SerpentineGtars

Those look fantastic! I really like the shape with the circular cutout, its pretty unique

-Brett

Thank you.

I designed that headstock over a year ago for a custom build, only used it the once before withdrawing. It's now back as one of the standard headstock shapes I offer on my guitars.

Thanks for the tip Curtisa, do you feel a 3/4" blank is adequate for an 8 string? 17mm is like .669ish inches, so that's shy of 3/4" by just about 2mm. I would be happy with a 3/4 neck heel and I was fixing to have my flame maple resawed into around 1/4" and then plane it down a bit and then radius it. I wanted to have more wood on the body side so I can imitate an Ibanez all access cutaway which I know and love. Also while I'm asking questions.. Did you do double or single truss rod? and how long? Do you have a build documented for this guitar? I'd love to see it!

Don't forget that the neck thickness at any point along its length is [neck blank] + [fretboard]. In my case the total thickness at the pocket was 17mm + 7mm = 24mm, just shy of an inch. If you were using a thinner fretboard you'd want to increase the thickness of the blank to maintain the overall thickness. A 3/4" blank (19mm) should be good for 95% of builds. The only situation I can forsee you'd want a thicker blank on a bolt-on guitar to start with is if you were building a neck with a particularly beefy profile or a one piece neck ( eg, Fender Strat all-maple neck with skunk stripe on the back). My only real issue with using the 17mm blank at the time was that it made for a fairly shallow volute once carved, which doesn't look particularly nice. The extra 2mm would have helped here.

Single truss rod on my build. Pretty sure it was the standard Allparts 18" double action one. It was just before I switched to the Allied Lutherie rods, but they're all fairly similar. That was on a neck for 26.5" scale length, but I'm fairly sure RestorationAD made an 8 string a few years back using the same single trussrod over a 28" scale length neck without any issues. Build thread is located

Standard truss rod and perhaps a couple of carbon fibre rods for extra strength... But don't buy CF rods specifically manufactured for guitar necks, they can cost a fortune. Instead something like this will work; http://www.easycomposites.co.uk/products/carbon-fiber-section/carbon-fibre-box-section-6mm-4mm.aspx and costs a fraction of the price.

Very impressive fit and finish. The headstock shape looks out of place to me, but I understand that was a design element from the customer, soooo........whatcha gonna do?

SR

Thanks ScottR... And fair comment about the headstock. It has been a talking point during the build but the customer is happy with it and that's what counts

Wow, love the style. Great looking pieces of kit! How did you get that stone/marble look on the first guitar?

This...

It's not an effect I created, it's a Buckeye Burl top (Google it)

I also have some new projects on the go which include the new Serpentine Guitars "DC-II" and "Hydra" that I've recently started working on...

Templates have been made and the first stock build of each of those is about to start very soon so I'll be posting photos here as that gets underway.

In the meantime, any feedback on the DC-II and Hydra designs is appreciated

Sorry, original image deleted. Here's with the new URL...

Nearly completed, just had some personal issues at home that put a short delay on this. We've also been working on issues relating to the headstock logo and custom text, but that appears to be sorted now and the finished Kingravi 7-string custom build will appear asap on our new 2014 Build Thread here...

I have decided that it's about time I kept on top of my threads on GB&C. I have a habit of starting one, updating for a while and then abandoning (or deleting) it because I don't have the time. Well, now I am going to make the time.

In the meantime, any feedback on the DC-II and Hydra designs is appreciated

Thanks for the info guys I really appreciate it I will go for the rattle can. I am always really glad this forum exists because no matter how much you read up on things on the net someone with experience can always tell you a better way of doing it. Also thanks for the safety tips.

With the can how many coats would I need approximately? I am trying to get the best finish I can really as I will be selling the bass on after its done and I want to make sure its hard wearing/professional.

Don't worry Prostheta my step dad will be doing the spraying as he has experience with that sort of thing, I honestly wouldn't trust myself or at the very least I would be doing a lot of tests ha.

As a guide, one full can will do a body. I would aim for three coats, allowing 15 minutes between coats.

I would recommend this... http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2K-aerosol-Spraymax-Gloss-Lacquer-Clear-Coat-Spray-400ml-art-no-2680061-German-/251373981458?pt=UK_Body_Shop_Supplies_Paint&hash=item3a870e8f12

It is in a spray can, but it sprays like a spray gun... And it is genuine 2k, unlike the stuff above. There's a button on the underside of the can which pops open a small canister of hardener inside the can. Shake it up and mix everything together and this stuff will be ready to sand in 24 hours (although I would allow longer unless you have an Infra Red heat lamp lying around that you could to speed up the process).

PS. It is PU based, so decent mask, eye protection and one of those disposable coveralls, working in a well ventilated area (garage with door open) is highly recommended. Leave the garage between coats for additional safety.

Excellent carve. Would love to see how it is done.

Thanks guys for all your comments.

My chosen method for carve-tops is routing several steps to create the initial contours then smoothing it all out with sanding drums (harder woods, eg. Maple) or a surforms (softer woods, eg. Mahogany), finishing off with the random orbital sander. It works best for me, never had any problems... Can't bring myself round to investing in an angle grinder!

26,25" * 2,54 = 666mm

"Metric scale of the beast" There we are, I get it now. I didn't convert it myself. Nice one!

Makes sense. I couldn't recall Ibanez' specs off the top of my head although I did convert 17" out to Metric to see if it looked "familiar".

Perhaps you should have pushed a 26-1/4" scale on the guy. That's my favourite Metric scale of the beast and the same one I used on my favourite 7-string. I would consider it "a trademark" of sorts if only I weren't groovy and a believer in propagating ideas instead of hoarding them. :-)

26.25", that's a new one.

I did suggest using a longer scale length, up to 27". The customer initially requested 26" before taking it back down to 25.5".

Wrong choice of word; odd would be more appropriate. 17" is a strange value considering that you'll normally see 16" and 20" either side of that. Perhaps it is a Metric equivalent?Wondering how you're dialling that radius in....do you CNC your own radius blocks or are they off-the-shelf?

I got ya, no problem.

My client wanted a neck that closely resembles an Ibanez Wizard (430mm radius). This is the closest I have, just 0.1" out.

I sanded the radius in using off-the-shelf blocks.