Dirge for november Posted February 23, 2008 Report Share Posted February 23, 2008 This was my first guitar building project. The body is solid mahogany, the neck is maple, and so are the inlay strips in the body. The pickups are the EMG Zakk Wylde set. I actually bought the neck second hand as this was my first project, and I didn't dare try and build a neck yet. I chose the pickups because I actually had no idea whatsoever about pickups except that I knew these pickups were often used for louder music, and liked by a lot of people. (Also disliked by a lot of people I found out later, but I'm really happy with the sound. They can sound warm and bluesy just as well as brutal) The design was inspired by: obviously the Les Paul, the BC rich Bich (for cutting up a classic looking body) and as I'm in a wheelchair, the wheel is usually in the way of getting the body close to my body. The cutout also deals with this problem. Excuse the pictures, I have yet to make some better ones. It might sound stupid, but the finish looks a lot better in real life as the flash doesn't reflect then. Not yet finished yet to eager to play already the jack is hanging on with ducttape. The finished product Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al heeley Posted February 23, 2008 Report Share Posted February 23, 2008 Congrats, nice clean build. I really like the white stripes, how they shoot thru the control knobs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick500 Posted February 23, 2008 Report Share Posted February 23, 2008 Looks good. What is the finish? Tung oil? Tru-Oil? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quarter Posted February 23, 2008 Report Share Posted February 23, 2008 Nice job! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassisgreat Posted February 23, 2008 Report Share Posted February 23, 2008 Sweet! I dig it, man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zyonsdream Posted February 23, 2008 Report Share Posted February 23, 2008 I really like it. The Les Paul cut off shape really works. Running the Maple stringers through it really looks cool too. I don't like the jack placement but that's minor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassisgreat Posted February 23, 2008 Report Share Posted February 23, 2008 (edited) I think the jack placement is more functionally practical for Dirge because it will keep his cord from interfering with the wheel on his chair, which I could imagine would get annoying. I dig the guitar and would love to play one like it, just because it looks killer! Necessity is the mother of all invention, eh? Edit : Can we get a pic of the back? That mahogany is killer! Edited February 23, 2008 by Bassisgreat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
black_labb Posted February 24, 2008 Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 thats a great looking build. did you find it difficult making the guitar being in a wheelchair? i can imagine some steps being a bit complicated as your not able to get over the guitar in the way many people can. great looking instrument, and glad to hear you like the sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tim290280 Posted February 24, 2008 Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 Like the stripes! You're certainly living up to the idea of building your very own guitar. What's your second build going to be? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirge for november Posted February 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 Hey Thanks for all the replies!! The finish is just plain car paint, worked out fine in the end. I still have no idea about finishing, but I'll be sure to look into it before the next project. The funniest part of building it was that I did the carved top with a flex, it took about 5 min. When I went to a prof. guitarbuilder to ask some questions about bridge placement he asked me how I got the nice subtle curve. Imagine his face when I told him The Jack location... I'm not sure, but imho the cord angle would look a bit strange when it's on the downside of the edge, It wouldnt be a problem for the wheelchair as the corner sticks out quite far. Building it was indeed a bit of a problem with the wheelchair, I got some help from my dad. Next project I want to do completely though, as I now have a standing chair which I can push up to standing position. This way I'll be able to lean over the work. The next guitar I plan on building will stick to the same shape, but I want to make it look more a luxury product. I want to add binding and do the neck myself. I was thinking about a shiny black finish, although visiting a museum I got a new idea: In real life it was a bit lighter. Also I would like to try and build it with a tremmolo preferably a floyd rose model. I'll start a new topic when I start building (it will take a while as I'm currently in Sweden doing an internship) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirge for november Posted February 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 I forgot, pictures of the back... I don't have them, but I'll make them right now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andronico Posted February 24, 2008 Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 Well done, it´s beautiful ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirge for november Posted February 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 Here are some more pictures, the strange shapes in the covers on the back are actually the blinds in my appartment reflected. On the pictures the finish somehow looks a bit grainy, but in real life it's actually totally smooth. It may be the flash of the camera. Looking back I should have done some extra layers, good to remember for the next project. Actually I started the finishing with a layer of polyground. An older picture with the wood unfinished Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirge for november Posted March 10, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2008 I really like it. The Les Paul cut off shape really works. Running the Maple stringers through it really looks cool too. I don't like the jack placement but that's minor. Just out of curiosity, where would you put the jack? Might be improved on the next model Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j. pierce Posted March 11, 2008 Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 Lovely work! I find it interesting that you cite that stove finish as inspiration - there was a stove similar to that on the side of the road a few months ago, and I've been thinking of doing a finish like that myself since I saw it. I think it could look great with a cocobolo board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirge for november Posted March 11, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 Lovely work! I find it interesting that you cite that stove finish as inspiration - there was a stove similar to that on the side of the road a few months ago, and I've been thinking of doing a finish like that myself since I saw it. I think it could look great with a cocobolo board. We should put this in the tutorial section: stoves are good for inspiration Thanks for the feedback, with cocobolo fretboard, do you mean with the green finish or my current guitar? Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j. pierce Posted March 11, 2008 Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 Ah, I was thinking the cocobolo fretboard with the stove-inspired finish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirge for november Posted March 11, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 I looked up what a cocobolo fretboard looks like. One of those would look great on the stoveguitar! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orgmorg Posted March 11, 2008 Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 Scott French did one that color, but without the shading around the edges: http://www.scottfrench.com/i/Finished%20Cu...cut%20Guitar/09 That has always been my favorite color for large appliances. Great guitar, BTW, Turned out real nice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirge for november Posted March 11, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 That's a pretty funky guitar! Thanks for the link. I like the colour on that one. Somehow the colour makes me think of glazed pottery . I'm in no rush to decide the details, as that's not even going to be my next project Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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