Technology4Musicians

I decide to use the least possible use of commercial components for this build. Everything you see, except the electonics and pickups was self built. I've owned about a dozen guitars, mainly Charvel and Jackson, and I've never had to use the truss rod in extension. However, I bought 4 new truss rod, two singles and two doubles for the next build.

Nice design, congrats! I can't understand the way you've carved the lower horn. Probably also my next build will be a multi scale with the same body as this one.

At this point it's time to start assembling the guitar.

After finishing the neck it's time to paint the body... I decide to make a binding on relief carvings. Subsequently I decide to use the sunburst also with the neck.

Begin to carve... I decide to use a neutrik jack I use a piece of flamed maple for the neck and a rosewood fingerboard. Before I start I build my own single action truss rod.

Let's start from the beginning: why a headless? I've always like the small and confortable guitars like Kramer Baretta, Washburn Steve Stevens and Nuno Bettencourt, and finally Music Man. To have a small body the bridge should be positioned as close as possible at the end of the body. Consequently it must have a small headstock not to unbalance the design. In a headless the bridge is placed at the end of the body to be able to easily access to the intonation adjustment, and the headstock is so small that you can't see it. I've never been interested in the egonomic design guitars. A guitar should be confortable to play (I had a Jackson Randy Rhoads and I know what it means plays an unconfortable guitar) but it should be also nice, otherwise we'd all have a Klein. Design a guitar trying to make an original design is something very difficult. After the aluminum GL replica I decided to try to realize a new original guitar, this time entirely made of wood. I decided to create an asymmetrical design, a carved top, and ribs that I have always liked in Parker guitars. I start from two different design: a single cut and a double cut which share the lower part of the body. I derive from these two design the headless version: hence four different guitars. It took me about a year to get to this first guitar. I've had two body blanks: a poplar one and a flamed poplar one. I split them so you get two guitars with figured top. Once glued them I cut out the body. As you can see it came out a hole in the top. I have to fill it. at this point, however, I have to hide it with the paint. I decide that I will use a sunburst. I draw directly on the wood the curves which the will report to CAD. Here begins the most time consuming and hard work...

[...] the Travis Bean neck is not a solid piece of aluminum. The design utilizes a set of channels machined down the center of the neck, end-to-end. These channels were added to cut down on weight and allowed the neck to flex (relieve) under string tension [...] ...then the weight seems to have been a problem also for Travis Bean... If a neck is hollowed out to lighten it, then it will be most affected by the tension of the strings. Different gauges will produce different tension and then different neck relief. So why don't put a truss rod in it? @SwedishLuthier: you said you have handled a Travis Bean. How much it weighs compared to a Les Paul, for example?

Yes, I was speaking about those I've builded.

Yes, I know, but you have to distinguish hollow necks from solid ones. As you can see in the pictures below Kramer neck has a solid T structure with wood inserts. I never had the opportunity to handle a Travis Bean but from the images collected on the net I suppose its neck has a solid construction. An aluminum neck can have many advantages but it has basically two limitations: weight and tuning stability. The first factor is due to the density of the material. Aluminium has a density of about 2700 Kg/mc while seasoned maple, for example, is 650 Kg/mc and ebony 1100 Kg/mc. My neck, before being machined internally, weighed little more than 1 Kg. Once I have worked it more or less half. I don't know the weight of a Travis Bean or Kramer's neck , but I suppose it will not be very far from the kilogram. If we then add keyboard and tuning pegs it easily will reach 1.5 kg. I think it's difficult to balance a guitar with a neck so heavy. The second factor (tuning stability) is due to coefficient of linear thermal expansion. Aluminium has a coefficient of 0.000024 l (°C -1), while wood has a coefficient of 0.000004 l (°C -1). This is the reason why kramer necks had several problems of tuning stability, because they particularly suffer climatic changes. To reduce weight I've decided to make hollow neck and to ensure tuning stability I've decided to put a single action truss rod in it.

Yours mini V are awesome!

The aluminum neck needs also the truss rod. Despite being made of metal the neck tends to bend under the action of the tension of the strings, like a wooden one.

The wooden neck weighs little more than one third of the alu one. Consider that a truss rod must to be added in both neck.

