Luthier altert: building your own guitar

[brammy]

Didn't know that.... I'm just learning about woods and am going by what my class instructor and other people say - plus web sites like the one I showed.

A lot of the strength of a neck comes from how the grain is positioned. Laminated necks can greatly increase the strength and stability of a neck when the grains are aligned correctly.... thats why one of the many things to look for in a wood selection is how it was sawn.... plainawn vs quartersawn etc. etc.

[brammy]

Update.... I have a lot of the details worked out in CAD so thats the good news.

The bad news is that on Wed night I made two horrible wood cutting mistakes once of which is requiring me to go get another piece of ebony for the fretboard. UGH.

[8mileshigher]

Well, with ebony "scraps" you could always add the contrasting wood as wings, on the outside of your headstock....

[brammy]

Nice thought.... I just might do that.

[johnallg]

Nice, Kent. What is the thing with holes between the fretboard and keywinds?

[ken_j]

...The bad news is that on Wed night I made two horrible wood cutting mistakes once of which is requiring me to go get another piece of ebony for the fretboard. UGH.

Cut it twice and it's still too short?
Actually I feel you pain. I have done that in the past. As my father used to say "measure twice - cut once."

[brammy]

Actually the fatal cut(s) to the fretboard were even more stupid. I'm thinking now that I might be able to salvage whats left of the ebony and make the pickguard..... we'll see.

The higher octive strings START at the head of the guitar at a little piece of overpriced stamped brass called a "PlateMate"

They go over the 12-string bridge but before getting to the tailpiece they are routed to the back of the body over a carbon rod (which I got cheap on ebay.... the piece I got is part of some high tech hunting bow.)

The back of the guitar is routed out to contain a tuner for headless guitar which has been heavily modified.

Strings come from front to back and over the a roller (only one roller shown) to the tuner mechanism. Each of the 6 tuner knobs will pull out 3/4 inch to make it easier to grab.

[johnallg]

Aha! I didn't realize it was a 12 string.

[brammy]

Well, I somewhat wimped out today and decided to buy a pre-slotted, pre-radiused ebony fingerboard from StuMac like this:
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Bodies,_nec ... 3&xsr=1407

QUESTION: Whats up with this?------> "Gibson 24-3/4" Scale Fingerboard Gibson's standard 24-3/4" scale is a compensated length based on a true scale of about 24-9/16"

I'm not too worried, since I'll position the bridge after I have the neck in place so it'll be 2X the 12th fret distance whatever it is, but whats up with "compensated length" ?.... compensating for what? And if its 24-9/16" why do they call it 24-3/4" ? Inquiring minds would appreciate some insight if anyone knows what Gibson is up to.

[doctorwho]

Well, being that the project guitar is a semi-hollow body, this probably would not have worked: the interesting Hipshot bridge called the Baby Grand:

http://www.stewmac.com/shopby/product/5846

I bought one of these (chrome) for a project that never got done. It seems to be very sturdy, the string holes look large enough to handle doubling (like a trapeze tailpiece, two strings to a hole), and it would give a very clean look to a guitar (no holes though the body, etc.). Oh well, maybe some day ...

[ken_j]

...QUESTION: Whats up with this?------> "Gibson 24-3/4" Scale Fingerboard Gibson's standard 24-3/4" scale is a compensated length based on a true scale of about 24-9/16"

I'm not too worried, since I'll position the bridge after I have the neck in place so it'll be 2X the 12th fret distance whatever it is, but whats up with "compensated length" ?.... compensating for what? And if its 24-9/16" why do they call it 24-3/4" ? Inquiring minds would appreciate some insight if anyone knows what Gibson is up to.

It ends up 24-3/4" due to intonation (compensation).

[brammy]

It ends up 24-3/4" due to intonation (compensation)

huh? Can you explain further? If you have to adjust at the bridge to get to 24.75 , why dont they just make it a real 24.75 and then you'd have adjustment both ways.

[ken_j]

The high E string is probably at or litter longer than 24-9/16" measurement. The low E string is probably at or a litte longer than 24-3/4" measurement. The 24-3/4" is more of an average or what the longest length ends up being after intonation. Right or wrong technically that is how they do it.

Years ago Rick advertised the 4001 basses as having 33-1/2" scale. This was a compensayed measurement as the actual scale was 33-1/4". Today it is speced out at the 33-1/4" scale length.

[brammy]

Anyone have any groovy ideas for headstock lettering or artwork? I found some simple stick-on raised lettering that I could do...
maybe KBF or FLETCHER..... but something more artistic might be better.

[brammy]

I'm considering the TRIPLE-SHOT for the P-Rails
http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/n ... _duncan_9/
http://www.premierguitar.com/Video/2009 ... _Ring.aspx

anyone have experience with this new product?