HuntinDoug

Looking good Matt!

Here is mine when it was brand spankin new. Now it's buries in wood chips.... I use it for just about everything.

Very cool Jon! Nothing like salvaging old wood that is slated for demo.

red mirror: http://members.aol.com/huntindoug/rosecross.jpg http://members.aol.com/huntindoug/bloodyfin.jpg http://members.aol.com/huntindoug/flameinlay.jpg http://members.aol.com/huntindoug/tribal.jpg http://members.aol.com/huntindoug/jinlay.jpg http://members.aol.com/huntindoug/jinlay1.jpg http://members.aol.com/huntindoug/jinlay2.jpg http://members.aol.com/huntindoug/skull3.jpg http://members.aol.com/huntindoug/skull2.jpg http://members.aol.com/huntindoug/sample1.jpg http://members.aol.com/huntindoug/sample2.jpg http://members.aol.com/huntindoug/bulletts2.jpg http://members.aol.com/huntindoug/acorn1.jpg http://members.aol.com/huntindoug/klingon.jpg http://members.aol.com/huntindoug/eye2.jpg

Cool project I could very easily cut the body & headstock out of mirror plexi for you on the laser. Let me know when you get to that point....

I normally use silicone to attach mirror pieces. I have a few customers that I rout out their bodies, and supply the mirror tops ready to install for, and they do the rest. One customer uses a hot glue gun. On the first job he learned the hard way to apply the hot melt glue to the wood first, and not the mirror. Actually, the mirror manufacturer recommends using only certain mastic adhesive. They claim that over time, any other adhesives will eat into the mirror and become visible. Here is an example of a top I used silicone on:

Jon, I got the two Padauk top in yesterday...Very nice! One of them will be a bass top. The other I plan on re-sawing into a couple fretboards, and the large offcut will be re-sawn and planed down for a bookmatched laser cut flame inlay on an alder guitar body...should be cool. Thanks again Sir!

If you are interested in a full size plexi template, email me... huntindoug@aol.com . With your DXF, or EPS file I can pop you out a laser cut template without a problem.

Come on Man...Let it go! You pop in with nothing but negative things to say: "round off the points or it will kill your leg", "direct mounting is only for looks...nothing else", & "furthermore...blaaa..blaaa.bla". This isnt a contest to see who is right. You build your way, and I guess the rest of us will build "wrong".

Ok... You have your "electra-magna-theories", and I have mine. Along with every other luthier or serious guitar player. EVH says: "tone isnt in the guitar, it's in the fingers"...That may, or may not be true. What isnt mentioned here is the rig, and/or patch it's being played through. You may not see any difference in a clean amp setting, or a direct recording, but when I have a rig set up with a warm overdrive, I definately see a difference. The difference is really noticeable when you are trying for a mild controllable feedback. I see no reason to argue about opinions Mine certainly isnt going to change.

It may not effect the tone...but it definately effects the sustain. Every direct mount I have played has had notably better sustain anyway. Personally, I like the look of a pup with a ring around it. Direct mounts without a pup ring look unfinished to me. Just my 2 cents. I have a dozen or so 2 color "intertwined" 12th fret inlays that I have drawn up. A few are pinstriping designs. Whenever I decide to take time to update my sorry website, I will have a few of the designs available as pre-cut inlays. I'm working on making .125" plexi routing templates available with each design as well. Here is a pic of the bridge & tailpiece in place. I have the inserts for the tailpiece set in, but not the ones for the bridge.

Here is a closeup of the recessed bridge, and the inlay for the walnut build. I forgot to mention that I used the laser to cut a plexi template for both the bridge & tailpiece. I drew up the shape in a CAD program, then cut it out so there is a .040" gap on all sides when the tailpiece sets in the recess. The inlay is in 2 colors of pearlessence. It's an "intertwined" design I've had for a while now.

Thanks guys This has been a fun build so far. It's hard to come up with a shape that hasnt been done before. I drew this one up in CAD from scratch. I posted pics on another non build forum, and got slammed for copying an Abstract Guitars design. The only similarity is the violin cutouts. I just go with what I feel... This one isnt to bad to play sitting down. I'm gonna stick with 1 hum. I have the pup rout a little narrow, so the "ears" of the pup actually rest on the sides of the rout. It gives the pup a similar response as a direct mount. The recessed tailpiece was an afterthought that worked out well. When seated, the recess keeps it from sliding out. One other thing I did was I added a piece of .125" thick ebony on the bottom of the fretboard to raise the action. Coupled with the recessed bridge & tailpiece, it should have a cool feel. Carl, did you get the package yet? Your gonna really like the "extras"! Post a pic of the violin build you have going. Here is the next one on the bench. The top will be carved very similar to the violin build. I think I'm going with a floyded 2 hum layout, & gold hardware. The fretboard is indian rosewood.

Email sent

That slotting jig looks like it has the same kind of moveable pin system as the jig I made out of Corian.

