mistermikev

I've seen the same or similar posted on facebook and didn't want to bother with my humble opiion... but to me it looks and awful lot like an illusion.  On the right there... that's a flamed maple top below another top... that is not a complete top.  They first glue down the flame maple top... then they place the partial top on top.  then they flood it with epoxy.  now it "looks" like the flame maple stops where the burl begins... but it doesn't.  This is just a guess, or rather how I would do it.  I have no idea what they really do.

35 minutes ago, komodo said:

I endorse this idea, and yes you do have it in you!

well I appreciate the vote of confidence and in all truth I would make the cnc do it... but it might not like me very much after!!  thank you again for the input!!

1 minute ago, komodo said:

I vote for #1 but with the 12th fret inlay.

finally... someone who's on MY side!  I like that one the best too, and I really like the idea of the ribbon inlay... perhaps I'm biased because I just want to get more experience doing fancy inlays.  Hmm... what about a giant octopus inlay spanning the entire fretboard in turquois (totally NOT going to suggest that to kevin cause I'm pretty sure I don't have it in me!!)

thank you again for the reply/input!!

1 minute ago, ScottR said:

If we all liked the same thing, it would be a mighty boring world.

SR

true.  top, color... all so subjective.  also, may have design fatigue from looking at it soo long!

44 minutes ago, ScottR said:

I like two and four.....big surprise, I'm sure.

SR

funny, idk if I told you but he had asked about staining the headstock before and I told him I thought the logo would disappear in it so we didn't pursue but when you mentioned it before I figured "well, the majority does seem to like it -so I must be wrong".  TBH I don't care for it... seems a bit much and the logo doesn't stand out as featured... but he chose number 4, and this is about him, not me so... #4 it is!  (again, I must assume I'm wrong here.  at a wine tasting once I was told that my pallet isn't very sophisticated so I'll assume the sm applies here!) 

I think I will try to stain the entire 'ball' of the headstock blue as that blue will stick out in the little voids in the logo so perhaps it will pop more.  Will also try to maybe cut the logo pocket a hair large and fill with black epoxy so that it pops a bit more.  

he didn't say a word about the ribbon so... I'm gonna assume it's out.  

very much appreciate everyone's feedback.  I def value your contributions to this build and think we've improved it.

one thought... if he does choose a burst headstock I could engrave the letters and they would contrast with natural wood... that'd be pretty cool.  tbh I'm not all that thrilled with the burst as the logo doesn't really pop like it did on the natural... but if he likes it that'd be an option.  

if nat could engrave the letters a bit deeper and fill them with turquoise dust and epoxy... not sure how crisp the edges would be... prob have to seal the engrave before.  

3 hours ago, Bizman62 said:

The 12th bar ribbon looks nice! But is there really space for the text? It looks busy even on the headstock.

What's the difference between #2 and #4 other than that the headstock burst seems to be narrower on the latter?

The TWANG MASTER text looks a bit cheap compared to the rest. How about giving it a Fendery twist like below?

thanks biz i appreciate the reply. 

I def have to find a better font for sure.  I hear ya on the "busy".    Perhaps a better ribbon.

2/4 yes, just thought it might look better with a s maller burst so tried that. 

I'd really like to cut twang master out of the turquoise... but letters would be so small... can't imagine that would even be possible but at the least really hard to do... just spit balling for now.  

welp... getting serious design fatigue and I don't know if I'm closer or farther... but that really is for kevin to decide... anywho, if you'll permit me... here's what I came up with tonight...

Just now, ScottR said:

Put a little burst around the inlay too.

SR

hmm... not a bad idea et'all.  will mock it up and see if we have a winner.

41 minutes ago, ScottR said:

I'd go with the burst and finish the headstock cap the same way.

SR

you and my friend kev think a lot alike!!  he suggested that too, and I would do that if it's what he wants... but I said the turquoise is going to get lost with a matching headstock.  Maybe I should do a mockup of that... with the gold rim on the outside of the turquoise it might not be so bad.  thanks for 2nd'ing him!!

6 hours ago, Gogzs said:

Those color combos are starting to come together really nice. That burst elevates it to another level. Awesome!

ok, so that's two votes for burst... funny, it didn't do much for me until you guys started liking it!    thank you for the reply and kind words.

7 hours ago, Bizman62 said:

Whoa! Turquoise with a royal blue burst? That looks classy!

Re a black Tele bridge, I saw something I guess is boutique made. It said "chrome" but compared to other chrome hardware shown on the site it looked much darker and less shiny. Not painted, though. It didn't say "black chrome" either.

well, if I'm being honest... I kind of liked the plain turquoise better... so this was all part of my diabolical plan to ween kevin off of the idea so that I wouldn't have to build two that were too similar!!  thank you - he liked it a lot too and was all over it.

afa black - one of the reasons I had reservations about black on the wilkinson stuff is their coatings are notorious for being bad.  flaking off, uneven... and such.  black chrome would be epic!! 

