zyonsdream

Nice guitar. The shape reminds me of the Eppiphone LP100 shapes. I always thought that they should make a higher end version of the body shape. Glad to see some one did!

I don’t know if I would give my 10 year old a guitar. I know how I treated my stuff when I was 10 but then again, I didn’t grow up around guitars so hopefully this kids has more respect than I did when I was 10.

One mention on the case.

I always offer a case with my custom builds. I put a 10% mark up on it. It makes sure the guitar leaves your shop fully protected and adds a small amount of extra cash to your bank account.

In most cases I have to modify cases to fit my guitars since I focus more on extreme shapes.

You never see people using Ambrosia maple. It’s always spalt, flame or quilt.

Mine is actually ambrosia beech but it’s basically the same. When I do mine I’ll cut it down the center and make it a neck through. I think I haven’t done anything with mine just because I don’t know what I want to go with for color. I’m real interested to see how yours will turn out. Keep us posted!

actually my les paul isnt a flat top

I'm sorry, the picture where you show the sight down the fretboard, the top looks flat. I'm viewing it on an older monitor at work so that could be the issue. Still, it's a nice guitar!

That’s cool. I actually glued up a blank a while ago for my own Ambrosia topped Tele. It’s got a Black Walnut back. I’m sure some day I’ll get around to building it.

I'm at a loss for what I would do for a finish? I'm thinking sunburst. What's your idea? I know you're going red but will it be a burst?

Well, I ordered a pack of 50 rare earth magnets that are about 1/4 the diameter of a penny.

I placed four screws into the ledge of the control cavity and two into the base of the toggle switch cavity. I then glued the rare earth magnets into the back of the cover plate. I made a recess that will allow a flat head screw driver to pop the plate off. You can pop the plate with a finger nail (but I'm a nail chewer so I don't have any)

Control plate cavity

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j287/ZDG...0_2921small.jpg

Toggle switch cover plate. It actually contours with the body

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j287/ZDG...0_2922small.jpg

A look at the back

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j287/ZDG...uk/100_2920.jpg

I made each plate .400 thick to minimize warping over time.

I went with the bass! I had to give style points for going headless and for doing an awesome job with the laminate. I sort of liked the limba better than the top that was used but it all went together really well.

I really liked the LP too because I really like the LP junior flat top look but the bass just seemed like it was a step up.

The other Danelectro looking one would likely be cool but the pictures really didn’t show me much to go on. Snap some better pictures and put it back up next month!

Anyone know if EMG makes a black PA20 or are they all chrome? They dont have one on their site so I doubt it but I hate to mix chrome hardware into my black.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...p;rd=1&rd=1

It’s in excellent shape, rarely played, not a scratch on it or the case. Baritone just isn't my sound.

$300.00 for an unmolested set neck guitar is the perfect price for a project. I’ve installed several EMG sets into this style of guitar since it’s been on the market and it really unleashes its mid range tone.

Again, this one has never been modified in the least.

I purchased some rare earth magnets and I’m going to give it a try. Hopefully it works out nicely. It’s be nice to eliminate a few screws.

It was more of a joke. I don't think I would feel good about selling that Ibanez to a fellow forum member! Just wouldn't be nice to stick someone with my lemon!

I usually leave a little scallop at the edge of the cavity cover to help its removal

Yah you want it?

er, well - - no!

Nice, but most definately not my thing!

Sorry, I added the qrong quote, that was meant for Tim

I usually leave a little scallop at the edge of the cavity cover to help its removal

Yah you want it?

I realize that the Ibanez Wizzard II neck is garbage. I love the pickups (DiMarzio’s) the bridge (Gibraltar) and the body styling’s but the neck! I can’t keep it from going all over the place. There just isn’t enough meat on it. Oh, and the shielding is a joke in it. I’ll likely be putting it up for sale on Ebay real soon.

Since I have to thin the wood about 3/8" or so I am planning on routing off the 3/8" with the router jig setup but leaving the area where the cavity cover will be. This way I can saw it off and the grain should match up, but I'd imagine while thinning it the grain will wander slightly, but it should be close.

The way you want to do it will be great! For me, the wood was right on thickness so I didn’t have anything to book match off of it. I was thinking that I could make another plate and tilt the grain at a 45degree angle so I avoid the whole mismatched grain thing. Just a thought I had.

I don’t usually share too many pictures when I’m in the middle of a build but I’ll post a few.

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j287/ZDG...uk/100_2898.jpg

3X3 Headstock (different than my prototype)

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j287/ZDG...uk/100_2889.jpg

Full body shot

Spec:

Padauk neck

Zebrawood wings

Kahler 7300 hybrid with behind the nut string lock

Likely using SH-6N and SH-6B pickups

Volume/tone/tone electronics

Oil finish

Indian rosewood fret board.

Dunlop 6150 Jumbo frets

Yah I had some spare time so I'm building a non-commissioned neck through to post on my site for sale. I'm trying to get my EVX shape out there so I figured I'd invest in a few custom and standard non-commissioned builds to push the shape out on the market. It’s risky because I don’t usually build without having a deposit so if the shape bombs I’ll have a nice collection of custom built EXV shapes to play!

