Scott French

I've wanted to build one of these for a while. I had a local (somewhat) customer contact me probably a year ago asking about one and just recently I heard back from him to get started. This should be an interesting project so I figured I'd actually start a post about it instead of just dropping it in the GOTM thread in a few months.

Its basically my standard SF3 shape, only a little smaller, about an inch narrower overall and an even slimmer "waist" for bow access. The fingerboard radius will be a compound 7.25"-4.531" (3.625" bridge radius for easy single/double string bowing). The woods are a strange combo for me but I really like them. Acoustic grade redwood (super tight rings) for the top, poplar main body, and spalt maple back with wenge lams separating it all. The neck will be maple with wenge lams and basically everything else will be ebony. Fretless fingerboard with maple fretlines and homemade wooden bridge (with metal saddles and locking posts from baby grand).

There's going to be a lot of carving through the back and top to really emphasize the wenge lams and contours.

Here's some pics:

I'm turning 26 in a few months...

Three nice ones this month indeed. I wasn't planning on entering this one, just stopped by to check out PG as I haven't been here in a while other than answering PMs. After seeing only two entries with a few minutes to go I had to make it a little more interesting. Thanks for everyone who's voted for mine so far. Good luck guys!

Happy Holidays!

Woah, where are all the entries this month? Isn't it over today?! WezV and Alan's entries are looking really nice, great finish work on both. Here's one more at the buzzer if there is still time. Another strange guitar from me.

SF3 Travel Body Style

Bolivian Rosewood Top over Butternut Body

Top & Back Roundover w/Comfort & Belly Carves

Gloss Polyester Body Finish

25.5" Scale Length

5 Piece Birdseye Maple/Wenge Neck

Acrylizied Birdseye Maple Fingerboard

2mm Abalone Side Dots

24 Super Jumbo Bell Brass Alloy Frets

High Gloss Polyester

Thick/Fat Neck Profile

2 Way Adjustable Truss Rod

1 5/8" Throat Width

Gold Hardware Finish

Nordstrand NDC Humbuckers

Birdseye Maple Pickup Covers

Bolivian Rosewood Pickup Rings

Elixir 11s

Schaller Locking Strap Buttons

Steinberger Gearless Tuners w/Wilkinson Roller Bridge

Volume with On/Off Switch for each Coil

More (larger) photos including the custom bag my friends at COCAINE MULE made for the guitar here:

http://www.scottfrench.com/?m=Gallery&...Travel%20Guitar

Plus haven't godin and gibson been doing that for 20 years?

Just a heads up to keep your eyes out for old thrift shop, flea market, and garage sale furniture. I've grabbed a few thrift shop tables and taken them apart to find some pretty nice wood.

Buckeye Burl:

http://www.scottfrench.com/?m=Gallery&...%20Burl%20Table

Redwood:

http://www.scottfrench.com/Gallery/In%20Pr...20Guitar/02.jpg

http://www.scottfrench.com/?m=Gallery&...Table%20Project

Looks like birch to me too. Not sure what kind though.

I was actaully thinking about the normal overpay scam, 419 was the wrong thing to say. Either way, same stuff. Fake money orders and all that. I accepted money orders for years and would ship as soon as I had one in my hand. Now I guess printing a fake one is not very hard so you have to wait for it to clear and its just a hassle compared to PayPal which is free for the buyer and instant.

I did a setup and new nut on the bass version of one of those. I didn't think it played or sustained any better than a normal bass but the electronics were pretty amazing. I saw the bass played at the Filmore in SF and even with a 4 string it had the ability to be almost sub-sonic. Feel the bass.

I say... bring in the waist (pinch?).

I like the quality of Gotoh's high end stuff, although I'm not sure I'd worry about that for a tele control plate unless the chroming is really bad on the cheap one.

I just got in a set of their 21 to 1 ratio delta locking tuners and they are super smooth. Very heavy though, I've been spoiled on light weight Sperzels.

Drak reminded me to mention Paypal buyers have first preference. Sorry guys, you can blame dead beat ebay bidders and 419 type scammers for my lack of interest in dealing with money orders.

