ScottR Posted May 27, 2014 Report Share Posted May 27, 2014 That's too cool! I kept waiting to see the adjustment system that allows you to move it closer to, aor further away from the body. SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted May 27, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 27, 2014 Looking good. Solid choice on replacing the steak knife handle. Are you going to polish the brackets when finished? The idea is to have replaceable arm rests so you can customize.No not going to polish them. I am leaving them brushed finish for now. This is a prototype so I don't really care. Plus these brackets are way too big for a final product. I just want to try out the idea first. That's too cool! I kept waiting to see the adjustment system that allows you to move it closer to, aor further away from the body.SRI am working on that for round 2. I had to get an idea of what it would take for the brackets to work first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted June 2, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2014 We are now off the rails. I have completely derailed myself at this point. I am not even sure what I am trying to accomplish. The rules are scraps only. Scrap aluminium, scrap neck, scrap wood from the bin. No production quality bits will be harmed in this build. I want something modern. Metal and wood.I have been working in CAD on this for a few months but it is just not looking like I want it to so lets just build one and adapt the CAD to the model.Starting with some wood templates for the headstock design. I know this is not a superior design but I want to see what the issues will be before I redesign it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted June 2, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2014 For now this is the attachment system. This donor neck did not have enough wood to do anything else.As usual trussrod placement is the real issue. In the future I think I would like to have some tilt to the headstock. Since I am using 1/4" plate there is not a lot of room to mess around. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted June 2, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2014 String path is going to be an issue. I think I can get around it once I have it closer to string ready. Also threading 6061 is a pain in the arse. Without oil and patience it is impossible to get solid threads. So you will see a lot of nuts in this build. I will deal with the threading later..25" 6061 is not deep enough for normal tuners so we will graft some wood to the back of the headstock. As you can see the grain runout is horrible on this piece. However we don't care as it is now epoxied to a piece of 6061. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted June 2, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2014 Neck mounting system will be different. I am going to use a bolt on to begin with. This is because I am experimenting and several pieces might need to be changed. I don't want to have to rebuild the neck everytime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted June 2, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2014 Time to layout the main section. Rather than experiment in 6061 (I only have one piece that will work for this) I will use mdf to get the layout down. This is where I miss the CAD/CNC. Hate laying all this out by hand.Before you say anything the brackets that stick out and the plates you see are not formed yet. They are hopefully big enough to cut into proper shapes though. Since they will be replaceable I just need the holes lined up right for now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted June 2, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2014 We are farther along now.Sorry about the blurry pics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted June 2, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2014 This is my favorite shot right now. Knowing I can build the neck out of a single piece of timber that is under .75" thick makes me happy. No heel no mess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted June 2, 2014 Report Share Posted June 2, 2014 Radical departure indeed. I want to see a huge flame war on the tonality of the scraps you have chosen...... .......purely for entertainment purposes. It's been so long since we've had one. SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted June 2, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2014 Radical departure indeed. I want to see a huge flame war on the tonality of the scraps you have chosen...... .......purely for entertainment purposes. It's been so long since we've had one.SRI am almost positive this will prove 90% of the tone is in the neck... or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted June 2, 2014 Report Share Posted June 2, 2014 Can't argue with that, at least not for this guitar......... .......since it is 90% neck. SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted June 2, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2014 Can't argue with that, at least not for this guitar......... .......since it is 90% neck.SRWait for the swappable "tone panels"... spffff. J/K. There are going to be several swappable parts but tone will not be the real intention. I am thinking once I get the design stabilized I can make all kinds of different gadgets that attach. Swappable controls, pickups, arm rests, leg rests, and adjustable strap positioning... ext.I would have thought there would be more uproar over how crazy this thing is. Tough crowd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted June 2, 2014 Report Share Posted June 2, 2014 Can't argue with that, at least not for this guitar......... .......since it is 90% neck. SR Wait for the swappable "tone panels"... spffff. J/K. There are going to be several swappable parts but tone will not be the real intention. I am thinking once I get the design stabilized