zandro Posted October 31, 2003 Report Share Posted October 31, 2003 Hey all, been spending some time drawing up what I want my guitar to look like in CADKey. I've come up with something but .. I dunno, it's the general shape I want, but it seems .. not right somehow. So could you let me know what you think? Wide picture below: Sorry for the mess at the connection of the fretboard to the body, but I don't want to trim that yet. The holes in the headstock are the tuner locating holes. I haven't placed the controls yet 'cause I'm not sure if I'm going to use this body or draw another one. I appreciate anyone giving me an opinion! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted October 31, 2003 Report Share Posted October 31, 2003 not enough neck support Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canuckguitarist Posted October 31, 2003 Report Share Posted October 31, 2003 it doesn't look like the heal joint would be very strong... EDIT: Beat me to it wes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zandro Posted October 31, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2003 not enough neck support It's neck-through, mate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canuckguitarist Posted October 31, 2003 Report Share Posted October 31, 2003 not enough neck support It's neck-through, mate. don't see anything wrong with it then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zandro Posted October 31, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2003 don't see anything wrong with it then Well, I wasn't so much worried about anything being "wrong," just wanted some opinions on the aesthetics. Is it ugly? I'm too close to the project to look at it objectively and say, "yeah, that's just butt-ugly." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goat Posted October 31, 2003 Report Share Posted October 31, 2003 Nice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canuckguitarist Posted October 31, 2003 Report Share Posted October 31, 2003 ok, sorry but i'm not really into it that much... but the bottom line is that if you like it, go for it. you're gonna be the one playing this guitar, seeing it everyday. Go for whatever you want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zandro Posted October 31, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2003 ok, sorry but i'm not really into it that much... but the bottom line is that if you like it, go for it. you're gonna be the one playing this guitar, seeing it everyday. Go for whatever you want. Yeah, I'm not so much worried about other people liking it necessarily. I'm just not sure if *I* like it. It seems to be the right shape, yet not. I don't know. I wasn't going for anything revolutionary. Originally I wanted to combine a PRS headstock with a Rickenbacker Dakota body, and somehow that shape is what came out. It's sort of similar to the Yamaha RBX series basses. Bleh. Maybe I'll have a more definitive or objective opinion tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted October 31, 2003 Report Share Posted October 31, 2003 you are taking away too much neck support when you rout the neck pickup.i don't want to rain on your parade i just want you to be aware of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted October 31, 2003 Report Share Posted October 31, 2003 i do really like the headstock though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zandro Posted October 31, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2003 you are taking away too much neck support when you rout the neck pickup.i don't want to rain on your parade i just want you to be aware of it. Even being a neck through? How deep does a pickup rout go? What if I "moved" the arc out so that it intersected at the 22nd fret? Thanks for the comment on the headstock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funkle Posted October 31, 2003 Report Share Posted October 31, 2003 I think it really looks pretty nice. Will it have a flat top or eased edges? I wonder if you could round the slightly pointy part of the lower-right bout (the convex part of the body in the bottom left of your drawing). I think the shape would flow a little better. -Sven Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zandro Posted October 31, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2003 I think it really looks pretty nice. Will it have a flat top or eased edges? I wonder if you could round the slightly pointy part of the lower-right bout (the convex part of the body in the bottom left of your drawing). I think the shape would flow a little better. -Sven I'm not sure. It's going to be a flat-top probably, though I am thinking about "rounding" the body like the Ibanez JS guitars. As far as the pointy bits, they show up that way because of the scale of the drawing. Once I get it printed up [if I choose to go with this body] it'll be more curved, and I will sand it to make sure it's not pointy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted October 31, 2003 Report Share Posted October 31, 2003 you are taking away too much neck support when you rout the neck pickup.i don't want to rain on your parade i just want you to be aware of it. Even being a neck through? How deep does a pickup rout go? What if I "moved" the arc out so that it intersected at the 22nd fret? Thanks for the comment on the headstock. move the body out to the 22 fret like you say....make the body 1 7/8" thick,and make the pickup rout as shallow as possible...i think that would be very strong.you might also consider laminates on the neck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
syxxstring Posted October 31, 2003 Report Share Posted October 31, 2003 looks like the older epiphone i think they were called rebels. gibson made some too. i always thought they were cool Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazyderek Posted October 31, 2003 Report Share Posted October 31, 2003 you are taking away too much neck support when you rout the neck pickup.i don't want to rain on your parade i just want you to be aware of it. Even being a neck through? How deep does a pickup rout go? What if I "moved" the arc out so that it intersected at the 22nd fret? Thanks for the comment on the headstock. well... guitars are usualy 1.75"ish thick and routs can be up to 1" deep but i only go about 0.50" and just rout little holes on either side of the ears/wings of the pickups, that'll help alot ot keep more strength going to the neck ,and just leave a bit of a heel on the guitar neck, nothing hudge, just enough to gain some support, like even something rounded out to the 21st fret would help. i don't think the headstock suits the guitar, although it is nice, something more along the designs of the guitar might suit.... but i can't think of anything better right now. i keep trying to imagine the body with some graphics, or holes, or carvnings... is there going to be an arm rest and gut cut?? i like the shape but i tihnk it's missing something too What about a big old fashioned Hour glass painted on the body behind the bridge? make the guitar like a Dr Who theme guitar? just something with the ass end of the guitars... it's so big, you can't not put a design on there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zandro Posted October 31, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2003 you are taking away too much