...

Cool to see you here, Hambone. The new site looks cool. I'd never seen those refinish shots. Looking forward to seeing some new instruments from you.

I sold off a lot of stuff before I moved the shop. Now I've gone through everything and found a few more items I can live without. All of this stuff is new and never used.

Hipshot Chrome/Satin Trem w/tall and short blocks for standard or thin bodies: $80 Shipped

http://www.scottfrench.com/images/linked/s...ipshot_trem.jpg

Hipshot Chrome 6 String Bass Bridge Brass 18mm: $80 Shipped

http://www.scottfrench.com/images/linked/s...hot_6string.jpg

Seymour Duncan Livewire Metal and Classic Strat Neck Pickups LW-HMETS & LW-HS1N: $175 Shipped

http://www.scottfrench.com/images/linked/s...sd_livewire.jpg

Comes with battery clip.

The new custom guitars I've seen are made in the same shop as the Artist guitars. As far as I know none of the players are paid anything, but many get their guitars for free.

All the vintage/nitro/paint stuff is carried over from Kelly and Bill's history at the Gibson custom shop. I'm not really into the vintage vibe stuff but its working for those guys and they want to build instrument their players will be comfortable with. This is the same kind of stuff you hear from all the vintage instrument guys.

When I was there the copy carver was just being setup. I was the only one doing anything on a computer as far as design and that was just Illustrator lines, no CAD stuff.

Kelly Butler and First Act are great people to work with and for. If there was more room for me to stretch my legs creatively I probably wouldn't have left.

FYI: Black text on a black background will piss-off some search engines.

Congrats, Anthony!

My reason behind voting for Doeringer's entry is three fold. First (and most important) I've liked this guitar tfrom the start. Second, he bought some parts from me. Third, he's going to send me some beef jerky. AWESOME.

Love the color work and overall style.

The pickups and sperzels are sold! Don't make me take this stuff to ebay, PM an offer!

I've just decided to change directions with my basses so I don't need any of these parts anymore. I'm not a dealer for any of these items, I just want to get rid of them so I can buy some different hardware. All prices are shipped to the lower 48 states. I can accept Paypal.

Used

2 Warwick Style Bridges from Gibson Les Paul Bass (one missing base plate) - $30 both

Hipshot A 4 String Brass "Satin Gold" (only installed for a few days) - $75

Set of 2x2 Hipshot Ultra "Satin Gold" Tuners (only installed for a few days) - $75

Or both Gold bridge and Tuners - $130

If your going to buy one you're going to want the other, I don't think this is a standard Hipshot (or any other brand) gold finish.

New

18mm Hipshot A 6 String Brass Chrome - $90 (no screws, but I can search around more)

18mm Hipshot A 5 String Brass Black - $85 (no screws, but I can search around more)

Seymour Duncan ASB2-5s Pickup Set - $125

2 Sets of 2x2 Sperzel Satin Chrome Locking Tuners - $35 per set

PEACE

Sold!

If I knew stuff could sell so fast I would have posted the bass parts I am trying to get rid of here first. Anyone interested?

Maybe, but I'm willing to wait out the right package buyer in the US first.

SH-2 Jazz Model™ Neck

SH-5 Duncan Custom™ Bridge

Spezel Non-Locking Satin Black

Hipshot Hardtail Satin Black

Picture

I had planned a 7-string project but have since decided to go another way. I need to unload this stuff so I can buy some different hardware. Everything is new as I received them. Plastic still on the pickups (oem style with no mouting hardware or instruction). This should be all the 7-string specific hardware you need to get a project going. I'll even throw in a black corian nut blank on the house! $200 shipped to anywhere in the continental states.

Doeringer, I like the color on that guy, and the headstock, and the body. I'm not a big neckthru fan but I do have a soft spot for this type of instrument. Do you have any full on front shots of the entire guitar? Those seem to be the toughest shots to get right. With some decent lighting and messing around those closeup/body 3/4 shots are pretty easy to get right, but I still haven't figured out how to get a really nice full front shot. Yours is my favorite one so far for sure.