Untitled_Project Posted June 13, 2010 Report Share Posted June 13, 2010 (edited) Hey, this is my first post! So I've built a guitar before. Not amazing quality but, it's still my favourite. I don't have much access to tools right now, but in a few weeks I will. So I've decided to build another guitar....this time there is no room for mistakes! I don't have my plan picture to upload but it resembles an offset strat mixed with a prs. I want this guitar to be as custom as possible so I plan on building my own pickups. I want to try to and reproduce the crunch lab and liquifire by dimarzio. The rest includes: Alder/Mahogany body....my plan is to have a strip of mahogany run through the middle with alder "wings"......my reason is the tone block in the petrucci model (he has a block at the bridge). I'm still debating some sort of cap....still not sure, maybe a thin one?. Mahogany neck with an ebony fretboard, baritone. Debating fret markers still. Grover minis Two humbuckers split coil (not sure of the terminology, sorry!) - three way switch, maybe five and the ghost acoustic pickup system Floyd Rose bridge (still debating which one....I like the look of the speed loader....maybe a vote?) w/trem setter bolt-on neck (for replacements sake) Now, I'm a bit unsure of what kind of finish it will have. I'm thinking of a solid white (without the cap) or if I got a nice cap a white dye....has anybody dyed with white before? I'm at the early stages of planning so any input would be awesome! Thanks Edited June 13, 2010 by Untitled_Project Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reinhold Posted June 13, 2010 Report Share Posted June 13, 2010 (edited) I'm putting a speedloader on mine. With a SL, you won't need the tuners and it comes with a tremsetter in the box. Just make sure you do a complete plan for it (very complete) as there is no room for any error with the set-length strings. The ghost system won't work with a speedloader as far as I know, as the floyd saddles are different from normal ones. Also, with a speedloader you can't make it a baritone, due to the set strings, so I would really suggest more research before you start anything. I planned mine since last september and only cut the first wood two weeks ago. Edited June 13, 2010 by Reinhold Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Untitled_Project Posted June 13, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 13, 2010 See, I didn't know that if you use a speed loader you cant have a bari neck. Thank you! Graph-tech has a replacement floyd rose bridge that is equipped with their ghost system....I might get one of those. I have been planning for a while now....I don't know if you can tell but I'm a bit indecisive! I'm going to buy the wood from gilmore....It's the first time I'm buying wood for a neck and I've notice dimension differences between to neck blanks. Can someone help me out with this please. 7/8-1 x 3 1/16-3 1/8 x 29 7/8-30 3/8" and 15/16-1 x 3-3 3/16 x 30 1/16-30 ¼" this is a very noob question....sorry! I understand the slight differences, but does it matter which one I get? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted June 13, 2010 Report Share Posted June 13, 2010 if you have planned your build fully then you should be able to see the wood dimensions you need on that... but those 2 are both very close to each other anyway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StormLeader Posted June 13, 2010 Report Share Posted June 13, 2010 Just wanted to add my input into all of this, I now that the GraphTech Floyd is not a OFR, so I'm not sure of the quality of it. I would do some serious googling about it before I threw done the cash for that. Just my $0.02 -Stormy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reinhold Posted June 13, 2010 Report Share Posted June 13, 2010 (edited) I trust the graphtech stuff a lot though, they are usually really good with their products. I have strat saddles from them on my MIM and they are definitely better than Fender's, yet I still don't think you can get a whole lot better OFR stuff, except you can't have piezo-crystals in the saddle that way. Edited June 13, 2010 by Reinhold Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Untitled_Project Posted June 14, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 14, 2010 Graph tech does sell floyd rose saddles. Installation require you to machine a few holes in your floyd rose, and the supply the spec for that. Check under installation http://www.graphtech.com/products.html?SubCategoryID=93 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Untitled_Project Posted June 15, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2010 So I'm ordering the wood hopefully tomorrow. I will be buying an original floyd rose and have it professionally machine to fit the graph tech pick up. I have a question on Floyd Rose bridges now......What manufacturer, in your opinion, should I go with. I like the schaller that warmoth is selling, but I read in another forum that schaller isn't the best bet.....THAT guy said gotoh is better....or more trustworthy. Here's the link: http://www.thegearpage.net/board/archive/i...p/t-312436.html On a side note about pickup building.... Should I invest in the stewmac pickup winder? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reinhold Posted June 15, 2010 Report Share Posted June 15, 2010 If you are going with an OFR, then you should be buying an OFR, not a licensed one. When people say OFR, they usually mean Floyd Rose brand. DON'T BUY THE STEWMAC PICKUP WINDER UNLESS YOU ARE TRYING TO MAKE A BUSINESS OUT OF IT! That's a lot of money for one set of pickups. Just look on Youtube for ways to make a pickup winder, you can usually do it for less than 10 dollars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Untitled_Project Posted June 16, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2010 So I'll build my own winder then..... I'm really having a hard time deciding the finish right now. If I do not decide on getting a cap then I'll be painting it the most purist whit I can find! But....If I find a nice flamed maple cap (one with a very wide figure...nothing that looks very "busy"), then i was thinking of doing the prs type finish....black dye-sand off---apply translucent colour....So then I started thinking it'll look zebraish....so maybe go over with a grey stain then sand it and apply the white....and maybe even have a black fade.... If anybody understand what I just said and have seen something like that please pleeeeeeeeease please post a link..... But