Strandberg Guitarworks Posted March 31, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2010 Based on the slightly squared pickup-route shapes in the pickguard, will you be using the single coil alumitones? I've been dying to hear those on a handcrafted guitar. Yes, they will be the "single coil" Alumitones - I have stripped the entire pickguard from my "Castaway Strat Conversion" that I did a while back. I have a few recordings of it (the Strat) with the same tremolo and neck, so it will be interesting to compare when I'm done with this guitar. I will definitely put sound samples up as soon as it's complete! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strandberg Guitarworks Posted April 4, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2010 I have completed all routing and am in sanding hell... Will start finishing today I hope, weather permitting (since I will have to spray outside). The two wood finish bodies will be oiled, so I do them inside. Here are some pics of: Recessing the bridges to create radius: Pickup cavities: Control cavity recess and cover templates: Cavity: Covers: And finished product: How do you guys do control cavity recesses and covers? This is a labor intensive process for little added value if you ask me. Many hand-built guitars have wooden covers mounted with magnets, which is a nice touch and would add value, but I'm a little short on time for these particular builds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verhoevenc Posted April 4, 2010 Report Share Posted April 4, 2010 There's no use denying it. I love this design! It just gets more and more fun each time. I'm excited about the strat-esque one especially as well? Did I miss where you said what color it'll be? Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted April 4, 2010 Report Share Posted April 4, 2010 love the wenge one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strandberg Guitarworks Posted April 4, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2010 There's no use denying it. I love this design! It just gets more and more fun each time. I'm excited about the strat-esque one especially as well? Did I miss where you said what color it'll be? Chris It will be Sonic Blue - supposedly made from the exact Dupont recipe that Fender used once upon a time. Can't wait! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buter Posted April 4, 2010 Report Share Posted April 4, 2010 Well, there ain't a cloud in the sky above Uppsala so I bet you got your spraying done! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strandberg Guitarworks Posted April 4, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2010 Well, there ain't a cloud in the sky above Uppsala so I bet you got your spraying done! You're watching, are you!? :-) Primed, sanded and primed again. I might get the color coats on tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strandberg Guitarworks Posted April 18, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2010 Lots of progress since last post... First of all, feel free to proof-read the schematic for the switching of the maple top: neckneck with treble cut (adjustable through hidden pot)neck + bridge parallelneck + bridge parallel out of phasebridge with treble cutbridge Hanging to dry: Checking neck alignment: Shielded control cavity: More pictures on the site as always! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verhoevenc Posted April 19, 2010 Report Share Posted April 19, 2010 Love seein' the progress as always! Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted April 19, 2010 Report Share Posted April 19, 2010 I dunno man... I think roundovers that are larger than the top piece is thick end up looking odd... Chris +1 I know it's past the point now, but it is surprising how much mileage you can get out of a "thin" top. This is my fretless with a 7mm thick top and an 18mm radius roundover....plus lots of epoxy dragged around by the router bit, but hey.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strandberg Guitarworks Posted April 25, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2010 Stratesque body almost finished... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verhoevenc Posted April 25, 2010 Report Share Posted April 25, 2010 I want it. It's amazing. Nuff said. It's a win in my book man. I great modern take on a historical legend. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Our Souls inc. Posted April 26, 2010 Report Share Posted April 26, 2010 +1 The strat of the future ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strandberg Guitarworks Posted May 2, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 2, 2010 I'm exhibiting at FUZZ Guitar Show in Gothenburg next weekend, so have to build more than just guitars... Today, I built a stand for them - included is my previous prototype guitar. Some work remaining as you see, so it will be a long week. Do swing by Gothenburg if you can and come and say hi! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted May 2, 2010 Report Share Posted May 2, 2010 We may take you up on that, around the 26th June? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strandberg Guitarworks Posted May 10, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2010 I had an awesome time in Gothenburg over the past weekend. I will post high-res images of the builds shortly, as well as sound samples. In the meantime, here are some pictures from the show. All four guitars have turned out amazing and received very positive response. