Zebrawood Top Lp

[avengers63]

http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff15/av...LP1/backwet.jpg

http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff15/av...63/LP1/side.jpg

I started ordering parts today. What I decided on is all-black hardware with the traditional wiring setup. I'll be getting a mahogany 3+3 neck with block inlays to match the mahogany layer. Tuners are Wilkinson E-Z lock. The bridge is the hipshot style hard-tail, string-through.

The p/g & trc will be black pearl, which will match the black pearl insetrs in the knobs. I'm seriously considering some Artec pups that have black pearl toppers on the coils, just for a little extra bling. If anyone has a spare chunk of black pearl they don't need, I'd LOVE to get ahold of it for a switch ring. Otherwise, it ain't getting one.

I'll be making the cavity covers from some limba I still have leftover. I'm thinking about rare earth magnets instead of screws. We'll see.

This week, I'll be doing the final sanding and grainfilling the body.

[avengers63]

Another thought on the neck might be if someone here were willing to make a neck for me for $75 + shipping. Not that I'm going to hold my breath on that one.

[avengers63]

Everything has been filled & leveled. At this point, I'm waiting for the neck. It should be in my hands next week.

Edited August 29, 2008 by avengers63

[killemall8]

what kind of neck are you looking for? what headstock/number of frets/fretboard type/fret size?

looks good, but ive always wanted to make a SUPER carved zebrano les paul.

[avengers63]

Mahogany neck, rosewood f/b, white f/b binding, 22 fret, curved-side trap inlays (don't know how else to describe them), 24.75 scale, 3+3 Gibson-ish headstock. It'll cost me $65-$70 shipped.

By super-carved, are you meaning a really deep carve, or something else entirely?

[erikbojerik]

Mahogany neck, rosewood f/b, white f/b binding, 22 fret, curved-side trap inlays (don't know how else to describe them), 24.75 scale, 3+3 Gibson-ish headstock. It'll cost me $65-$70 shipped.

I don't mean to be negative here, but good Lord man....your price point would get you a NECK BLANK at best (without shipping ). I guess you've never made a neck, eh?

Check out the website of our PG member Doug at Soulmate Guitars, and see what a neck like that will run you. If anyone takes you up on that, run in the other direction. Honestly.

[avengers63]

I don't mean to be negative here, but good Lord man....your price point would get you a NECK BLANK at best (without shipping).

It's cool. I only got one thing to say about that - eBay. Y'all can hate it all you want, but I've rarely been disappointed with what I bought there.

Now, I shall put on my asbestos tuxedo, cuz I can see the flames coming at me even as I type this.

I guess you've never made a neck, eh?

Nope, and I don't plan on it. Nothing about it appeals to me.

Check out the website of our PG member Doug at Soulmate Guitars, and see what a neck like that will run you.

He's waaaaaay out of my price range. Were I to go that route, I'd get a Carvin. $150 for a maple/ebony paddle-head with Carvin's outstanding Q/C is pretty good. Larry Karosa (eBay seller) makes a decent neck too.

[avengers63]

Does the vendor you bought the neck from have an on-line store?

http://stores.ebay.com/karosaguitars

http://stores.ebay.com/CKO-Guitar-Parts

I have a Karosa neck. It's mated with the Tulip. It seems pretty well-made. I'm not 100% sold on his home-made truss rods, but if he can make them for less than he can buy them for and they work, then I guess it's all good.

I admit that I'm taking a risk on the LP neck from CKO. I'm sure they're from a Chinese sweat-shop CNC factory. But... I've been seeing acceptable reviews about the Chinese stuff lately. I've played a few Chinese guitars at the shop across from my neighborhood, and they're not bad. They're not up to Japanese quality, but they're at least as good as an Epiphone or Squire. I've seen some good reports about Eden, too. Their shakey start and horrible reviews from then make me hesitant to check one out.

Before we go any further, let's clarify something. I'm not making this to be some kind of high-end instrument. I'll be trying to sell it locally for about $400. I only want to have +/- $200 invested in it. That's one reason I'm not spending a lot on the neck - I only need it to be servicable and playable. As long as the neck is straight and the fretwork is decent, I'll be happy.

Tell ya what - I'll take some detailed pics of it when it comes in, side by side with the Carvin and the Karosa, and I'll post them in this thread with a detailed write-up about all three.

