Prostheta

Hahahaha :-D

Well, I'm sorely tempted to finish it with Rustin's Plastic Coating although the size of the pores on the padauk are quite scary.

Oddly enough, we're dropping Domination into our December gigs :-D

Hahaha...I'm from a different school though really. I'm all for technicality in moderation but plain solidity and having a tight rhythm section is much more essential! My favourite example of a bassist on these lines has to be Nikki Sixx of course. Simple, thundering and just *there* on the dot, man.

Indeed I could, but I prefer to spend time crushing instead of noodling :-D I'm not a harp player like some ERBs!!

I'm really looking forward to completing this project. I'm still in two minds whether or not to carve the edges down within a few mm of the pinstripe, and leave faux binding and go for a dyed top or whether to finish 100% natural and Tru-oil everything. I'm highly tempted to dye the maple black or perhaps a deep black stripe under red.

Any feedback on how Tru-oil will work over dyed figures?

Slight update. I spent time tonight routing the pickup holes. I've decided to make it slightly different and install two differently sized pickups (EMG 45 and a 40) firstly as I already have one of them (45DC) and therefore it makes it more economically sensible at the moment. I was saving the 45DC for the eight-string but since I'm playing bass with Detonal State I can safely put guitars into secondary lines. I also routed the mounting hole for the tailpiece as this is sunken into the body, same as the mounting block for the bridge (genuine Warwick parts). A bit more contouring and carving was done on the bottom, but until I get the router table up and running I'm leaving this till the weekend I think.

Apologies for the crappy looking photos. The flash of the camera and the artificial lighting makes it look really really awful. In reality it's only finished to 80 grit with a bit of steel wool rubbing to remove dust.

Larger version of above

Yet another carve shot

Please link your pictures instead, as really you can only post one 640 x 480 max. picture per post. Just being the precursor to you getting a bollocking from a mod. Nice instrument! Bridge pickups a bit close to the strings though....!!

I dunno, maybe I'm superstitous, but I still like to wipe down more oily woods with acetone first. I've read the new MIMF FAQ so I get it, but still to my mind the crap that gets removed by the acetone can't be good for the bond. All the same, I also make sure the acetone has evaporated completely before applying the glue, as a solvent-wet joint also can't be good for bonding....which is why I use acetone instead of a less-volatile solvent like naptha or (m)ethanol. It is my impression that the problems arise from a joint that might still have wet solvent in it when the glue goes on.

BTW never use acetone without ventilation and/or a charcoal breathing mask (carcinogen).

Napthalene is a lighter hydrocarbon than acetone, surely?

You heard it. 86 Kramers and 80s BC Rich Gunslingers.

Glad I didn't buy that Gunslinger I wanted when I was 15 eh?

Do they? Oh, they must be drummers or autoharp players or something. You hold down the core of the band and nobody gives you credit. Typical.

I saw a dirty blonde in Electromusic and spotted several things I didn't like about it, but then again Warwick make AWESOME gear. Isn't the dirty blonde a bolt-on or something?

Oh yes: UPDATE!! Done a bit more carving on the sides of the body. Simple technique of running a big ol' chamfer bit in the router around the perimeter then using chisels and planes to create flat inclines up to the top carve "break point" where it becomes flat. Dirty method, but visceral and satisfying. As you can see, I've opened out the "side bits" a bit purely because the lack of the rounded edge as per the original makes them looks out of proportion. I just need to set up the router table before running the chamfer bit around the entirety of the guitar again. There was never enough flat surface area to work with reliably by hand routing so table it is!

Actually, I'm really enjoying posting up in progress pics that aren't perfect or clean. No camera opportunities here in rough work land :-D The nice pics start arriving when 80 grit paper comes into play!

Larger version of above

Another carve shot

Exactly the same way Travis - good example, and very close to home too :-D I actually picked up on the idea from Alembic, but hey - it seems the idea is fairly common!

