DandHcustoms Posted February 17, 2016 Report Share Posted February 17, 2016 So sevenstring,org is holding a Home Depot or like store build competition that I just had to get in on. The rules: -contest runs 6 months, Official start date is 02/01/2016 - No professional builders - wood must come from a Home Depot or like store or be reclaimed -$100 challenge, try to keep the cost of the guitar under $1oo usd. More points are awarded for keeping this. -Hardware must be made or taken off of an old beater guitar -Pick ups/ wiring/ pots may be purchased from an outside source I'm a couple weeks into my build now and thought you guys might get a kick out of it here Specs: Body; Mahogany core with Flame maple top and back cap 2 humbuckers that i picked up at a local Music store used for $10 a piece Custom made headless system bridge made in a friends machine shop Faux binding Stained Sky/ light blue Neck: 7 Piece Mahogany and Maple neck with a maple fret board 27" scale length 24 frets gold jumbo fret wire, simply because thats what iv got lying around Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DandHcustoms Posted February 17, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2016 and then here is where I'm at now, ive decided to order a truss rod so I'm waiting on that to get here before I can do much else on the neck 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted February 17, 2016 Report Share Posted February 17, 2016 I like the sandwich and contouring you've done on the body. The natural colors are working so well together it almost may be a shame to see it go to blue. SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DandHcustoms Posted February 17, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2016 Thanks Scott! After I put a little mineral spirits on it and saw what it looked like I started to second guess staining it, but i've wanted a light blue headless for quite awhile so I'm biting the bullet and going through with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2.5itim Posted February 18, 2016 Report Share Posted February 18, 2016 Holy crap, This is awesome! Im kind of upset that your $100 Home Depot build is looking better than my build I have going on with 4x that amount in it. I really like the way that you sandwiched the body also! I might have to keep that idea for a later build. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DandHcustoms Posted February 18, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2016 I'm lucky that my local Menards will get some decent lumber in from time to time! The sandwich is out of necessity but looks good too. Got the body stained today and should be getting a finish some time this weekend Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DandHcustoms Posted February 18, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2016 The color ended up a lot darker than I intended it to but looks good so I'm going to keep it dark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitaraxz Posted February 18, 2016 Report Share Posted February 18, 2016 Sheesh, where I live we can't find mahogny & maple that nice. There are 2 Home Depot's in this city and all they have is Pine. You can get nice wood in Home Depot over there? You are blessed! Your build is looking damn good, and I find your bridge very interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitaraxz Posted February 18, 2016 Report Share Posted February 18, 2016 I would sugest to sand down the finish, let the blue in the grain, and refiinish it with a lighter blue. That would make the flame stand out. Then redo the bevel, this would make the blue/white/mahogany stand out too. -R Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DandHcustoms Posted February 18, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2016 (edited) I got the wood from Menards here they for some reason get some flame and birds eye maple quite often. The bridge is loosely based on Ola strandbergs headless bridge system I stained the top black then tried to sand it back to make the grain pop but I couldn't get the dye to stay in the figuring not sure if it was my technique or if it's the wood or dye Edited February 18, 2016 by DandHcustoms Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gpcustomguitars Posted February 18, 2016 Report Share Posted February 18, 2016 Excellent build! How does the bridge work? Any additional photos would be great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
10pizza Posted February 18, 2016 Report Share Posted February 18, 2016 awesome job. Interested as well to look some more at that bridge! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DandHcustoms Posted February 18, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2016 each individual tuner is made up of 3 pieces lets just call them the tube, threaded rod and knob for the explanation. the tube is a 3/8" steel rod with a hole drilled down the center. The last 3/4" of the tube is threaded for a 1/4" bolt. The front slot of the tube is used to attach the whole tuner to the base and to adjust intonation. There's a 1/8" hole drilled and threaded for a flat head screw that is used for the saddle. The threaded rod is a 1/4" threaded rod with a whole drilled through the center, it's used to attach the knob to the tube. The knob is a concrete anchor I found at Menards they have a whole through the center and drilled and thread for a 1/4" bolt. With all the pieces put together you thread the string though the knob and out the opposite side of the tube, the ball end of the string get caught in the hole of the knob. You then use the knob tune the guitar. I'm not 100% sure it'll work as I think it well yet 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DandHcustoms Posted February 18, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2016 im starting to think maybe i should add a cream or white binding on this, what does everyone think of that idea? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted February 18, 2016 Report Share Posted February 18, 2016 I think I'd love to see how you handle the challenge all bevels and contours will give you if you decide to do that. SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curtisa Posted February 19, 2016 Report Share Posted February 19, 2016 As long as the top is flat cutting a binding channel around the perimeter of the body would be fairly straight forward. Binding the rear of the body won't be much fun with all those contours though. Binding could look nice. Be prepared to redo your staining though, as you'll likely scuff it up when you're cutting the channel and daub glue on it while installing the binding. Bound neck too, for consistency? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gpcustomguitars Posted February 19, 2016 Report Share Posted February 19, 2016 (edited) Thanks for the pics, looks like a very good idea! I tried something similar on my own headless tuners, even if it looks a lot different to yours. My solution was to cut trough lengthwise trough some inserts in wood, they self-tap into the pre-drilled hole in the wood and are threaded inside. So the string can use the cut in the insert to get itself out of the way for a bolt to go in after the ball end. When the bolt is turned it goes downward and pushes the ball end down, tightening the string. I still have to finish it, but it works. Only major issue is that you can't tune with your bare hands, it needs a wrench. Hope that makes sense For the anchoring the strings on the neck side, I used a brass electrical ground bar, it's already drilled and has screws tapped to hold the wires in place. 6-holed one is 44mm wide. Have you tested it yet, is it twisting the string? Edited February 19, 2016 by gpcustomguitars 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted February 19, 2016 Report Share Posted February 19, 2016 Is getting technical knowledge from "more" professional builders against their rules? ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted February 19, 2016 Report Share Posted February 19, 2016 That said, the work you're doing on those tuners given what you're working with is fantastic. You'll give 'em a run for their money. All $100 of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DandHcustoms Posted February 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2016 3 hours ago, gpcustomguitars said: Thanks for the pics, looks like a very good idea! I tried something similar on my own headless tuners, even if it looks a lot different to yours. My solution was to cut trough lengthwise trough some inserts in wood, they self-tap into the pre-drilled hole in the wood and are threaded inside. So the string can use the cut in the insert to get itself out of the way for a bolt to go in after the ball end. When the bolt is turned it goes downward and pushes the ball end down, tightening the string. I still have to finish it, but it works. Only major issue is that you can't tune with your bare hands, it needs a wrench. Hope that makes sense For the anchoring the strings on the neck side, I used a brass electrical ground bar, it's already drilled and has screws tapped to hold the wires in place. 6-holed one is 44mm wide. Have you tested it yet, is it twisting the string? i haven't tested it yet just kind of keeping my fingers crossed in hopes that it works as I think it will. 1 hour ago, Prostheta said: That said, the work you're doing on those tuners given what you're working with is fantastic. You'll give 'em a run for their money. All $100 of it. Thanks! There isn't anything in the rules about getting advice haha. goes to show you don't have to have extremely expensive parts and wood to make a guitar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted February 19, 2016 Report Share Posted February 19, 2016 Totally. I mean, there's a point where cheap materials are simply inadequate for the purpose but expensive doesn't confer some sort of magic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DandHcustoms Posted February 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2016 completely agree with you there, I'm some what tempted to have a manufactured version of this bridge if it works out to sell, it's hard to find headless hardware as it is and near impossible to find anything in extended range if you do they're around $500 usd. I need to check first to make sure i'm not going to break any copyright laws or anything of that nature. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted February 19, 2016 Report Share Posted February 19, 2016 That's only if you sell it. If it's for your own use, there's no problem. We'll be taking a look at the ABM headless and tuner bridge system sometime in the coming months. Expensive, but totally worth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DandHcustoms Posted February 20, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2016 I decided to bite the bullet and go for binding, the neck will have binding also. I've got some thin strips of oak that I decided to use along with some cream binding. When I went to put on the binding I realized I'm all out of small brushes I use for the aceton so ill pick some up and get the binding on in the morning. The truss rod I ordered came in earlier than expected so I got the slot cut out in and fret board glued on along with a couple pieces of maple on the top and back of the "headstock" to match the body. With doing the binding it gives me a chance to restrain the guitar with a lighter blue like i had originally planned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted February 22, 2016 Report Share Posted February 22, 2016 Take care not to let the Oak stay in contact with iron or rust too long otherwise the tannic acid in the wood will react, turning blue or black. It's easy to get caught out by this if you're not aware of Oak's oddities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.