Xanthus Posted May 20, 2008 Report Share Posted May 20, 2008 Mmm, I agree, it's too stubby-looking. I'd give it another 2 inches or so. Just by guesstimating on pictures on google, it looks like the tip of the tailpiece should be about 1/2" from where the traditional TOM stoptail would end. Also, and this just might be a personal preference, but why did you choose to put the bass strings closer, and sweep away the treble strings? I don't know if there's a real answer as to why, maybe just tradition, but I tend to think of it like a piano, bass strings are longer than treble strings. Also, what job do you do where you can bring your guitar projects to work? Sign me up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piedpiperX2000 Posted May 20, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 20, 2008 kk i thought so, i chose to put the bass side higher because it followed the contours of the neck and the headstock so it just made sense, I'm fairly sure that there's no physical conditioning from having one side close than the other so =] and I'm a security guard, and I work second shift alot so most of the time i'm at work i'm sitting at a desk (the one in most of the photos lol) with nothing to do for 8 hours. New tailpiece design tonight then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xanthus Posted May 21, 2008 Report Share Posted May 21, 2008 Benedetto makes a pretty snazzy tailpiece, I think. I grabbed a couple of other pictures off Google that I like, and thought I'd pass them along for possible inspiration: http://www.guitar-parts.com/pictures/1547b...ner-Jazzica.jpg http://www.buscarino.com/images/monarch/monarch-tail.jpg What did you make the tail out of, ebony if I remember correctly? The thought did cross my mind about cutting the middle piece out like you did, and if it would be able to stand up to the string tension. But, if it's ebony, I don't think it would be a problem. Here's to many uneventful nights! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piedpiperX2000 Posted May 22, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 22, 2008 (edited) Those look good! I wanted to make my own tho. Made it a little bigger and an inch or two longer! No big update just still scraping bindings perfect beh.. takes so much time yup its ebony! Edited May 22, 2008 by piedpiperX2000 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xanthus Posted May 22, 2008 Report Share Posted May 22, 2008 Looking much better! I'd taper off the end a bit more, but it looks good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piedpiperX2000 Posted May 22, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 22, 2008 yer right =] Im'a do some more contouring to the bottom. They're typically held on with a hinge right? O_o I feel retarded for asked ha.. but it's the only way it'd make sense for a height-adjustable bridge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xanthus Posted May 22, 2008 Report Share Posted May 22, 2008 A hinge like a Bigsby, or a fastener cord, yes. Check it: Read up! Stewmac goes into how it works. If you go the cord route, you'll need a friction buffer point thingie so the tailpiece doesn't put too much pressure on the corner of the guitar and scratch it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan316 Posted May 23, 2008 Report Share Posted May 23, 2008 Allright, as much as I LURVE this guitar, I'll have to criticize just a little bit. Not an artistic problem, a structural problem. That floating tailpiece is gonna snap on you when it's all strung up with full tension. Yes, it's ebony. But the grain runs perfectly straight up and down. And at the curve of that cutout, you've got the weakest point on that tailpiece. I foresee the strings snapping away with a chunk from the end of that cutout. Perhaps, you've already done some tests or already strung it up, and will tell me, "Bryan, you're a horse's ass and know nothing about anything!" I'll feel better at least, that this guitar won't break on you. But if I'm right, and that ebony goes kablammo during a performance, you're gonna hurl that sucka at a wall in fury and hatred. Is it too late to test/remake that tailpiece? Cuz as cool as it looks, the engineer in me is screaming bloody murder at that last picture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xanthus Posted May 23, 2008 Report Share Posted May 23, 2008 I was thinking the same thing, but it's better that the curve be on the bass side, because the tension of the bass strings will pull stronger. And the bass strings being closer means less string that is pulling on the tailpiece. I didn't notice the grain situation, and its possible implications, though. I dunno, though, ebony is one tough mother of a species; he might be ok. I'm anxious to see this one done, though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piedpiperX2000 Posted May 23, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2008 (edited) oh hey, see theres something I was going to do that I never really mentioned which was; I knew I wanted some sort of a gold hinge or connector to mount the tailpiece to, I also wanted to buy an extra gold hinge or anything thin and shiny gold, to cut out a part on one side of it to mount connecting the weak part on the far side. It's hard to explain but it was in the plans from the beginning i just never mentioned it I dont know why O_o. On the last tailpiece I tried a piece of birdseye maple I glued a thin veneer to the bottom and put a structural piece where I said I'm going to put the gold piece, but I didn't like how it looks so I cut it out and didn't show anyone the pictures hehe. Hey, I've been working on scraping the binding clean and I can't get it 100% clean, I masked off the spots around where the binding line was, put about 3-5 coats of lacquer over the bindings (i was drunk so +-2 coats) then taped off the bindings, but when I dyed it still bled through more than I'd of liked, and in certain spots bled through pretty deep. I have it