guitarchump Posted September 24, 2008 Report Share Posted September 24, 2008 (edited) I'm Finally back after about Two years here. Ive been looking around recently and I have got the spark to build again, now that I have a shop. I recognize a few people from a few years back, and hopefully everyone is willing to help me get back into the groove of things. Anyways... I just got back from the local mill/hardwood supplier/store and bought a few things. I was actually surprised that it only cost me $115CAN and the only decent supplier here is usually rather expensive. The design of the guitar I am about to build is the same as one I started 2 years ago (and am still in the process of finishing for the 20th time). A few of the boards have the outline of one of the wings in chalk if you were interested in the shape. So here are some pictures of the wood. (The woods are: Maple, curly Maple(neck lam),Figured Bubinga (necklam), Bicote, Zebrano (with some spalt), figured Santos Mahogany, Jatoba, Lacewood) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v179/thrash/DSC01697.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v179/thrash/DSC01683.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v179/thrash/DSC01680.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v179/thrash/DSC01684.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v179/thrash/DSC01690.jpg Tomorrow I will start selecting wood for the guitar. At the moment I'm thinking Zebrano top, mahogany back, lacewood/maple neck in some configuration. Hopefully I will have more pictures and progress soon. Thanks. (by the way is it possible to get my screen name changed?) Edited September 24, 2008 by guitarchump Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j. pierce Posted September 24, 2008 Report Share Posted September 24, 2008 I see a shape like that, and a pile of wood like that, and I can't help but thinking "Alembic"... But I think I like your plan better than three hundred woods laminated together. Should be a fun build, it looks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ngaa Posted September 24, 2008 Report Share Posted September 24, 2008 Please tell me you're using the Bicote for the fretboard. And, nice score on the wood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fryovanni Posted September 24, 2008 Report Share Posted September 24, 2008 Looks like you picked out a few nice bits of wood Is the body a thinner design? or do you plan on a cap and back set with a core? I see you chose all 4/4 and 2/4(?). I did a sandwich body on my first from scratch bass(Maple/Purpleheart/Maple), and made it thin(around 1.5"). Kinda cool looking way to go. Rich FWIW, Bocote Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmrentis Posted September 24, 2008 Report Share Posted September 24, 2008 As already said, very nice wood score. Really lovin' that spalted Zebrawood(zebrano), very neat looking stuff that I'd never seen before personally, spalted I mean. I've come to like Zebrawood more and more lately. When I bought my body wood of Zebra I liked it alright, I mainly grabbed it because it was a beautiful piece perfect for the project, especially since I could slip match it easily, but now I just think the wood is very neat, though some pieces are far and away better than others and yours is one of those pieces that I think is perfect really great choice there, it really looks nice when finished too. That is also a gorgeous piece of bocote as well, very nice interesting grain that some bocote has. I like your plan so far, can't wait to see how it turns out. In looking at your neck blank choices, I think its going to look very nice, in having done one of similar colors, maple and jatoba, I now wished I had added a very thin black strip on either side of the middle lam, I don't know what the best choice is, I'd assume ebony, but I'd look around for other options as well myself, like dyed fiberwood type material. Definitely keep those pics coming!! Best of luck. As for screen name change, I think Brian has to personally change this as only he has the access, but I'll verify that. Jason Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElysianGuitars Posted September 24, 2008 Report Share Posted September 24, 2008 i dig the design, i think for very obvious reasons zebrano looks awesome as a body wood, i'd use that, though it looks good as a fretboard too... man, decisions... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitarchump Posted November 22, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 22, 2008 Well, I finally started on this build! Work has been crazy so I haven't had much time. But here are a few Progress pictures. Well I was wondering If anyone had any ideas on what wood the wings on the headstock should be? Everything is still in the rough I still need to shape the headstock and drill tuner holes before I attach the wings to the neck. There will be black veneer in between the neck and body wings. The veneer I made isn't completely black all the way through even after being cooked for a few hours. So I think Ive found a method to fix that after the neck carve. Basically just masking off the veneer lines and with a small paint brush wick in some more dye. It seems to have worked well on a scrap and hasn't bled through into the other woods. Oh, I have also decided that lace wood is a @%#^! to work with. It cuts well, it is actually stronger quartersawn then I ever expected, and it is not to heavy. BUT! Ive had about 100 slivers from the damn wood! One of then went through my finger about an inch and about 3/16ths deep, took hours to remove. Time to where