It's semi-neck-thru in that the top covers everything, and the tenon is extended through the back.

Either that, or I could waste loads of that gorgeous maple for ya :-D

Yeah, it does become kind of boring when you see every other roadsign and residential tower block in Nottingham peppered with 'em.

Damn. I was considering this issue at work today and got back to post, and you guys had already said it all.

All I can do is give you my +2 now.

Well done man.

See you in five years when it's dried :-D

I've tried to understand this problem using physics. Basically, guess and make up a BS mathematical model to support it.

Perhaps you live on magnetic ley lines?

Anyway. I'm wondering whether it has anything to do with pickup placement....

UPDATE!! I glued the body up sometime last week and spent some time planing both faces flat yesterday. I traced the body and roughly cut it using the bandsaw, before moving onto my new more powerful variable speed router and using the ol' guided bearing bits. Pilot holes were drilled where the bridge and tailpiece will be seated because my pencil marks will be erased soon enough!

The carving is being done by hand of course. I'm dropping the raised edges in favour of a more streamlined look which I think will suit the flamed maple so much more. The horns are being carved down almost to the pinstripe to reduce their thickness and apparent bulk. The back will be a nice simple routered radius carve.

Body blank rough bandsawn

Rough outline and pop shot of the maple

Still in the rough stages of carve hence the uneven sides!

LARGER VERSION OF ABOVE

You would have to change from a toggle to a three/five-way which is a lot more hassle.

Not true...On my sustainer strat with modified wiring...I use a three way selector (gibson style) and have one of the pots as a volume control for the mid pickup...that way you can dial in as much or as little of this mid pickup to any selection that you like...

CooL! Is this basically the same cosmetically as an LP toggle? I wouldn't mind one of these myself...!

Principle of design is good although I take back what I said about it being worth anything as Daisy Rock are cack :-D

You would have to change from a toggle to a three/five-way which is a lot more hassle. You have whatever options you want but you need to tell us what you would want otherwise there's nothing to work with.

I think that the slope-off from the neck pup to the neck angle not being on there makes it look misleading to the eye, but that is genuinely awesome work. Perhaps the area near the traditional LP toggle could be lowered slightly but that's just personal opinion.

Well crafted dude!

Looks like the way the 70s T-Bird pups were made "sidewinders". They growl....

To answer your last question - strings, pickups, setup (frets, nut, pup height), physical materials of the guitar, lack of gain or compression in amplification, playing style etc. Not that I'm generalising there as that seems to cover "guitar and amp" :-D

I think we can rule out style as you say "it's the only guitar i've ever had it with" so I think we know you can pull them. Ergo I think we can also rule out amplification and effects as you can pull them on other guitars with your setup.

This leaves strings, pickups, setup, materials.

Please elaborate a little on:

- make and model of guitar

- build type (set, thru, bolt-on)

- pickups

- amp and effects

- strings

...and we'll try to pinpoint it a little further...

Do fretted notes sustain well? Do you have a high or a low setup? What bridge are you using (fixed, trem?).

Question - how does the guitar sustain *acoustically* without you plugging it in? Do open or fretted notes ring true or die prematurely? This would rule out an electrical problem.

A cool trick to help point this out further is to play your guitar halfway up your stairs and rest the back of the body between a riser and treader, as that physical coupling naturally amplifies the sound :-D I wouldn't dig it against uncarpeted stairs though....I'll post a pic shortly....

Holy hell man. That's awesome work :-D

You're going to love your spindle sander....that said, make sure it's well serviced as the part converting the reciprocating up/down action from the motor to the spindle froze on mine the other week, and I had to do a bit of greasing to get it working again. Not even six months old, and dust free inside!

To expand the compressed wood fibres underneath? I did that on some Koa I dented on a headplate and it works sweetly! COnsidering pushing out the dents on my natural mahogany Explorer that way.

Good call.

Would the wood around the dent push the finish away slightly or is this a non-issue on "non-dented" wood?