neck support when you rout the neck pickup.i don't want to rain on your parade i just want you to be aware of it. Even being a neck through? How deep does a pickup rout go? What if I "moved" the arc out so that it intersected at the 22nd fret? Thanks for the comment on the headstock. well... guitars are usualy 1.75"ish thick and routs can be up to 1" deep but i only go about 0.50" and just rout little holes on either side of the ears/wings of the pickups, that'll help alot ot keep more strength going to the neck ,and just leave a bit of a heel on the guitar neck, nothing hudge, just enough to gain some support, like even something rounded out to the 21st fret would help. i don't think the headstock suits the guitar, although it is nice, something more along the designs of the guitar might suit.... but i can't think of anything better right now. i keep trying to imagine the body with some graphics, or holes, or carvnings... is there going to be an arm rest and gut cut?? i like the shape but i tihnk it's missing something too What about a big old fashioned Hour glass painted on the body behind the bridge? make the guitar like a Dr Who theme guitar? just something with the ass end of the guitars... it's so big, you can't not put a design on there I guess I should clear up some confusion with everyone by stating this guitar is going to be made using the Carvin pre-made neck-through neck. I don't think neck support will really be that big of a deal with the neck pickup where it is. For one thing, I think having the mounting ring there gives the illusion that it's closer to the edge than it is. Also, I will still keep a decent sized heel on the neck past the body. And I'll make sure to use Krazyderek's suggested routing method. The wings will be made of hondurany mahogany, and the pickup tabs will be mounted in it, which will help keep the wings on [in case the Titebond isn't enough] and leave a shallower rout on the maple. The finish is going to be just a clear coat - I want the natural wood look. As far as graphics, I can see what you mean, with the butt being so empty. However, if I do it as a flat-top, it will have arm rest and tummy cuts - or I may do as I mentioned before and do a JS style "rounding." I see what you mean about the headstock not matching the body. I half-way agree with you on that one. What about a headstock similar to the one on Brian Moore Guitars? Think that might look better? Wes - the body can only be 1.7" thick - the thickness of the extension on the Carvin neck. But I think that should be sufficient - especially given that the neck has two graphite rods in it? Still not sure if I like this body shape yet but it's growing on me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted October 31, 2003 Report Share Posted October 31, 2003 I like the tail end of it, and your curves seem to be in the right places, but there's something about the top end that's bugging me a little. I think it needs to be stretched out a bit more...something... Once you get the basic shape you like, just keep adjusting the finer points until you get it. On a body, the Slightest Change can have a dramatic impact. A guy I know makes life-sized pencil drawings and hangs them up on his wall at eye level for a few days to let them 'sink in', and does minor adjustments, hangs it up again for a few days... The last 'new' body I did a few months ago (haven't even made a guitar of it yet) I had the -basic- concept drawn in one night. And it took a week of refining it every single night until I had 3 versions I was happy with. Then I hung them up, slid a little of this from here over there, etc...it really took about 1.5 weeks of constant re-drawing before I finally had it and knew it, when that big fat sassy smile come a creepin' crosst my face, it was done. But I bet there's a good 12-15 hand-drawn hours in it, seriously adjusting very small points, over and over... So, I like the basic concept, I just don't think you're done revising it quite yet. You're close, keep at it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canuckguitarist Posted October 31, 2003 Report Share Posted October 31, 2003 oh yea, i somehow missed the headstock shape, it looks awesome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zandro Posted October 31, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2003 I like the tail end of it, and your curves seem to be in the right places, but there's something about the top end that's bugging me a little. I think it needs to be stretched out a bit more...something... [snip] So, I like the basic concept, I just don't think you're done revising it quite yet. You're close, keep at it. Yeah, I think that's the problem I'm having. The horns just .. aren't right. You offer some great advice, I just hope I have the patience to take it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted October 31, 2003 Report Share Posted October 31, 2003 yeah well keep in mind that the graphite rods are only in the fret part of the neck...the area i am concerned about is where the neck joins the body. if you look at most guitars you will notice that the top wing of the body extends well past the start of the fretboard...this helps support what the neck pickup takes away.the most notable exception to this is the sg,which for years was very unstable...until they changed the neck to body join. consider laminating bocote or bubinga or something else equally strong between the neck and wings...like on my v....that will greatly increase the rigidity in that area Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johntbyrne Posted October 31, 2003 Report Share Posted October 31, 2003 I too think it looks kind of short on the horn side but this is required for this shape or you won't have access to high frets. Heel will present a problem with high fret anyway so maybe move it forward some. I like the head but what if you copy and reverse the horn "C" shape and put it shrunk on the top of the head? May be cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zandro Posted October 31, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2003 Well later today I'm going to modify the design a bit and see if I can get it "right." I had a quick question, though. [Disclaimer: I'm not trying to be argumentative, I just want to get as much information as possible. ] Wes, you claim that have the edge of the body that close to the neck pickup will lead to an unstable area there. I guess I'm thinking of a different aspect of stability than you are. Say I build it as is and it is unstable there - what might cause it to break? By unstable I assumed you meant the string tension might cause a break, but are you thinking of failure due to some other cause? Thanks for the comments so far everyone. I love this forum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Page_Master Posted October 31, 2003 Report Share Posted October 31, 2003 hi zandro yeah i like your shape dude. it kind of looks like a Fernandes Raven shape, the guitar that Riggs of Rob Zombie uses. you should check out the site for inspiration. i knew it was going to be neck-thru . i mean as far as i'm concerned it was pretty self explanatory. if it was a bolt-on/in or a set-neck you would have mentioned, right? yeah of course you would of. Page. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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