Hitone Posted March 12, 2009 Report Share Posted March 12, 2009 I am at it again. Trying to build a transparent hollowbody. You may remember a few years back I failed big-time to make a hollowbody out of plexi-glass (I'll add a few pics later). This time I think I have it figured out. This guitar will be donated to the Richardson WildFlower Festival art guitar auction. It's my third year to do so. Last year I built the Mavs guitar. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--L5ZmpXA_g. This year I am building a Shelby Cobra inspired transparent hollowbody with all the trimming. Chrome, Lights, side vents (ad f holes), a cool stripe and more... The idea is to use Koch's hollowbody instructions. He uses a solid block to build an arched center strip. This will be topped with a clear piece of plexi that will be screwed to the mahogany stripes and trimming with chrome. I am not sure how it will turn out, but I'm having fun building. Additional picks Before Kerfing Do you think Gorilla glue will sponsor me? Yes, that center stripe looks like a fish! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psw Posted March 12, 2009 Report Share Posted March 12, 2009 That is wonderfully cool... My tele was also cobra inspired...the racing stripes in aluminum and tortoise shell and a fair amount of chrome...but the colour was also coded from an actual car...hahaha This looks like a great compromise and more impressive a transparent guitar than if it were completely clear...there's some impressive interior to see! looking forward to more pics and progress! pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattharris75 Posted March 12, 2009 Report Share Posted March 12, 2009 Can't wait to see how this one turns out. Looks like it's going to be very impressive! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted March 12, 2009 Report Share Posted March 12, 2009 Awesome idea. I'm sure a plexiglass semi-acoustic would have an interesting sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hitone Posted March 26, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 26, 2009 I've made some progress on the clear hollowbody. I have the lights all figure out and the sides and centerpiece are now joined together forever. Next I will attached the neck. I am using a neck from an old build. With a few adjustments it's as good and new. Actually it's going to be better. Here's the one I tried a few years back that failed big time. Too much Plexi and not enough wood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pestvic Posted March 29, 2009 Report Share Posted March 29, 2009 I've made some progress on the clear hollowbody. I have the lights all figure out and the sides and centerpiece are now joined together forever. Next I will attached the neck. I am using a neck from an old build. With a few adjustments it's as good and new. Actually it's going to be better. Here's the one I tried a few years back that failed big time. Too much Plexi and not enough wood. crazy. is it hard to cut plexi smooth? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keegan Posted March 31, 2009 Report Share Posted March 31, 2009 (edited) crazy. is it hard to cut plexi smooth? Spoken like someone who's never cut plexi =P It doesn't cut so much as melt, stick to your blade, get thrown around a bit, and eventually wind up looking rough and melting beyond your lines.. Edit: Oh yeah, and if you want to drill holes, it chips, then melts and clogs up your bit. Edited March 31, 2009 by Keegan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hitone Posted March 31, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2009 You are correct. Plexi is tough to work with. I think the material I am actually working with is Lexan. Either material can be fun to work with. I use a torch to clean us the cuts. It melts the roughness away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hitone Posted May 7, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2009 I have the Lexan cut and working on the body. It has it protective film over it now so it won't get scratched. More pics at my blog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hitone Posted May 7, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2009 I have to get this off my chest. I recently opened a package that contained what I thought to be a 500k pot (4 were purchased). Bought from Allparts supply in Houston TX. The package clearly says it's a 500k pot, but when I put it on a multimeter I found a different reading. It was a 25k pot. On closer inspection, I could clearly see the label that states it's a 25k pot. Since these are packaged by Allparts they clearly messed up. I wrote to them on Sunday night. As of yet I haven't heard back from them. I sent the email again tonight. Hopefully they will respond sooner than later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xanthus Posted May 7, 2009 Report Share Posted May 7, 2009 Glad you found out before you assembled everything! That's a bit disenheartening to find out, but at least you can get that cleared up and move on with the build before the new ones arrive. I don't even have a multimeter. And now you've got me all fearful about the pots in my V..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jalien21 Posted May 7, 2009 Report Share Posted May 7, 2009 ugh. cutting plexi glass/ acrylic etc. is the biggest pain in the butt ever. two words: laser cutter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billm90 Posted May 7, 2009 Report Share Posted May 7, 2009 first off the build looks awesome! The clear hollow body has been something I have been thinking about for years. The pain in the ass factor has kept me away from it. I have had decent results with plexi in the bandsaw. no cracks or tears or whatever you want to call it. sand the cuts, then hit it with a propane torch as you do. To drill, I just use an old soldering iron to melt through. I drilled through a piece once. never again. Need a bigger hole, a dremel with a taper grinding bit does the trick. for pickup hole cuts, I use a dremel with a carbide disk, and just melt on through it. then clean up with a dremel sanding roll on low speed. I have built a few pickguards with plexi. forget that rubber made lid stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshvegas Posted May 7, 2009 Report Share Posted May 7, 2009 I once got unmatching 3+3 side gotoh tuners packed by allparts. I feel your pain! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hitone Posted May 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2009 I'm trying out my spill for the card at the auction this weekend. See what you think: Throughout history luthiers have searched for new ways to make instruments. HiTone guitars has taken a material that has been used by many classic instruments by builders such as Dan Armstrong, Rickenbacker and Ibanez and gone one step further. HiTone now introduces it's "patent-pending" Hollow Guitar. A clearly different instrument! BTW - this instrument will be auctioned off this weekend at the Wildflower Festival in Richardson TX Come See. Come Say Hi. Come Bid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reantel Posted May 10, 2009 Report Share Posted May 10, 2009 Very Cool...A "CLEARly Different Instrument" indeed. Well Done. How does it sound? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guernica Posted May 10, 2009 Report Share Posted May 10, 2009 ...that really is incredible. ...nice aesthetic choices re: accompanying colors,etc. ...really nice to look at. ...if it sounds good, youve got a big winner! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hitone Posted May 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2009 Thanks reantel and guernica. It sounds really good. The lexan is arched over the center strip. This arch and tension gives it good projection acoustically. It's also brighter than my other archtop (built the same way, except all wood). Plugged in it's rockin. I bought a set of Epiphone Les Paul pickups and I am impressed. It does clean and distored very well. The one thing I want to add to the next version would be a piezo pickup. That should give a full range of the guitars abilty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halfaed Posted May 13, 2009 Report Share Posted May 13, 2009 That in it's own right, is one of the coolest guitars I have kind of seen! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xanthus Posted May 13, 2009 Report Share Posted May 13, 2009 Congrats! That is a simply awesome looking instrument! Record some sound clips for posterity, unless you're planning on making another one. I'm very curious to see how this sounds! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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