StratsRdivine

Nice pullshave! I can definitely see its utility. It has a fixed radius? Maybe its radii gets tighter at edges for multi radii? Cool. thanks for reminder on switch depth, I looked up several on StewMac. Looked like the Right Angle toggle will be best for my new body but it requires 13/16" depth. This one only requires 11 mm depth. http://www.stewmac.com/Pickups_and_Electronics/Components_and_Parts/Switches/Free-Way_Pickup_Switch.html I love your magnetic hold down. Gotta love the new neodymium magnets.

Have you ever had fun using pearlescent micas in epoxy? Pretty cool effects when using an air hose to create patterns. I used to use West System, due to the name, til I realized that they are all marketing hype, and haven't advanced their formulas much at all. Now I use Basic No Blush from Progressive Epoxy Polymers. It is superior in every respect, as it is a cycloaliphatic epoxide, which won't degrade in sunlight, has lower shrink, and is quite stiff - perfect for pickguards. I use about a gallon every four months. There are quite a few new companies out there with better epoxies. Some of the floor and countertop epoxies are pretty advanced as well. I recall that polyaspartic epoxies are all the rage now.

One area that I had concern about was with power strumming / sweep picking regarding the location of the switch in a standard Strat. My guitar tech accidentally installed the switch backwards so that bridge position (where the humbucker is on the HSS) was "up", and I was afraid that players might keep knocking it into the "down" position (standard bridge pup position), knocking out of the humbucker. SO we switched it back around into the standard formation. However, this got me thinking about the position, I suppose most sweep strums are perpendicular to the strings, but if some guys do any Pete Townsend windmilling, strumming from top right down to bottom left, they might knock the switch if in standard Strat position. Evidently, this has not been a concern since so many Strats have been sold since 54, but if I designed the Strat, I would have placed the switch a little farther away.

Cool stuff man!!! Potato chip guitars. Now you hate me for saying that, but it was the first thing to come to mind - sorry. Now you need to make Pringles guitar. Sorry again, can't stop. I describe this in the other shaping thread, but you might want my big one for your next concave surface.

I've done a ton of weird shaping of inside (concave) curves, both single and compound, and although I own / or make the curved scrapers and rasps needed, I prefer varying radii drums and belt sanders. My thought process is "can this be done by machine?" before I consider hand tools. For tight radii, I use the tip of my 1-1/8" belt sander, super useful for all kinds of work - concave and convex (using the back). By far my most useful tool is when I modify common drum sanders. All drum sanders come with one stem to chuck into the tool. But you will not find any that have a stem coming out the other end, with a handgrip sleeve mounted on bearings. This is HUGE. Once you mod a drum sander this way, you will be amazed at how much control you have. My huge 7 x 9 pneumatic drum uses a heavy drum designed to be mounted to a stationary machine. I bought the drum only, then sent to a machine shop to have a custom shaft turned and inserted through the center (20 years ago - would just make one myself nowdays) with a hex ground stem on one end and a 4" handle mounted on other end via bearings, so it spins in my hand. Its quite a monster to handle - gyroscopic effect at higher RPM's, so I chuck it into my slower drill. If you deflate it a little, it contours nicely to tummy cuts or other large radii convex surfaces.

Super nice responses - Thanks everyone! I came to the same conclusion - one must know their limitations, therefore knowing this rather open design envelope allows tremendous freedom. I saw a video on pickguard guitars (solid body, exactly the size of a Strat pickguard) and th guy compared tone against a real strat - he couldnt tell the difference. However, I love the visual sexy lines of a thinned down strat body. I will follow your lens design as well. Carving the inside radii appears to be a PITA. Lots of gooseneck scraper work, or I will have to let you borrow my huge 8" DIA pneumatic drum sander. Gotta look up that switch. My radius is 20", BTW. I plan to use my jointer for most, then hand plane, then the back of my belt sander (unbacked part will conform to the curve - hitting high spots only - most of you know what I mean) Here is a preview of the "Faux" quilted pattern in the acrylic. My updated design actually has facial imagery within the quilt pattern, that will appear like the guitar has eyes looking at you. I patterned the quilt based on photos of actual AAAAA quilted maple, but then it struck me that I actually have design priority to change it up a little, so the quilt is mostly hand drawn to emphasize vectoring, facial imagery, and some other tricks that will be seen when done. Going with bookmatched figured maple in the fretboard as "homage" to the real, next to the "faux".

