Mr Alex

You hang around the nzguitars forum don't you, get ashcustomworks to make it for you. Although he will rip you off, but then again I've seen your prices too. I'd make it for you nice and cheap, but I have self respect.

Try this, I messed around with the formula and made a narrower one to what he made, it didn't work, but thinking about it, the ply should bend more smoothly if your block is wider, so if no one has any other quick ideas, try that. http://www.buildyourguitar.com/resources/tips/radblock.htm

The powertab tuning dictonary calls it "cross note", its just a variant on the D modal tuning. DADDAD is good for lap steel rock with the unison d's, I think Ben Harper uses it with variants alot, could be what your using. There are certianly some cool tunings out there. Edit : It's apparently D minor tuning.

Homework on the fly? Quantum computing?

I cant see why it can't work, and I wouldn't worry about the neck too much either. I know guys that use 12's or 13's in standard tuning on his takamine which had a tiny tenon, you cant really bend though. And my old teacher had 11's on his telecaster, never had any problems there. And heaps of the jazz guys with 7 stringers use 14-80's. Those are insane.

Can I ask why you are replacing the neck? I have an SX strat too, and the only thing wrong with the neck on mine is the plastic nut which magically disappears below the strings when I drop tune(fixed that problem with superglue), and the tuners(they just look bad) Maybe my one is special, but its one of the best necks I've played(too thin though). My local shop sells them stripped down for the same price as the guitar costs.

I've got an old suzuki classical with copper frets, they have huge rounded gouges in them from just plain nylon strings, from seeing that, I wouldn't touch the stuff for anything but proper restoration. That guitar was used by a pro jazz guitarist, but even then it was only played a year at the most and has been in storage ever since(under an apartment building with water dripping on it ) edit: For that burnishing thing, you can use an intaglio burnisher(get em from art supply stores or online) apparently if you do it everytime you change strings your frets will last ages. Only tried it once so no idea if its true, and I wasn't good at it either.

If there was anything to worry about, NOBODY would use or sell them, I'm not saying to not worry, but just dont melt the insulation on wire where possible. 1. It don't smell too nice. 2. It gives can you a headache. Soldering is worse with the lead, as I understand, stuff like orange juice helps to clear lead out of your system quicker, but it naturally clears out anyway. Steak sauce last I heard was carcinegenic, so is woostershire. I remember you saying something about having a reaction to some wood, I'd worry more about that than some wire. But then I'd worry more about tapeworm from too much rare meat, to which I doubt anybody does. Edit : I apoligize beforehand if this is going a bit far, I don't mean to offend you in anyway, but you seem to me to be a hypochondriac. Just chill out, people make a living working with this stuff, and you don't exactly hear about steve the electrician dying of too much cable do you? Maybe Shane or Kane, but no Steve.

Round my way you can get kiln dried quartersawn pine no problem, but still get it acclimated to your shop,

If you're ever doing a painted finish, you can replace the piece of wood with auto body filler, its not so dodgy when using the drill press, it kinda goes without saying ,but wear safety goggles, I forgot once, and auto body filler under your eyelid is insanely painful. But really, I think my idea of fun is a little different to most.

I use that method too, "fun fun fun" is the only way to describe it, the wicked noise and the jolting, and the fact that the carbide tipped chunk of metal is spinning round in front of your face. Its not dangerous, just gotta be the right kinda man. You can also do it with a plunge router(I feel its way safer, but you've gotta decide on the depth you want the hole to be, as obviously the top is uncarved at that stage for it too work.

Can't see why it wont. Alcohol is alcohol really, I just dont think food grade is necessary. Edit: is this for a natural/stained finish, or are you doing colour coats, because I saw in your other thread that you wanted a grain filler, I haven't tried it myself, but a few people have said you can put talc in to your mix, it should give a silky smooth finish, I'm just not sure on how it looks under a clear coat though. Could be good to test on some scrap though, I'd do it myself but I've got no open grained scrap handy.

You'd be wasting your money I reckon, alot of restoration companies sell "shellac reducer" which is a custom mix and much cheaper. Or just use straight meths(try to get it without dyes or other impurities even if you are doing colour coats with it).

I did, although it must be only so with certain varieties because most people think I'm bonkers. But the sustain and warmth!

stewmac have case hardware and black tolex

Mate are you getting like an E sharp, or an E natural that is a little sharp? Cos if you think its right, I'd think that its just changing slightly, and then forget about it.

In the latest J J Cale album booklet, there are photos of him holding an archtop, dont have a copy handy, so can't tell you the brand, but it has a single pickup, on a chrome rail.

I'm surprised you haven't noticed, he don't got none common sense.

You dont "have" to raise it, thats just the easy way out. there are other ways, I'd start by taking it back to whoever did it, and seeing if they'll fix the problem no extra charge(I doubt it though). Your 16th fret "may" need levelling, and those 2 strings are the only ones low enough to be resting on it when you bend. I only said raise the action as what I would do.

You're "fretting out", The strings are being bent so far across(read up) the radius that they are resting on the 16th fret. edit: take it back and tell them to set it up so you can bend, its probably been set too low, or you've got some highish frets. Personally I'd just raise the action, I play pretty high, and I've got a crumby 9" radius on my guitar.

Oh no, its WAAAY harder.

No s**t, I've taken a liking to claw hammers for fretting. I used a brass one, a plastic one, hell, I even made a wooden mallet specially to try, but none worked for me as good as the "more power" method. If you try it, please be careful, they are serious tools for big boys. And the claw will pull frets if you're in a pinch.

Meh, sometimes you gotta let a ham, be a ham.

I dont know if you have linbide in aus, I'd think you would, but they do a nice 1/2" inverted flush trimmer for approx$45nz inc. gst to retail, and from the beating I've given it is lasting up very well and also doesn't need that tube stuff that the stewmac one needs(does the stewmac bit still need that?)

You seem to want it pretty accurate, so, NO, different scales. Learn some basics before you try something you obviouly have no idea how to do. Edit: I'm in a slightly better mood than before, so get a 6er of beer(dont know how old you are so may require parents) go to a shop with a mccarty, and trade it for being allowed to take measurements from the guitar.