if you haven't....what do you think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StormLeader Posted June 17, 2010 Report Share Posted June 17, 2010 (edited) As far as the Schaller Floyd goes, they ARE the people who make the OFR. http://www.beyondeleven.com/Original-Floyd...al-frt100-c.htm I'm sure that their licensed version is just as good, if not better. But I have never played one, so I can't be 100% certain. EDIT: It looks like the Schaller Licensed version has replaceable Knife edges, which is kinda cool. -Stormy Edited June 17, 2010 by StormLeader Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Untitled_Project Posted June 17, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2010 Thank you Stormy! I'm going to search youtube on the differences of the two....I've heard the licensed is aluminum with steel add-on, where the orginal is all steel.....something like that.... Still need some help on this as well: If I find a nice flamed maple cap (one with a very wide figure...nothing that looks very "busy"), then i was thinking of doing the prs type finish....black dye-sand off---apply translucent colour....So then I started thinking it'll look zebraish....so maybe go over with a grey stain then sand it and apply the white....and maybe even have a black fade.... Ordered the wood today! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuffinPunch Posted June 17, 2010 Report Share Posted June 17, 2010 It sounds like your thinking of doing a finish similar to Chris Broderick's custom made RGA 7, only his is quilted maple, not flamed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Untitled_Project Posted June 17, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2010 (edited) Thanks muffin! This helps me a lot! Do you think gold hardware would be too much? Doesn't look like anything was done to lift the figure....or am I wrong and grey was used to lift the grain.... Edited June 17, 2010 by Untitled_Project Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reinhold Posted June 17, 2010 Report Share Posted June 17, 2010 In a video of him, it appeared to be grayish on the grain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted June 17, 2010 Report Share Posted June 17, 2010 Thanks muffin! This helps me a lot! Do you think gold hardware would be too much? Doesn't look like anything was done to lift the figure....or am I wrong and grey was used to lift the grain.... the woods really fighting the white. quite hard to get a decent figure showing through white. i think they have some tint to the grain just to get it slightly visable, but it would still be lost more than 3' away Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Untitled_Project Posted June 17, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2010 I will be tinting the wood, it's just I want to stay away from it being to "lifted", I want the grain to be subtle, but maybe not as subtle as that guitar. It will come down to doing tests with scrap quilted maple. Any suggestions on what dyes may be the best to use to lift the grain? My scraps will be very little so I will probably only be able to test a few. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Untitled_Project Posted June 19, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 19, 2010 I have a friend with a spray booth and he is more than willing to paint the finished product. He has lots of urethane. I told him that I was going to get laquer, but he is insisting on urethane. Can somebody please lend some advice on which I should go for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Untitled_Project Posted June 19, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 19, 2010 (edited) Looks like nobody wants to keep helping me through this.... You guys probably just don't want to waste time on a thread that looks like it's going nowhere. I understand. Well I did some research and it looks like I'm going with the urethane. And I've scrapped the white idea, I'm just going to go for a stain with a black burst. I'm going to try and post a rough drawing of the design tomorrow. I still have a bunch of questions that need some answers. If someone out there would like to give me some advice it would be greatly appreciated. I just want to be 100% sure that all is going to go smoothly. Edited June 19, 2010 by Untitled_Project Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuffinPunch Posted June 19, 2010 Report Share Posted June 19, 2010 (edited) Looks like nobody wants to keep helping me through this.... You guys probably just don't want to waste time on a thread that looks like it's going nowhere. I understand. Well I did some research and it looks like I'm going with the urethane. And I've scrapped the white idea, I'm just going to go for a stain with a black burst. I'm going to try and post a rough drawing of the design tomorrow. I still have a bunch of questions that need some answers. If someone out there would like to give me some advice it would be greatly appreciated. I just want to be 100% sure that all is going to go smoothly. Relax man... Your last post was barely 4 hours before this one. Not everyone here sits in front of their computer 24 hours a day. I honestly dont know the answer to your question or Id be happy to help you out. Like in all things, patience is a virtue in guitar building, especially finishing, if you want the advice of these fine people you're going to have to wait a little bit. Otherwise, do it the way you want and pray it comes out well in the end. On top of that, it may pay off to actually start building the guitar before you make decisions regarding the finish. Seeing your guitar in physical form could change your plans very quickly. Good luck! Edited June 19, 2010 by MuffinPunch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Untitled_Project Posted June 20, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2010 I'm not getting mad at all I understand why there is a lack of response. If it was the other way around, I wouldn't post anything either....just because of lack of progress. So far my only progress is on a piece of paper (the wood hasn't even arrived yet, but I am about to start building templates ) There's some people that post design pics over and over, and it never becomes anything; people spend their own personal time replying and giving some info that they had to find out the hard way...... So when there is a lack of progress I understand the silence. No worries! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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