Hi to everybody, I'm back again with other two Steinberger GL replica. This time I want to experience the use of an aluminum chassis in combination with the timber. I have a small block of birdseye maple from which I'll obtain two 5mm thick top and back. Below the bridge I will try to screw a small block of solid wood in order to see whether it can positively affect the sustain of the guitar. Here is the timber that I'm going to use. For the fingerboard I've three choice: birdseye maple, rosewood or ebony. I think I'll put an ebony fingerboard on the black one (it is still at anodization) and using maple on this blue one. I've decided to set aside the alu neck 'cause its building it's very expensive and, due to its greater weight, it can unbalance a guitar with small body like this. With a piece of birdseye maple I've worked this headless neck. In the picture below you can see some details of the nut and a comparison with an alu neck. I've first cut out an ebony fingerboard for trying it. Then I will have to cut fret slots and position markers. Here is the alu chassis. I've some old masks which l'm using to cut the top and back of the body: Finally this is the maple neck with the alu body:

Three fantastic builds this month. Crow got my vote. I love that carved top. Your guitar is, among them, that I would try to play first.

How do you know that are more expensive? He says that he can find the ABM at $36 a piece so I think that these are a cheaper alternative, but if I erred in any way excause me.

Barrel saddles. No tuning mechanism on these ones.

The ones I have posted have not the tuners. They are Made for traditional guitars, not headless ones.

Here I've explained the difference between Strandberg's bridges and mine ones: http://projectguitar.ibforums.com/index.php?showtopic=45982

What do you think about these? Here is the tremolo version: Uploaded with ImageShack.us And this is the hardtail:

WezV's right. Headless instruments represent a niche marketing. Personally I love them. It's true: headless hardware is extremely difficult to find. Cheaper versions are limited by material' s quality. Finally I've tried to create my own sistem. Take a look: http://projectguitar.ibforums.com/index.php?showtopic=45982

lacento:ottanta This is my first full aluminum guitar attempt (Steinberger GL Replica). Specs: Billet aluminum body, sandblasted and anodized black Billet aluminum neck, sandblasted and anodized black 25,5” scale length ebony fretboard 22 jumbo fret Mighty Mite Motherbucker Neck & Bridge 1 Volume Pot 3 Way Switch Technology4Musicians Gold FBridge Technology4Musicians Gold Headless Nut 6,72 lb Weight BUILD THREAD: http://projectguitar.ibforums.com/index.php?showtopic=45982

This is the second one: blue anodization, palissander fretboard with single humbucker, chrome hardware and tremolo.

Or this: Take a look to Mr. Hayashi inventions: he's a genius and his work could be an inspiration for all. This is my interpretation: Let me clarify that I have nothing against Mr Strandberg: I believe that his products and guitars are beautiful works. PS: could someone edit the title of the 3D and modify it in "CNC Aluminum Guitar"? Thank you!

I know Ola and Ola knows me. The design is inspired by that of Atlansia, it is similar but different from then Strandberg's one: I do not want to dwell in listing the differences, however, in summary, my bridge also accepts double ball end strings and the materials are different: aluminum for Strandberg, brass and steel for mine.

Hi to everybody! About three years ago I decided that I wanted to build a headless guitar. Before starting I had to find the necessary hardware: I immediately thought to use an RTrem by Steinberger, but unfortunately, after Music Yo closing, Steinberger hardware had become almost impossible to find. The alternatives were few, and not really affordable prices... So one night, talking with a good friend of mine we decided to produce our own. Initially would be only one fixed bridge that had to be mounted on a healdess guitar inspired by my Music Man Axis (which I'm still working on...), however after the first encouraging results we decided to go further: to build an instrument entirely of aluminum... As a tribute to that which still remains the symbol of headless guitars, we decided to make a replica of the Steinberger GL. The goal was to create a lightweight guitar, practice, it was easy to reconfigure in the future, and it would sound in a unique way. After several attempts for the neck, we decided making it hollow, with truss rod inside and with wooden keyboard. Solid aluminum neck is not as stable and weighs much more. In addition, we wanted to keep a bit of tradition and so we decided to put an ebony fingerboard onto the aluminum neck. These are some photos that I hope will give an idea of what has been achieved. Unfortunately I have not many more photos during the process. I'm sorry. This was our best friend for more than three months... This is brass used for all hardware: I bought only frets and and pickups. This is the hollow neck with self made single action truss rod. This is the guitar inside: we have arranged for the housing of all types of pickups, in any configuration. It can be equipped with a fixed bridge or either a tremolo. This is the body assembled with the aluminum top. This is the finished product. It sounds great and weighs only about 6,7 lb.