gloves when working with it in the rough. Anyways enough of my rant. Any recommendations on the headstock wings, or if I should make this a carve top, or just bevel the edges? Thanks, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitarchump Posted November 23, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 23, 2008 Oh, and thanks for all your earlier reply's, sorry for not getting back to you very quickly. As for the fretboard wood I think the Bocote is just a little to orange in contrast to the purple Santos mahogany. The pictures I just took make everything looks so rough. It was just because the sun was setting and was literally 180 degrees to the wood. It makes the toothed plane marks look deep, but I assure you its a cleaner job then what it is showing. I have also realized my next investment will be a jointer and planer. It would really be nice to mill my own laminates after all this. Thanks for your comments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travismoore Posted November 28, 2008 Report Share Posted November 28, 2008 Awesome selection of woods cant wait to see how it turns out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitarchump Posted November 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 30, 2008 Awesome selection of woods cant wait to see how it turns out! Thanks Travis, To bad I have been working 80 hour weeks this past while and haven't had chance to work on the guitar further. It is a little disappointing, but I guess I can't complain to much seeing as business at work has been good. Anyone have any suggestions? I may as well talk about the build seeing as I most likely wont have time to work on it very much until after Christmas. Thanks, Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xanthus Posted December 1, 2008 Report Share Posted December 1, 2008 80 hours a week?! Business can be good, and business can be GOOD, but I don't see myself working 80 hours no matter how good it is. Cheers to you for that, man! It's a nice body shape, I would only maybe work the upper "violin cut" to flow better, like the bottom does. And the headstock better be sharp enough to match the body! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keegan Posted December 1, 2008 Report Share Posted December 1, 2008 I hope you're oil finishing it. The headstock wings should be something dark, like the bicote, or the same as the fretboard wood. And just bevel the edges, you need to keep this thing looking mean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterbrown Posted December 2, 2008 Report Share Posted December 2, 2008 that body shape is going to look mad with the zebrawood. The vertical stripes will look great in those violin cuts. I agree with Xanthus on the upper violin cut, and maybe the lower horn could be a little wider? But I realy like the design. Looks like it could take an eye out . Hope you get some more time to work on it soon Cheers, Peter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitarchump Posted December 4, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 4, 2008 The drawing isn't 100% accurate. It's actually something I drew years ago that I'm reusing. The violin cut is shaped more even. as for the lower horn I think it works well but the crummy outline of the carve/bevel makes it look awkward. I will take a picture of the first guitar trial of this design ( it has been refinished maybe 4 times, every time I seem to mess up some how and have to sand back. Thats why this time I'm going to use Tru-oil or actually by some spray equipment insdead of using crappy spray can colour and Poly clear. I was thinking of binding the guitar and fret board. The Bocote seems to orange for the purplish Santos, which is a shame really seeing as it is so nice. I'm thinking rosewood binding for the guitar fretboard and headstock, and an ebony fretboard with some sort of inlay would be cool as well. The other idea is to get a rosewood fretboard and have wenge (or something dark) for binding and do a nice fretboard inlay. I was thinking some falling oak leaves made from different woods down the neck would be an idea. And thanks for your comments. oh, and yes the headstock will be beveled! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitarchump Posted December 4, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 4, 2008 Oh the headstock will look like this: Thanks, Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the telecaster kid Posted December 4, 2008 Report Share Posted December 4, 2008 Oh the headstock will look like this: Thanks, Jeff Oooh, nice. I usually hate 4/2 headstocks, but that one's pretty sweet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xanthus Posted December 5, 2008 Report Share Posted December 5, 2008 Suitable headstock :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitarchump Posted May 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 16, 2009 (edited) Well it has been ages but I though I would give and update for anyone who is interested. Basically my job has been keeping me a little busy and haven't had a lot of time to build, but I have made a little progress. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v179/thrash/DSC03304.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v179/thrash/DSC03303.jpg So yeah here are a few pictures. There is still binding to be put on, and then comes the routing for the pickup's and such before I can start the carve. I'd love to hear some feed back. Thanks, Jeff Edited May 16, 2009 by guitarchump Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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