# Planning out my fanned 7 string, just some speculations so far.



## tuttermuts (Sep 14, 2009)

:hey you! yeah you, the next pages are more interesting:

Sorry no pics as of yet, just some specs so far.
I'm already starting this topic as to get some feedback and to have something of an ongoing thinking tank. (somehow keeping notes on paper, just doesn't work for me, always results in chaos ).

So the goal:
A fast guitar that's mainly pointed at leads/shred for the lead sounds. And a warm country twang for clean, that can be suited into fusion like settings (I'm thinking holdsworth).
All in all something that can approach my favorite sounds from my Parker deluxe. I know in order to sound like a Parker I gotta buy a Parker...but you catch drift right?

Construction wise we've been looking at all kinds of things to make it as light weight as possible, but I'm starting to think that without a special way to finish it lighter woods will damage easily.
So we're headed down a more classic route.

Laminated neck through. Mostly maple, I don't know what exact kind laminate the builder had in mind. But he did show me a pic and I was immediately like "OH YES!".
The neck is going to show in the front, you know racing stripe style.
The neck itself is going to be pretty thin. Ofcourse some carbon rods. 
Pau Ferro fretboard (anybody use(d) one here?), stainless steel frets (mediums).
And ofcourse fanned. How big of a fan, I don't know yet. The horizontal fret (whatsitcalledagain) I'm thinking about 7 till 9th fret. 

Mahogany wings (stil not sure) and a rosewood or burled maple top (not sure either).

Schaller locking tuners and those individual bridges. (I'd love a trem, but yeah...)

Pups:
I'm a guy who likes mids allot, so for bridge I'm preeeetty convinced about the Evo 7.
Neck still not decided. 
In the end I'd like em to be coil splitable to get a good funky/country/twangy sound.
Maybe a build in pre-amp or boost or whatever...

So there, this is pretty much the basics, I'll expand if wanted or as the guitar comes along (that might take a few weeks, he's finishing a bass at the moment).


----------



## matttttYCE (Sep 14, 2009)

Sounds like this will be one amazing guitar!

And as for the Pau Ferro board, I've never used one but I've always wanted to. Heard that they are basically like a great combination of the sounds of Ebony and Rosewood. I'd expect it to work pretty well in the guitar you've proposed..especially with a mostly maple neck through (you did mean it was going to be a neck through right?)


----------



## Apophis (Sep 14, 2009)

sounds interesting


----------



## hufschmid (Sep 14, 2009)

sounds interesting man, send us updates when available


----------



## caughtinamosh (Sep 14, 2009)

The horizontal fet: perpendicular 

This sounds like a good project.


----------



## ElRay (Sep 14, 2009)

Are you planning to keep the pick-ups straight? It looks like it because you're planning on standard pick-ups. Have you given any thoughts to angeling them?

Ray


----------



## tuttermuts (Sep 14, 2009)

Mat: Yes it's going to be neck through (the showing in front, I mean like the high end ibanez prestiges)
Apohpis: thx
Hufschmid: I can't wait 
Caughtinamosh: thx, I was thinking perpetrator first,...but that can't be right 
ElRay: I have thought about it. By keeping them straight next to a fanned (or lets say angled) bridge makes em sort of angled like Eddy Van Halen (and many others back in the day) used to do, to get more balance between bass and treble strings. Don't know if it works that way in this case though.


----------



## thinkpad20 (Sep 15, 2009)

Have you given any thought to fretboard radius? I'm wondering (and I've got a thread going on 7 string forums) about how you would radius with fanned frets... especially stainless steels (which I'm also planning to have) which are very difficult to shape. So, maybe just flat? But then it might cause problems for chording...


----------



## tuttermuts (Sep 15, 2009)

We're going to copy the radius of my Parker. The website says this : 
10"-13" conical form
But yeah, the stainless steel huh, that's going to be a though one. The builder seems determined about it though. On the other hand, if you take the outer frets, they're more diagonal. I'd think they would need less shaping, or less work to get in shape as the curve becomes more spread then? ...right? I don't know, haven't done a single fret myself so far, let alone stainless steel.
Maybe my topic should move to the seven section? I thought fanned counted as extended range.


