Pandemic_Lead_Guitarist

Thank you so much for all the help. I'm looking into other designs. I got a general idea from warmoth, but then realized that the explorer or star would be just as hard to play. hmmmm..... Is there anyone out there that thinks this design could be modifed (make it bulkier, cut off some of each curve) to make it work and be comfortable? Once again, thanks for all the advice, I am taking every word you say into consideration. I REALLY like the idea of a bloodwood cross inlayed (sp?). And about having bruises on my arm, my arm actually rests on the wood. Here's another design:

Would it be possible to cut/ file the knobs on the tuners to make Maltese crosses? Also, does anyone have any opinions on the top 1 1/2" of the body being bloodwood (kind of like a veneer)?

A Maltese cross headstock would look very cool. The positioning of the tuners would be hard to do though. Does anyone even think the end product would look good?

I never really thought about the one point jabbing me in the chest. I don't think it would, but do you think that if it did it could be fixed with contouring? I could also round off some or all of the points so that doesn't happen, whichever you think is better. I guess the only way to tell is to make the cheap one out of pine. I'd like to get the pine tonight, but it doesn't look like that will happen. And going along with Rick500's idea, maybe I could cut out a Maltese cross "handle". BTW:"but the top part looks OMINOUS." funny, that was my old band name.

What do you mean "Maybe you should explore using a Maltese cross theme, without actually making the body the shape of the cross?" I'd also like to know what other things make the design impractical. I'm very inclined to make this design the best it possibly can be before throwing it away, which I'd hate to do. I've already cut out more material around where my leg would be and have done the same to the area around the neck. I'm not afraid to cut away anything to make it better. Un-symmetrical designs look just as cool.

Thanks, I think that's what I'll try. Could I just glue the two pieces back to back and cut them out as a whole, adding contours to just the bloodwood? How would you go about making a pine one for practice (I'm thinking about the fact that it's neck through)? Would you just include the portion that goes into the body, or the whole neck?

Would it even be possible to do a veneer? From what I've heard, Bloodwood doesn't sound like it like bending very well, correct me if I'm wrong.

Actually, the shape fits PERFECTLY on my leg, and rests nicely under my arm. That's just the cardboard copy though so I'm making a pine one first. From what I can tell of my cardboard model, the wood will make a nice arm rest. I won't even have to hold up my arm (not that that's a problem anyway). I'm not sure how the final one will turn out, but that's not what I worry about. Is there some reason that I can't chamber the body? Btw, why are locking tuner's a must? I'm just fine without them right now... Although I would like them anyway...

Oh. sorry. I was tired and couldn't think straight cause of cold medicine. That was a "little" mis-worded. "-does the neck wood affect the tone or sustain or something I'm not thinking of on the guitar?" should have read as "does the neck wood affect ANYTHING OTHER THAN tone and sustain?" I'm talking other than the obvious. Also, thanks for the suggestion of making one out of pine. I was actually planning on doing that anyway (thanks metalhead 6061 [we're both building one]) but now there's just one more reason. "Yes, bloodwood is brutal, but I wouldn't buy a wood just for looks, and definitely not an expensive piece of wood for a first project." That's why I was asking about the tone of the wood. I was originally planning on mahogany, and already have the wood picked out. I just thought that I could do something different. Bloodwood looks soooooooo cool. that's a paper version. it will be improved. See, it's hard to explain

Anyone?

Questions at bottom..... Hi, I'm planning on making my first guitar. I love heavy metal. I've been playing guitar for about 2 years, and I think that its finally time for a new guitar. I'm really into sweeps, so I want a guitar with 24 frets, and I want all of them to be effortlessly reachable. Also, I want a seven-string guitar because of the wider range of notes, and some bands I like (nevermore and meshugga) use them. I also want the guitar to be completely of my own design. This is what I was thinking: -Maltese cross body -ebony fret board, with an abalone Maltese cross at the twelfth -Emg 707's for both the neck and Bridge -one volume knob -Huge stainless steel frets -Maple or Mahogany Neck? -Natural or stained (red or black) -don't know what bridge, but I'd like it fixed, and obviously, seven strings. (Maybe a 7 string fixed Hipshot?) -Probably neck-through -I have no idea what tuners. -Idk, but maybe a Jackson style headstock. I have been to MANY sites, not to mention this forum, and I still have a few questions. -does the neck wood affect the tone or sustain or something I'm not thinking of on the guitar? -Would it be possible to use bloodwood for the body? I know that its expensive, but it would only cost like 66 bucks from advantage lumber (thanks supplies section) Some of my worries are that it would be to heavy (chambering?), have poor tone and sustain (according to this> http://projectguitar.ibforums.com/index.ph...222&hl=wood article it would have a darker tone, but what about sustain?) or maybe it's too weak or something. I don't know much about wood so please help me with this. I would otherwise use mahogany, but bloodwood is brutal! -I have heard of necks breaking off of the body on some old guitars (Fenders?). Is that possible? how do i make sure that that doesn't happen? -Do metal nuts have better sustain? -What kind of bridge would you recommend? -What kind of tuners would you recommend? -Is the stain used for furniture that you find at homedepot or something the kind that you'd put on a guitar? -Is neck-through harder than bolt-on? -I use very heavy strings (13-70's) in generally drop a, and my current ibanez rg 320 (blocked) buzzes. Is there a way to prevent this? I plan on doing everything by hand, neck and all. My objective was to make a totally custom guitar that no one else has ever made that is super fast to play, has seven strings, sounds great, and looks good. I have done much research but these questions have not been answered. I'm sure that I'll come up with more questions, but these are all I can think of. Any and all tips and answers to these questions are greatly appreciated. Thank you, and ROCK ON. BTW: I'm not crazy, just creative.