komodo

Some things don't lend themselves to upgrade. The bridge could be swapped later, but those are really critical and small dimensions. Even a bridge that looks identical probably isn't. Since the whole guitars action is basically built around that, I pick the bridge first before I start building and it will likely not change. That said, I have used some very inexpensive bridges and they aren't THAT bad for a utilitarian instrument. Pickups are easy to swap later, though I've been waiting to start a build for a year as I try to source some specific pickups that are non-standard size. Wood I like to get anytime I see it, not specifically for a build. So I have a small library of wood to go to that also gives design choices. This obviously won't work for everyone given space concerns. Truss rods are not changeable later (easily) and i wouldn't cheap out there. Actually I wouldn't even look at the price, I would pick the best built I can find. Nuts are best from raw stock which is cheap. I've been using black buffalo horn forever, though I'm almost out of that stock now.

I really like that. Using those dark outer laminates may be tricky when you get to sanding and shaping. Just a tiny little bit off will be visible to the eye. What about making the two inner ones the thin ones, and then the thicker ones next with no outside ones? Retain the look and allow wiggle room.

All I can hear is Cygnus X-1.

What pickups will you use, and will you outfit a Floyd or Kahler?

(3 months later . . . ) Thanks for the kind words Prostheta, and have at it! If you want .eps files of the body shape, or straight on pics, let me know. I've taken a very long (deserved) break and haven't started this or the May inspired guitar yet, though I have many parts for both. I refuse to do both at the same time, and will choose one and see it to completion. Both will be large efforts, The May guitar needs a custom built trem and impossible to get Adeson pickups. The Cthulhu needs 8 single string bridges ($) and a large complex inlay. Hmmmmm I've been spending a lot of time playing The Dragon, it's ridiculously cool to play.

Thanks. Yeah, the third is the one I was referencing earlier and saying it was very close to Chris's. The pick guard area is really a few options all piled on each other in Illustrator. Only one of those would be used, or two of I did some kind of tiered thing like a Rickenbacker. I just wanted to live with it for awhile and work on building the tremolo and trying to get the Trisonic pickups. OR - I may skip this entirely and work on the 8-string multi-scale Cthulhu. Taking it slow at this point!

Exactly! So inspiring. I have just a few minutes ago purchased two sets of valve springs. One was from a Honda CB350 (which I used to have!) and the other from a Yamaha TT600. I wish they were older Brit bikes, but these matched the rough dimensions, and were cheap compared to Norton Commando springs. I've also discovered something horrifying. My design I've worked on started with the full-sized version of that mini guitar above. From there, I started tweaking curves, I ripped the top one and back upper bout from Oni guitars, the bottom horn is straight from the Red Special, the upper horn Is a lengthened version of that triangular horn, and the overall body "vibe" has some Rickenbacker and Teisco type elements to it. The horrifying part is that when I stepped back and looked at it, it was very close to Chris's guitar that he won the GOTM with this last year. The whole design was a complete progression to the end so I know it wasn't a subconscious relationship, but it's really startling. I'm not a builder for money/business so I may build it for myself if I still like it after I live with it for a while. It's pretty different from anything I've done before. I've got a second that I like pretty well that is similar, but has a blatant use of the top of a Rick 4001 scaled for a 6 string. I'm going to go ahead and drop them in here, I'm curious as to what you guys thing, especially Chris! I've got lots of weird lines and stuff in there, as reference lines of places I could do dish cuts, shaping, possible pick guard shapes, what a Kahler would look like, etc. I like the idea of the Teisco very steep shaping on the edges, The centered edge/bumper like binding, as well as the Rick rear downward "flare cut", and the Rick tiered pick guards. All things that could add to a total "mood". @Prostheta one thing you may find interesting, is that I've never been fond of the RS tremolo arm and the way it is attached. If I was doing a replica, it would be the same. But since this is a departure, my plan is to build the rocker block the same way but I'm going to use the arm from an SG/Firebird tremolo. I used to think they were god awful ugly, but it seems so right for this. Because of the similar attachment, I should be able to screw it directly to the block but I'll do it without the large nut popping up.

After reviewing most every vibrato bridge option, and considering my original intention, I may try to build something like this. But, not a replica by any means, just the core action of it. By everyone's accounts, it works better than any other vibrato unit. It's sheer genius in simplicity and effectiveness. Using the Wilkinson roller bridge as a start, I'll fabricate the tail rocker - retaining the spring and bolt adjustment using valve springs as the original. With that and the Adeson / Burns Trisonics, the basic engine of the Red Special is preserved, but from there we go off road. I've got a design on paper that has me fired up, but I'm still to close to it to decide if it's build worthy. I'm pulling in subtle and not so subtle design elements, curves etc from several other guitars trying to create something that is it's own beast but has a RS/Queen spirit.

That's gorgeous! Did you ever say what the actual scale length is? I built a small guitar for my son. and took so long doing it that I built him another full-sized player right after it was done. My mini is a 19" scale and currently resides by my nightstand for my nighttime noodling with JamUp on the iPhone and headphones! It's so fun to play! It's also the lowest and smoothest action of anything I've ever built, maybe because of the short scale? It is so small/short that I glued two pieces of limba together (like a bookmatch) and carved the whole guitar from that one piece. Here's a pic of the guitar - first post.