cleaned up how does it look? I'll be the first to admit the binding lines aren't 100% perfect and it's kinda stressing me out a little, I guess it's all about knowing how to do it 100% proper so nothing bleeds through. Heres when I tested out tigereye, didn't like it too much, it has a cool look to it but I think red fit this build better. Besides I like doing a more dramatic tiger eye I dont like do subtle shiat like most manufacturers. I guess I'm going to start sealer coats tomorrow morning if you guys think the binding looks good enough peace - Josh Edited May 23, 2008 by piedpiperX2000 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xanthus Posted May 23, 2008 Report Share Posted May 23, 2008 What tape are you using? A good automotive dealer will have pinstriping tape that you can get in various thicknesses. I used it to tape off the bevels on my first build and it worked well. I think I would be more worried about splotches or runs in the binding than getting it to be the exact same thickness all the way around. The one pic looks fine to me, but then again it ain't the best quality either I figure if you can't see it from arm's length away, it's no big deal. This, coming from a perfectionist like myself, haha. I learned that I was very overcritical with my first build because I had spent 9mo or so staring at it from less than a foot away and critiquing everything and so on and so forth. I was getting into issues with the damn thing that I realized later only I would be concerned about. So long story short, the pic you posted looks fine to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piedpiperX2000 Posted May 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 24, 2008 Yup! I'm using 1/4" pinstriping tape. Ya know I might start spraying my dyes, with correct consitency and psi its basically dry when it hits the wood. That combined with pinstripe tape + lacquer the binding should produce an EXACT line... in theory Thanks for the help Xan =] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattharris75 Posted May 24, 2008 Report Share Posted May 24, 2008 Looks good to me, but it's tough to tell from the picture. If you have any particular trouble spots, you might want to post some closer up pictures of that. I think this type of things is one of the reasons that most people wouldn't recommend you sell your first guitar build. It's amazing how much easier and more precise everything gets the 2nd, 3rd, & 4th times, and so on. Looking great, by the way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anderekel Posted May 24, 2008 Report Share Posted May 24, 2008 1/4 inch? I would say go with 1/8 inch for the curves and that, being much thinner it takes the curves easier. It's lookin' great overall though, can't wait to see the finished product Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piedpiperX2000 Posted May 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 30, 2008 (edited) Teaser Mock-Up before I start finishing, this is after its dry and dulled up you know how dyed wood is before clear Ebony Knobs being made Edited May 30, 2008 by piedpiperX2000 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xanthus Posted May 30, 2008 Report Share Posted May 30, 2008 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted May 30, 2008 Report Share Posted May 30, 2008 thats going to look awesome!!! one question though, whats going in the hole underneath the neck pickup? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricky Anderson Posted May 30, 2008 Report Share Posted May 30, 2008 I know I'm late, but what about this colour for your next guitars? Or this one? I can't decide which colour I'm gonna use for my current guitar, both of them look so good, but I got only 1 project for now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piedpiperX2000 Posted May 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 30, 2008 WezV thanks! It's gonna be the mag. pickup selector, the other two small holes are for the piezo bridge controls, its stereo/mono push button and a 3 way for straight piezo/piezo mag mix/straight mag, if I recall correctly. Anderson, I like the bottom one the best! I'm a sucker for orange colored finished tho =] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piedpiperX2000 Posted May 31, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 31, 2008 Finished Tailpiece and have binding almost perfect, everythings dead on! Action is amazing and it sound very natural and has a crisp ringing tone, its hard to describe but it sounds really natural and tonally vibrant! Tis all, happy building! - Josh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ngaa Posted May 31, 2008 Report Share Posted May 31, 2008 (edited) Great looking guitar! Record a sound clip when you get it all wired up n' stuff! Edited May 31, 2008 by ngaa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricky Anderson Posted June 1, 2008 Report Share Posted June 1, 2008 Josh, is it ok to put oil on guitar like yours, instead of paint it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piedpiperX2000 Posted June 1, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2008 to be honest I'm really not sure I've never done any oil finished, I've always done strictly nitro or water-based, lacquer finishes. Theres a couple guys here that do nothing but oil finished I bet they would know an answer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xanthus Posted June 1, 2008 Report Share Posted June 1, 2008 Tailpiece came out EXCELLENT! Is that a strip of tape underneath it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piedpiperX2000 Posted June 1, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2008 lol naw, it's a piece of metal that's bolted to both sides. It's gold but it's not like shiny gold like I wanted. It will most likely be replaced with something more shiny before I take promo pictures! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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