Mr Alex Posted February 8, 2007 Report Share Posted February 8, 2007 Just put some strings on this today, thought some of you might like to see it. It's a semi hollow/archtop hybrid. Carved Radiata pine top - About 5/8" in the center, with a 1" overall top thickness. 3/4" Rimu back Asymmetric Rimu neck Walnut fretboard Walnut burl headstock and tailpiece veneers Walnut bridge. -Not totally done, but I was dying to hear this thing 28.5" F# 26.5" B Pickups aren't done yet, they will be larger versions of my lap steel pickups. Single coil in the neck, humbucker in the bridge. This has a thundering bass, and a sweet treble, as though I've rolled the tone off slightly, exactly how I like a guitar. It's surprisingly loud, perhaps as much as a cheap classical. http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e334/shapcott/body.jpg Sorry about the rubbish photos, the walnut looks really nice in person, has some nice streaks in it. Next week I should have some pics of it finished off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheIRS Posted February 8, 2007 Report Share Posted February 8, 2007 Beautiful. Simply amazing! Putting the phenominal craftsmanship aside, that is one heck of a concept you put together there!! I've never heard of a 7 string Archtop Baritone, and as it looks right now, i am blow away. I can't wait to see this beauty completed! NICE work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travismoore Posted February 8, 2007 Report Share Posted February 8, 2007 Wow that looks awsome! This maybe a nob question but what exactly is a bariton guitar? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erikbojerik Posted February 8, 2007 Report Share Posted February 8, 2007 (edited) THAT is very nice! Love the shape, love the soundhole, love the tailpiece. What are your string gauges on that thing? And it is purely an acoustic instrument, or do you have some piezo action going on there? TM: A baritone instrument is typically tuned a few intervals lower than standard; a lot of baritone guitars are a 4th or 5th lower than standard. Edited February 8, 2007 by erikbojerik Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tim_ado Posted February 8, 2007 Report Share Posted February 8, 2007 man the fanned fret trippin me out inst the nut supposted to be fanned or not or does it had a zero fret ive got no idea just looks sick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted February 8, 2007 Report Share Posted February 8, 2007 are you going to fix the string spread so the bass string runs even down the neck? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammy Posted February 8, 2007 Report Share Posted February 8, 2007 A man after my own heart. That is a wonderful WONDERFUL thing. Congrats! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiem Posted February 8, 2007 Report Share Posted February 8, 2007 thats the last thing i expected when i read the title, but damn i like it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myka Guitars Posted February 8, 2007 Report Share Posted February 8, 2007 This is a great looking guitar. I was just drawing up a fanned fret version of my Dragonfly that looks very similar to this. I like the narrow waist and rounded edges on your design. It looks very comfortable to play. The tone you describe is what I love about smaller archtops. Very nice! ~David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Alex Posted February 8, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2007 I'll start on the pickups today, it will get fitted with a piezo later down the track, having trouble sourcing the coax. From memory the saddle is about 3" long, So if someone knows where I can get 3-1/2" of piezo coax, other than from trout cove(not shipping overseas at the moment) I'd be very grateful to know. It's strung .070"-.013" with jagwire strings(for pedal steel). These are the nicest strings I've ever laid my hands on. The double wound .070" is pure craftsmanship, someone really took their time winding that one. I'll have to see if jagwire can make me a .078" because tuning down to E is a little loose feeling. It has a zero fret, the current "nut" is just a wooden spacer, its a bit thick, and nasty looking. I'm working up a garolite one to match the bridge. I also have black garolite, so I may use that instead. Wes, when that photo was taken, the tail piece was pulling slightly crooked, and the bridge had slid slightly with only 3 strings on it, and the strings has shifted treble side. With all 7 on, the strings all pull nice and evenly. I need to adjust the tailpiece's mounting bar to conform to the guitar a little better. Myka, I was actually basing this on your dragonfly(if that isn't obvious) and made it how I thought you should do one. Except way more budget. And just incase somone wants to nit pick, yes the waist is offset, and yes it is supposed to be. It looks wasy nicer when you stand with it I think. More modern looking. I did the same thing on my 12-1/4" inch version of this shape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myka Guitars Posted February 9, 2007 Report Share Posted February 9, 2007 Well now you have made one how you should do them instead. Actually I thought the design was very similar but I got my ideas from the ether so you might have too. It's cool to have been an inspiration to you nonetheless. I really like the asymmetries in the body design. I thought it was not only intentional but a great variation on the theme. It is good to see some fresh ideas like this. You have me anxious to start work on my project now! Maybe in a couple months I can make time to do that. For acoustic pickups I have had great success with Pickup The World's UST pickup (3rd one down). You can fit it underneath your saddle quite easily. These pickups are not piezo but are much better in my opinion. They have a warm, woody organic tone that captures all the acoustic nuances of the guitar without any of that piezo quack (never liked that personally). The LRBaggs Control-X preamp is also a great way to go if you want to blend your acoustic and magnetic pickups onboard. ~David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Alex Posted February 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2007 Thanks for the info on that pickup the world pickup, I had looked into their stuff for one of my acoustics but couldn't justify the cost when there were shiny tools I could claim as business expenditure. I'm very tempted to try that pickup out, but might play around with a cheaper piezo one first. My old man had an idea to minimise the piezo quack, and I've got a few ideas of my own to try out. Plus I enjoy making as much stuff myself as possible. Hooked up the neck pickup this afternoon also. With heavy distortion, it sounds like satan is coming, and he wants to eat my blue eyed babies And clean sounds pretty close to the guitar acoustically. I deem this guitar a success. There's gonna be some funny looks when people realise THIS guitar is the one making all that racket. It looks so calm and subdued. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted February 9, 2007 Report Share Posted February 9, 2007 Wes, when that photo was taken, the tail piece was pulling slightly crooked, and the bridge had slid slightly with only 3 strings on it, and the strings has shifted treble side. With all 7 on, the strings all pull nice and evenly. I need to adjust the tailpiece's mounting bar to conform to the guitar a little better. cool.i suspected as much.it seems very nice...the fretboard for some reason does not appear to be tapered enough in the pic,but maybe that is just the picture. out of curiousity,what is the nut width?is it standard? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Alex Posted February 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2007 That depends on what you deem "tapered enough". This one is 2-1/8" at the nut and 2.5" at the 24th fret . A 6 string I built a few months back was 1-15/16" a the nut. Just feels more comfortable to me. I do have kinda chubby fingers though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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