mikevirok

I'll post pictures later this evening; the McCarty is $1300 (with hardshell case). The EG-SE has Fender noiseless pickups, $325 with gig-bag. Contact me if interested in either. No trades, I need actual funds.

Hey guys; I ended up not using the 2 sets of Planet Waves Auto-Trim tuners for my custom builds, so I'm selling them for some cash. 3x3 Chrome : $40.00 (2 sets available) I'll pay shipping via UPS to your location. PayPal preferred. E-mail me if interested. mikevirok(at)yahoo(dot)com

I used it on one of my builds... very nice appearance but very irritating to handle (dust is toxic apparently, so wear a mask).

Sure did answer my questions Matt. Thanks a bunch! I was indeed toying around with the idea of a neck-through design that would possibly utilize this spoke-wheel truss rod. Once I order a couple from StewMac I'll most likely make a bunch of test routes on some scrap and see how it fits into the cavity like you mentioned. As you said, I'm sure once I get one in hand it'll be a whole new (and easier to figure out) game. I'd still gladly accept any pics (if you find any) just as a pre-reference before I get my own project up and running. Take your time though, and it's no big deal if there are none. Thanks again!

Thanks Matt; I checked out the thread with your build and I am quite impressed with your ideas and design! I feel like there is someone else out there who loves natural woods in combination with original designs after seeing the new build. Was the truss rod's channel width the same for the entire length or did you have to appropriate with a wider route at the heel of the neck where the adjustment spoke begins to surface? I also agree with the cleanliness and the uniqueness of the spoke-wheel truss rod. It just seems to be much less of a pain to adjust when setting up the guitar, as well as sleeker in terms of the headstock. I had a hard time keeping my headstocks cleanly shaped (since I was not using a truss-rod cover on 3 of the builds due to scooped head stocks and some over-cuts while routing) using the 1/8" allen style rods. Could you take a few more pics (or if you already have them) and send 'em my way? I am curious as to the measurements and placement of the heel-area of the fretboard. Is there a sizable gap between the spoke-wheel and the edges of the fretboard cut-out? how about vertically? I know I'm bombarding you with questions, but I am really interested in finding out some answers from someone who was successful with using one.

On my last few builds, I used the StewMac HotRod 1/8" allen wrench truss rods which feature the head-stock located adjustment socket. I found it quite annoying on my builds to accommodate for the movement of the allen wrench in a tight spot on the headstock, so I started looking into the spoke-wheel truss rods like those used on the Peavey Wolfgangs and the now HP models. I really want to use the spoke-wheel design truss rods, but I was wondering if anyone here has used them on their builds yet. If there spoke-wheel truss rod builders out there on this forum, could you provide me with some photos of your finished builds?

What should one use to fill small cracks in spalted maple tops or holes in burl tops? I think I remember someone mentioning using epoxy or something along those sorts. What is the best thing to use to reduce unsightly appearances under a clear finish? Is there anything that would work well with an oil finish layering over it?

Nice job on a solidly built guitar! I for one like the KL headstock being used on more than the typical "explorer-style" guitars. I think it would also work well on a "V-styled" guitar body. Anyway, nice job! BTW: How does it sound clean???

I agree with woodenspoke (btw, I contacted you via eBay about the grizzly, small world huh?) about this leveling process. It sounds like a fret is higher on the tongue of the fretboard. You could try and re-dress just that fret if it's the only one buzzing or fretting the next note. That may help. Like others have already stated, there are so many variables that could be ailing your guitar that only a proper inspection would help. Just take your time with it and try the re-dress on the on fret first.

Thanks for all of the advice guys. It's really helping me figure this out (especially since I'm fresh into the guitar building/repairing world). I figured that $1000-$1250 would be alright for my currently completed instruments. When I build to a customer's specs in the future, I'm sure that price range would change. Once established, I do plan on giving up my day job and doing this full time (along with repairs to cover other aspects of my life). I'm still trying to figure everything out. Being that I live in an apartment here in New Jersey doesn't lend much of a favorable situation to build where I live. I need to find some workshop space and establish a building area so that I can work on marketable, custom builds for future patrons.

While getting certified "away from home", I built 4 guitars. Those are the instruments I am attempting to price. No I don't have a fully functioning workshop or powertools, but my goal is to sell a couple of my builds and use that money towards the larger tools needed to build more. I also do repairs and will funnel that income to more shop tools. As far as making a living off of being a luthier, I have my full time job for the living aspect. The guitars are my joy in life, and I want my art to be self sustaining. Money put into the guitars (once sold) will return and fund future builds. I'm not building and selling to buy a home or quit my job immediately. I'm building and selling to continue building more guitars without putting what I earn at my normal job into it.

Looks really nice man... keep it up!