----------



## thinkpad20 (Sep 15, 2009)

tuttermuts said:


> We're going to copy the radius of my Parker. The website says this :
> 10"-13" conical form
> But yeah, the stainless steel huh, that's going to be a though one. The builder seems determined about it though. On the other hand, if you take the outer frets, they're more diagonal. I'd think they would need less shaping, or less work to get in shape as the curve becomes more spread then? ...right? I don't know, haven't done a single fret myself so far, let alone stainless steel.



Yeah, the most extreme curvature would be where it's most perpendicular to the fretboard, so I guess it should be possible... just, difficult, but then again SS frets are always difficult to work with...



tuttermuts said:


> Maybe my topic should move to the seven section? I thought fanned counted as extended range.



Yeah I'm not sure... I figured mine wasn't extended range since I'm only planning on 24 frets, but who knows? I'm planning on tuning whole step down A-D, so...


----------



## walleye (Sep 20, 2009)

tuttermuts said:


> And ofcourse fanned. How big of a fan, I don't know yet. The horizontal fret (whatsitcalledagain) I'm thinking about 7 till 9th fret.



the perpendicular fret


----------



## tuttermuts (Sep 25, 2009)

Hey anybody tried out that black ice-alike diode mod on a seven string?
I'm looking for something extra to spice up the tonal options on this guitar.


----------



## tuttermuts (Sep 30, 2009)

couldn't resist I had to say it sometime 

Went on a road trip today to a place where they got all kinds of nice stuff. Not specifically for instruments, but still the finer and more exotic woods.

Before I go ramblin on I'll give you guys some pics:

these are the woods we chose in the middle (the black/white edge one at the top is not ours)






Come a little closer why don'tcha, the white ones are ofcourse maple (basis of the neck)






The pile with the paper on top is poplar for the wings.





Ebony for the fretboard, I was really set on pao ferro tone wise, but this piece was all YES the moment I dug it up. The pics don't show it but in person the waves are pretty wild. Especially when you consider theres going to be fanned frets on there.





I said come CLOSER!...sawwy 




Now this is an intresting piece of wood, it's pernambucco. I had no idea this is what they use for violin bows for example. Now the purple might come off, the scraped bit in the middle is what it will largely look like. It's really hard wood, we're going to use it as a top and back.

Wood on wheels









Not all woods in the pics are for my guitar btw.

Furthermore we did some measuring and pondering, our fan isn't going to be that big, something like 25,5 to 27,5. 8th fret perpendicular.

btw: yes my cam skills kinda suck when I don't take time, it's with a phone.


----------



## tuttermuts (Oct 5, 2009)

some more shots this time with the plans


----------



## Apophis (Oct 5, 2009)

design and wood looks nice so far


----------



## willybman (Oct 9, 2009)

looking really good!!!


----------



## phaeded0ut (Oct 9, 2009)

Really looks awesome, please keep up the updates.


----------



## thinkpad20 (Oct 10, 2009)

Noice! I like the headstock, unique and cool!


----------



## tuttermuts (Oct 26, 2009)




----------



## tuttermuts (Oct 27, 2009)

bumpy(already?...nah just beeing an attention whore )


















I had one of those crappy days today
and then you come home and find these pics online, whooooohoooow!


can't decide pups though, right now I think blaze bridge and air norton for the neck, anyone?


----------



## Erik Hauri (Oct 27, 2009)

Looks great so far - if that really is pernambuco for the top, you guys are EXTREMELY lucky to find such a wide piece. 

Are the neck lams tapered? This shot looks like they're not:







This shot looks like they are:








tuttermuts said:


> Hey anybody tried out that black ice-alike diode mod on a seven string?
> I'm looking for something extra to spice up the tonal options on this guitar.



Forget the black ice thing - utter  IMO.

Go with an EMG Afterburner, it works with either active or passive pickups - pull up to engage, roll up the gain, and its all over.


----------



## tuttermuts (Oct 28, 2009)

thx man, yes it's tampered, the first shot is just angled kinda weird.
We we're verry lucky indeed, it was this pile of dusty dark purple and orange. And I thought the purple would like kind of spacy, turns out that was just the outside. It's from a fine woods place. 