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted May 10, 2010 Report Share Posted May 10, 2010 They're all very fine looking instruments, Ola. I really like the far right instrument's "f-hole" decoration. Was there much of a decision-making process behind placing the neck pickup slightly further back than the model without the "f-hole"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strandberg Guitarworks Posted May 10, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2010 They're all very fine looking instruments, Ola. I really like the far right instrument's "f-hole" decoration. Was there much of a decision-making process behind placing the neck pickup slightly further back than the model without the "f-hole"? Thanks Prostheta! The far right guitar (with the f-hole) is the original prototype build. When I made the follow-up builds, I moved all the pickups slightly towards the neck for a slightly meatier sound. Since the objective of these builds was to only vary one option (materials), I guess I broke that rule slightly... Nevertheless, the necks all have the same heel, so I can rotate the necks to explore the impact of neck material options on each of the guitars. I look forward to that a lot! Oh, a regarding visit - make sure you plan to include Uppsala and not Gothenburg in June. I'd enjoy meeting up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted May 10, 2010 Report Share Posted May 10, 2010 Sounds like a plan, Ola. I completely forgot that you're in Uppsala, but that does make it a lot easier for us as we're travelling from Espjerg > Middelfart > Nyborg > Helsingborg/Malmö > Stockholm. It really depends on our ferry scheduling of course! Priorities lay in getting apartment set up for living before the first week of July (Tuska Festival!) although espresso and guitar/bass talk is always a good option. :-D It's interesting that you note the comments on that instrument as being "intimidating" to some players due to it's immediacy and fast reacting feel. I couldn't find any posts on how the custom tubular truss rod functions however (did I miss it?). I am curious as to how the timbre or feel of the instrument changes with the bridge materials, lack of headstock and the transmissive rod in the centre of the neck. In my understanding, large rods or heavy reinforcement in necks create a harder attack. It's interesting to note the comparison with the ES335 also....I've always regarding the majority of Gibsons as "slow" instruments in terms of timbre. The mahogany necks are warm and slow sounding, plus with the relatively slender compression rod you have little added colouration to the timbre and "speed". Perhaps the Alumitones have a degree of responsibility for this also? Although not generally my preferred style of instrument, I can appreciate the research and tangible results you've demonstrated from it. Being able to A/B/C your necks and setups sounds like a rocket scientists' dream! At the moment, I'm very much enthused with the idea of semi-hollow neck-through instruments and despite me having to sell up al(most all) of my workshop gear, I am really looking forward to taking some new ideas forward one day. I do love taking ideas through to their logical extremes - good ideas deserve nothing less of course! Go on - tell us how that truss rod works! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pauliemc Posted May 10, 2010 Report Share Posted May 10, 2010 Some realy sweet lookin guitars there. It looks like you used a solid neck core, non adjustable. what do think of them ? & how did the hollow neck thing work out ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strandberg Guitarworks Posted May 10, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2010 Videos/sound clips are up - check my site! Pauliemc, the Rick Toone neck utilizes the Toone-Townsend solid neck core, but mine are all adjustable: - the Wenge neck has a 15mm OD/12 mm ID CF tube with a single truss inside, mounted asymmetrically at the bottom of the tube - the Maple neck has a Martin style aluminium truss rod and is reinforced with CF in the laminates - the last neck (on the f-hole guitar) is a Moses Graphite neck, adjustable in the heel end. The Wenge neck seems a little brighter and the Moses neck a little warmer with the maple in between, but that is very preliminary. Seems like air channels make the neck respond very quickly, but that is again preliminary. Check out the sound clips and see if you can make any educated guesses :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pauliemc Posted May 10, 2010 Report Share Posted May 10, 2010 Videos/sound clips are up - check my site! Pauliemc, the Rick Toone neck utilizes the Toone-Townsend solid neck core, but mine are all adjustable: - the Wenge neck has a 15mm OD/12 mm ID CF tube with a single truss inside, mounted asymmetrically at the bottom of the tube - the Maple neck has a Martin style aluminium truss rod and is reinforced with CF in the laminates - the last neck (on the f-hole guitar) is a Moses Graphite neck, adjustable in the heel end. The Wenge neck seems a little brighter and the Moses neck a little warmer with the maple in between, but that is very preliminary. Seems like air channels make the neck respond very quickly, but that is again preliminary. Check out the sound clips and see if you can make any educated guesses :-) Cool. The whole non-adjustable thing does not work for me. Its nice to see someone else using carbon strips laminated into the necks & not just as static truss rods. cant tell much from sound clips, May be a case of having to make 2 identical necks apart from the chambers to see if it has any effect tonally. Bolt ons, for a double neck test rig ? could be interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verhoevenc Posted May 10, 2010 Report Share Posted May 10, 2010 I watched MOST of the videos... and I gotta say... How did (from the majority I saw at least) NO ONE play any Hendrix on that strat-esque guitar?!?! Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted May 10, 2010 Report Share Posted May 10, 2010 The "glassy" sound with Nisse Blomster demonstrates what I mean about the "immediacy" of the timbre on the *hole instrument. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted May 10, 2010 Report Share Posted May 10, 2010 I watched MOST of the videos... and I gotta say... How did (from the majority I saw at least) NO ONE play any Hendrix on that strat-esque guitar?!?! Chris It's a famous double-bluff. Nobody pick up a Les Paul and rattles off Tiger Rag. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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