Top carved to about 90%: other angle: http://members.aol.com/huntindoug/s.jpg

Inlay closeup pic: other pics: http://members.aol.com/huntindoug/m.jpg http://members.aol.com/huntindoug/n.jpg http://members.aol.com/huntindoug/p.jpg http://members.aol.com/huntindoug/t.jpg

I've been wanting to post build pics here for a while now, but I've been really busy here lately with inlay stuff. I have some cool custom stuff that may (or may not) hang at the summer NAMM show….the jury is still out on that. I have a few other guitar related “irons in the fire” as well. I thought I would document a set neck build. This is a custom piece “keeper”, so I may change things along the way. Here is what I have going: 1 piece Mahogany body w/ carved top Figured Maple / Purple Heart / Sapele Mahogany set neck w/ Voloute Macassar Ebony FB with Oak leaf & Acorn inlay at the 12th (12” rad) 25.5” scale w 27 frets (#149 fret wire) Gold hardware TOM Bridge w/Quick change tailpiece 1 11/16 brass nut & Gotoh Ibanez Artist style tuners Pup TBD Satin Tru-Oil finish The body shape is a design I drew up a while back based on an offset violin. I’ve seen other builders use a similar symmetric shape. This one has an extended upper horn that reaches to the 12th fret.The neck will be flat like an RG, but a fair amount thicker. With the 1 piece mahog body, and the combinations of neck wood, this thing should be a tone monster. At this point I’m well over half way done. Here are some pics: Basic shape & layout progress pics http://members.aol.com/huntindoug/a.jpg http://members.aol.com/huntindoug/b.jpg http://members.aol.com/huntindoug/c.jpg http://members.aol.com/huntindoug/d.jpg http://members.aol.com/huntindoug/e.jpg http://members.aol.com/huntindoug/f.jpg http://members.aol.com/huntindoug/g.jpg http://members.aol.com/huntindoug/h.jpg http://members.aol.com/huntindoug/i.jpg http://members.aol.com/huntindoug/j.jpg neck wood: http://members.aol.com/huntindoug/k.jpg

Very cool Idea! I've never seen a clear acoustic. I've got a vinyl cutter, and a laser engraver. I'm kind of a "plexi junkie". I do a lot of mirror tops in plexi. Have you thought about using a thicker sheet of clear, and shaping & polishing it in the high stress areas? A 1/2" thick piece would give you more area to glue the adjoining side pieces to, and more stability at the neck joint. Just a thought. I'm currently working on a deal with a company that produces 100% acrylic solid surface countertop material. The plan is to do a custom solid body build out of a 1/2" pigmented acrylic. It's mainly for advertising purposes. The main problem is the weight, it will have to be chambered..we'll see if it actually happens.

Here is my setup... Some may call it cheating I don't know what I'd do without my mill. It's very quick & accurate:

I played around with this a little, and I have a possible solution. Here is the result I got on my first attempt: Basically it's a scanned image of a fingerprint laser engraved in a piece of maple (about .030" deep). If I have some time, I may try to mix some red analine dye with epoxy, and fill it in.

Hmmmmn... Doing an inlay of a fingerprint is a cool idea. If you are looking to do a print life sized, you will loose a lot of the detail in the print. The best approach may be what Clif suggested: Dip your hand in some red, and grab the guitar. The problem is, it will look like a blood splatter paint theme with a hand print. If you are set on inlays, there are a few different red materials that you can use including bloodwood. You could even scan your own finger, and enlarge it to cover the entire guitar & neck, then paint what falls on the body, and inlay the neck. Mike Learn did a similar piece recently that turned out really nice. If this is your first full build, I would be careful not to try to do too much, and get in over your head. Did I see you post somewhere that you have limited time to finish this build?

I am working on a similar bench project. I have a small 12' x 15' enclosed area that will be a multi-purpose room. A friend of mine owns a countertop shop. He's building me a bar top that is 96" x 42". It will sit on a frame thats about 36" high. One end will be against a wall, the other end will have an overhang so you can sit on a stool at it like a table. It will be good for doing wiring & detail work. I'ts all about elbow room...nothing like being able to spread out your work.

I have cut abalam before with the laser with decent results. MOP is generally too thick & dense. Most of the time it burns. Although I do cut a lot of the thinner headstock MOP & abalone. Here is an example of something I did for the J/C custom shop: I do work for them on a regular basis. Oddly enough, they were the ones who turned me on to the pearlessence material. A lot of "purists" think that nobody uses the "toilet seat" material. Jackson uses it regularly on custom pieces that require color, or a large single piece inlay. They are also starting to use a good amount of wood fretboard inlay: (this one was not for Jackson) http://members.aol.com/huntindoug/flameinlay.jpg I have an upcoming bloodwood & purpleheart flame pattern fretboard inlay that should be cool.

Actually, it's called "Pearlessence". It comes in a wide range of colors, and it works & sands really well. The quality has come a long way in the past 10 years. It works well for large pieces like the tribal inlay. You would never find a piece of shell that big.