WezV Posted November 4, 2012 Report Share Posted November 4, 2012 so this is a bit daft and it almost makes more sense to start from scratch. but i have been asked to see if i can convert a headless steinberger style hohner cricket bat into something more like a flying V. Not a steinberger mini v shape but actual flying V styling so here are the preliminary mockups showing potential sizes and styles next to the source guitars (controls and pickups are not to scale) essentially I will be trimming the original guitar down to just past its pickups/bridge routes and treating it as a neck through - but am also considering doing it as a full new body so the original centre section can slot into it I am pushing for the large scratchplate style as it will hide a lot of sins Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted November 5, 2012 Report Share Posted November 5, 2012 I think a hellofalotta effort would be saved if you go with the 'neck-through' plan. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted November 5, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 5, 2012 i know, but not having the joins on the back will give a much neater finish and its not that hard to make a deep neck through slot in a body - didnt you do that from the back to replace the neck on the superthin? it will also give a much larger glue join and make for easier clamping Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted November 6, 2012 Report Share Posted November 6, 2012 Dude... I had to replace the entire neck. ALL THE WAY THROUGH! IIRC, the top was only 1/4"> Even though I had it clamped/taped to a backer the whole time, I was still terrified that it would fall apart before I got the new neck in there. So my questions are 1) how thick is the body now, 2) how thick will it end up with a new surround, and 3) are you considering thinning down the Hofner body so that it might work out better? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie H 72 Posted November 6, 2012 Report Share Posted November 6, 2012 This is crazy. excited to see how this will be figured out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted November 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 6, 2012 Dude... I had to replace the entire neck. ALL THE WAY THROUGH! IIRC, the top was only 1/4"> Even though I had it clamped/taped to a backer the whole time, I was still terrified that it would fall apart before I got the new neck in there. So my questions are 1) how thick is the body now, 2) how thick will it end up with a new surround, and 3) are you considering thinning down the Hofner body so that it might work out better? exactly what I am thinking of doing with this. I have already done a lapsteel with this style of construction - have to bust out the big router but its not bother not sure on exact dimensions at the moment but should have the guitar today or tomorrow to confirm - and yes, i would thin the back of the hohner down to keep final thickness pretty much as it is now. the only thing that will put me off going this way is if the pickup routes are very deep - otherwise i plan on taking about 3/8" off the back Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted November 6, 2012 Report Share Posted November 6, 2012 In a sense, it won't matter if the Hofner's pup routes are deep. If you blow through, so what - you're putting another back on it anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob123 Posted November 6, 2012 Report Share Posted November 6, 2012 I'm confused, can't you just square the sides, clamp some wood wings, cut to shape and call it a day? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted November 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 6, 2012 Of course - that is option 1 But i dont think it will look good a few years down the line when the wood has settled and will probably show joins - so I am considering all my options. the idea of a slotted body has the advantage that it will give a neater finish, easier clamping, large glueing surface so i think its worth considering. and it really isn't that difficult to do I am also considering doing it as wings then capping front and back with 3mm maple Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted November 7, 2012 Report Share Posted November 7, 2012 I am also considering doing it as wings then capping front and back with 3mm maple If you're seriously thinging about going that far, it'd be easier to just use the neck & hardware and make a new body from scratch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob123 Posted November 7, 2012 Report Share Posted November 7, 2012 What I would do is neck through style and use a relatively thin peice of wood (veneer even) on both sides to prevent said joints from showing. And apparently I need to read your entire posts because, yet again, I've stated what you already said haha. Consider it a "+1" to your cap idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted November 7, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 7, 2012 I am also considering doing it as wings then capping front and back with 3mm maple If you're seriously thinging about going that far, it'd be easier to just use the neck & hardware and make a new body from scratch. read the first sentence of the thread. I wouldn't suggest i was going to do something without a clear idea of how i was going to do it, and a clear idea of how difficult it will be. having said that I will always welcome suggestions on how to do something, maybe somebody has a better idea than mine. but work on the assumption I already have an idea and I am happy with its difficulty level Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted November 7, 2012 Report Share Posted November 7, 2012 I would be tempted to create a "shell" body that the entire painted Hohner would sit in and attach to via the screw holes that hold the current strap buttons so that it could be reversed back into it's original form at any time.It would be coolest if the radius of the hohner body continued across the shell V... Maybe I missed where you said,but is it remaining headless? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted November 7, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 7, 2012 yeah, its staying headless and the neck will be pretty much untouched. got the guitar now and stripped it down. the cavity placement on the back is making me lean towards the slotted body idea even more - the line i want to trim it down to cuts right through the cavity. body is 1 3/4" thick and the deepest route is 1 1/4" - that is the trem spring route under the bridge. so after trimming the body wings off I will route the whole back of the body down by half an inch till i just reach that spring route. might actually fit through the planer just fine but it might be better to use the router thicknesser for this. then i make a new 1 3/4" thick body and route a section 1 1/4" deep for the neck through to slot into. shouldn't be too delicate if its still 1/2" at its thin section and then wont be delicate at all once glued up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted November 7, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 7, 2012 here is the donor notice the single coil and switch holes have been covered - looks like it was done with the self adhesive acoustic scratchplate stuff - quite a neat job actually and the requested finish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supplebanana Posted November 8, 2012 Report Share Posted November 8, 2012 headless Schenker! cool.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted November 14, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 14, 2012 Ok, so first step is to turn the hohner into even more of a cricket bat. edges trimmed off and body thinned down from the back then i will be making a whole new body for this to slot into - not just glueing on new wings - started a quick pine mockup to get a better idea of size/shape. the actual body will be obeche lots of chips around the existing finish, but its all got to come off anyway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted November 14, 2012 Report Share Posted November 14, 2012 What kind of wood do you have there Wez? The center 3 pieces look to be maple, are the outer two maple as well? SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted November 14, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 14, 2012 its a 3 piece maple through neck with alder wings Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pauliemc Posted November 14, 2012 Report Share Posted November 14, 2012 COOL ! I rekon this should make for some groovey viewing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted November 16, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2012 scary bit done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted November 16, 2012 Report Share Posted November 16, 2012 I think that will be a much better balanced guitar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted November 16, 2012 Report Share Posted November 16, 2012 The headless V I made a few years ago has unbelievable balance. If stays exactly where I put it, regardless of the angle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted November 16, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2012 its also a bit legs akimbo I have used obeche for the body on this. not used it before but I know PRS have been using it one some cheaper models for a while with good results. I chose it because a) i had some, and its lightweight. but its also really easy to work with which made the centre slot go a lot easier than it could have done Also, I am saving the fold out leg rest from the hohner to go on the bottom edge. should actually be a V that is comfortable (possible) to play sat down on a sofa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted November 20, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 20, 2012 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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