Great Response - thanks!! I did chamber out the Dichrocaster with a 1" spade bit with with ground down point. Removed a whole 5 oz after an hour. I do love the bevel coupled with the tummy cut - great wrap feel and contour, but I am limited due to the fact that acrylic only bends easily in single dimensions. I really thought about the convex thermoform AND a bevel, but that would require high oven heat, and lots of post form leveling / wet sanding / buffing, but will try it anyway sometime. The thinning out at top is "functioning" as my bevel, and it will have some tummy contouring. Thanks, Curtisa, for the Ibanez S series tip. I looked them up, and they are carved alot, for thin edges. This thread about their thin profile - http://www.harmonycentral.com/forum/forum/guitar/acapella-41/1110211- debates the thickness / tone issue a bit, as well as shallow switch routs. My design is along these lines in that the thicker, solid area is in the central middle section, giving you the tone / sustain needed (whatev that comment is worth). Right now its 1.75" thick in the wood only, 2" with acrylic. I am happy with 2" of wood in the center, 2-1/4" with acrylic face, then tapering edges to reduce weight, plus some chambering. So yeah, CJ, I think its an Ovation in reverse!!!

So this is my first "real" build after my foray into the land of make believe (as many of you likely think) when I modded a squire with my thermoformed acrylic face called the "Dichrocaster". I am teaming up with a very well respected local luthier to make my necks and bodies for the next few guitars, and want to make his job a bit easier considering my non-traditional approach. My big questions are about using a type of elliptical cross section to the body design for two reasons: Lessen the weight of the guitar to counter for the 1/4" acrylic face, and to add another dimension of light refraction off the quilted face. I really have not seen guitars with this type of slimmed down cross section, so there must be an obvious reason (I am only two months old in my guitar building obsession, so don't know a lot yet). The central part of the body will be 1-3/4" thick in wood section, 2" thick with the acrylic face, therefore the top and bottom edges and the horns will be significantly thinner. Horns may actually be delicately thin, like about 5/8" average, getting thicker closer to body center -need input for that reason. Wondering also if they make shallow switches to accomodate for a depth of only 1" or maybe less, unless I move the switch closer into the central thicker part of the body. See initial diagram, which is directed to my luthier, but you get the picture. Pic of Dichrocaster attached as well, so you understand the "acrylic face" concept. The other question is whether to mount the humbuckers to the wood body, and cut the acrylic out around them, or (easier way) to mount them to the acrylic face with swimming pool rout (which is essentially a giant pickguard, the way pups are mounted to strat PG's). Remember, I am real new to this, and don't always see the obvious.

Nice job so far - looking forward to progress. Great use of the abalone knobs to complement the inlay. You know you have to inlay abalone into the neck now right?

You get the prize for originality man !!! Just to be certain on originality, I just googled "fighter jet guitar" and found nothing as cool as your designs. What a great idea! Thinking outside the box. You've really captured the essence of a stealth fighter jet without it looking to goofy. Now I assume you will put decals on it like "DANGER JET AIR INTAKE" and other technical ornament. I can picture airbrushed stains streaming from hydraulic ports, following the lines of riveted panels. You really got me dreaming here. I like the knobs in exhaust ports, but promise me that you will light them with blue LED !!! Gotta visualize those Mach diamonds while "wet" (full afterburner, or as you Brits call them "re-heat" - but you gotta admit that "afterburner" tightens your sphincters better). Wondering about composite body construction now, rather than wood, like carbon fiber over balsa core . . .

