The Nordic Gawd Posted December 28, 2003 Report Share Posted December 28, 2003 ok I recently was informed that 1 1/2 inches is too thin a body size to put a floyd in. DAMMIT! Wes already suggested that i put a quilted maple top over my flamed maple top. just one major problem-O. I started contouring already and I like the way it looks. And I spent 4 hours sanding by hand to contour it. And I am doing a light stain so I want to have something that will look dandy with a blue/green carriburst stain. So i figure I'll just put something in between bottom and top. this will not only make my routing for the P/U's etc easier but it will make my life making the deep tenon neck pocket easier. I dont know maybe rock maple, birdseye maple. I don't really like mahogany. any suggestions for the plan and the wood? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted December 28, 2003 Report Share Posted December 28, 2003 A few options... 1) Put a 1/4" booked Maple cap on the bottom. 2) Keep your neck pocket cut a bit shallow, or cut it at an angle ala Gibson TOM-style. This will also -raise- the spot (depthwise) that the bridge wants to sit in. This will raise the strings off the body more, but it can work. 3) Find a Floyd-type of bridge that isn't as long as a real Floyd. Ask Brian on this one. I've got a few different Floyd-type bridges, they're not all as deep as a real Floyd is. You're not toast just yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Nordic Gawd Posted December 28, 2003 Author Report Share Posted December 28, 2003 yeah but do they sound decent? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted December 28, 2003 Report Share Posted December 28, 2003 For your first axe, I wouldn't sweat it too much. Ask Brian, he might have an answer for you. I see that he stocks several different types of Floyds, he wouldn't steer you wrong. I think the only real difference is wear characteristics, case hardening and all that. And if you're building a Metal guitar, any small differences that you might notice tonally I think will be completely minimized. If you had some very clean pkps, you might notice a difference more... Just my worthless .02. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Nordic Gawd Posted December 28, 2003 Author Report Share Posted December 28, 2003 thanks, I think I actually like the idea of adding a middle piece to the whole ordeal. It seems like it would actually make life much easier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted December 28, 2003 Report Share Posted December 28, 2003 I think it would look better to get another booked pair of 1/4" curly maple pieces and put them on the back to match the look of the front, ...but your call... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Nordic Gawd Posted December 28, 2003 Author Report Share Posted December 28, 2003 not to question you or go against you but that would mean that i would have a 4 piece body. Doesn't seem very logical sustain/weight/stability wise! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted December 28, 2003 Report Share Posted December 28, 2003 Questions are always good. The only bad question is the one that didn't get asked, as someone once said... 4 pieces don't mean diddly-bo-diddly to me, but maybe it does to you. I could give you lots of different examples of bodies that have multiple pieces (way more than 4 sometimes) that sound fabulous. But I understand your 'less is better' point of view. I don't agree with it, but I understand where you're coming from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted December 28, 2003 Report Share Posted December 28, 2003 how do you feel about the kahler flatmount?it doesn't require a back rout,only a small recess on the top.about $280 though. sure you want a trem? okay,do the math.my trem cavity on my floyd equipped guitar is 3/4" deep(back rout).it looks like you could get away with less.maybe if you make the back rout 1/2" deep and only rout your pickup cavities 3/4" deep,then you might get away with it.you will need a shorter tone block,which are available from allparts? personally i would add a cap,or go with the kahler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Nordic Gawd Posted December 28, 2003 Author Report Share Posted December 28, 2003 the only reason i mean that is because im not nearly as godly with the building yet 4 pieces to mean means 2 more things to make a mistake on. I want to make this git look good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbkim Posted December 28, 2003 Report Share Posted December 28, 2003 I bought a kramer striker body/neck off of ebay. I had a floyd II laying around. The kramer body is too thin for the floyd. The body looks like it's 1 5/8" thick (1/8" thicker than your body.) The tone block sticks out of the back so I keep the cover plate off. I even tried shimming the neck with a single-edge razor and raising the mounting posts but it killed the tone. The tone block on my floyd measures 1 5/8" the shorter tone block from allparts that westhemann suggests is 1 3/8". This would probably benefit my situation but may not benefit yours (1/8" thinner body than mine.) If you do decide to stay with a floyd, perhaps you can bring your stock tone block to a machinist to have it cut/drilled even smaller than the allparts piece. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Nordic Gawd Posted December 29, 2003 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2003 yeah im sure i want a trem. i think I'll just buy some midsection and make this a 3 piece all around guitar. 3 piece neck plus 3 piece body. should look interesting. i really dont want to experiment with different types of trems because i am poor. thanks for the help though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
au3078 Posted December 29, 2003 Report Share Posted December 29, 2003 you can cut a full size block down for the floyd rose bridge thats what I did. I just dril the holes for the spring hooks deeper and then cut some off with a hacksaw and tryign to keep everything square and pretty and then used a file to clean it up. it tells u how to do this in "Guitar Player Repair Guide." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted December 29, 2003 Report Share Posted December 29, 2003 how are you going to saw the body in half? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
au3078 Posted December 29, 2003 Report Share Posted December 29, 2003 I never said the body I said the block. the part that goes thru the body and the strings hook on to?? its cool tho I suck at writing and expessing myself Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbkim Posted December 29, 2003 Report Share Posted December 29, 2003 I never said the body I said the block. the part that goes thru the body and the strings hook on to?? its cool tho I suck at writing and expessing myself I think westhemann was refering to The Nordic Gourd's post above. BTW, where is this "Guitar Player Repair Guide?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted December 29, 2003 Report Share Posted December 29, 2003 yes that is what i am referring to Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbkim Posted December 29, 2003 Report Share Posted December 29, 2003 BTW, where is this "Guitar Player Repair Guide?" Oh, is it the Erlewine book? I just did a search on the term. I'm usually a book hound but lately I try to make due with online reference resource.... cheapo . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
au3078 Posted December 29, 2003 Report Share Posted December 29, 2003 haha my bad its all good http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detai...488856?v=glance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
au3078 Posted December 29, 2003 Report Share Posted December 29, 2003 ya thats the one. You replayed when I was posting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted December 29, 2003 Report Share Posted December 29, 2003 au3078 has the fastest and easiest way but I gotta tell you if your working with an Ibanez Block fins a machine shop, those boogers are tough Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
au3078 Posted December 29, 2003 Report Share Posted December 29, 2003 mine was a floyd rose proand i think the block was brass?? oh ya it helps if you ahve a drill press to make the holes deeper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbkim Posted December 29, 2003 Report Share Posted December 29, 2003 Heh, big difference between brass and steel . My floyd II might be brass, I can't tell but my old OFR has a big honkin' chunk of thick steel (it's slightly rusty ) I shudder at the thought of trying to hacksaw that puppy . I was under the impression Nordic was going for an OFR. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
au3078 Posted December 29, 2003 Report Share Posted December 29, 2003 I have had to cut steel by hand in my manufactoring proccesses class but this wasnt thick round stock (like 1/4). a machine shop maybe the way to go cuz they could do everything on a mill easy enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darren wilson Posted December 29, 2003 Report Share Posted December 29, 2003 For your first guitar, i would suggest trying something simpler than a "deep tenon" set neck with a carved laminated top. Once you have a little more experience (and confidence), you'll be much better equipped to tackle the tougher challenges. Why not add another laminate to the back so the body is maple/mahogany/maple? Or maybe add another darker wood under the top to give a nice accent line? Personally, i think it's a shame to invest all that money in nice tone woods only to cut away huge chunks of it to put in a Fender/Floyd style trem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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