After reading up on the black ice, I pretty much decided the same thing (without hearing it, what a hypocrite ).
Currently I've got two plans, one is just a small vollume boost. (that could be the afterburner maybe). Two is to make a small preamp that acts like a drive pedal. 
But I'm leaning more towards just a vol boost. 
Because the thing with pedals and stuff like that...somehow they never satisfy me. Never really used one as a handy tool either. (I just had really sucky pedals so far prolly)
I'm still in the middle on that one.


----------



## Erik Hauri (Oct 28, 2009)

With pedals you pretty much get what you pay for - in 25 years of playing I've tried many, and Boss pedals always deliver. They are built rock-solid, and as long as you can try them out (at most guitar stores in the US at least) you should be able to find what you're looking for. The last pedal I bought was just last month, a Boss NS-2 noise supressor - for my rack!

But you also have to be willing to tweek your knobs and explore what they can do - half of being a good player is learning what it takes to dial in the tone you're looking for.


----------



## tuttermuts (Oct 29, 2009)

Man this guy is a genius!

the headstock gets angled in two directions.









the pernambucco is beeing prepared, tomorrow I'm going to check it out in person.
I'm starting to like the brown/orange sides better. Maybe I'll take one of the lighter ones on the back,...not sure.










Air norton goes in the neck, the bridge is left.


----------



## phaeded0ut (Oct 29, 2009)

Dude, that's looking very pretty! I'm not a fan of DiMarzio pickups in general, more of a fan of Seymour Duncans, Bartolini's and Q-Tuners. On the Q-Tuner end, you'd probably be happiest with a bookmatched set of Hi-Z for the neck and Super Hi-Z for the bridge pickup. Seymour Duncans SH-5 (7-string version Neck) and SH-6 (7-string version Bridge) might be similiar to the DiMarzios you've mentioned. I know that the Alan Holdsworth pickup by Seymour Duncan is not what he's using presently.

Hope this helps a little...

Whoops, looks like you've decided on the DiMarzios.


----------



## tuttermuts (Oct 29, 2009)

Thanks for the explanation anyway, maybe I could take a peek in other brands, however I love the sound of my parker, and those are dimarzio's (I know that's a pretty dumb thing to think I could duplicate the sound, but I might get close enough) had no idea Holdsworth had a sig pup.

edit: as to not overdo the double posting

Just came back from the shop, man I can hardly wait! the headstock is shaped, we picked out what pieces of the pernambucco we're going to use where, it's going to be jawdroppingly awesome I tell you! 
Also planned out the input jack, it's going to be like the ibanez angled jacks.
Right now I'm facing a few choises:
1 control layout
2 the bridge pup

I'm counting on the air norton (anti virus lawl,... mkay) for the twangy cleans and leads. So the bridge gets to be a little more "metal-ish" in the sence that it can do some tight rhythms. Not a one trick gain pony.

controls: a master vol, and a tone. But then the switching, I want to make use of the single coil splitting. And have the options making al kinds of combinations.
So either two small switches that split and a three way. (however I'd like to stay away from putting too much crap on there)

Or, a five way that goes:
1bridge hum
2 Bridge hum/ single
3 single/single
4 Neck hum single
5 neck hum

(is this possible at all? maybe stick to just singles in 2 and 4)

then I won't have two hums at the same time but is it worth it? I think not right now, usually I end up using, bridge, neck and singles anyway.
I don't really like five ways(visually, and feeling wise) but it does solve my issue in a compact way.
The boost I'm gonna pass on this one. I feel like keeping this one a bit natural.

This things coming together pretty fast!

























Hold it!


----------



## tuttermuts (Nov 2, 2009)

WHUAAAAA!!





(mind you the template is under there so it might look a little weird, at the upper horn for example)


----------



## Andrew_B (Nov 2, 2009)

that looks pretty sweet... 

how are the fretslots being cut? cnc?


----------



## Apophis (Nov 2, 2009)

really nice project, no doubts


----------



## guitarplayerone (Nov 2, 2009)

tuttermuts said:


> WHUAAAAA!!
> 
> 
> 
> ...



wow. beautiful


----------



## matttttYCE (Nov 2, 2009)

Apophis said:


> really nice project, no doubts



^What he said! Damn!


