So I've pretty much finalised the design ...

[Patrick O)))]

Ta very much I personally love the colour, because I love natural guitars. The picture is simply representative of that, it's highly unlikely that any wood I can find for it will actually look like that

But besides, I'm asking about the change of headstock shape. I made my mind up with that design over a year ago (slow worker ftl)

[Sad But True]

If you're going to go for 6 a side tuners, then it's got to be something sleek looking to match the body, I'm thinking Ibanez-esque.

[Patrick O)))]

I've found myself leaning further towards a Dean v shape headstock myself. What do you think?

[Patrick O)))]

Fretboard blank arrived today Pao Ferro. Not Ebony, unfortunately, but it looks well nice

The minor tragedy is that it's almost the right kind of grain I want for the body, so if I can get what I want for the body veneer I'm going to ebonise the fretboard.

A boredom-picture of all the parts laid out in a guitar-shaped pile is incoming

[Patrick O)))]

Crappy phone pics ftl. Leeds College of Art & Design said they'll plane the body blank to thickness for me. Pa said when he gets paid he was going to drop a little cash my way, I've asked him to get me the essential hand-tools instead - spokeshaves, rasps, jack/shooting planes, clamps, rip/gentlemens/tenon saws

Specs:
fretboard - pao ferro
body - 1pc mahogany
neck - maple/paduak/wenge
body laminate - can't remember quarter-sawn, two back pieces from a classical guitar pack off've ebay

bridge - an old Kahler trem model. Doesn't float. I did want a floyd rose/floating trem, but having played with one I've decided, Hell, I don't need it. Whatever bends I want to do I can manage with my fingers, and I have no ambitions/desires divebombing wise
Pickups - bareknuckle warpigs

(not pictured)
tuners - 3x3 planet waves locking tuners in black (I've decided upon a Washburn/Dean headstock shape)
Nut blank
Gibson les-paul spec fret wire
18" truss rod, again, les paul style (neck dimensions are to be modeled on my lp, I find it ridiculously comfortable
Wiring - full setup from les paul inc pots, bought on ebay

EDIT: Forget that dean V headstock rubbish.

The headstock will be the shape from the first picture, regardless of tuner configuration

[Sad But True]

I still say a Dean V headstock would look crap. Ruins the sleek aesthetic imo. Like a miniature version of the body on the end of the neck. But whatever floats your boat. If the body veneer comes out that cool grey/brown shade like in the first post it'll look teh sex.

[purple_hazer]

how come the bridge isnt floating? its got the holes for a bar and shizz

[Patrick O)))]

I forget the term, it just bends one way (push the trem bar towards the strings) like a strat bridge.

SbT: I know what you mean it was the difficulty of finding tuners in a 4x2 configuration. I'm going to start the body over the summer and work on the neck design. Might get back in touch with stewmac and see if they'd do a single one of the tuners for the right hand side.

And that finish is what I'm after the colour of the veneer is pretty much as it looks in the pictures, just a little richer. I don't want to laquer it because then it'll be dark and rich, which isn't what I like about the colour of the wood. Atm I'm thinking a good french polish or varnish?

It'll still be another monthish before I can really start on it, but I can't wait till I do

[purple_hazer]

oh, when you get strings and tension on it itll level out and itll be full floating!

[Patrick O)))]

I suppose so.. not sure it'll be full floating in the same way a floyd rose is

WHat about inlays? D'you think I should bother just yet? Depending on the look of the thing I might ebonise the fretboard

[Chilifanthatsme]

Dean headstock? Achk no man.

Anything else, electronics wise? Killswitch? Coil tapping?

[Patrick O)))]

No, none of that fancy stuff yet! This is only my first build, and as much as killswitch would be REALLY REALL COOL!!! the wiring side of the project is where I'm weakest, which is why I got hold of a full wiring setup from an lp.

I've very little woodworking experience, but given enough time as long as I measure everything twice and work slowly then it's daunting, sure, but not outside my physical abilities

Wiring, though, I've never done any. I think I know soldering theory but diagrams and that, I've never even looked at them. But I'll cross that bridge when I come to it (and get help if I need it :S ). I want to keep that bridge as short as possible though

Besides, what I like about Warpigs is the fat brutal humbucker tone, and coiltapping that **** up would be like ................























.... stupid =/

This guitar's going to be about low of end and girth of tone solid mahogany body, set neck, br00tal humbuckers and surface mounted trem

[Patrick O)))]

In fact, I wonder if anyone could just quickly break down this schematic for me?

http://www.bareknucklepickups.co.uk/schematic.html

Like, what things are and which wire's (1) and (2)?

Thank you =]

[purple_hazer]

i think 1 is the hot wire from the pickup and 2 is the ground wire

[Patrick O)))]

But now I am!!

Change of plan though; this is now the guitar I want to finish up with, white and everything;



using the same parts minus the top. Basically a V with a lp scale-length and neck profile. Also, looking at my blanks and design, there's no reason why it shouldn't be neck-thru, plus it seems like the more straightforward route to go down.

I'm starting a new band atm too, so my objectives are to have this build finished and gigged with the new band within the year. PLeeeeeeeease pester me. I'm now out of uni with a steady job so the only delays should be a month at most waiting for pay day - any longer and I'm procrastinating.

No camera so I can't prove it, but I've been working on much more detailed sketches than previous, going to complete full-size body plans tomorrow, even relating it to the blanks (drawing out how and where to cut them and to what size).

I shall hopefully find a way of getting a picture of these plans up asap, if for nothing else than for my own d0cumentation



So in essence, it's a more simplified, standard, 'ready' design in that everything's been done before and it's not a 'new' guitar design, which, being my first build, is a good thing, and I've a definite objective. It's my 23rd birthday on friday, and it's going to be built, finished and gigged by my 24th.

Hope to be posting again very soon!