screwed it in and it twisted....... The devil is in the details, eh? NEXT time I'll use 3 screws...... You could fix this one. the sanding? man I got bored!!!! symetry? Well, I copied it directly off a Gibson, so if MINEs wrong, then Gibson are too!!!! It could be the angle that distoerts the look....... The Gibson's probably not wrong. Could be the angle, but I got bored trying to figure it out. thanks for the critique though, dont think I'm getting all defensive and throwing my teddy out of the pram!! Good thing you're so thick-skinned. No one around here would want you to learn anything from their constructive criticism ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martinedwards Posted March 27, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2006 A Marshall AS50 can make a 2x4 with strings and a piezo sound decent ...... Cruel..... really cruel...... true, but still cruel!! NEXT time I'll use 3 screws..........You could fix this one. ...... oh all right.... it's fixed!! The Gibson's probably not wrong. Could be the angle, but I got bored trying to figure it out. someone suggested that my METHOD of tracing the gib. might have been the problem. I projected it onto a large page with a data projector..... could be an element of keystoning? still, I like it, and people in church yesterday loved it, so it shall live on!!! 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.