Ok, so maybe I wasn't too clear to begin with. My concerns are based around an accurate pricing of a guitar for an interested party. After considering the price of the parts and the amount of time spent on a build, plus any special appointments that were included in the build, what should be a "base price" that one could start their pricing at? I know that many of you are going to chime in and comment on my post as "stupid" or "vague", but what I am trying to do is establish a reasonable system for pricing an instrument as a new "not-yet established" builder. No, I don't have enough experience in the building field to have an immediate sense of "this guitar is worth $2000" or "this one is worth $3000". Think of it from a painter or gallery artist's standpoint. What makes a painting worth $2000 vs one that is worth $3000 by the same artist (other than size of the canvass). So, is it outrageous to price a custom built guitar at $2000 if a builder is just beginning?

Ok, so what exactly is the general range for pricing a guitar these days?

Well, good luck with this one... that's really going to be a crazy build.

WHHHAAAAAAT??? Seriously, an 8-neck guitar??? At least that's what it looks like, and that is craaaaaaazzzzzy! It'd be nice to see it pulled off though. Good luck!!!

As far as which one "sounds best", I have been favoring the second one (2 P-90's & trem). Each of the guitars do have a very different tone. For the time being, all we had at the guitar workshop were little practice amps with really terrible Eq's and components. The real test will be after I return home and plug in to my rig and jam with my pals. Both the CMCg-II and the CMCg-IV have Gibson Vintage P-90's. So, yes both models have the same bridge pickups. I even used the same capacitor for the tone circuits. The potentiometers are the same as well (at least I think so, I'll have to double check that - although the values are each 500k audio tapers). The scale lengths on all of my models are 25.5 (just like a Fender), so that makes them similar in that respect as well. As far as tonality and differences in sound go I need to get these plugged into a better rig to better judge that. I'll post some type of clips as soon as I get them recorded.

Alright fellow forum members; here are the last few images from my stay at Atlanta Guitar Works. This is the fourth CMCg model that I produced while down here many miles away from home. I never touched a power tool in my life before coming to this facility, yet I was able to create (on my own) 4 high-end electric guitars each with the careful attention of a new yet well trained eye of a certified luthier. I am beginning my drive home tonight to reach New Jersey by Thursday evening. This has been the greatest accomplishment of my life so far and I cannot wait to begin building and repairing in my home state.

... well, that's why even though I graduated two days ago and everyone else has gone home, I am remaining a few extra days at the school to finish (literally) her up. The alder turned out to be a little risky just to oil since it's so soft, so I decided to lacquer finish her. I took this one out of the spray shack yesterday and it is nearing completion as I type this. I should be done with it tomorrow & I will post finished photos.

Well everyone; I am officially a certified luthier!!! I graduated on Saturday evening from Atlanta Guitar Works and I am excited to say that my finished products earned me the award for "Best Of Class"!!! These things are awesome, they play like a dream & are only the tips of the iceberg...

It's something called Canary Wood... really cool stuff to work with!

I'm building a guitar with a bloodwood fretboard right now... I'm finishing it up by Saturday...

Thanks for the compliments J. To answer some of your questions about the hardware: yes I am using Hipshot bridges. 2 of my models are using the Fulcrum-style Hipshot trems and 2 are using the hard-tail versions. I think the bridges are mainly made of hardened USA steel and not brass, but I'm not sure. The bushings for the trem-posts are hardened steel and so are the pivot points on the bridge itself. As far as the saddle lengths are concerned, the low E and the G strings have shorter saddles to help with spacing while setting up the guitars since they usually sit far back and sometimes run out of room after drastic intonation adjustments are made. I too have seen the photos and diagrams of the bridges (both trem and hard) that have square saddle-backs as well as the rounded-backs (like I have). I ordered the trem versions from AllParts, and the hard-tails came from Stewart-MacDonald. I was surprised to find that both orders from separate suppliers had the rounded saddles, so you should be in luck with the rounded saddles. The Hipshot bridges are very nice, and everyone who has seen them in my class has been quite impressed with their construction and appearance.

CMCg-I ... almost there.... tomorrow she gets the full fret-job and beginning stages of the oil treatment... Here is a morning shot of all the bodies for my other CMCg's (#'s III, II and IV from left to right) all of which began the process of finishing today... these are in their raw sanded states in this image. Above is CMCg-IV in the spray-shack. I decided to lacquer this one, unlike the others which will be oil finished, since alder is such a soft wood and I want a higher level of protection for it. Besides, I wanted a subtle burst from natural in the center to a slightly darker fade (ala vintage) along the edges... ... and there she is after the slight burst... I am very happy so far! I will add more tone to the edges in the morning (humidity permitting!). Above is the before image of CMCg-II. This one has another Canary-wood top like the semi-hollow pictured first in this post, but this model is a solid body with a pair of Gibson P-90's. The strips running through are birdseye maple and bloodwood. So, I rubbed some oil on aaaaand...... BAM!!! Look at her shine!!! I love the oiled finish so far!!! I did the same oil technique on the CMCg-III which is made of mahogany, wenge and ash...

I'm building my first custom guitar as you read this and I need some help in regards to string alignment above my pickups. On a standard humbucker (in my case a PRS McCarty) is it alright for the strings to align slightly to the right of each slug? The high E is almost completely aside from the matching slug.... how bad is this?