So here are highlights from tonights studio photography. I pulled out all the tricks - huge four foot diffusers in front of the halogen, my stage spot and my hand - held PAR 38 LED floods, all with polarizer on my Canon 60D. All against black velvet backdrop.

I personally think that God ordained the design of the Stratocaster, and meant for someone to design it, the same way that he ordained chocolate chip cookie dough to be made, until man screwed it up by cooking it in the oven. Therefore, for me, since I like the strat design, I try not to deviate from the classic lines of the Strat too much, and kindof use it as a baseplate for my own variations. So I downloaded strat and tele designs from the web, then make a negative from the jpg, and insert them into my ultra simple 2D CAD program, scale them, then trace the lines using the spline line tool, which allows super smooth, graceful curvature changes (to answer your question about proportion). I would encourage anyone to download a simplified 2D CAD, just for drawing, because I self learned it over one weekend three years ago in order to send the dxf file out for laser cutting some chandelier armatures in SST. Now I still use it everyday for my own laser cutting, for design, and sending dxf files out for waterjet, CNC, etc. I swear I wish I had done it ten years ago, although its easier and cheaper now. I did a thorough review of entry level CAD programs and QCAD came on top for me. It was only fifty bucks from ribbonsoft.com. There is not one feature lacking in it. Does every complex drawing I can muster. So to answer your question without CAD, I would trace around an existing body and adjust proportions to my liking with a bow tracer, or those flexible rules. I used to do all that for years. I often would simply draw freehand full scale. Proportion is in the mind of the artist, so not sure how to guide you there. Draw scaled down shapes on paper, live with them for while, and trim them with a razor to refine the design. Thats how I designed my boat - I made a paper model and trimmed it with a knife. When I liked the proportions I un-taped the model and scaled up the hull parts.

Thank you so much for your input, CJ. This is precisely why I am on this board - to learn, and avoid mistakes. I actually thought of getting an American Standard Strat, just for the name, but then to cut it up? Blasphemy. I do plan on making my own bodies anyway for the design below (in acrylic below, but also solid wood), so you have me leaning toward making my own bodies (I designed one last night based on a Strat, but slimmed it down and "sexified" the lines a bit - similar to the Ibenez Jem) to call them my own design, but then buying the necks. I had heard of Stratosphere - need to check them out more. Whatever I get, I will be doing the headstock carving. This one below (scale model) will hopefully be ready for NAMM 2018. Gonna do a lot of practice guitars first.

Interesting question. I don't think I would ever have made these if it weren't for my love of screaming classic rock licks heard through the amps of my friend, Steve. He plays a Les Paul and an EVH Wolfgang in a couple local cover bands and most notably in a journey tribute band called E5C4P3 in which the singer, Jason, is absolutely dead-on Steve Perry. My wife really got me into them, and there was this dormant teenager in me the never really appreciated Neil Schon til now (Grew up a Rush fan, then Al DiMeola, but always loved all classic rock), So the quick answer is Classic Rock will be played through it mostly (not by me). which is why the humbucker in the bridge. Steve will be gigging with it for a while til I make the next, better one. Here is the real reason for making this: Every gig I see these guys play in, they play their hearts out - no matter what size audience. They are doing it because they LOVE it. And since my wife and I always go to their shows. I thought, why not add a little of my art to the whole experience - regardless of any potential sales to the guitars. I make my day job money elsewhere, like all these guys in the band. It is so freeing to make what I want, not what is dictated. Such is the same for many of you, I presume. I started making pickguards for them a few weeks back, but then decided on a whole guitar. Here is Steve's Les Paul with Red Burl Pickguard I did several months ago. An example of choosing a restrained, elegant material, not going over the top - no knobs, no color other than what goes well with the LP. I don't think I would ever do a LP the way I did the the Dichrocaster.

