Ben Posted June 26, 2007 Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 The Design: The specs: Body: 1 piece zebrano Neck: Wenge Fretboard: Wenge Neck joint: Bolt-on Scale length: 27~28" ish (still undecided but it'll be somewhere between those two) Pickups: GFS; either dual p-90, dual HB or one of each Bridge: either tremolo or hardtail, undecided -Rotary pickup selector switch -Knob configuration will be different to in image The wood is ordered and as soon as it arrives I'll get started Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted June 26, 2007 Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 Nice inventive look - the headstock looks a bit "heavy" though. Perhaps the top angle comes down too much or the bottom bit near the B is too weighty? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Posted June 26, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 The headstock design is still preliminary, I just stuck it on there quickly in photoshop, without giving it anything like the careful attention I gave the curves of the body. I'll be trying some alternative designs for it soon- I dont think the current one compliments the body curves very well. I might even go with a 3X3 or 4X2, since the 6 in a line headstock does look kinda large. Thanks for the comment though... I might go back into cad/ photoshop and make a perfect rendering of what I want to achieve. This one has a few flaws cos its basically a load of previous renderings I made for other ideas chopped up and reassembled Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tubab0y Posted June 27, 2007 Report Share Posted June 27, 2007 with the body shape, i'd definitely go with a 4x2- the 3x3 would be too symmetrical for it. i know they're cheap, but the crunchy PAFs would actually match the wood really well. i'm liking the body shape- can't wait to see how it ends up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erikbojerik Posted June 27, 2007 Report Share Posted June 27, 2007 With a 27"-28" scale and a neck-body join at #18-20, methinks you might be really reaching for #1. You might consider moving the entire scale back toward the a** end by a few frets. It will also help with balance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted June 27, 2007 Report Share Posted June 27, 2007 Or perhaps a more elongated top horn an inch or two and increasing lower fret access? I guess the access depends on whether you'll actually use those frets! An inch back on the neck and an inch on the top horn would make a huge difference. As you say Ben, it's a mockup at this stage :-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travismoore Posted June 27, 2007 Report Share Posted June 27, 2007 nice design! looks liek its going to be a cool gutiar with some good wood choices there =D As Prostheta said you need to spend a little time sorting out the headstock shape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Posted June 27, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2007 With a 27"-28" scale and a neck-body join at #18-20, methinks you might be really reaching for #1. You might consider moving the entire scale back toward the a** end by a few frets. It will also help with balance. maybe... but I'm fairly big (6 foot 2"), and when I hold my guitar and imagine an extra 2 or 3" on the end of it, it doesnt seem like I'd have any problem with reach. I'll be drawing it out full size/ getting someone to print my cad drawing soon, so I'll get a better feel for the dimensions then. Thats probably going to be the easiest way to imagine it when finished. Thanks for the comments! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted June 27, 2007 Report Share Posted June 27, 2007 In that case you could probably scale the width of the body say 10-15% wider and not ruin the aesthetics - that would help you resolve any neck joining point/access issues.... I'm six foot, but i'm not a skinny guy so I tend to make five-string basses almost look small! It's made me consider the issues of bridge placement and balance on the eight-string 30"! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Posted June 28, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2007 I'm finalising my wiring diagram now... Quick poll of opinion; What sounds would you choose to fill the last 2 spaces on my 6 way rotary switch? I have decided upon: 1. Bridge humbucker (series) 2. Bridge humbucker (series) + Neck P90 in series with bridge 3. Bridge humbucker (parallel) + Neck P90 in parallel with bridge 4. Neck P-90 on its own. 5. ???? 6. ???? The options that I am considering for 5 and 6 are: A. Bridge single coil (split humbucker) in series with the neck p90 B. Bridge single coil (split humbucker) in parallel with the neck p90 C. Bridge single coil (split humbucker) on its own D. Bridge single coil (split humbucker) in series and out of phase with the neck p90 E. Bridge humbucker (series) in parallel with the neck p90 F. Bridge humbucker (parallel) What do you think would provide the best sound/ most tonal variation? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAS Guitars Posted June 28, 2007 Report Share Posted June 28, 2007 very cool design I like alot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tubab0y Posted June 28, 2007 Report Share Posted June 28, 2007 A and C would be the most versatile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erikbojerik Posted June 29, 2007 Report Share Posted June 29, 2007 (edited) I'm fairly big (6 foot 2"), and when I hold my guitar and imagine an extra 2 or 3" on the end of it, it doesnt seem like I'd have any problem with reach. No problem then! That's the beauty of building your own. As for the pickup options, I can imagine that you might be able to wire the pickup outputs up to a mini set of terminals inside the control cavity that allow you to make connections through the use of tiny jumpers that are just a U-shaped piece of metal covered in plastic, which slides over (and connects) pairs of pins. I've seen such things several times in the electronics we use in our lab at work. Send the outputs to your rotary switch. This way you could try all sorts of different combinations without having to resolder. Edited June 29, 2007 by erikbojerik Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Preston Swift Posted June 29, 2007 Report Share Posted June 29, 2007 i think the design looks great. I think the large headstock suits it well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Posted June 30, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2007 Today I bought a load of MDF and drew everything out full size in preparation for making templates. I wish I had my camera- it's looking really promising as a design. I settled for a 27.5" scale length in the end In that case you could probably scale the width of the body say 10-15% wider and not ruin the aesthetics - that would help you resolve any neck joining