----------



## tuttermuts (Nov 3, 2009)

thx guys,I'm really falling in love with it myself.














Decided to go D sonic/air norton, with the possibility of future pickup swapping in mind.
Now all that's left to decide is the control layout.

Andrew B: I don't know, I'll let you know


----------



## tuttermuts (Nov 10, 2009)

the bridge pup will have to wait until the bridges arrive (that'll be a while)


----------



## Erik Hauri (Nov 10, 2009)

GOTCHA !!


----------



## CooleyJr (Nov 10, 2009)

Am I seeing things right or is the fan on this guitar \-| ???
If it is I really like that idea.
Seems like it would make chording on the lower frets a lot easier.
Also, to get the measurements for the fan, do you just get the fret measurements for the top/bottom scales and mark them off as is, then the end result will be a fan?


----------



## Andrew_B (Nov 10, 2009)

Erik Hauri said:


> GOTCHA !!


 

LOLLLLLL
your a funny one 



looking goooood


----------



## tuttermuts (Nov 10, 2009)

CooleyJr said:


> Am I seeing things right or is the fan on this guitar \-| ???
> If it is I really like that idea.
> Seems like it would make chording on the lower frets a lot easier.
> Also, to get the measurements for the fan, do you just get the fret measurements for the top/bottom scales and mark them off as is, then the end result will be a fan?



no both ends are slanted as in \ I /, but the 0 fret is not angled that much.
The measurements I don't know, I'm not building this myself. However I do think he kind of did it like that, we decided to have it 25,5 to 27 inch. So the rest is just in between. (I think)

Erik: LAWL!


----------



## tuttermuts (Nov 12, 2009)

the guy was even kind enough to switch out the knobs to make em same size with the D tuner one!


----------



## CooleyJr (Nov 12, 2009)

This is turning out SO badass dude! I wish I had the money for something like this.. only with an extra string


----------



## Jeroenofzo (Nov 17, 2009)

I'm following this thread on the dutch forum too, looks great alltogether dude!


----------



## Spratcho (Nov 17, 2009)

I'm smelling GOTM. Great job! I love that bodytop, and the headstock is to die for.


----------



## Hollowway (Nov 18, 2009)

So who IS the builder of this thing, anyway? They obviously have this down, and give great communication, are fast, etc. I need a name!


----------



## tuttermuts (Nov 18, 2009)

those nice comments make me all fuzzy inside

It's a builder who really knows his stuff, from what I know he did allot of studies. Personally he's more into, lets call it "less metal" stuff, I see him building allot of acoustics/classical stuff and he's also planning a fender jag kind of thing. But besides that, how many guitar builders can you talk to in that style, and they know exactly what a schredder/fushion/metal dude like myself likes? 
Here's his website, it's just a placeholder so far. (no guit pics yet)

stijnkenens.eu

(for those who don't read dutch, and that's allot of you I think , it's a short description of his studies and how he got to building guitars)
he's based in Antwerp Belgium btw.

Oh and guess what even more PICS! (jummie)










Right now we gotta wait for the frets and the bridges, it might take a while :/

edit: Jeroen, lol ik was de jouwe ook aan het volgen maar dan op gitaarnet  ziet er ook lekker uit!


----------



## tuttermuts (Nov 30, 2009)

I'm having trouble sleeping right now,...no kidding 






























I mean com-mon you guys! The painfull part right now is, the bridges are expected to arrive somewhere end december... that's just plain annoying man! (not the builders fault btw, some retailer that's stuborn on using the same delivery service for each country...ugh)


----------



## Empryrean (Nov 30, 2009)

Looks VERY nice


----------



## tuttermuts (Dec 12, 2009)

after a short touring intermission the guy's back and already at work
still waiting for those bridges 





the last fret wouldn't stay put because a little piece of wood broke off




The guy has quite an original source of brass material (we're gonna use it for the nut)





edit: just got back from the shop, man this thing is just gorgeous!
He got the neck spot on, the frets feel nice. Okay theres only so much you can tell from a neck without strings on it but still.
It's straight like a ruler btw. Weighs like a feather. He already cleared up the fix at the last fret, invisible.
We decided to order black bridges for now if we don't get anything, because the wait for the chrome ones is just ridiculous.