Thanks, Knightro. With all the expertise here, I am curious your ideas on future "baseplates" to mod from. I am eyeing up several low cost used Squires at my local music shop to add the gold / silver over white in the quilt face with gold appointments. Getting a nice neck and body for low cost, already finished, routed etc, from a Squire is allowing me to focus on faces, pickguards, etc, but my guitar tech wants me to buy bodies and necks from Warmoth, and I said thats too much finishing work, not to mention nearly a grand for a good neck / body pre-routed. I am not afraid to finish, nor build from scratch. Thats actually the issue - I can apply the best of the best finishes. and that takes time, cuz I'm a perfectionist. Then I recently learned that nitro is preferred over 2K urethane for tone issues, but I love urethane for buffing. If I ever did a body, it would be Wenge, with a satin conversion varnish - which is basically a catalyzed nitrocellulose - real hard, and sprays like a dream. Since these guitars will have acrylic faces, then the chambered bodies from Warmoth without tops are looking real attractive. I'm really asking these questions from a value standpoint. If one of these is ever offered for sale, then is it de-valued if the guitar was made from a used Squire, or will it have better value if made from new Warmoth body and neck? The neck is the greatest value, as I can order pretty much anything from Warmoth and get virgin frets, then make my own bodies. Maybe even oil finish, since you only see the back and sides after I've faced them.

You couldn't be more perfectly tracking with my future builds if you tried! I keep telling friends that the next one will blow his away - yet will have no color-changing FX. I had to get this one "out of my system" because the materials are so colorful, and I am addicted to color - to the point where its too much, kindof like when you traded for those awesome peanut butter squares in high school cafeteria, but after eating one it was too much to eat more. So track with me here, as it relates to your comment ". . . if your cover scintillates like natural wood chatoyance . . . ". The 3D sculpted back of the acrylic in the dichroaster is designed after actual dune patterns right? (from Mars, actually) So I had the epiphany that other natural patterns can be done, so I have actually made molds patterned directly from photos I took of brain coral, which look really cool, but not running there yet. Planning to do a pattern based on the markings on the face of the Napolean Wrasse. Google that and you will see what I mean. So then I got this idea that I had been kicking around, but it really gelled at five in the morning last week, to the point where I stayed up, and went to the shop to test this idea. Here it is: The 3D topography in the Dune pattern is nearly invisible if opaque coated, but when you spray metallics, the pigments "trace" the topography like when Indiana Jones threw dust on that invisible "faith" bridge in "Last Crusade" - nearly exactly the same. So then I was thinking about quilted maple. Don't forget that I have been working with highly figured woods since the eighties, and although you don't see it here, figured woods were a large inspiration for all these laminates. When you study figured wood, using quilted maple, quilted mahogany or pommele Sapele, for example - the light refraction is a trace from the wood fibers actually light piping the light in the direction of the grain, and appearing like hollow cavity dishes on the female side of the bookmatch, and as bulging quilt billows on the male side of a bookmatch. So I am currently working on two new patterns - one called "Quilt" and one called "Bee's Wing" - both with a mirrored division line to simulate bookmatching. And to answer your question - these patterns will be sprayed with silver and gold borosilicates, as well as different versions in champagne metallics, subtle flop pearls, etc. all with white backing. Then the hardware will be all chrome or gold plated. I am even planning on scalloping a neck, then coating the neck with the same gold boro over white that will be used in the body. Can't wait to do that one. To prove how well you were tracking - I am designing a male thermoforming form in order to form the acrylic in an archtop for an LP. Then do the bookmatched quilted pattern using a fade or sunburst of gold boro to silver boro. As to your comment about a pickguard? See below.

Oh well, no interest. but heres a finished pic before studio photography.

