Build 2: 7 string bolt-on hardtail

[HaMMerHeD]

Greetings, SSO.

Sometime next week, I expect the first bits of wood and parts to arrive for my second build. It will be a little guitar this time. Specs follow:

7 strings
27.5" scale
Bolt-on neck
24 frets
48mm nut
63mm 24th fret
DiMarzio Crunch Lab 7 bridge pickup
DiMarzio Liquifire 7 neck pickup
Hipshot 7-string hardtail bridge
Gotoh Tuners (3+4 headstock configuration)
Passive Volume/Tone/Pickup Blend knob controls
Active EMG PA2 Boost control

Stainless steel frets
Ebony fingerboard
3-piece Purpleheart and Maple laminated neck
Figured Maple veneer headstock cap
7-piece Purpleheart, Figured Maple, Gaboon Ebony laminated body

The overall design:


The top wood:


The back wood:


Body mockup:


With any luck, I'll get started in a couple of weeks. I humbly welcome and beg for comments, criticisms, suggestions, and questions.

[eddiewarlock]

Purpleheart is pretty heavy. I would use just a cap...but it is your guitar.

I only use purpleheart for necks...

Regardless, it is a very nice design

[Andromalia]

I personally don't think those 2 colors marry well together. I like the design though.

[Grand Moff Tim]

Yeah, I think it looks a little off, too. It'd look great with walnut instead, IMO.

[Nile]

Purple heart binding on both sides would look killer IMHO.

[HaMMerHeD]

Thanks guys. The purpleheart in the body will only be about 3/4" thick, and the two maple pieces will be about 3/8" thick each, for a total maximum thickness of 1-1/2". The body will also be tapered out to about 1/2" thick at the edges, so weight shouldn't be a problem.

Also, I believe the grain in the maple is exaggerated so that it can be seen online. I should get it next monday, so I'll know for sure then.

[thatguy87]

Man I ilke it. Don't listen to those guys... it's your guitar. DO EET! Seriously though, I think it looks pretty sexy.

[HaMMerHeD]

Originally Posted by thatguy87

Man I ilke it. Don't listen to those guys... it's your guitar. DO EET! Seriously though, I think it looks pretty sexy.

It's actually not my guitar. The guy I am building it for specifically requested these woods, but I do like the looks of it.

[HaMMerHeD]

So I spent some time working on the body design. Something has felt off about it since I "finished" it, but I wasn't sure what. I decided that it was the symmetry below the waist that was wrong, since there was no symmetry anywhere else.

So I modified the design a bit...



The modified version is on the left, the original on the right.

The owner likes it, so we're going with that...on the left.

[EtherealEntity]

Big improvement, love it

[endo]

I think it's going to look great! The only thing that throws me off is the ebony in the body. I think it makes it too busy and would look more solid if it wasn't there. That's just my opinion though, I still think it's going to look awesome no matter what! Especially the redesign!

*edit* What program do you use to draw those guitar outlines? I'll tell ya, drawing it by hand, twice, is not as fun as it should be.

[iRaiseTheDead]

This is going to look really nice. Keep us updated!

[HaMMerHeD]

Originally Posted by endo

I think it's going to look great! The only thing that throws me off is the ebony in the body. I think it makes it too busy and would look more solid if it wasn't there. That's just my opinion though, I still think it's going to look awesome no matter what! Especially the redesign!

*edit* What program do you use to draw those guitar outlines? I'll tell ya, drawing it by hand, twice, is not as fun as it should be.

I used the eMachineShop software. It's great stuff, really easy to use, and it exports to DXF for other drafting programs like AutoCAD.

[endo]

Originally Posted by HaMMerHeD

I used the eMachineShop software. It's great stuff, really easy to use, and it exports to DXF for other drafting programs like AutoCAD.

Seriously. Thanks for that nugget man. I just about drew up a design in 5 minutes that took me 4 hours to come up with. You sir, get rep. I wish you no problems in your current build.

[vansinn]

I like the woods combination. How exactly it'll end up depends on the finishing.
Oil or lacuer?

[HaMMerHeD]

Originally Posted by endo

Seriously. Thanks for that nugget man. I just about drew up a design in 5 minutes that took me 4 hours to come up with. You sir, get rep. I wish you no problems in your current build.

It's pretty awesome software.

Here's a link for others who are interested: http://www.emachineshop.com/machine-...d/page100.html

Originally Posted by vansinn

I like the woods combination. How exactly it'll end up depends on the finishing.
Oil or lacuer?

Right now, I think I'm going to give it a polyester clear coat. Purpleheart turns brown over time if not protected from ultraviolet, and the polyester surfboard coating stuff I have has UV blockers in it.

[HaMMerHeD]

The top wood arrived today:



I think it's going to look really nice with the purpleheart core.

Photobucket is being a pain in the ass today.

[ElRay]

Nice start. Don't forget, when it's done, post in this thread: Guitars built by members of SS.org [Pic-heavy]

I also added the "member built" tag to the thread.

Ray

[HaMMerHeD]

I did the math, and it turns out I need to put a 28" radius on the body. I'm thinking of a jig like LedBelli's fingerboard radiusing jig.

[BlackMastodon]

Originally Posted by HaMMerHeD

I did the math, and it turns out I need to put a 28" radius on the body. I'm thinking of a jig like LedBelli's fingerboard radiusing jig.

Genius jig I must say.

[HaMMerHeD]

The purpleheart and maple for the neck and the purpleheart for the body will be here tomorrow. Exciting.

[HaMMerHeD]

OK, question for the hardware fanatics out there:

Hipshot 7-string or Gibraltar standard 7?



Dude says he wants the Gibraltar, but is it a decent bridge? It's standard equipment on late model RG7321s. It cost about 1/2 as much as the Hipshot.

The Gibraltar is also a top-loaded bridge, which is a lot more attractive to me for building than string-through.

[HaMMerHeD]

The purpleheart and maple just arrived:

[espman]

Originally Posted by HaMMerHeD

OK, question for the hardware fanatics out there:

Hipshot 7-string or Gibraltar standard 7?

Dude says he wants the Gibraltar, but is it a decent bridge? It's standard equipment on late model RG7321s. It cost about 1/2 as much as the Hipshot.

The Gibraltar is also a top-loaded bridge, which is a lot more attractive to me for building than string-through.

If you don't want piezos/string savers etc. Then I'd go with the Gibraltar, it's by far one of the nicest hardtail bridges I've played Also, the Gibraltar has the option of both top loading, and string-through so it'd be up to you which you whether or not to do the string-through as well.

[HaMMerHeD]

Originally Posted by espman

If you don't want piezos/string savers etc. Then I'd go with the Gibraltar, it's by far one of the nicest hardtail bridges I've played Also, the Gibraltar has the option of both top loading, and string-through so it'd be up to you which you whether or not to do the string-through as well.

I think I'm going with the Gibraltar. He likes the bridge and doesn't care about piezo or string saver saddles.



So, dude wants a 12th fret inlay. I suggested the Omega symbol, and here's what I came up with as a photoshop mockup:



The gap between the lower edge of the 11th fret and the upper edge of the 12th fret (if LMI's product specs are to be believed) is 0.739". The inlay is 0.6" wide and 0.615" tall. I'm pretty happy with the design.

Now to learn how to inlay..