mistermikev

so I've been thinking a lot about getting my feet wet w cnc. I'd like to learn to do 3d design, but w/o a way to realize the design it seems a bit futile. Not looking to take over the world, but would like to be able to dip in my toes and accomplish some small things. goals: cut inlay from blanks, cut corresponding inlay channel make knobs make pickup covers budget: I guess I'd like to know what a realistic budget for a small cnc setup is... but is $300 enough to get a small machine? I could probably spend more, but not looking to invest a lot at this point. I know I've seen a few threads from @Prostheta here, but have some specific questions and would like recommendations. 1) can you recommend a cnc machine? don't really want to build as not mech inclined... but am inclined on the computer side. 2) free cad/cam program? 3) thread recommendations?

I like your design, that's a great idea and afa I know not a lot of focus in the marketplace on the issue of palm comfort. I have always hated the vintage style strat saddles for this reason... so unfomfortable. the gotoh vs100 I have is fairly decent as long as you have the saddles adjusted up a bit so the hex screws don't poke through. I have a babicz that is about the best thing I've felt in terms of comfort. I take it you are milling in the compensation for radius? nice work... this will a pretty innovative build and looking fwd to the finished pics.

be honest... you just are too lazy to wind the pickup all the way (hehe).

wait, you don't mean you are putting a tube in the guitar? that'd be cool... maybe a nutube (korg). sounds like some interesting stuff... going all bill lawrence on yer pickups. should be fun to see this come together.

I had a friend/co-worker ages ago, who had a vintage melody maker... he took it and put a lovely burl top on... then put p90s in it. looked a lot nicer after. guitars were meant to be played... and once a guitar steps away from being all original... might as well go as far as you like. just my o.

no expert here but honestly i think a decent level will do the trick. just has to be straight. in my humble O there are so many things that can make more of a difference than a .0001 accurate beam... for instance when you polish your frets after spending the time to level them with a super accurate beam... you probably do more damage then you would do by using a beam that isn't quite as accurate. furthermore, playing the guitar instantly wears down the frets. unless you are gonna level them every month I don't think it will matter. I play with my action super low... literally laying on the frets, so I guess I would know pretty quick if my frets were less level due to using a $25 level... hasn't bothered me yet. my advice would be to buy a decent level and some 3m spray glue and some belt sander belts. or as some here have done, buy some angle iron and do the sm.

thank you for that. thank you for sharing that. probably saved some people with your story. scary stuff. I guess you got pretty lucky getting a doc that appreciates guitar! here's wishing good things for you going fwd.

this might work... it's hard to say. you may have issues with the string rubbing on the saddle since the bigsby might sit too high to properly receive the string... but it's hard to say w/o trying. looks like a fun build. Love me some tele and my next build is going to be a thinline style with a tremking - which i hope is a nice sub for a bigsby. I love the feel of the bigsby on my 295. anywho... looking fwd to seeing pics

thank you ad. I actually thought it was sort of 'carlos'. I recently got a triaxis and have been struggling to dial it in. Still needs some work but admittedly I didn't spend enough time setting levels here either. w no cab sim... the triaxis tends to be a bit harsh and my podhd - can't run cab w/o amp so... now I need a new fx processor! I have actually been looking at my crazy pedal collection going "I almost never use that vintage boss dm-2 or that h&k rotosphere... I could do w/o those". So probably do some pedal videos in the near future... could use the practice anyway.

I actually read your story - I think over at talkbass or perhaps tdpri? I had reiterated it here at the time as we all need reminders of how quickly things can go south... even when you are fully concentrating. It def sharpened me. I very much appreciate you sharing your story because who knows how many accidents it has and will prevent. If you don't mind me asking... would you elaborate on what exactly happened? I don't have a jointer, but I think in the interest of prevention it would be helpful. I think I read over there, that you are pretty well recovered, and able to play? If so - I'm very glad, if not - here's to your speedy recovery.

ah, I think I may have seen this earlier (terrible memory here... probably Alzheimer's ). looks like it might have some sort of string locking mechanism? looks like the bottom may slide along a screw hole for intonation? it will be interesting to see this come together. btw... totally looks like a mini airstream or streamliner!

just a thought, but direction of the router and quality of the bit would probably play a big role in preventing this. downhill routing works wonders altho I have never worked with palmwood and am not certain it could be avoided. all that said: multiple passes at small depths and a big (3/4") router bit with a bull nose have served me pretty well in figured wood scenarios. there's only one guaranteed way to avoid it and that would be one of those guided sanding drums. (note to self: avoid palmwood!)

