PeteBuchan Posted November 18, 2006 Report Share Posted November 18, 2006 I've been lingering about here for a while and decided to actually post something for a change. I started a few years ago with a saga kit, and recently bought Melvin Hiscock's book about building electric guitars. Fantastic book it is. Anyway, on with my first creation..... This is a shape I came up with, along the lines of a strat, but a bit more diagonal. Specs are as follows: Body: 2 piece scottish ash Neck: Fender mex with rosewood board Finish: Cellulose Pickups: Fender texas specials Tuners: American fender Bridge: Random through body hard tail Scratchplate: Made from some 5 ply I got from a jewellers Some pictures of it in it's current state: Picture of Body Picture of body contours I've played a few gigs with it and it sounds pretty good. Really bright sounding and a lot of definition. Needs setting up properly but other than that I'm really happy with it. My second guitar is a tele copy. Body: 2 piece scottish olive ash with 2 large tone chambers Neck: Tokai strat neck Finish: Cellulose Pickups: Fender texas special teles Tuners: wilkinson aged Bridge: Random steel ash tray style with 6 individual saddles Tele during spraying process Tele with parts in position tele - showing finish I hollowed out some pretty big chambers along the same lines as the thinline tele, but not at the side with the electrics. At the moment the bridge is running with the strings going through the bridge, but it can operate as a through body. Do you reckon I should convert to through body? The neck was perfectly straight but when i strung it up, it seems to have develloped a bend in the opposite direction to the bend whoich occurs when the strings are tentioned. So even with the strings at standard tuning, there is still a bend meaning there is a LOT of fret buzz. One of my friends is a guitar tech at a local music shop and is going to try clamping it so hopefully i'll get it sorted pretty soon. Thats about it for now Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dylan Posted November 18, 2006 Report Share Posted November 18, 2006 A really nice job on that first one in general. On the tele, that finish is inspiring. And shiney. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyManAndy Posted November 18, 2006 Report Share Posted November 18, 2006 Wow! That is some beautiful grain on that Tele. I'm really digging it. Too bad about the neck though. Great work, keep it up man. CMA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yahilltrade Posted November 18, 2006 Report Share Posted November 18, 2006 wow amazing job on that first strat style....i really love that shape do you have any pictures of the full guitar? thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southpa Posted November 18, 2006 Report Share Posted November 18, 2006 Thats nice wood to work with. In regards to the tele neck, is it truly backbowed? That shouldn't happen after applying string tension. Maybe the truss rod is too tight and is overcoming string tension? Check the fretboard with a straightedge for relief, should be slightly bowed, while strings are on. If there IS some relief then perhaps your problem lies in the neck angle area and just needs a bit of shimming in the neck pocket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteBuchan Posted November 18, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 18, 2006 The truss rod definately isn't too tight...I unscrewed it completely by mistake trying to get rid of the bend. Its not the neck angle I don't think, you can see exactly where the bend is when you look along the length of the board. As for more pictures, I have a picture of them both including necks, but the first one doesn't have pickups installed. More Picturage That does expose the colour of the finish I applied initially. I went for a yellow solid colour but after seeing how the tele turned out, I had to strip the paint back and start again. I just left the pickup routes yellow and sprayed over them with the tinted lacquer. I'm going to try my hand at making a neck next time. I reckon a through body is likely after having found a local source of maple and padauk. I fancy making a 12 string electric. Would one truss rod be sufficient if i were to use 9 guage strings? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted November 18, 2006 Report Share Posted November 18, 2006 I would personally use either two rods, carbon reinforcement or perhaps stiff wood laminations in the neck (ebony, etc). I love the shape of your Strat-o-looker. Very streamlined and well designed. Well done on being from Scotland too. My wife and I enjoyed our honeymoon there :-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteBuchan Posted November 18, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 18, 2006 Which would be the best solution? or even a mix of more than one? My wood source does sell ebony neck laminates, of 2x48 inch with a choice of widths 1/4, 1/2 and full inch thicknesses. How is lacewood for necks? It looks like it might have a pretty cool grain for the outer laminates, but I'm not really too sure about strength of it... Scotland is amazing.....Think tonight is going to be the first of the zero degree nights. Its gonna be cold till june now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~john~ Posted November 19, 2006 Report Share Posted November 19, 2006 The custom shaped one looks bloody good. Nice work Where you from in Scotland? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mammoth guitars Posted November 19, 2006 Report Share Posted November 19, 2006 Nice color choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted November 19, 2006 Report Share Posted November 19, 2006 Any chance you could let me in on your supplier there, Pete? I would love to introduce a third ebony laminate into my Thunderbird neck tenon similar to THIS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteBuchan Posted November 19, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 19, 2006 I'm from north of Aberdeen, although I live in Aberdeen through the week while i'm at university. I'm going to see if they have any woodworking facilities I could make use of My supplier is a random place called 'Grampian Powertools' in Aberdeen. They have a catalogue which they order stuff from. They use all the pieces with knots for the turners, and keep all the nice bits for sound wood. Not sure what catalogue they have, but has a fair range in it. As for my body wood, I go to a farm near my house up north. His Website His stuff isn't really soundwood, but the wood for both those bodies came from his place. I think he has a mail order service too. Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted November 19, 2006 Report Share Posted November 19, 2006 (edited) Shame I can't get ahold of Grampian Powertools online. I'll probably source from David Dyke as he seems to have got an online catalogue running now. That said, if your guy's prices are right.... :-D For comparison: David Dyke's (luthierssupplies.co.uk) Wenge/Bubinga 1100 x 60 x 6mm - £7.80 Rosewood 1100 x 60 x 6mm - £20.00 Ebony 1100 x 60 x 6mm - £24.00 I am pretty interested in your guy's spalted beech however. I've always wanted a natural pale wood LP with a Korina or spalted beech top.... Edited November 19, 2006 by Prostheta Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteBuchan Posted December 1, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 1, 2006 I have completed the tele. Got a new neck on there since the last one was bent and couldnt be straightened by the rod, or by applying weights etc. I also came across this nice picture. Its one taken of my other guitar before it was sprayed. You'll notice my clever routes to keep the wiring nice and tidy. The pickup wires go along a channel routed under the top laminate, from the neck pickup to the electrics cavity. This meant the pickups had to be screwed to the body. As you'll see from other pictures i got rid of that idea and went along the traditional fender route as i was having issues lining up the pickups with the holes on the plate. Now they are just screwed directly onto the plate.... Construction picture And i see my other picture links have died so i'll fire them in here.... First one with sunburst First one complete First one - other angle Tele with sunburst I'm going to have to start selling some of my guitars soon, but I keep liking what i make. I'll have to make another tele and another 'custom' one and keep the one I like best, and sell the other Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsguitar Posted December 2, 2006 Report Share Posted December 2, 2006 Really nice work well done my friend!!!!!!Keep up the good work.........!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted December 2, 2006 Report Share Posted December 2, 2006 I agree, you did a great job with the strat update...very contemporary...has kind of a jazzmaster feel to it, without looking retro. Only issue I have is the line of the upper horns going out from the neck --I'd prefer more of a continuous line from one side to the other, and a better flow overall to the entire curve. But that's pretty minor and maybe not noticeable from other angles (or maybe it only looks that way from this angle). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prs man Posted December 2, 2006 Report Share Posted December 2, 2006 looks great I love tele guitars. the strat body looks like you have a nice contour vary nice keep building Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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