Such nice attention to detail. Smart move on pre-scribing / razor cutting the jackplate outline prior to milling it. Looking forward to the contrast against that pearloid binding when you color the grain. What colour you goin with? (combination of American and English)

Nearly ready for the stage. Need to lower the floyd rose studs, and do minor detailing. Headstock was a PITA, but eventually turned out. Had to re-laser the logos and paint fill with acrylic rather than white lacquer, even though the test panel turned out perfect. Test panel turns out great, so all is good right? Use same settings on the laser and it should be pristine right? NOT.

Gonna look amazing. Maybe you already thought of this, and are waiting to surprise us, but can you picture a thin inlayed MOP thread of silk coming out his butt? Maybe terminating into the neck pup cover as a web? Will look sweet nonetheless.

This is a real finishing conundrum. Not sure if the precat clear you used is "re-softening" your white undercoat to allow the shrinkage / crackling of the marbled enamels or if the marbles enamels are releasing off the white undercoat from solvent attack from your pre-cat clear overcoat (most likely case, because the marble enamels are less then 1 mil thick). Appears like you need to use a solvent isolator sealer after marbling. Which means using a true catalyzed sealer (I never trust pre-cats) over the marbled enamel, not a precat, and this sealer has to be high solids - can't have too much solvent. If you use a high-solvent clear, it needs to be "dusted" on so solvent does not attack. Then once cured, you can spray normal. If you had a high-crosslink sealer (2K urethane?) over the marbling that was dusted on, and let it cure well, then the solvents from your overcoat will not attack the bases. Need to think this through a bit, because its possible.

If my idea below is crazy, its all Scotts fault - he got me thinking. If, and only if, you plan to keep the cracked "failure", you might have success "grouting" a clear, 100% solids resin into the finish, then sand it level (sand through is highly risky in this case), but the real issue is adhesion, so epoxy is out. I have had success with MEKP catalyzed acrylic cement. It cures with similar shrinkage as polyester resin but the solvents and its resin base will bond well to the coating you have on now, and is crystal clear. Then topcoat with your finish of choice. The real drawback is that you have to do all the fill coats AND your first topcoat within two to four hours of previous 2K acrylic fill coat (letting it cure for 1 hour) or else the solvents in each subsequent coat will micro-crack / craze the previous 2K acrylic fill layer (the 2K acrylic doesn't fully crosslink for about six to eight hours, so that is the application "window"). Whats nice about the 2K acrylic is that each subsequent coat solvent welds into itself. Clear PE resin might be a better choice for thick filling too, if it adheres to your crackle coating. Cheaper too. These are just far-fetched ideas - I have worked alot with 100% solids resins, but never filled over a textured swirl coat.

Wow. If there was a "less is more" award - you get it. Such clean, simple elegance. That butt-end pic showing the bookmatch is the moneyshot.

Do you plan to round over the top body outline to expose the Padauk? The orange outline would look cool on the face like seen in the hips. Your light fret board carries the light center of the Limba well, and vectors your eye right into the fret board. Black ebonizing would be a nice contrast, but the way the sapwood in the Limba vectors right into the neck is a cool effect. Kindof agree with CJ. Heavier carving to expose the padauk will make an awesome contrast. Looking forward to the finish.

So heres the gluing jig for the inlays. The .060" aluminum strips is so the gorilla glue can expand and push the inlay material against the aluminum so it bends and conforms to the fretboard radius. After de-clamping, the inlays were, in fact, flush with the surface, following the radius, except the last inlay, Likely not going to inlay this way next time - going to pour epoxy over raw dichroic film, then mill flush. Following pic is the epoxy filled joint. milling flush tomorrow after epoxy sets. I ebonized the Rosewood prior to epoxying BTW. Last two pics are the "keying" system in order to eliminate putting screws through the "dune" face, which would have looked ok, but I wanted the face to be as clear of hardware as possible. I took a 3/4" carbide straight bit and custom ground it into a titanic "T" slot bit. Now the face will lock into the body at the cutaway horns, then only one screw under the jackplate to hold the back down, which will allow easy removal to access the wiring, etc. Putting it all together by end of week after I reshape and coat the headstock.