MCH

A quick update on this build. I spent quite few hours trying to make pickup rings that satisfied me. The problem I was having is that the pickups I'm using; GFS Lil Killers are designed for Strats with the pickup guard plates. I think I've finally solved the problem. Once I get the pickup cavities routed out I'll post some update pics. I'm getting anxious to finish this build.

Thinking of a lapsteel as a next project. LOL. It never seems to end.

The actual woodworking is my weakest point of a build so I ask this for knowledge, not to critique. Why would you use that Purpleheart layer (piece)? It sounds like you are using it to couple the sound from the body to the neck and/or vice versa. I know in metalurgy, dissimilar metals touching is not a preferred situation. Wouldn't you want the same, or at least more similar, wood together. I may simply be unware of the properties of the woods used and you do have very similar woods together. Purpleheart seems to me to be used predominatly for asthetics over sound characteristics. Enlighten me please.

Peace...Rog

I'm not an expert by any means. Maple is a hardwood which is considered to have a bright tone. Purpleheart is also hardwood with very similar brightness tone as maple. My Godin Exit22 is a solid body mahogany guitar with a maple/rosewood neck. Godin guitars are quite highly rated. I think there are a lot of builds that have different combination of woods; that don't suffer in tone. Personally I think most tone in electric guitars come from the pickups and amps coupled with the style of playing. I've heard mentioned quite often that tone is in the fingers and the soul. JMHO.

I was wondering. On a lap steel slide guitar neck are frets used? Is it easier to play with the frets for positioning? Are frets utilized in any way?

Looks good - I've actually been wondering about that design. You mentioned having drawn it out "freehand"? Do you have any sense of how yours compares in dimensions to the Zachary body?

Also, what sort of bolts did you use for the neck? Are they going into inserts or just wood?

Regards,

Rob

I don't know how the dimensions compare to Zachary's build. But I can say the size I came up with, is very comfortable and balances well. I'm a couch potatoe guitarist; I usually sit and play. This shape nestles very nicely in my lap with a good neck angle. I have a Godin Exit22 that is not nearly as comfortable playing sitting as is this guitar shape.

The bolts I use are what I call cabinet bolts. I build furniture as a hobby also and am familiar with their use. These bolts utilize a bolt with a nice wide head (more area for pressure) and a barrel nut that is embedded by drilling an access channel in the side of the neck for the barrel nut. The entry hole is capped off with a wood plug. I think this is a superior method for a very tight and strong coupling of the neck to the guitar body. The danger with threaded screws is possible splitting if the screw is over torqued (especially maple being a hardwood) and also the screw hole can be become stripped if the neck is removed multiple time. Plus the screw will not have as much coupling pressure as the bolt system will. I've used this system in my Mockingbird build and like it very much.

I hope this helped.

A Zachary design. I just look at the guitars and draw out free hand what I see. So obviously this is not a direct replica of the Zach guitar.

There are various woods involved in this build, some may be considered not the usual choices.

The neck is maple/rosewood, 25 1/2' scale - 22 frets.

The body is basically three layer plys of different woods. The back is 3/4" laminated mahogany (ribbon grain). The middle ply consists of 3 1/4" (3/4" thickness) purpleheart in the centre (this my soundboard, the neck is attached to this) with 3/4" pine on the wings. The top ply is 1/2" oak laminated for width. This top layer also has the grain running diagonally, while the other 2 layer are vertically inline with the neck. The body is also some what chambered.

The stand is also one of the style of stands I make for my guitars.

http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/1857/guitarbuildz2nz3.jpg

http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/3563/guitarbuildz3lm3.jpg

http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/4304/guitarbuildz4li2.jpg

Will post more pics as the project progresses.

I think I may posted this in the wrong section. Should have been Work In Progress.

Keep updating this build. I'm think of building a lapsteel. I assume the neck positioning to the body can be different from a regular guitar.

Will be following this build.

Looking good! Nothing like grabbing the bull by the horns!

Isn't that what the truss rod is for? To change the bow in the neck.

Maybe I don't get what you're putting down.

I know from experience if you strap a person's head to a paint shaking machine, you can get them to say whatever you want.

:D Damn you! You made me spill my coffee.

I think the point Southpa is trying to make is why would you spend $2,000 on such a basic guitar, from some no name chump on the internet? The buyer could spend that money on a PRS, but I guess Zachary guitars are a lot better and cheaper than PRS. I dunno. If the guitar cost him 500 to build in materials, what justifies that extra 1,500 in his pocket? Labor? Yeah right, I wouldn't pay him +$40 an hour to build me a guitar that's for sure.

Although, I don't feel right speaking for Southpa, but this post is basically all my opinion.

Chris

Obviously you missed my point.

The beauty of the internet is the exchange of opinions with no impunity. In this case your opinion is taken but not valid as a rebuttal.

Million dollars for paint splashed on a canvas is not justified if measuring in materials and labour. The buyer justifies paying that for other reasons that is peculiar to his needs.

PRS selling guitars for $4000 or more is not because of materials and labour.

sigh. life goes on.

The designs are basic, the structure is basic. If you know your P's and Q's in basic woodworking, ie. tight glue joints and clean workmanship then they are fairly easy and inexpensive guitars to build. The headstocks are basic, no finagling around with scarf joints, headstock wings etc. No involved finishing with the exception of a little oil rubbed in. IMO, can't justify a base price of $2000 for such a basic guitar.