Tell me you made that.

I'm not one for images on the front of guitars, but that would be amazing. I was always captivated by that cover. Super cool that you are building RSs, that was the thing that got be building in the first place (same for many I suppose). My goal here is to have the RS engine inside my previous design, but I've been messing with the design a lot to maybe capture some more RS elements. I considered no tremolo, but it's so critical to the Queen repitoire, it just seems like it should be there - but I don't want a typical blasphemous Strat bridge. That Stetsbar is kinda old skool looking, like a cross between a Bigsby and something you made in shop class. It somehow seem kind of apropos for a RS inspired guitar. The interesting thing about BMay's trem is that you don't see it! Coupled with it's effective design, and simplicity, It's hard not to consider. Fav Queen album? Mine is without a doubt Queen II.

If you shop for a new one, I highly recommend Bosch. I think you either acquire tools, buy good ones, or cheap ones. They are all valuable, but there are a couple that I chose to spend money on and they were worth it. Jigsaw, bandsaw, and without a doubt the best was a Hakko soldering iron.Soldering was ridiculous and frustrating before that, now i love doing it. Your guitar is going to turn out wonderful.

I was just about to respond "torsion box" then continued down and saw Prosthetas responses LOL. Yes I believe a torsion box needs the skin on both the front and the back to create it's strength, but in your case for this table I think you'll be fine. Adding that bottom skin would make it essentially flex free. Hopefully it's flat when it's glued and screwed. cause it will be that way forever. My table saw out feed table is a torsion box, and the side table (side feed? extension?) is an open frame essentially like you have and mine doesn't move though it has the saw fence bars attached front and back as well.

Wow this makes me feel old. Those boomerang pups were used in that V from 79-81 and I clearly remember being in the store and playing that guitar. Those pups were replaced by Dirty Fingers pups which I'm pretty sure I have one. Around '83 Gibson released the Moderne, the V and the Explorer all in korina as the Heritage series. They weren't made long and those fetch a good $5-10k now. The crazy V that I refinished along with my recent build was initially traced directly from one of those Heritage V's laying on the floor of the music store! That's my #1 and holds a special place for me. Sorry for the mini-hijack, that brings back some memories!

Here's some more

I did too!

I've got a neck through build started with truss channel cut, carbon bars epoxied in, headstock and body angle shaped. It was to be a full sized version of this. When I did that one, my goal was a LP / Strat / Tele. The full-sized version was going to be ALL black, with some custom hot P90's I had made for it and a Hipshot Baby Grand bridge. It's rough name was the blackbird, and I had a 12th fret inlay planned. So, as I like to frequently change my mind, and exacerbated by a book my wife and kids got me for my birthday "The Red Special" by Brian May, plus my love for Queen . . . . . has me rethinking a little. This design has already been tweaked some, mostly curve refining to something that looks a little like our own psikoT's black guitar. But, since I have actually cut anything and have the center neck-through, it's a wide open game at this point. I've also talked with Adeson (Fenton Weil) pickups, who make the original and most authentic Brian May trisonic pickup available and may be able to get some. Hmmmm. I'm considering redesigning the pickguard for the Trisonics, tweaking the body or totally redesigning it, building it as a chambered or semi-hollow, and possibly using a tremolo of some kind. I'm not sure if I want to give up the Baby Grand, not sure what tremolo I would use, and haven't really considered a completely different shape. Instead of all black, I like the idea of trying to hit the Red Special color, and general overall look. The body is made of white limba (korina) and I'm not sure how well that dyes, I'll do tests on that soon. I'm thinking out loud here, and welcome any and all thoughts and suggestions. Especially alternate tremolos (instead of Floyd, standard Fender or Kahler) that could be used with a roller bridge. EDIT: Ooh I forgot about the Stetsbar.

Whats going on in the neck pickup area? It looks like you have one of those Gibson V pickups in there. I remember seeing those back in the day at the music shop. Gibson V boomerang pickup

Don't feel bad. Yesterday I wired up a strat with an Indonsesian neck and that cheap body I got on Ebay. I put custom pick guard on it with three miniswitches for the pups. When I tried it, it worked great but all the switches turn on when flipped UP instead of down how I wanted.

But did you play it?! Did it make sounds?! Always such an interesting moment as you start to feel that "tangible intangible" and slowly set the action and smooth things out. Then, it starts feeling like the hot rod that you built and all of the sudden it's nighttime. She's a beauty!

I would too.

What I'd like to know is your thoughts on those two amps? I've considered both. Which is higher gain? Does one seem more organic and touch sensitive? Can either do more modern voicings, drop tunings, djenty?

Consider a shaped heel with inset bolts. It can be very sleek and comfortable, and there are nice benefits to bolt on. Also regarding your book match glue line - you have such a unique top with contrasting angular lines, plus the spalt lines that I don't think anyone would even look in the center! Super nice job on the top bending to. That's a big victory right there.

nice self portrait in the first front shot