xafier Posted July 29, 2004 Report Share Posted July 29, 2004 Hi Got reccomended to check the site out and join this forum by a guy on musician forums... I'm looking at building my own guitar for the first time... at first I was thinking of upgrading all the parts on my Squier Strat... then I realised, hey, the body sucks, the neck sucks... I might as well blow my money trying to make something sweet... I've got an Ibanez S470 as my second guitar, really love it... so I'm thinking of buying a nice thin Wizard neck, or something similar and making my own body to go with it... BUT... I'm finding it hard to find suppliers of wood, necks and guitar parts in the UK... all my searching is coming up with US stuff... and I dont really want to pay a fortune shipping stuff over here... I'd be grateful for any links you can give, or phone numbers for stores in the UK that supply parts... I've not decided yet what sort of body I'm going to make... I've always wanted an Ibanez Iceman, and it's tempting to want to make one... but getting the design's and making it would be hard due to it's unusual shape... well, thanks... hope all your projects are going well, as I know mine will proberbly not... lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hotrock Posted July 29, 2004 Report Share Posted July 29, 2004 Check the links off of the main site. But anyway: Craft Supplies - nothing on the web site but phone them for the tonewood catalogue. I got my wood from here and it's very nice. Not the absolute best quality but very good for the price. This is where I got all my hardware too. Touchstone Tonewoods - Good website and good quality stuff. Got a bit of stuff from here and there was no trouble at all. David Dyke - Expensive, but you get what you pay for. Top quality stuff. www.axesrus.co.uk - new and second hand stuff, good for pickups and the like. Good website. I'm sure that there is a few iceman projects (or certainly talk of them) maybe someone can help you out with plans, or check whats available on the download section of this forum (have to be a member to download), the library section of mimf.com or www.guitarbuild.com Now if you are from surely you should be working I know I'm working hard Kaj Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xafier Posted July 29, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 29, 2004 Thanks for the info alas I'm not working... I'm of the lazy student variety got a few months before I go back to University, so I'm gonna try and get all my plans out of the way for when I return then I will start working on making this thing... I'm thinking planning has to be perfect right? and I'm kinda broke, so I cant afford to waste wood with bad planning... what kinds of wood are best to start off on? I know the better woods tone wise are mahogony, alpine spruce and others... but are they easy to work with? Iceman projects? sounds wickid... hopefully someone will reply with info for that... that'd be really wickid [edit] also, can only download if I'm a member? you mean a paid member right? as obviously I've joined the forum so I'm a "member" of the forum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hotrock Posted July 29, 2004 Report Share Posted July 29, 2004 A lazy student hey, aren't you lucky. I finished last year and the working world sucks . Uni is good because the engineering departments are usually full of bandsaws and all the tools you need (well a good amount anyway) and it's the tools that cost the money. Lab techs will normally help out too, they always like a good project and are especially helpful when you buy them biscuits for the tea fund Start off with pine No actually don't (it's a bit of an in joke at the minute). My first project is mahogany, maple and zebrawood. See what an iceman is made of and check back here to see if it's hard to work with. Yup you can only download if you're a member, it only about $10. What uni you at and what you doing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xafier Posted July 29, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 29, 2004 Well according to the Ibanez web-site the Iceman has a mahogany body I've looked on that Craft Supplies site... they have a PDF file of their catologue http://www.craft-supplies.co.uk/pdf/craft-...d_catalogue.pdf mahogany body 1pc - £35... It says Guitar Body blanks... so I'm unsure whether thats just a nice chunk of tasty wood, or whether it's already shaped into like strat/tele or something and just needs routing? I'm at Sheffield Hallam Uni, studying Software Engineering... I'm a computer freak lol... I don't know anyone who's doing any sort of engineering or wood work at Uni... but I guess I could just show up with some plans, a big chunk of wood and see if anyone can help... and biscuit fund? ha... love it! lol... I remember my engineering teacher from secondary school... I did GNVQ engineering BTW, even though I kind of sucked at it... hehe... anyways, he was obsessed with his regular tea breaks and biscuits... lol and what do I do to become a member? just donate 10 USD?... anyone can give me a hint as to what plans are available? I'd love an Iceman, but for my first made guitar I'd be happy with anything BUT a strat design... I've got my Squier Strat and my Ibanez S470... which is similar in shape, just a damn site thinner, but weighs more due to solid mahogany body and neck... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hotrock Posted July 29, 2004 Report Share Posted July 29, 2004 Body blank is just a slab of wood. As long as you've got an engineering department, you'll have a badsaw and router about somewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xafier Posted July 29, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 29, 2004 Yeah we've got an engineering department, I'm pretty sure I know where it is as well So I'll just have to show up and look around for someone and hopefully they'll be nice enough to let me use the stuff and maybe give me pointers So is mahogany an easy enough wood to work with for a first timer? the only wood I've worked with before is MDF and pine I think... not much experiance with wood working I have to say, done more working with metal, steel and aluminium... and the membership stuff? what sorts of plans available? a lot of varied stuff, or just a few like strat, tele, les paul? and how'd I join? [edit] also, aren't there legal issue's with copying a guitars design? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hotrock Posted July 29, 2004 Report Share Posted July 29, 2004 I'm working with mahogany at the minute and it's easy enough to work with. I've worked with worse, that's for sure. If you're not used to wood work, practice on scrap first. Use the search function to try and find what's in the download section. I really can't find the link anywhere Not really any issues that I know of with copying a guitars design, well if you're not going to sell it or putting an Ibanez sticker on it that is. As it's the holiday and some of the techs are probably still there, I would try to get some done in the holiday period. Nice and quiet and you'll have a tech all to yourself. Bet you £10 he smells of oil and roll ups Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strange Fruit Posted July 29, 2004 Report Share Posted July 29, 2004 Here you go http://projectguitar.ibforums.com/index.php?showtopic=2828 thats the contents of the download area so far. Wow, the UK presence really seems to be building here now! Cool! Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hotrock Posted July 29, 2004 Report Share Posted July 29, 2004 Wow, the UK presence really seems to be building here now! Cool! Matt Yeah, we're alright. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xafier Posted July 29, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 29, 2004 Wow, the UK presence really seems to be building here now! Cool! heh, it's a shame theres so few places in the UK selling stuff for UK builders though almost every link in the links is for US sites... kind of sucks to say the UK's supposed to be pretty big on bands... obviously we're all lazy and there isn't much of a market for it? been searching in vein for plans for the Ibanez Iceman... but it looks like they don't exist on the net If I want it then it looks like I'm going to have to draw it myself from a picture and hope I get it roughly right... I'm guessing the most important thing to place correctly is the bridge right? It has to be a certain distance from the top of the neck? So if I draw up my own design similar to an Iceman how do I know where to put the bridge? I'm thinking of a floyd rose style bridge of somesort, and most likely a 24 fret neck if I can get one because I dont have a 24 fret guitar yet, and might as well make my new guitar something I am lacking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
68 lost souls Posted July 29, 2004 Report Share Posted July 29, 2004 Alot of the time it works out jus as cheap to buy things from the US as the sterling is strong against the dollar and also stuff is generaly cheaper from the US as the shops in the UK tend to have to pay the shipping anyway to get the products from the companies themselves. Compare prices and see for yourself. www.xe.com has upto date currency conversion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kpnutz52 Posted July 29, 2004 Report Share Posted July 29, 2004 All i can really say is try some of the links above, these guys no what their talking bout, ... wanted to also post to say im from Rotherham, so not that far away from you at all.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Britrock Posted July 29, 2004 Report Share Posted July 29, 2004 Try http://www.wdmusicproducts.co.uk/ for stuff. And www.axesrus.co.uk is highly recommended for service at another site I visit, they ship very quickly apparently (however dodgy their website may look ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hotrock Posted July 30, 2004 Report Share Posted July 30, 2004 these guys no what their talking bout, Speak for yourself im from Rotherham I'm just about to design how to get electric to a new hotel in Rotherham. Not very interesting but there you go Xafier - Craft Supplies is near Buxton so not a million miles away from you if you want to see the wood before you buy it. Well actually Buxton is about a million miles away from everything except for hills. The shop is in a place called Millers Dale, on a farm that stinks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xafier Posted July 30, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2004 im from Rotherham Well, I used to live in Rotherham, when I was tiny little nipper... I don't live that far from Meadowhell, I'm in Rotherham quite often as my gran and aunt live there... and I'm supposed to be teaching my aunt how to play guitar this weekend... how fun... she's got the SWEETEST vintage guitar that she can't even play... a '63 Hofner Comittee... well I think it's a '63, thats what I've dated it as from the info I can find... it's absolutly gorgeous, she got it given to her by my grandad, some guy pawned it in his pawnbrokers shop for a few hundred... when he closed the shop he hadn't sold it so my aunt claimed it... the things worth about £1000 or so I think... I'll post some pics if anyone's interested? Xafier - Craft Supplies is near Buxton so not a million miles away from you if you want to see the wood before you buy it. Well actually Buxton is about a million miles away from everything except for hills. The shop is in a place called Millers Dale, on a farm that stinks Ha, I could have gone the other day then, my folks went up to Buxton to visit my dads friend... hmm... maybe I can get him to go visit his friend via me going there and looking at the wood ha... what a great idea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xafier Posted July 30, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2004 Uploaded some pics of my aunts Hofner, and also my two guitars... and no laughing how retarded I look with my Squier... I was 16 in that picture http://www.xafiers-home.com/art/guitar-pics enjoy, that Hofners a beauty! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themikestro Posted July 30, 2004 Report Share Posted July 30, 2004 Aha, The South Yorkshire luthiers guild, I was born in Rotherham for my sins, home of the chukle brothers and David Seaman. I work at Lincoln uni, and we have the finest workshop, I have never seen a bigger bandsaw than the one here, and bunging a few pounds the way of the workshop goes down very well. As everyone has said, craft supplies are brilliant, but you'll need the soundwood catalogue there is much more in there than the regular one. One piece body blanks for £28? Fantastic. It's also worth checking out, www.highlystrung.co.uk, great service, very friendly folk and www.touchstonetonewoods.co.uk. Have fun with your first build and play safe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xafier Posted July 30, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2004 Wow I'm really impressed with the amount of friendlyness and help on this site, its really great... OK, I've got some plans for the guitar I'm going to build... so I'm going to try and get access to an A1 plotter at University if I can, get it drawn out full size then make a plywood template... mainly to get me back into the feel of working with wood, it's been so long.. hehe... or maybe even make a mock body out of a cheap piece of softwood first, hmm... thats an idea... Right... necks... where the hell can I buy necks from? The only place that seems to sell necks that aren't Tele/Strat or LP replacements is warmoth.com ... is there any place else? I'm wanting a 24 fret neck if I can get one, and preferbly a nice thin one like Ibanez's wizards... I guess if I can't buy one made I'll have to buy a 2nd hand Ibanez neck or something from ebay... Hopefully my book should be here tomorrow, so I won't bother asking any technical related questions till I've got my book and read it through... hopefully I should be able to find answers to stuff like bridge placement and stuff either in the book or online from the links and searching Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xafier Posted July 31, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 31, 2004 Got my book today, and also found somewhere/someone to contact in the UK about custom made necks... Went into my local guitar shop, Academy of Sound and asked one of the blokes I know in there if he knew anyone who made or sold necks... gave me the name of a guy in Sheffield town centre that makes guitars and necks himself... a bloke named John Shuker, his shop is called Guitar Factory... I'm gonna check him out on Monday, see what his prices are like, and the quality of his guitars... the guy I spoke to said this guy makes some absolutly AMAZING guitars... so it's sounding good to me, just probably expensive... lol and after reading a few chapters of that guitar making book I've decided to perhaps go with a more simple design to start off with, the Ibanez Iceman is a little complicated and I should really leave it as a 2nd project... I think I'm going to go for a fixed bridge and either a 25 1/2 or 24 3/4 scale... havn't fully decided on the scale yet... both my current guitars are 25 1/2 and I've never tried a 24 3/4... so maybe I should try one out, see how it feels and then maybe decide to have one for this project... thanks for all the help so far guys, I'm getting more excited about making this guitar everyday... can't wait till I've finished all my planning and can start buying and making it... just out of curiosity would you reccomend buying everything at once? or most of the things? or just start with the base, buy the neck and hardware when its done? thanks... back to reading more of the book.. hehe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simo Posted July 31, 2004 Report Share Posted July 31, 2004 According to the first page of that Craft Supplies PDF, John Shuker is a tutor/custom builder there, so it deffinetly sounds like he knows his stuff ...oh and welcome to the forum , I'm also in the UK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xafier Posted July 31, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 31, 2004 I never noticed that guy was in their catalogue, wow, thats pretty cool... anyways, the number I've got for him is a mobile number... so I'm guessing its his personal number... maybe this guy can give me some pointers, or even might be able to teach me some stuff, even though it'll cost me it might be worth it for building my first guitar... till I get the hang of the tools and skills needed... nice to see theres a fair few brits on here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xafier Posted August 4, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2004 Update on my progress: Well I've just got hold of a nice 2nd hand neck: 24 fret Johnson Neck from ebay Also I've decided on my design, got some plywood today, roughly drawn out my design on it, but due to really bad weather aint had chance to whip out the leccy jigsaw and cut it out I've done an artist impression of what I hope it will turn out like, please note I DO know I've done a crap job of the inlays... but I just couldn't get them right at such smale scale! The only problem I can see with it is how I'm going to get the paintwork effect... but I'll look into it as I go along and most likely end up asking on here for any suggestions... I think I'd have to do the crimson red first, then the black on top of that after the red has dried... but not 100% sure... Also a quick question... Whats the difference between a low profile Floyd rose and a normal one, the only thing I can see different is the fine tuners are slightly different underneath and that they're angled away a bit more... is that all the difference or am I missing something? thanks guys will keep updated as this project goes along! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvertonessuckbutigotone Posted August 4, 2004 Report Share Posted August 4, 2004 The only problem I can see with it is how I'm going to get the paintwork effect what i would do is paint the black then put the crimsom red in a dropper of some sort and drop the crimsom red around the edge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
68 lost souls Posted August 4, 2004 Report Share Posted August 4, 2004 You do indeed need to paint the red first then maybe tape of the design somehow and then paint it black. The difference in the floyd is as the name suggests is the profile the low pro model gets lower to the body. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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