I don't think what you mentioned above is really valid criteria for justifying (or not justifying) price. I build furniture as a hobby. When I look online at some nice handbuilt pieces of furniture I see some pretty astronomical prices. The prices don't reflect the cost of materials or labour. But some people pay these high prices because it satisfies their need (whatever it may be; elitism, wanting something not regularly found etc.). Or look at some very exclusive cars that cost a million or more, the cost does not reflect the cost of materials or labour. But buyers are willing to go on waiting lists after they have been deemed worthy to own these elite cars.

Also IMO

This is one of the most interesting guitars I ever built and it is also one of the best.

The action is great, the tone is unbelievable, the neck is super fast, tuning stability is as good as it gets. In short, everything just worked out great on this guitar. This amazingly figured top is from Ikea Furnishings. I bought one of their unfinished end tables for $15 and I can get three guitar tops from it. What a shame that they would use such amazing "tone-wood" for their cheap furniture. Its a sacrilege.

I guess Zachary also attended the Rogets Thesaurus School of Advertising too!

His opinions are no better or worse than the opinions of others floating on the web. This is a big world with many thoughts and opinions.

I just wish everybody would agree with me. Life would be simple.

It's amazing how a simple thing as glue makes some responders become 'unglued'. The fear of lack of resonancy with glued wood causing poor tone, pales in comparison with all the other factors. Pickups, strings, electronics, amps, playing ability (I would wager EC could make the cheapiest store guitar sound great, I could make the most expensive setup sound bad LOL) etc. The most important factor of glue is that it effectively bonds the pieces of wood together. You don't want to be holding a bundle of wood if the glue fails.

I've started a second build. I'm using oak as a 1/2" cap. I build a lot of furniture and love the look of oak; very beautiful grain. I'll finish it with tung oil to preserve the look of the grain. Will post the results when done.

I'm not even sure if one could glue plywood side by side - I don't imagine it holding well due to the grain differences.

There is no difference glueing plywood side by side compared to solid wood with vertical grain.

At least in my many years of experience in woodworking. Types of glue and how it is glued will be a determining factor.

just my 2 cents

sorry somehow got double posting.

Very nice looking guitar! I love that shape. It's similar to the one I'm making now. I'm patterning mine after this Zachary guitar:

http://www.zacharyguitars.com/260501pics.htm

I hope mine turns out as beautiful as yours; at least half as good looking.

Great job!

I think you qualify as mastering the art of making designer sawdust.

cheers

Very beautiful looking guitar. Anything that looks that good has to sound good. I really like the natural finish with the beautiful lustre. Was it an oil finish you used? I've used Tung oil (which usually has a bit of poly in it) and it gives a nice lustre without any buildup.

great work!

I love making designer sawdust.

Don't worry about it. I was justing ribbing you about 'about looking good playing'. Like I said we all have our preferences. One preference is no better nor worse than another.

It's all cool. Keep on making designer sawdust.

+1. It just looks......bad. Like the only person I could ever see looking good playing a purpleheart guitar would be Prince. I just don't like the natural colouring for anything more than maybe 2 thin lams on a bass neck.

-1. I think we all have our preferences and there is a whole array of options to go around. I really enjoy the look of natural woods. But I'm sure I would want to play really good rather than, 'look good playing'. But unfortunately I can't play really good.

sigh

For my acoustic amp I wanted to able to use my 1x12 cab when I wanted a better sound than the 8" internal speaker of the acoustic amp. So I added a mono switch jack. When I plug my cab speaker into my acoustic amp, the internal speaker disengages and I only get sound from the cap speaker which is what I want. But as mentioned before it's a good idea have the same ohm rating or at least higher.

Purpleheart is very strong hard wood. Its hardness rating is higher than maple. Padauk is also harder than maple.

Maple = 1450

Padauk = 1725

Purpleheart = 2090

So you'll have no problems for strength. I love purpleheart and padauk. I use them in furniture building. I've used purpleheart in my Mocking Bird for accent. In my other build I'm using purpleheart for the centre piece (soundboard?) for the pickups and for the neck to bolt on.

I'm not a fan of mockingbirds, but that is one gorgeous instrument you have there! Is the tailpiece made of wood on Stop Tailpiece mounts? Amazing job, can't wait to see what you create next!

Thankyou for the compliment. The tail piece is my own design made of walnut. It's attached with cab bolts and threaded inserts. I suppose similar idea to the standard tailpiece but probably more secure because it is bolted and makes full contact with the body.

all your weight is at the neck end of the body...the reason guitars are always heavier further from the neck is to counter for the neck weight....

I don't see how the weight is at the neck. The neck is not heavy; at least not the ones I've dealt with. I'm sure even in this design the body is going to be much heavier than the neck. In order to have a heavy neck drop there would have to be an ample weight on the headstock; several pounds.

just my thought

Well I finally got all my parts and was able to finish my build. I have GFS pickups. The Vintage 59 is in the neck and the Fat PAF is in the bridge. I really like the sound of this combo. Now I only have to learn how to play properly. LOL.

I used Tung oil (which has some poly in it) and rubbed on about 4 coats. It gives the guitar a nice lustre without a heavy build up.

I've learnt a lot in this first build. Thankyou for all the help I got on this form.

http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/2123/mo...letefronyd9.jpg

http://img478.imageshack.us/img478/8792/mo...letebackrz1.jpg

Now I'm onto my next build.