avengers63 Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 The wood absolutely could go either way. If you're set on using a trem, the Khaler you've mentioned frequently, that would lead you towards some hot-rodded pups. If you left the trem idea alone, that might open some thematic possibilities for you. The Viper itself lends itself towards the more hot-rodded choices, but the obvious SG-like shape would make more reserved choices just fine. Clearly, this shape can go either way. Howzabout this: Have you done more hot-rod builds or more reserved builds? Whichever one you've done more of, do the other to balance things out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zyonsdream Posted June 2, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 When it comes to personal builds I generally like 1 humbucker (active or passive) with 1 tone knob. No binding and no inlay. Those are my personal likes. So my personal ones have more of a stripped down shredder appeal to them. If I'm going to keep it for myself I rarely go to the 9's on it. So going all out with this build might be the way to go. I like the TVJ pickups idea but I agree that going with a kahler would look off. Do you think the viper would look good with a flat mount Bigsby and the TVJ pickups? I could also go with a Nashville bridge and a custom tail piece like on the Guild S100 I guess in the back of my mind I'm worried about making this guitar look to busy which wouldn’t be hard to do with that grain pattern. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 (edited) If you went with a custom t/p, you DEFINATELY should go with the SG. A trapeze would be really nice. It wouldn't take up any more real estate than a Bigsby. Here's what I think we agree on this far. I think these are for aesthetics than anything else. TVJ's wouldn't go with the Viper. TVJ's wouldn't go with the Khaler. Khaler wouldn't go with the SG. Bigsby wouldn't go with the Viper. Block or trapezoid inlays would be good on either. TOM/stop bridge would be good on either. SG = Bigsby or TOM with TVJ, PAF or other hot pups VIPER = Khaler or TOM with hot pups So, the choice is really dependant on a couple of factors: 1) How set are you on the Khaler? 2) How set are you on the Viper? Did anyone ever discuss hardware color? I'd vote for gold or black, depending on which body. SG/gold, Viper/black. Edited June 2, 2008 by avengers63 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 (edited) Incidentally, having many flowing bevels around instruments made of heavily contrasting grains like zebrano and wenge look awesome as the changing angles bring out the grain movement at different angles. Edited June 2, 2008 by Prostheta Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zyonsdream Posted June 2, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 If you went with a custom t/p, you DEFINATELY should go with the SG. A trapeze would be really nice. It wouldn't take up any more real estate than a Bigsby. Here's what I think we agree on this far. I think these are for aesthetics than anything else. TVJ's wouldn't go with the Viper. TVJ's wouldn't go with the Khaler. Khaler wouldn't go with the SG. Bigsby wouldn't go with the Viper. Block or trapezoid inlays would be good on either. TOM/stop bridge would be good on either. SG = Bigsby or TOM with TVJ, PAF or other hot pups VIPER = Khaler or TOM with hot pups So, the choice is really dependant on a couple of factors: 1) How set are you on the Khaler? 2) How set are you on the Viper? Did anyone ever discuss hardware color? I'd vote for gold or black, depending on which body. SG/gold, Viper/black. Well I'm getting more set on the Kahler-Viper as one of my customers has almost committed to the build. I was doing a build for them (redwood Viper) that just didn't turn out the way it should have. Subsequently I have the Kahler bridge in stock already. It's gold but he mentioned a wrap around bridge today which would be interesting. It would be sort of LP Jr like. A wrap around would reintroduce the TVJ's as a viable style option for pickups since te bridge would take up a whole lot less bulk. Any thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 For me, the Viper feels more like a suped-up model. Maybe because it's kinda slanted forward - makes it look faster. Faster means more power means suped-up. TVJs just don't have that suped-up look to them. Similarly, a trem feels suped-up to me, while a TOM or wrap-around or any given non-trem bridge is not suped-up. TVJ's, despite having their "hot" models, simply do not have the hot-rod guitar look to them. If you're set on the Khaler, then I encourage the Viper and some other hot-rod pups. An X2N or Bill Lawrence L500 in the bridge should give it power to spare. Block or trap inlays will still look OK. If you're concerned with overdoing the bling, go with dots. Your gut instinct is probably right on this one. On a completely different note, all this talk about hot-rod pups and things looking out of place reminds me of a great story. I was a kid - maybe 10-12 - when my mom sent me with this old dude who's house we were at to get some fried chicken. We hopped into his early 70's Oldsmobile station wagon and headed out. At a stoplight, a couple of over-torqued gear-heads pulled up in their suped-up muscle car. They were revving the engine and generally acting like tools. The old guy told me to "buckle up and keep quiet about this. If your mom finds out, she'll fill me!" When the light turned red, he mashed on the gas and we took off like we were shot out of a cannon. We left the other car behind in a hurry. That station wagon had an Olds 450 Rocket under the hood! MAN that was great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zyonsdream Posted June 14, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 14, 2008 Well I finished up some work and was able to get time to work on this build. I have to split my time between this one and a custom Telecaster I'm building but work should go pretty quick... famous last words I guess. I got the body and neck profile cut out.. tomorrow I'll plane the neck to get the angle correct, route the truss rod cavity and angle the headstock. If I have time I'll cut the headstock profile. I have to say that cutting the profile was a PITA. I ended up using a router...cut like hell, a micro planer...worked better in spots and then I went to the drum sander. Cutting this stuff with a router is simply a joke. I've built a lot with quarter sawn zebra and it cuts like butter compared to flat sawn zebra. Not much off from the mock up that was done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zyonsdream Posted July 21, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 21, 2008 This got left on the back burner but now the buyer is in the black with me and ready to go so I've been working on it the last couple of days. Gold Kahler, Ebony neck with 1 pickup and 1 knob with a 20db boost switch, oh and gold frets! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddiewarlock Posted July 21, 2008 Report Share Posted July 21, 2008 damn that looks good!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted July 21, 2008 Report Share Posted July 21, 2008 Your Boxer seems to approve too! I like the way the grain appears around the carve. We know better, but it almost looks like it's different pieces. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zyonsdream Posted July 21, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 21, 2008 Thanks guys, it obviously still has a lot of work to go but it’s been a fun project! It’s fun working with woods with wild grain because they never want to act right. The bevels really do look like different wood which is cool because the option for an oil finish is still on the table and if we do that, it will lose some of the depth that a nice shiny hard coat can give it. Oh, and the boxer, LOL yah Angus is a “great” dog! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.