2 hours ago, Bizman62 said:

That looks interesting and the ergonomics are a fact.

FWIW on some Crimson video Ben answered a question about a warped neck, telling that if the twist is that way it would improve playability. His biggest concern seemed to be that if the twist was caused by instability in the wood there'd be no telling how it might behave in the future. Doesn't that mean that a stable neck should stay stable even if carved to a twist?

Speaking about uneven pressure and the power of string pull etc. just think about wooden propellers in aeroplanes. I suppose the Merlin engine of 1300 hp would stress the wooden propeller of the early Hurricanes much more than bass strings!

yes, maybe a hair more!!  the twist thing - seems like a truss adjustment there would bring the low strings closer at a rate much dif than the high strings. on the bright side you don't really have to worry about your neck twisting!!  the asym fretboard would offer much less ergonomics... but also wouldn't complicate things nearly as much... and would likely strengthen things.

so, was thinking on my way home... 

what if you did a compound radius fretboard... but on the bass and the treble side you did different starting and ending radius?  ie... for gbe - you go 7.25" - 20" and on ead you go 10" -16".  at the center they would essentially be a line shooting to the last fret - where the two arcs would join together.  bending over that line would actually get easier as you'd reach into a bigger radius so it might make for some unusual feel... but maybe not.

as you played to the higher notes the low side - which doesn't get as much use... would get thinner potentially making the thumb wrap around easier.

the bass side would end up being thicker.  the treble side thinner -so I could see the argument that it might make for uneven pressure when you adjust the truss rod... but then again the strings are putting uneven pressure already... and if anything you'd be compensating a bit for this by strengthening the lower side.

further, it couldn't possibly be worse than those 'twist' basses... i dunno how a truss rod even works there(pic below). 

It would offer a lot of the same benefits as the reach for the lower strings would be lessened.   You'd get the extra help for chording lower... but even more help because the bass side would be higher. 

so benefits: interesting... might make chording/playing more ergonomic. 

downside: potential for uneven distribution of truss rod pressure, might make fretting and leveling complicated.

maybe just a dream... but I'm thinking pretty hard about doing this for my 5 string bass.

noice.  there are a couple of similar type spots near me where you can get tips and use industrial machinery... plus if you cut your hand off there will be someone right there to slap a bandaid on!!  awesome sauce!  

i somehow missed earlier post of bass with three fricking humbuckers?  "I like the cut of your jig sir".  that is going to have a LOT of options... v nice work.

so... was looking for fretboard maple... and I have some that will match this one... so revision 12321312355532.fgggabade.3329.  would love your thoughts.

went looking for a fretboard for my friend's tele... and just got this 12" wide flamed maple... wasn't sure how it would really look because it is so white... well, this is how it looks.  

39 minutes ago, ScottR said:

Yeah, I've always felt that way, too. When you've gone out of the way to make the components and materials high end, to go with the high end skills and craftsmanship being employed in the build, it makes little sense to cheap out on one part. Unless that one inexpensive part is exactly what you want and need. Then it's just a bargain.

SR

right on.  I might be able to give myself a pass on using the black wilkinson on my prototype... but then chrome looks really nice with turquoise too!  could go right back to gotoh!

34 minutes ago, Bizman62 said:

Ummm... what's wrong with Wilkinson? It can't be worse than this no-name: https://www.guitarfetish.com/Vintage-Style-bridge-3-Brass-Saddles-Black--Fits-Telereg_p_849.html

nothing wrong with wilkinson.  They are just the korea/china faction of gotoh (if I'm not mistaken).  The gotoh compensated saddles are better and gotoh in general is a hair nicer quality.  Also, perhaps it's just me, but when slapping together $1000+ in parts/materials for a guitar... putting wilkinson on it kind of seems a bit... well... out of place?

34 minutes ago, Andyjr1515 said:

You could always get a black one and fit brass saddles?

well, again the only black one gotoh makes is a modern version... (with no side walls) and I'm not sure that would look great.  I have found a wilkinson version in black... but we've already purchased a gold gotoh one so... and gold sd510 tuners.  Perhaps I'll do black for my prototype... just to be a jackwagon.

44 minutes ago, ScottR said:

Gotoh doesn't make a black one?

SR

well, they do it's just the 'modern'.  afa I could find they don't make a traditional tele bridge in black.  his initial request was that it be a very 'twangy' guitar... and with that in mind - you gotta have the brass barrel saddles!

37 minutes ago, Bizman62 said:

That mole won't get whacked, I suppose...

 

mmmmmmmm..... make some guacamole!

22 minutes ago, ScottR said:

I'd be tempted to go with black hardware with the turquoise. Black binding would look cool to.

SR

funny, originally he wanted black hardware... but the only black tele bridge we could find was wilkinson... perhaps maybe I should buy black for my prototype but then he'll likely want to steal it from me at the end!!

27 minutes ago, ScottR said:

Beauty marks.....

SR

i consider it the equivalent of cindy crawfords mole...