[avengers63]

You can get Epiphone and Squire necks at a pretty reasonable price.

Now go ahead... I dare you to say you have an issue with MEXICAN made Fender necks.

[Mr_Buttman]

I'm not against the necks from ebay or stewmac (and sometimes use them) but what's wrong with making then neck for yourself?

Maybe it seems so difficult but it's not, not more difficult then to build a really good body (especially carved).

[MAGGOTBRAIN]

That zebrano looks really nice...How is it to work with?

[avengers63]

I'm not against the necks from ebay or stewmac (and sometimes use them) but what's wrong with making then neck for yourself?

One excuse is as good as the next. Basically, I just don't want to.

That zebrano looks really nice.

Thanks, but I didn't have a lot to do with it. It kinda grew that way.

How is it to work with?

It's heavy, dense, and a kinda brittle. It ate a bandsaw blade outright. Granted, it was the cheap blade that came with the saw, but still... It had a tendency to chip out in the planer. Even on the jointer, the edges could get nicked. It took a but to sand down, too. All of the little nicks and "raised-up-almost-chipouts" are a few sheets of 80-grit. Lastly, due to the small divots and being open grained, it took 2 rounds of grain-filler and 2 thick coats of sanding sealer to fill it. I'm still not sure I have everything filled up, but I'll let the lacquer show me where I missed it.

How is it to work with? It's a PIA, that's how it is. But it does look good when it's done.

[Doeringer]

Love the zebrawood, as for the necks, you usually get what you pay for... Good Luck

[killemall8]

man,

if you sell it for 400, youll have me tied already. thats the most ive ever sold one for.

[Mr_Buttman]

The big problem of the necks from ebay is almost always bad fret work, bad nut (i'm taling about Mighty Mite necks).

My friend has ordered the necks from chinese company and they were made at the same level but 2-3 times cheaper

Edited August 29, 2008 by Mr_Buttman

[avengers63]

To go back off-topic, I think it might just be an old reality that's hard to overlook. The way I've read it (since I wasn't alive then to see it first hand), it USED to be that American made products were head & shoulders better than stuff that was outsourced to Mexico, Tiwan, Korea, India, or whatever (nothing personal!) low-income nation that was used. The companies that outsources were looking for a cheaper business model. The sacrifice for that was lower quality. It didn't take too long for "foreign made" to mean "piece of junk".

The large scale importation of cheaply made (NOT poorly manufactured) Japanese products, combined with the lower production models and the assumed quality of American products, has slowly changed the attitude of many consumers. But it's an uphill battle against decades of reality and continued propaganda.

There is also a sense of bitter annoyance assiciated with outsourcing. We seem to want to have out cake and eat it too. We don't want anything outsources because that takes jobs away from Americans. At the same time, we want the products to stay at the same price, despite the fact that Americans can't work for the same wage as foreign labor. That's helping keep the sometimes false impression that foreign made = junk.

Interestingly, I don't ever remember seeing the same attitude towards European made products. Quite the opposite, in fact. EG: We've always held German made products in very high esteem.

Good luck with the finances.

[avengers63]

as for the necks, you usually get what you pay for

Yea... I can't say that it's not a risk. On the other hand, the Karosa neck i have was around $40 shipped, and it's not bad at all.

if you sell it for 400, youll have me tied already. thats the most ive ever sold one for.

Don't you sell yours on eBay? That might be part of the problem. I'll be doing it locally where the buyer can get his hands on it. As we're all aware of, that's a big issue when buying an instrument. Also, we're coming up on the Christmas buyong season.

The big problem of the necks from ebay is almost always bad fret work, bad nut (i'm taling about Mighty Mite necks). My friend has ordered the necks from chinese company and they were made at the same level but 2-3 times cheaper

Would that be Eden necks, by any chance? I've never heard negative reviews about Mighty Mite.

The one other eBay neck I have was a grand total of $25 shipped. It was a no-name that was from something that was pieced out. I onyl got it because 1) it was dirt cheap, and 2) I wanted to try replacing the inlays. I havent been brave enough to try the inlay thing yet. The neck is straight, but the edges of the frets are a little sharp. I never checked on how level they are. I figure if they're anywhere even close to level, I can spend some time filing the ends of the frets while I'm watching a movie or something. Unless, of course, I dork up the whole thing trying to do an inlay with the frets in.

