Norris Posted January 26, 2018 Report Share Posted January 26, 2018 From your drawing I had pictured it as a concave bevel - which I think would look good. Not sure about a forearm contour - like a strat do you mean? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FINEFUZZ Posted January 26, 2018 Report Share Posted January 26, 2018 3 hours ago, Pariahrob said: Ok, I need some feedback please. I'm trying to decide what would be both more comfortable and easier on the eye: a forearm contour or a bevel, as described in my intial drawing. What do you all think? I'm possibly going to be making this into a regular model. I like the idea of a bevel, it seems like that would provide you with a platform for interesting finish variations if you made multiples. I am really digging the contour of the long horn as well. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pariahrob Posted January 26, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2018 Thanks chaps. Bevel it is. That’s what my gut said but had someone in the shop who suggested a bevel with a drop top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted January 26, 2018 Report Share Posted January 26, 2018 18 minutes ago, Pariahrob said: Thanks chaps. Bevel it is. That’s what my gut said but had someone in the shop who suggested a bevel with a drop top. Good call Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FINEFUZZ Posted January 26, 2018 Report Share Posted January 26, 2018 What is a drop top ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pariahrob Posted January 26, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2018 Just now, FINEFUZZ said: What is a drop top ? Where the forearm contour is and the maple cap is bent and glued over it. Im sure there are other names for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pan_kara Posted January 26, 2018 Report Share Posted January 26, 2018 I guess what people usually call "drop top" is when the body cap (fancy/figured wood usually) is ~several mm thin and flat - as opposed to a "carved top" which is much thicker and thus can be carved. So when doing a forearm contour on a body with a drop top you either have to bend the top over the contour as @Pariahrob is saying, or cut the contour right through is, which can also look pretty cool. BTW since I'm here - I'd also vote for the bevel, I like how it flows within the design. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FINEFUZZ Posted January 26, 2018 Report Share Posted January 26, 2018 18 minutes ago, pan_kara said: I guess what people usually call "drop top" is when the body cap (fancy/figured wood usually) is ~several mm thin and flat - as opposed to a "carved top" which is much thicker and thus can be carved. So when doing a forearm contour on a body with a drop top you either have to bend the top over the contour as @Pariahrob is saying, or cut the contour right through is, which can also look pretty cool. BTW since I'm here - I'd also vote for the bevel, I like how it flows within the design. That is what I thought, and why I was leaning towards the bevel. I really like the looks of contrasting materials exposed in a cut-away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pariahrob Posted January 26, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2018 Next question then. I have freedom to choose timbers for this. I’m definitely going nappy/wenge/maple for the neck as I love the snap and stiffness. For the body I’m going to be using 37mm swamp ash but for the top I’m not sure. I could take the easy route and go fancy maple but this will have an oil and wax finish so something a bit warmer looking might look better. Im toying with the idea of olive wood for the fretboard although may end up with a nice black ebony. Choices... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pan_kara Posted January 26, 2018 Report Share Posted January 26, 2018 well if wenge neck then how about maple (regular, flame, birdseye...) for fretboard? Should give nice contrast and goes against the usual "dark fingerboard - light neck" thing that we're seeing everywhere. I have a rosewood neck build planned down the road and I thing that's what I'm going to do there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pariahrob Posted January 26, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2018 @pan_karaI like that idea but the wenge won’t be seen against the fingerboard as it’s only a centre strip, albeit a large on at 20mm. Im keen on contrast though so maybe I need to stick with ebony. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pan_kara Posted January 26, 2018 Report Share Posted January 26, 2018 ah ok, in that case I'd go with ebony or one of my 100 to-try fancy fingerboard woods (bocote, snakewood, b&w ebony, purpleheart, ziricote, etc etc) bloodwood? if red fits into your design, bloodwood is an awesome fingerboard wood Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted January 26, 2018 Report Share Posted January 26, 2018 I'll answer from an more oblique angle; if this is going to become a regular model then consider which is the easiest to replicate reliably. It is an answer from the soulless depths of manufacturing economy I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curtisa Posted January 26, 2018 Report Share Posted January 26, 2018 Bevel. It's a pretty radical