well, here's what I know - disclaimer: isn't much. first suggestion: ebony. allenguitar sells ebony fretboards that have splits and worm holes - i think it was 5 for $25? ebony joins so well you wouldn't see the seems and it'd be black like the original, but a bit more classy. obviously this would require some milling. would also work well for the back of the headstock. the black of the orig pickguard really compliments the black headstock... probably calculated... so I would consider that. suggestion 2: mahog... I've ordered from here before https://ocoochhardwoods.com/scroll-saw-lumber/ the nice thing is their mahog was really high quality unlike the stuff I got from rockler. probably have to go a bit thicket for strength w mahog, but you could reinforce it on the backside with any number of things. 3: generally those melody makers had a rosewood board... you could just take a black pickguard and glue rosewood lam to it. 4: sky is the limit... woodtoworks has a lot of exotic pickguard sized pieces of wood... from burls to figured walnut. 5: rothko and frost... they have some crazy beautiful pickguard stock... now this is plastic/abs/etc, but some of the stuff there, like single layer pearloid or variations on tortoise shell that is anything but cheap and would look amazing! i spend hours looking at the tortoise stuff!

that's the spirit... you got this.

well I'll be dipped in tomato paste... the studio doesn't show anything... that's cruddy. heads up the 3 pickup version at Gitarrebassbau shows a channel there and a few spots where they use the long bit. afa drift... all I can tell you is to drill a small pilot to get started. I like to stand back and look at the angle i need before I drill. try to visualize it ("be the ball!"). drill the pilot at that angle for say 3/4" and it should keep you going in the right direction. Other than that, you just have to will it into place! also, there are some threads on here, fairly recent, where a cnc whiz built a firebird... you might want to search the site and take a look. cheers and looking fwd to some 'glamor shots'!

ah, spacing yes. perhaps. afa weight: https://reverb.com/item/1501752-gotoh-stealth-new?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIsY-o7szP4gIVFbvsCh17cwq9EAQYAiABEgIucPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds&pla=1 gotoh makes some amazing stuff. they also make some other really lightweight tuners but these are the lightest... probably lighter than the originals. that said... it'd be a shame not to put something original on their... unfortunately that probably could take a long time to track down the right ones.

have never built a firebird myself... but I know some places where you can get all the info you need. google electric herald firebird and there is a studio there. another is Gitarrebassbau and firebird... that one is in german so if you want to read the thread use google translate and pop the url in there. if you are trying to do one w/o a pickguard that's a dif story. you could route on the back and put a pickguard there or if you are doing a neck thru I saw a guy here who did a channel in one of the wings... he drilled in from the pickups to meet it with a long bit. you can get long bits at harbor freight among other places. hope that helps!

wow, that's going to be cool. so... tune-o-matic style bridge but handmade? afa pickups... you have an elec winder or using the fishing rod reel type? this is something I want to try at some point but just... figure there is a learning curve and so many can do it better than me! will be watching for sure. wooden covers - birdseye sounds pretty cool too. looking fwd to it!

WOW DUDE... body is looking like it is going to be a real looker. fretboard is very nice too. what type of bridge/pickups?

dang that seems like a real long shot. I imagine if you really wanted to find exact replacements you'd have to do a lot of searching on reverb and evilbay... then pay thru the nose when you found them. It's a beauty guitar and would be a shame to modify it... that said guitars were meant to be played! I'm guessing you could easily just buy some single piece tuners and drill new holes but you were trying to avoid that yes? i did see an evilbay seller offering framus vintage tuners... but no info on spacing. you could reach out: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Framus-Vintage-Nickel-Tuners-Oval-Plastic-knob-6-in-Line-left/323442798271 hope that helps!

can't speak to the quality of what they sell today, but 20 years ago I bought a flamed maple/mahog tele body from them and it was very high quality for the price. I think back then it cost me $150ish... but it's a 4A top and really nice. Generally stew mac stuff tends to be pretty good quality but a hair overpriced.

thank you sir.

working on my video skillz... trying to make it easier to do videos and learn how to edit better. whipped this up... I hope you'll watch and tell me your thoughts. youtube video

I can't wait to use that the next time someone from overseas give me a hard time about metric!

right on... had to look and convert... so 1.8" sounds about normal. just looks like it might be 2.5" in some of those pics! btw... when you go below 1mm... are you ever tempted to say "it's six and a half mm"? hehe. caught myself doing that more than once!