[avengers63]

(you were in Yucatan on your honeymoon, I´m sure your wife made you look throught the mercados!)

I'm surprised you remember me saying that.

(trying hard to remember.....) I give up... Is the Mercados the market area?

We took an afternoon trip into Cancun and spent a few hours (and a few hundred dollars each) at the venders shops. Some of the stuff was pretty decent, but the majority looked like the same low-end crap that someone else had across the street. Believe it or not, I really enjoied that little trip.

EDIT: Just did a quick Google search... that was it. She picked up a number of interesting pieces of silver jewelery. I REALLY wanted a leather vest or a pair of boots, but it didn't happen. Not many 2X vests or size 13 boots in a country of.... well.... short people (sorry!)

Edited August 29, 2008 by avengers63

[killemall8]

I dont have anyone to sell them to locally. New mexico is a relativley poor community. there are only 5 guitar shops here, and 3 of them are the size of a living room.

and there is very few people that are even interested in guitars. most people here are either pop or rap.

[killemall8]

i live here in NEW MEXICO. and to tell you the truth, i think its hillarous how people from the east think we are part of Mexico and not the US.

John,

earlier about the carve, yes i meant deep carve where you can see it from a mile away. i like those. but looks great anyway. i think zebrawood looks the best on les pauls. i would make a few if i could find a 2" thick piece big enough for a 2 piece body.

Edited August 31, 2008 by killemall8

[avengers63]

I got some limba backplates finished up. One of them will be going on the limba/mahogany LPjr I'm working on. The other two are for this LP.

[killemall8]

those look really great! how did you shape them to fit exactly tight?

[avengers63]

Thanks!

Make the template

1) Trace the outline of the control plate on template stock (plywood).

2) CLOSELY cut them out.

3) Double-stick tape the original to the template.

4) Clamp down a cutoff piece that is as thick as (maybe just a little thicker) than the originals to the table of the drill press. The edge will line up EXACTLY with the edge of the drum sander. This will take some trial & error.

5) Using the scrap you just lined up as a fence, the original becomes the template. Sand the plywood template down to size.

Even if you're a little off with the original and the makeshift fence, you'll have an exact shape on the new template.

When it came time to to the real thing with the template that was just made, 1-3 are basically the same. At #4, I used the micro-plane spindle thingies I have for the drill press. They have a plastic base that guides along a template beautifully.

[avengers63]

http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff15/av...3/necksback.jpg

Just because some of y'all were doubting what you could find on eBay. Two necks for +/- $80 shipped.

The Westone has some wear, but is still in good shape. The Japanese instruments are known for their quality, so I figgerd this was a decent prospect. As you'd expect, there is some chipping and f/b grime to be addressed, but it's nothing major. The frets still have plenty of life left in them. The tuners have a little age showing - little spots of rust, and one isn't very tight - but they'll do the job until they can be upgraded. That it came with the tuners was the real bargain here. The only thing that could be viewed as "major" is the locking nut. I don't use a trem (ever), soI'll need to replace the nut with a non-locking type. That will leave a little cosmetic repair from the shelf that's left.

The Danelectro is brand-new. It was parted out from a (presumably) factory second. There is a paint chip on the bottom of the heel, which will be totally hidden when it's in place. Other than screw holes for the original tuners and the neck screws, it is a brand-new neck. It was made in China, but you can't really tell from my perspective. Overall, it's the quality of neck you'd expect to see on a $250-$300 guitar: sevicable, but not spectacular.

Personally, I think the bottom line to look for in hardware is "Could I gig with this". The answer to both necks is "Yes". So, for $80, I got two necks, one just average, one very above average and with usable tuners but needing some attention. I don't think you could argue against this being a pretty decent deal.

[killemall8]

glad you found some necks.

these chinese guitar necks that i found on ebay really surprized me. they had perfect fretwork, and perfect inlays. they are jackson style even with the sharkfin inlays. i found them here for 25 bucks each.

http://search.stores.ebay.com/National-Mus...5560518QQsofpZ0

for budget necks, i really really recomend these guys. the stuff is really great. i once won a fretless bass for 30 bucks and sold it for 200.