Would Magnets Work?

[pdizzle]

So I am planning on making a neck-through Flying V with a mirror top. But unlike, the gibson I don't want ugly screws everywhere. So I was thinking, those magnets the help keep your control plates on, could I juste route little holes on the body, put magnets in the holes and glue magnets on the back of the mirror, and then shlabam? If you don't know what magnets I'm talking about, HERE YOU GO. So, do you guys think it would work?

thanks alot and let the force be with thee

[Rick500]

I've read a thread or two here about using magnets to attach control cavity covers. I've been planning to try it myself. At least a couple people have gotten it to work.

Edit: Oh, you mean for the whole top? Not sure how secure that would be. It works for control cavity covers, but they're recessed into the back so that they're flush, and there's no shearing force (for lack of a better description) to move the covers.

[pdizzle]

I've read a thread or two here about using magnets to attach control cavity covers. I've been planning to try it myself. At least a couple people have gotten it to work.

Edit: Oh, you mean for the whole top? Not sure how secure that would be. It works for control cavity covers, but they're recessed into the back so that they're flush, and there's no shearing force (for lack of a better description) to move the covers.

Yeah, that's what I was thinking, not strong enough, but imagine if it is. If everything is routed on the top, how east it would be to just take look at everything and how easy to fix something. Maybe there are some really strong magnets or something

[GregP]

You could find a way to make it work, for sure. For example, having it 'surround' the "heel" as though it's a small neck pocket will prevent movement on one side. A stickie-outie thingy in the neck area would prevent 'shearing' movement on the other end.. and rare earth magnets are apparently hella strong, so a few of those around the top and the problem might become getting it OFF!

[gibsonsg26]

mayby if you routed the shape of the mirror into the top like an inlay and then used the magnets might not work though would be a little sketchy wouldnt want the mirror falling and breaking in the middle of a gig lol.

[tim_ado]

if you do the route tight enough so when u put the plate in it cant come out, then you put an extension on the back of a pot....all you do is unscrew the pot push it in and the back pops out.......thats what i did

Edited June 28, 2007 by tim_ado

[GregP]

Not sure if this is similar to what Tim's saying or not, but:

When the top's on, there will be all MANNER of opportunities to hold it in place, even without routing an 'inlay' for the top. Pickup and control cavities... stringthrough bridge or tailpiece... bridge posts (if you go that route). There are dozens of possibilities for holding the top in place, in addition to the magnets. You just have to pick any of them and make it work.

[SwedishLuthier]

And if you get tired of the mirror top you can have a bunch of alternative tops to mach the clothes you are wearing at the gig. “Hmm, let’s see…today I will be wearing my black jeans, so lets pop on the black top on the guitar”

[GregP]

Teh funnay.

In seriousness, though, it would take a bit of work to make a top swappable like that... you'd have to design everything with that possibility in mind, or it'll be impossible to change without also having to change strings, unscrew and rescrew the pickups, pots, etc.

To me, the main benefit of it being 'removable' is that you get a seamless-looking top (the whole thing's a giant 'pickguard' for electronics mounting, etc.) but retain the ability to get into the control cavities if need be, for pickup and wiring upgrades/replacements, etc.

[jer7440]

the whole thing's a giant 'pickguard' for electronics mounting, etc.

Mickgaurd would be in heaven..... :D

[Jaam]

Velcro?

[ihocky2]

You can definitely get magnets that are strong enough to hold the top on securely, but I think you'll run into a few problems. With a magnet that strong, what is it going to do to your electronics? Will throw off the signal in the wiring, will it affect the pickups. For that matter, what will it do to the strings vibrations. I think a pick gaurd is doable, since you'll need less magnets, and they won't need to be as stong.

[pdizzle]

Here is a "mockup" of what I will do. I will just glue the mirror on the headstock, just holes for tuners. The truss rod would be facing down so whenever I would open the "pickguard" , I could adjust it there.

[GregP]

The pickups, bridge, and tailpiece (plus the 'neck heel area') will help keep everything secure, meaning that you can put fewer magnets. And if the strongest of them (or more likely, highest concentration) are out on the tips of the "V", they're very unlikely to interfere with the electronics. For putting a magnet or two near the pickup or neck area (which is also close to the neck pickup) you'd certainly have to experiment and test, but I still think it could be done.