design and not really derivative of the usual suspects. In this instance, in my mind it makes sense to leave the traditional Strat forearm contour on a Strat. Edit: too late for the party, once again 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted January 26, 2018 Report Share Posted January 26, 2018 48 minutes ago, curtisa said: Edit: too late for the party, once again I still don't understand how you are always late to the party, when it's already tomorrow at your place.... SR 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pariahrob Posted January 26, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2018 3 hours ago, Prostheta said: I'll answer from an more oblique angle; if this is going to become a regular model then consider which is the easiest to replicate reliably. It is an answer from the soulless depths of manufacturing economy I guess. The voice of reason! Very good point indeed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curtisa Posted January 27, 2018 Report Share Posted January 27, 2018 8 hours ago, ScottR said: I still don't understand how you are always late to the party, when it's already tomorrow at your place.... SR Crossing the International Punchline will do that sometimes. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pariahrob Posted January 29, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2018 Doing things a bit differently this time and drawing everything on the computer. Will print This our, glue it to mdf or acrylic then cut templates. So far I have three drawings done. A neck, body outline and this for cavities etc. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu. Posted January 29, 2018 Report Share Posted January 29, 2018 A wide bevel will look ace across the forearm area! I know I'm super late to the party here. Will the body be laminated vertically? The way that's done on Kiesel and other builds is stunning. PS. Have you considered getting it laser cut into acrylic? I had it done for one of my builds ages ago; it wasn't actually as expensive as I expected and the templates saved me a lot of pain; I think the massive set was £55 ish, and I recently had a quote for ~£30 for another. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pariahrob Posted January 30, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2018 @Stu.I was thinking of having a thin layer of walnut between the swamp ash and maple. Agree that could look ace. As for laser cutting I’m ahead of you there. I’ll make the prototype by hand and if it pans out as hoped I’ll get some made. My quote for two body templates and a neck template was £75 on good thick acrylic. Not bad. That included etching working guides like centre lines and fret positions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted January 30, 2018 Report Share Posted January 30, 2018 My recommendation is not to use acrylic as your routing template; keep them as your master and marking templates. I copy mine into thick plywood (generally 15mm). I presume that you're mirroring the cut so that the etching appears on the underside? I find this invaluable. Also, using thinner acrylic (6mm in my case) reduces costs significantly. Thicker acrylic doesn't have very straight edges unless the operator swaps out the optics for one with a (if I recall correctly) longer focal length so the energy is delivered more equally through the cut. Shorter optics leave a ridge on the periphery and tend to bellmouth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FINEFUZZ Posted January 30, 2018 Report Share Posted January 30, 2018 I agree that the laser does create a concave kerf when it has to cut through thicker plastic. What is nice about thick acrylic, is that is doen't crack as easily if you are screwing your pattern to the material you are cutting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pariahrob Posted January 30, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2018 Yep. I use acrylic as a master. It can so easily heat up and warp when a router bit is hot. Agree about flipping for guides. Makes accuracy better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curtisa Posted February 2, 2018 Report Share Posted February 2, 2018 You can actually afford to take a lot more out of the upper cavity if you want. The weight relief gained from the extent of hollowing out the upper portion as you currently have it shown will yield surprisingly little difference. Go large or go home, I say Also consider that the narrow portion of the hollow inside the treble horn will be really difficult to get the router cutter into without it wanting to get out of control whilst whizzing around inside the wood, as it is almost entirely captive on all sides of the bit as it travels into the cut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pariahrob Posted February 2, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2018 Hey @curtisa Thanks for the input. I would love to take more out of the upper chamber but I'm going to have a fairly big bevel across the top of the body and wanted to minimise the risk of cutting through and leaving a gaping hole! Totally agree about the horn cutaway though. It's been adjusted since I posted that drawing and now has a little more room to breathe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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