I can make all kinds of different gadgets that attach. Swappable controls, pickups, arm rests, leg rests, and adjustable strap positioning... ext. I would have thought there would be more uproar over how crazy this thing is. Tough crowd. Naw, we're in awe of the twisted places your mind is going. This is too cool. You do call to mind a time when non-traditional work was poked, prodded and the subject of many suggestions that traditional wisdom would require changes to be made to bring the project into time tested spec. I think many of those folks have gotten bored and moved on. The rest of us like creativity and innovation. SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maull Posted June 3, 2014 Report Share Posted June 3, 2014 Can't wait to see where this one goes. Love it so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pauliemc Posted June 5, 2014 Report Share Posted June 5, 2014 Cool. puts me in mind of the bird fish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted June 6, 2014 Report Share Posted June 6, 2014 Wot's a bird fish? SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted June 6, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 6, 2014 So I had this idea for years. I have drawings from the early 90s of this type guitar. Growing up in a race shop I always had access to machining tools and aluminum. The first time I saw something awesome was a Steinberger in the early 80s. However being a big Police fan it was Andy Summers when I saw the Gittler Guitar in the Synchronicity II video I knew I wanted to build something sick like that.Searching the internet a few years ago with this idea in mind (ergonomic aluminum guitar) I ran across inspiration inhttp://www.teuffel.com/english/guitars/birdfish/birdfish_main.htmandhttp://www.spaltinstruments.com/instruments/hybrids/apex-guitars/I am not trying to copy either as Teuffel is a genius and Spalt is an artist. I just want to meld everything I learned from Ken Parker, Ned Steinberger, building race cars and custom motorcycles into something that is functional and forward thinking.I also would like to deal with some of the things I am always concerned about. Ergonomics and dwindling natural resources.I don't think that as a luthier I am contributing to deforestation rather that luthiers have put to use wood that would normally be burned. However the examples of wood we see now are not as epic or large as what I used to buy when I was a young and it makes me worry.I am trying for no wasted resources.Ergonomics of a guitar take years to work through so this is a second pass. It seems I have been working on the S9 design forever... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted June 6, 2014 Report Share Posted June 6, 2014 Oh yeah, I've seen the bird fish, never knew what it was called though. The apex stuff is amazing. That's an amazing combination of woods and metal, form and function; you are correct, that's pure art. You picked some brilliant stuff for inspiration. SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted June 6, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 6, 2014 The Spalt stuff is art because he cuts and shapes everything by hand. Even the Al Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arxxra Posted June 9, 2014 Report Share Posted June 9, 2014 Very interesting experiments you have going on here. The modular/ergonomic/travel guitar idea has always been appealing for me also. For the past 5 or so years I have tried to come up with suitable modular design. The main goal has been -form follows function and using latest materials and technologies as carbon fiber, CNC, and 3D printing. It has proved to be a daunting task as there seems to be so much different and ways to go and and variants to chose, especially when you try to avoid coping other's ideas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted June 9, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2014 Don't avoid copying ideas. Do avoid outright plagiarism.Sometimes there are only so many ways to do things.Use ideas as inspiration to do your own thing. It may turn out similar but it will have a unique spin on it.Updates are coming. I may still rip this whole thing apart and start over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arxxra Posted June 10, 2014 Report Share Posted June 10, 2014 R.A.D, thank you for for advices and encouragement. When I spoke avoiding copying other's ideas, I meant making the details of guitar similar in looks and design. For an example if one would start to compare Gibson LP vs. Fender Strat he would find that there are almost no similarities at all - shape, design ,materials and hardware , even electronics and scale used - all differ so radically from each other except they are both electric guitars having body, neck, associated hardware and pickups.Same thing happens when you compare Strat to Steinberger or Parker etc. Also interestingly many good technical or design solutions are already patented, even if not used or seen much in real production models. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted June 10, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2014 Time to work on the appendages. Here we have the beginnings of the top horn and the arm rest bracket. Wood is going to be sparse on this one as I do not have a lot burl/bloodwood/mahogany scrap left. I want the arm rest adjustable but not too worried about the strap horn yet. I guess I should design anadjusting system to use on each appendage. The blue tape is to protect the finish and and make it easier to draw on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted June 10, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2014 First idea was to moc the arm rest out in MDF. It was a good idea as it gave mean idea what to do with the funn shaped wood scrap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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