New Member - First Build

[guitar113]

Hey dudes,

Ive been reading for a while checking out all the post and have learned alot, I decided for my first complete build I'd start with a bolt on. The body I patterned off a GMW dinky I have but I changed it to from 25 1/2 22 fret to a 24 fret 24 3/4. The body is maple, neck is quartersawn maple, fretboard is quartersawn maple, inlays are abalone, emg 81 and sa and schaller floyd I had from a jackson dk1 UPS busted. Truss is a stew-mac hotrod, grover tuners.... the neck I've honed to a 12 degree at the nut to match the locknut to 16 degrees to match the trem I'm gonna shim to match the radius, frets are 6100s. Anyway here's some pics, just looking for some suggestions to improve the next one. I should have this one fretted soon and I already have a 1 piece paduak body blank and another neck blank to start the other one as soon as this one is playing.

Crap, I can't figure out how to post the pics. When I click on insert Image it says prompts me for a URL, do I need to post these and link to them?

Dave

[Rick500]

Yeah, you'll have to host them yourself or put them on Photobucket or similar.

[guitar113]

Thanks Rick

Here's a pic of the neck, I'm pretty much done with it besides finally sanding and the side dot markers.

http://s285.photobucket.com/albums/ll61/db...nt=DSC00209.jpg

Here's the back of the headstock, I created sharper lines than the 50s strat head.

http://s285.photobucket.com/albums/ll61/db...nt=DSC00210.jpg

Here's the body, its just got sand sealer on it now, havent decided on a color yet.

http://s285.photobucket.com/albums/ll61/db...nt=DSC00211.jpg

And here's the whole thing.

http://s285.photobucket.com/albums/ll61/db...nt=DSC00213.jpg

Any advice or recommendations are more than welcome, like I said this is my first one

[MescaBug]

Looks good to me! I don't see anything wrong from those pictures. Not sure about using an active pup... An all maple guitar is usually bright as hell. It might sound sterile with the EMG81. I would use a Duncan 59', or something with a little bit less treble and output. Something that would give your guitar a more 'organic' vibe.

Suggestions;

- I would have routed a smaller control cavity, too keep more wood. Looks like Stewmac routing templates, which are very large IMO.

- A nice birdseye maple fingerboard would give it more 'sparkle'. Visually, maple is not a very attractive wood. It's a bolt-on, so you can make another neck. LMI sells very nice 1st grade birdseye boards.

- If you make another neck, you can try a one-piece neck with a dark wood skunk stripe. It's a little bit trickier too make, but the stripe gives an interesting contrast.

- You can use neck ferrules instead of a neck plate. And carve the body at the neck heel, like Ibanez guitars. Fret access is much more easier, and it looks clean.

- A flushmount output jack would give it a more cleaner look than the bulky football, or square jack plate. Hole is already drilled... Maybe next time?

Just my 2 cents..

Nice and clean little workshop you got there

Edited April 9, 2008 by MescaBug

[zyonsdream]

I like it, it looks clean. The rounded edges on the body are very clean.

As for the cavity: I use a large cavity on all of my builds for one reason; less work when the customer wants to expand on thier electronics package. No routing, just a few holes.

[MescaBug]

I agree.

But the Stewmac cavity template is really huge.. Maybe a little to large for even a complex wiring. Anyway, it's not a bad thing.

[guitar113]

Thanks the the input, I've been getting all my parts together for my second build, I did get a flush mount input jack and neck ferruls already and some screw in studs for the neck so I can use machine screws. I agree that electronics cavity is pretty darn big, it was the stew mac template. I think I may make my own template for a smaller one. Shops clean cause it's new, just finished it late last year, its 30x40...best money Ive ever spent.

I've been looking into the one piece neck deal, I have about every book known to man and all of them either skip the subject or just barely discuss it though Hiscocks book does at least have a picture of the drilling jig, any one have any tips or links on doing the one piece/skunk stripe necks?

Dave

Edited April 10, 2008 by guitar113