point/access issues.... Done When I first printed out my cad drawing, seeing it full size made me realise that the body was too small. I made it about 1.5 inches wider and now it looks fine. Wont help me with my aim to minimise the weight (since zebrano is very dense), but it definitely needed enlarging. very cool design I like alot. Cheers! A and C would be the most versatile. Cool, thanks for the opinion. I may just take your word for it and go with that in fact. I really have no idea what the others will sound like. I'd guess that B and 3 would sound similar, and I think that D may not be possible with a 4 pole switch, given some of the other configurations I've chosen, but otherwise I've no way of deciding. I'm fairly big (6 foot 2"), and when I hold my guitar and imagine an extra 2 or 3" on the end of it, it doesnt seem like I'd have any problem with reach. No problem then! That's the beauty of building your own. As for the pickup options, I can imagine that you might be able to wire the pickup outputs up to a mini set of terminals inside the control cavity that allow you to make connections through the use of tiny jumpers that are just a U-shaped piece of metal covered in plastic, which slides over (and connects) pairs of pins. I've seen such things several times in the electronics we use in our lab at work. Send the outputs to your rotary switch. This way you could try all sorts of different combinations without having to resolder. That is a good idea... could end up pretty complicated though, I have enough trouble getting my head around it on paper. I'd have to make sure I laid it all out logically. I thought about prototyping it with a breadboard somehow, but your idea is a lot better. The configurations are all easy to understand; the challenge is figuring out how to achieve them all when limited to only 4 poles. i think the design looks great. I think the large headstock suits it well. Cool; because the 6 in a line is staying When I drew it out full size I tried a few different headstock shapes and tuner arrangements- the one that looked best was the 6-in-a-line, but on the final design the headstock has ended up a little smaller and a slightly different shape to in that image. Plus the 6 in a line was the only one that would allow me to use an idea I had, that should let me use higher gauge strings without making the strings any harder to bend (I'll explain it fully when I get to that stage in the building process ) I just wish my wood would arrive now Damn postal strike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Posted June 30, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2007 Still no sign of the wood... its been a while now. I'm going to phone craft supplies on monday if its not here by then. I did however finish my templates for the body and neck (I placed it next to my sisters guitar to give a better indication of its size). I settled for a 27.5" scale in the end. Just one more template to make for the neck pocket, trem and pickup routes. In the new knob layout, the smaller knob nearest the neck is volume, the other small knob is tone and the 3rd larger knob is the pickup selector. a few more pics: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted June 30, 2007 Report Share Posted June 30, 2007 Excellent work Ben - that design is looking a lot more streamlined and contemporary! The previous headstock design was quite large and pre-CBSey. Balance look right also - are you mounting the button on the end or behind on the top? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted July 1, 2007 Report Share Posted July 1, 2007 i like it a lot!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adstar Posted July 1, 2007 Report Share Posted July 1, 2007 Hi Ben You are getting pretty good at this. Excellent work. Cheers Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Posted July 1, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 1, 2007 Thanks for the positive comments! Prostheta- I hadnt really thought about it yet... I'll probably wait until its finished and then see what looks and feels most natural. I got bored today and decided to make something... Its a poor-man's drill press - a stand that holds my electric drill. It doesnt bear the wait of the drill or anything, its basically just a bit that holds the drill, and a set of guide rails that keep it it perpendicular to the surface being drilled. I tried it on scrap and it actually works pretty damn well. It only works on flat surfaces, but that's all I'll need it for. I made it pretty sturdy and it seems to work accurately without the bit wobbling around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erikbojerik Posted July 1, 2007 Report Share Posted July 1, 2007 The previous headstock design was quite large and pre-CBSey. You say it like there's something wrong with that....where's your inner Jimi? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Posted July 1, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 1, 2007 (edited) I just ordered my pickups and trem, I decided on: GFS Crunchy Paf for the bridge, GFS 'Mean 90' for the neck and this trem Edit: And now I just ordered everything else I need from stewmac That makes the overall cost for the guitar, including the new tools I bought, just under £150. Not bad! Edited July 1, 2007 by Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted July 2, 2007 Report Share Posted July 2, 2007 The previous headstock design was quite large and pre-CBSey. You say it like there's something wrong with that....where's your inner Jimi? My inner Jimi is kicking out blues with my inner Jim Morrison and inner Robert Johnson. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaam Posted July 2, 2007 Report Share Posted July 2, 2007 I actually ordered the exact same set of pups for my shtrat. Haven't put them in yet though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Posted July 4, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 4, 2007 My Wood AND My stewmac order both arrived today My stewmac stuff made it to my doorstep in like 30 hours... wow. I spent the afternoon thinning my body blank, and then I made a start on rough cutting the outline. Things I learnt: 1. Zebrano is damn hard to plane. 2. A better plane would be a wise investment. 3. removing less than half an inch of zebrano can make a surprising amount of mess! 4. Zebrano is damn hard to cut (my jigsaw seems to work its way through it at about 1mm a minute ) I'll have to take some pics of the wood tomorrow- it looks really nice Also I tried the tap test thing on the wood out of curiosity- the zebrano just made a standard noise really... but the wenge however was a different story- my neck blank rang like a bell! I was really surprised by the sound it made, sounded more like I was knocking on metal tubing or something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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