soapbarstrat Posted September 11, 2008 Report Share Posted September 11, 2008 Closest shot I got. Oh yeah, that's good enough to notice whether it's Poplar, Pear wood, maple, or play dough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted September 11, 2008 Report Share Posted September 11, 2008 Closest shot I got. Oh yeah, that's good enough to notice whether it's Poplar, Pear wood, maple, or play dough. Pshaw, you are *such* the amateur. Even a blind crazy fool could spot that playdough fingerboard from here man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cam Posted September 21, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2008 (edited) Haha lol this thread has sort of turned into a discussion thread.... Anyway.. We went out last night to dads friends place for dinner and he said that he could supply my with body and neck wood.. Whooo free wood. So now i don't have as much restrictions money wise... Anyway i want build a few guitars so here are my ideas... (very unlikely i will actually build all of them just some ideas) This one gets first preference.. i always wanted to build a cherry red les paul ever since i saw one.. not exactly this colour more the red colour of the gibson robots... Pictures dont look to good what do you guys think, is there anything else i should add, which guitars do you like the best? I want to experiment with different fretboards.. figured stuff mainly Edited September 21, 2008 by Cam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
killemall8 Posted September 21, 2008 Report Share Posted September 21, 2008 i like that spalted lp. but you must not do the black headstock... on any of them. i believe that non matching headstocks(color, not shape or design wise) is just hidious. and that kv with the maple board is cool to, minus the maple fretboard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psw Posted September 21, 2008 Report Share Posted September 21, 2008 Hmmm...all but one of the fretboards you posted were dark ebony or rosewood and the other maple...hardly exotic and killem didn't like it...perhaps that kind of answers the thread in many ways... This kind of thing is interesting and this months GOTM features a guitar with an interesting natural exotic two tone thing going on... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cam Posted September 21, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2008 I know about the headstocks and the fretboards... Its the program i used, do you guys know of any other good programs which offer different fretboards and stuff? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
killemall8 Posted September 21, 2008 Report Share Posted September 21, 2008 which one this month pete? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psw Posted September 21, 2008 Report Share Posted September 21, 2008 Yeah... Fingerboard: a special part of the cristobal wood I used for the neck. Now what is it with this month...first time in five years I enter GOTM...now everyone enters and there is still a third of the month still to go (another entry even today)! Not only exotics like this one from out of nowhere...but you have one, metal matt finally finished one, not one but two 335's and two entries from DS including that acoustic...sheeesh! If there are enough entries and we all vote for each others...we might get a vote each! pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
killemall8 Posted September 21, 2008 Report Share Posted September 21, 2008 a third of the month? it closes in 3 days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psw Posted September 21, 2008 Report Share Posted September 21, 2008 Does it not close at the end of the month? That's 10 days...I still have a few more guitarrs never entered...and never should! Interesting fretboard on that...but the entererer has not posted here before. I like the idea and look on the right guitar... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmrentis Posted September 21, 2008 Report Share Posted September 21, 2008 (edited) Actually Killemall is right, the ability enter a guitar ends around the 23rd of the month at which time its switches to a poll thread in the "put it to a vote" section and the next months GOTM build thread is opened. So just a couple days left till it closed. I've noticed in generally a significant increase in entries nearly every month. I've seen a lot more newcomers entering, like you mention people very first post will be an entry and I've also seen more established builders entering guitars. Its going to be a good GOTM thats for certain, loads of great builds. Best of luck to all of you! J Edited September 21, 2008 by jmrentis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cam Posted September 22, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 22, 2008 second time this has turned into a discussion thread way off task Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psw Posted September 22, 2008 Report Share Posted September 22, 2008 Well...it's hard to keep on task when the person who starts it isn't motivating the conversation... As from the start...it has been difficult to know what the point and motivation of the thread actually is !?!? IS the point as with most threads in that you want assistance with a particular project...or is it a bit of market research into some "product" aspirations (it does happen a fair bit)... In a more recent contribution...you posted a bunch of guitars all with fairly conventional fretboards, all but one a typical dark rosewood or ebony. I have returned to what I thought was the subject time and again...the more recent drift is because a very relevant entry in GOTM very much features a figured and unusual 'board. Similarly, I have posted pics of some exotic ideas and others have alluded to some interesting recent builds with laminated boards. Your most recent contribution... Whooo free wood. So now i don't have as much restrictions money wise... Anyway i want build a few guitars so here are my ideas... (very unlikely i will actually build all of them just some ideas) Well...that's great...what is this wood, have you a pic of this wood....you want to build a les paul...but the picture is again a conventional LP fretboard (in fact all of your offerings so far have been conventional gibson boards with most of the wood hidden below substantial block markers)... Got to give us something to work with or the discussion will wander or die out...no point in complaining really. ... Now... I know about the headstocks and the fretboards... Its the program i used, do you guys know of any other good programs which offer different fretboards and stuff? This is just criptic...what does this mean? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cam Posted September 22, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 22, 2008 (edited) Well...it's hard to keep on task when the person who starts it isn't motivating the conversation... As from the start...it has been difficult to know what the point and motivation of the thread actually is !?!? IS the point as with most threads in that you want assistance with a particular project...or is it a bit of market research into some "product" aspirations (it does happen a fair bit)... In a more recent contribution...you posted a bunch of guitars all with fairly conventional fretboards, all but one a typical dark rosewood or ebony. I have returned to what I thought was the subject time and again...the more recent drift is because a very relevant entry in GOTM very much features a figured and unusual 'board. Similarly, I have posted pics of some exotic ideas and others have alluded to some interesting recent builds with laminated boards. Well...that's great...what is this wood, have you a pic of this wood....you want to build a les paul...but the picture is again a conventional LP fretboard (in fact all of your offerings so far have been conventional gibson boards with most of the wood hidden below substantial block markers)... Got to give us something to work with or the discussion will wander or die out...no point in complaining really. I know about the headstocks and the fretboards... Its the program i used, do you guys know of any other good programs which offer different fretboards and stuff? This is just criptic...what does this mean? ok, i see what you mean.... I started this thread to ask what woods i can use as fretboards, as I do plan to do a few projects. With the guitars I posted I was using the Kiseake and the Jackson custom shop programs which do not offer other fretboards, and im not very experienced with drawing/ designing stuff on the computer. I do not actually know what fretboards i will use, i was going to experiment with different figured woods etc. Those guitar pics were mostly to get you guys opinions on the bodies etc and give me some tips. Woods: I'm not to sure exactly what woods I have yet, all I know is that it is good hardwood. When i asked about some wood it was late night and we couldn't really walk out to the shed out in the paddock. I was actually told some of the wood species and all I remember is that it was good for guitars. I will have wood for the neck and body and i could try it out with the fretboard, although i plan to get some figured tops from ormsby for the guitar tops and fretboards. Thanks for the help psw i'll try motivate it a bit more and good luck in the GOTM anyway Edited September 22, 2008 by Cam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psw Posted September 23, 2008 Report Share Posted September 23, 2008 Thankyou...that was a thoughtful reply. I am sure you will find a few suggestions in this thread and just about any good hardwood that's stable could be used for a fretboard. As you are in australia like me, you may consider jarrah. This is often used for flooring and comes in a wide enough width. Make sure you don't get anything that is too twisty and you can get a stunning red board (takes an oil finish well) out of it that is extremely hard wearing...some even have dramatic figure in it (but this can be the twisty bits, so beware! You could potentially make an LP with a natural vivid red jarrah top...though it would be a bit much with a red 'board as well! Getting any common guitar making hardwoods down here can be tricky and importing very expensive. I am in Melbourne and yet to find any reliable cost effective timber of the kind of quality and stability required. A lot of woods though are suitable and beautiful all the same. Bluesy's 335 top is stunning for instance. Laminating timbers can also help prevent twisting, especially if like pieces are reversed to each other so the twists counteract if they occur. pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cam Posted September 23, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 23, 2008 This is slightly off task. But its kinda still got to fo with fretboards, How does clear acrylic inlays look on a figured fretboard? Would you be able to see the wood grain still or will it just be glue? I'm trying to "draw/ create" a guitar in MS Paint... So far it looks alright, I guess... I'll post up a pic up of it when i'm finished. Can anyone recommend another program on the computer which I can create my own 'creations', like experiment with different pieces of wood for fretboards etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted September 23, 2008 Report Share Posted September 23, 2008 i think you had better be damn good at inlay - i wouldnt want anyone seeing the bottoms of my inlay cavities. but clear acrylic is possible. a clear glue like west systems epoxy could be used - even then it might add a bit of yellow but that wouldnt be a problem with the wood colour behind... bubbles would be your biggest enemy! i think clear inlays in a light wood like maple would be unwise - i guess you want to try this to display a figured wood.. i would just have no fretboard inlays Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cam Posted September 23, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 23, 2008 But i want inlays I do actually need inlays to know what fret to play, after all isn't that their purpose? I thought clear inlays might be cool cause it will still show the awesome wood grain and you could kinda still see what fret your on.... Or.. I guess I could use wood for inlays, like if i have a flamed maple fretboard with the flame going vertically the inlays going horizontaly. What would you guys do in this situation... Theres the plan... The black squares on the fretboard are for the clear inlays.. (if they work) and yes i realize they are not all straight. What would you guys do for inlays... I would've/ want to do black acrilic or MOP inlays but if possible I want to be able to see a lot of the wood grain... I have considered the same inlays used on the Gibson DC http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Divisions/Gibs...ornDoubleCutBV/ But inlays in black? Opinions and suggestions please... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmrentis Posted September 23, 2008 Report Share Posted September 23, 2008 Why not just route the lines of the square without routing away the middle, that way it looks like you did an inlay and tells you what fret you're at and you don't have to worry about it looking less than perfect by filling it with glue. I think even if you do it extremely well and find perfectly clear glue to fill the route, you'll end up with shadows that throw off the look quite a bit. Seriously, I'd probably just buy some small straight pieces of black MOP and use them to make a square leaving the center untouched. Just an idea to play with. Best of luck to you. J Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted September 23, 2008 Report Share Posted September 23, 2008 But i want inlays I do actually need inlays to know what fret to play, after all isn't that their purpose? I thought clear inlays might be cool cause it will still show the awesome wood grain and you could kinda still see what fret your on.... if you want them thats fine, but you will probably find you dont actually need them that much.. the side ones are much more important! i like JMrentis' idea of doing the lines Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psw Posted September 23, 2008 Report Share Posted September 23, 2008 I like the idea of a lighter fretboard on a Les Paul...something a little different. It sounds like you are underestimating the difficulty though. There is a reason why people use dot inlays (drill a hole, inset dot) or none at all...really the side dots on the neck should be enough for a player to see. To get a good inlay the way you are suggesting would require a very clean cut to an exact depth (no chance to backfill) some kind of glue that was very strong yet stick to both acrylic and wood without contaminating the acrylic (a very tall order) and had sharp corners...sounds like a very difficult operation. The idea of an outline perhaps backfilled with strips of something might be ok. Or coloured and backfilled with epoxy. Metallic inlays like brass and such can look good too. All of which are exceptionally difficult...remember the board needs to be accurately slotted, radiused and fretted all of which highlights any inaccuracies. I know I could not do it! .... If you are considering this stop bar tremolo thing...I seriously advise against it. I bought one when they first came out from germany when I had tremolo envy in the late seventies. It works a bit like a bigsby, but it and a les paul are notoriously difficult to keep in tune and it will mark the guitar (I used to layer bandaids to the top of my late sixties LP under it and there is still a mark). They are a bad bit of engineering and so why you don't see anyone actually use them. The vibrola was slightly better...but not much! The best option on an LP is most likely a kahler with a locking nut as the LP head is not a straight string pull like a fender or PRS. Expensive...but so is an LP!...on the other hand, you wont need a bridge or tailpiece! ... A les paul is one of the most difficult guitars to DIY. I am working on an LP project at the moment using a chinese neck and body that is prefinished. If you are interested in something like that, PM me as you are in australia (I am in melbourne). No exotic fretboards, but a good mahogany and solid maple top, set neck with rosewood board and LP standard MoP inlays...I got a spare black one with a hardcase! pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cam Posted September 23, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 23, 2008 (edited) ok... I kind of had an idea of designing my own bridge for a les paul, but i'll see how that goes over time With the inlay idea, i like jmrentis's idea and get MOP strips or do kinda like what Perry Ormsby did on that bass guitar with crushed MOP inlay material, although that may be a bit hard... Heres the boxes i might do something similar to the jackson shark fin zigzag idea but with rectangle corners^^ Edited September 23, 2008 by Cam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j. pierce Posted September 24, 2008 Report Share Posted September 24, 2008 Seriously, I'd probably just buy some small straight pieces of black MOP and use them to make a square leaving the center untouched. Just an idea to play with. Best of luck to you. J I did this on a couple builds a while back. It was a lot of effort, (mostly in doing the mitre on the corners of the inlay) - but I liked the results enough that I'm planning on doing it again. I'm contemplating going with something thinner for the lines- the ones used were 1/8" wide MOP. There were some somewhat unique challenges in doing this inlay, compared to the inlay I had done in the past, but nothing that wasn't incredibly out of the ordinary. I will say, if I do it again, I'd probably think about using Abalam - the pearl strips I received weren't a perfectly uniform 1/8" - since I cut my channels in a single pass with an 1/8" cutter, this meant some massaging to make everything fit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmrentis Posted September 24, 2008 Report Share Posted September 24, 2008 (edited) I knew I had seen an inlay like that before and now seeing your post that is where I remember the idea from. I really liked those inlays a lot when you posted your guitar, I thought the idea was very cool and looks great. Honestly, I had no idea you actually went as far as to miter the corners but shows the worksmanship you put in because up close there would be an obviously different in a lap joint and miter in my eyes. I know that took forever to do. It took me a little bit just to make one "v" style block inlay with a small v shaped abalone piece between two white MOP pieces and my binding on my guitar took me even longer. It was just laminated thick plastic, but getting 7 different miter joints of different angles to fit was tough, plus the binding was a .040 white outside with a .020/.020/.020 white/black/white so I had to make sure each of those .020" lines matched up exactly at the miters, I soon obtained a great respect for builders who do miters, LOL, seriously. For that style of inlay you did, I think I'd make myself a jig to use to create a perfect 45degree angle, probably a cutting and then sanding jig, it'd make it go faster I think that trying to puzzle them together and sharing by eye and hand. I think your new idea is a good one though, going with thinner pieces and possibly another type of material, one that is easier to use, especially if want a thinner channel. I think you could get really creative and do square outlines that resemble a binding w/ purfling, by using two materials one super thin like an abalone style with a thicker white MOP. I think that would look interesting on certain guitars. Anyhow, I look forward to see all these ideas put to use, honestly if they were never used I'd probably jump on those ideas in a minute, I really like them a lot. Please, plenty of pics people ; ) J Edited September 24, 2008 by jmrentis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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