capello Posted August 29, 2007 Report Share Posted August 29, 2007 Hello! after a long time i started a project i had in mind,cloning my original Jem777Dy,but with rosewood fretboard and american alder body. I never really loved maple fretboard,and i believe alder body are my preferred,tonally speaking. I like the shape and playability of the Jem series,that's why i didnt started an original project I almost finished the neck,made with flame maple,brasilian rosewood,abalone dot inlay,original truss rod,stew mac 150 frets. Obviously,scarf joint,same dimensions as original about fretboard/neck thickness. Only 1 hand of sealer,to avoid wood dirt. The original floyd rose fits the original edge routing and pivots/stud.The only difference between the 2 tremolos is the lenght of the spring block,Ofr is about 1/5 inch longer (i have to cut it!). Now the guitar play a lot better,longer sustain,definition,tone.I made a test with original edge tremolo,strings plays a little more "snappy",but with less sustain,i'm shure.If you hit a open low E,and make a slow dive bomb,sustain stops easily,if you make the same with Ofr,sustain stops when the string is.....dead! stop to word.....here some pics! let me know if you want better details on the Ofr neck blank with scarf joint http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/2387/scarfaj3.jpg truss rod slot http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/2102/trussrodnf4.jpg i dont like the idea about direct contact fretboard/truss rod,so..... http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/3194/trusstappoat3.jpg fretboard http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/394/tastierabz4.jpg http://img264.imageshack.us/img264/7532/mo...tastierarg7.jpg original and new neck http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/1710/confrontoim3.jpg here we are at a good point.... http://img461.imageshack.us/img461/2171/frontvw3.jpg radius gig http://img300.imageshack.us/img300/4538/radiustoolcq4.jpg again... http://img340.imageshack.us/img340/8404/radiusboardgf3.jpg a detail of the router for the neck back http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/3712/fresaij8.jpg last one http://img251.imageshack.us/img251/5656/montatabackjk2.jpg waiting for your opinions Soon i'll start the body!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawnofzion Posted August 29, 2007 Report Share Posted August 29, 2007 Looks great...I have always like the DY jems. But I hate the pink they have on them. but yours looks good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maiden69 Posted August 30, 2007 Report Share Posted August 30, 2007 http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/3712/fresaij8.jpg I like this! Very clean work on the neck. I think that the plain maple look on the headstock don't match the overall look of the guitar but the craftsmanship is outstanding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PTU 7's. Posted August 30, 2007 Report Share Posted August 30, 2007 Nice work you did there, and the maple has a nice figure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capello Posted August 30, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2007 Thanks!!!! downofzion:i'll replace the mid and neck pick up!!!!! Maiden69:maple on the headstock it's not definitive!i have to start the alder body,and i have to decide the final finish of the overall guitar!!! PTU 7'S:the maple have a better figure,but generally i like a little stain,kinda a vintage look!!! thanks again everyone,any idea will be appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix_rising Posted October 2, 2007 Report Share Posted October 2, 2007 Sexy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capello Posted November 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2007 just a little update about my Jem clone: during September i had built a Fender neck for a friend of mine,so i returned working on my clone only by now. In the end i choosed mahogany,i found a really nice 1 piece blank. Initially i was scared about weight,but now with the first "cut" it turned more human,about 2 kg and it needs all the routings,so i believe in 1+1/2 kg total weight. The man who gave me the blank told me it's 4-5 years old Brazilian or Santos. But it have the tipical Honduras grain,it's reddish/brown in color,and it have also some kind of longitudinal "curly",wich make me think about the Sapelli....who knows??? Anyway look really risonant if i bonk on it!!! here a pic,let me know what you think! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zyonsdream Posted November 9, 2007 Report Share Posted November 9, 2007 Wow, minus a missing logo, you wouldn’t know it from a real Ibanez! I always liked them and the color choice is killer. Was it hard polishing inside that money claw? Always wondered about that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capello Posted November 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2007 Wow, minus a missing logo, you wouldn’t know it from a real Ibanez! I always liked them and the color choice is killer. Was it hard polishing inside that money claw? Always wondered about that! Hi Zion, the claw it's made with a router so,inside,is pretty a "clean" job,ready for sealer/finish. maybe i didnt really understood your question? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RGman Posted November 10, 2007 Report Share Posted November 10, 2007 Looks like Brazilian/Honduran Mahogany, bit hard to tell really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GermanFafian Posted November 10, 2007 Report Share Posted November 10, 2007 Wow, minus a missing logo, you wouldn’t know it from a real Ibanez! I always liked them and the color choice is killer. Was it hard polishing inside that money claw? Always wondered about that! I don't know about him but I just finished painting and polishing one of those and had a tough time polishing the darned monkey grip Must be my lack of experience though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capello Posted November 15, 2007 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2007 just a little update,on monday i'll show you the guitar finished (but not painted!) making the lion claw is a "pain in the ass" (as you say...),i'm using my hand and a Dremel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xanthus Posted November 16, 2007 Report Share Posted November 16, 2007 Wow, excellent job The color is very nice! And the lion claw came out very well, though I can imagine what a pain it must have been to do. I can't wait to see more progress! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capello Posted November 21, 2007 Author Report Share Posted November 21, 2007 well....this is what happen when working without using the brain..... http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/7707/jembreak1th8.jpg i left the hands on the body when the router was at 18000 rpm....i dont know where my mind was..... anyway,another body is ready for the final routings (pick ups,trem.....) stay in tune!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted November 21, 2007 Report Share Posted November 21, 2007 unfortunate - but it should glue back on OK if it fits back together nicely Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capello Posted November 22, 2007 Author Report Share Posted November 22, 2007 unfortunate - but it should glue back on OK if it fits back together nicely yes Wez,it fits quite good for glue,but there is a great "hole" to fill,and all the body will need a colored finish...and i want mine natural! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted November 22, 2007 Report Share Posted November 22, 2007 ah, if there is a hole then its probably not worth saving Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigM555 Posted November 23, 2007 Report Share Posted November 23, 2007 well....this is what happen when working without using the brain..... http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/7707/jembreak1th8.jpg Awww man! That's gotta suck! So how long did you stand there in disbelief trying to hold back the tears? It was looking fantastic too. Hope you can still salvage it for a solid finish or something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capello Posted December 11, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 11, 2007 It was looking fantastic too. Hope you can still salvage it for a solid finish or something. ...well......i solved with a new one.....better than first one!!! http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/8695/jembodybackba7.jpg a couple of days and i'll show you the guitar completed...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capello Posted December 12, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 12, 2007 so....here we are! http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/3397/jem1atc0.jpg http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/8927/jem2ano5.jpg the body has nitro filler only pics are taken by the mobile camera,dont show the real mahogany color (red to orange) and details. some friends of mine says that this is honduras or better,cuban mahogany,and that i'm lucky to have find one blank. weight may confirm this, it's a little more of the original basswood,kinda between alder-ash stratocaster. tone differences are huge!all the notes plays "armonically" better,sustain is increased,bass frequencies are no more "muddy",and the plain strings have more "body" for shure. so one more time again,we can say that mahogany it's not more "bassy" or "low frequency playing" respect alder or any other wood,it simply doesnt attenuate the lower-mid frequencies region,the wounded strings plays more "tight". now i would like to know your preferences about the final body/headstock finish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PTU 7's. Posted December 13, 2007 Report Share Posted December 13, 2007 Congrats! It looks very nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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