I’m just trying to step up the game. People seem to like guitars without plastic cover plates so I thought it’s a nice way to enhance the overall appeal of the guitar. Now I want it without screws!

I guess when you stop wanting to learn and improve you should stop and find something else to do

Okay, I’m consistently getting an answer of magnets which is doable and I loved the tutorial that was posted above. I guess it brings up two questions for me

1: does it affect shielding and cause extra hum if you have magnets inside the control cavity. For the record I’ll be using 500K pots and passive hum buckers.

2: backing the pot off is an option for getting the pate off but I’m afraid that anyone who buys this guitar might not want to do that if they need to take the cover off?

One solution would be to put a slightly larger magnet in the center under the cavity and fashion a magnetic tool that would be placed on the outside of the plate. As long as the connection was stronger than the ones holding the cover to the plate, it would be an easy way to get the cover off.

This is the first time I've attempted to make recessed cover plates out of wood and I'm really excited on how it turned out. I made the plate .250" thick to ensure it doesn’t warp or crack over time. Unfortunately the grain isn’t exact but there was nothing book matched so that was impossible. I have a bit of contouring left to do and then I can drill it for screw holes.

Does anyone know of a way to avoid using screws but still be able to get the plate off for servicing?

http://www.zdguitars.com/songs/EVXdimage.mp3

For those who wanted to hear a sound sample. This is one take through the guitar rig. It's an impromptu jam from a band called Dragonlips.

I always build off of templates. I first design the guitar on the computer and then transfer it to paper. I'll cut out the stencil and then transfer it to the material I use to make the hard templates from. You could do this and just take the templates. That would be a lot less to carry back.

Some times I just start drawing on the template board and use what I come up with that way.

I'm just interested in what people really like. I'm getting ready to start a small run of guitars and I'm wondering what colors would best fit. They will all be oil finished maple neck through with black walnut wings.

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Bodies,_necks,...uitar_Neck.html

You have to put in the correct neck angle but they were not bad blanks

I absolutely love this guitar! I could see it being a big seller in the stores.

One question. Are you using a UV blocker in your clear coat? I'd hate to see that purple turn brown over time. I made a solid purple heart guitar with a solid purple heart fretboard. I hardcoated the board with the same UV blocker I used on the body to keep everything nice and purple. I'm not big on hardcoated fretboards but it turned out nice.

I only buy wood that has been kiln dry. This eliminates checking (unless your average humidity in your shop is less than 6%) then even being kiln dried you can still have checking and warping.

Over the life time of a guitar the wood will experience varying degrees of humidity and temperature. If you oil finish your guitars then the wood is still exposed to humidity. So, if you build a guitar in a room that’s at 10% humidity and then you hang it on the wall in your upstairs that’s at 17% humidity for a few days the wood will move. It’s natural for wood to contrast and expand over time. There is nothing you can do about that.

It also affects guitars coated with nitro or poly (any hard coat actually). Wood expands at a different rate than a hard coat which is why a finish is prone to cracking if left in a cold/hot car. The wood expands/contrasts and the finish doesn’t at the same rate and before you know it, you have spider cracks on your hard coat.

I’ve built a ton of guitars over the years and I’ve never had one go crazy on me after it was completed. Humidity and movement is all part of the game.

As for the Zebra. I actually had a bit pull out of my router because the zebra was playing hell with it. I can understand why your template bit broke on you. Nothing scarier than a bit flying at you at 20,000 RPM! I got lucky and caught mine before it came out.

I’ve worked with Zebrawood a lot and it’s very prone to tear out which I gather you are aware of by now. It’s also one of the foulest smelling woods when cutting and sanding! If I remember it grows on the banks of swamps which add to the gaseous smell! The good thing is, the smell will go away when it’s finished.

If you use a down cut bit you’ll get less tear out. I just started a new guitar with Zebra wings and I used a brand new carbide 1” template bit and it tore like crazy. I’ve noticed that duller carbide router bits with a router that wont bog down seems to help prevent tearing out. Also, if you push the router against the cut it also helps prevent tear out. I always like to keep a nice dull router bit on hand for when I get a pesky wood that likes to tear out. Sometimes it does the trick. Ultimately you should use a shaper and leave the router on the bench. Some woods just weren’t made to have their end grain router. LIKE PURPLE HEART!!!!!!!!!!

Just my opinion on Zebrawood.

My current project, Zebra wings with Padauk neck through, will have a rosewood board with a zebra headstock cap.

You are correct about the overall weight. It will be about as much as an old 70's Les Paul or slightly more but anyone interested in exotic hardwoods will be expecting some extra weight.

I love limba! Once it's finished it has one of the best looks! in my book It' walnut and a close second is limba. The sculpting is really sharp with nice clean lines on your bevels. I can't wait to see it completed.

It just seems light colored for Black Walnut but it could very well be my monitor. Regardless, there is some nice grain and that sap wood will get a bit golden over time and will really look nice. I love walnut! Every guitar could be built out of it if you ask me.