Oh also, I tried some faux chording or whatchawannacall it. I kind of worried I wouldn't be able to play my fav stretches on the low strings anymore. 
Wouldn't you know it, easy as pie (3,14).

Edit:
And the chrome ones are in! they'll be on the mail asap 
thiiiiiiiii fuzzy feely!

Edit ...AGAIN!:
The Chrome one have ALREADY arrived!

and here's some picture candy for your sweet tooth


----------



## tuttermuts (Dec 16, 2009)

Nonono this won't do!! This just begs a new post









Just when I'm having a test tomorrow and I need my sleep


----------



## Customisbetter (Dec 16, 2009)

GOTM fo sho. Excellent machine you got there.


----------



## metallidude3 (Dec 17, 2009)

damn that thing's beautiful!


----------



## splinter8451 (Dec 17, 2009)

Wow this is the first time I have checked this thread and damn. 

Totally awesome man I want more pics!


----------



## tuttermuts (Dec 27, 2009)

Ready for spraying, tomorrow a quick test with a six string set on there and then a-paintin-he-will-gooo a-paintin-he-will-gooo...





splinter: Yeah I imagine allot of people look over it, should have made a better thread title


----------



## tuttermuts (Dec 28, 2009)

First we tried it out with a six string set. I had a 11 set of dadarios lying around that wouldn't get used anywhere soon so it went up there. You'd think with the extra size and scale length the strings would be under heavy tension, making it hard to play. But actually it felt verry good! 
The neck remained as straight as a ruler. Adapting to the fanned frets is going to be pretty much a no brainer to me I think. Within a minute I was doing all my regular licks and chordings, without too much of a hassle. I really urge people to make the step, it's worth it!
And that from a guy who played around on a guitar a few minutes that was barely set up 









Heres the first two layers of spray, you can't see a whole lot on this pic. But the finish is going to be awesome. The pernambucco is coloured a whole lot darker now, but it still looks verry classy.





I just can't wait to take this thing onstage! (it'll be done just in time for one of the new band's first gig)






I mean seriously...you guys!









in case you haven't guessed this is without buffing


----------



## Dionysian (Jan 1, 2010)

holy hell .. this looks REALLY good! congratulations on that sir!


----------



## Andrew_B (Jan 1, 2010)

looks good man,

not sure about the way those pickups are placed though...


----------



## vansinn (Jan 3, 2010)

Andrew_B said:


> looks good man,
> 
> not sure about the way those pickups are placed though...



+1 on the pups. I vould've continued the fretboard to follow the last fret fan, and slanted both pups by taking them apart and move the mounting holes in the pup chassis to offset the two coils so they'd be inline with the strings.
That is, if possible.. some pups are assembled to allow this, some aren't..

Else it's looking really nice; love that neck and the heel design


----------



## tuttermuts (Jan 4, 2010)

Thx allot guys! I'm really falling in love with that heel as wel!!
We did look into the pups and did all kinds of considering.
First I wanted to have the bridge one straight, so it would be "slanted" compared to the bridge. This way the bass and treble strings would be more balanced. They used do it allot on six strings (Van Halen for example). However if he was to put it completly straight, the balancing might have been a little overcompensating. So we opted for just a little tilted.
The shadows in the pictures might be a bit misleading (always them shadows!)
The bass and treble string run just on the edge (on, not allong, as I recal) of the coils.
As far as I know this shouldn't affect tone at all.

The neckpup has a bit isseus with the spacing, somehow we ordered a neck pup and got one with universal spacing or something I don't know... But again some strings run on the edge of coils, not that big a deal if you ask me. 

Can't friggin wait to play it, hummunahummunahummunahoooooo!

edit: oh also now that I think of it (lol way after I should have) With the fanning the bass string should get more tension right? So this might actually also compensate for that.
Yes I like my treble strings to stand out just as mush 

edit again: mmmmmaaaybe I'll look into the coil offsetting, I know some guy who's electronic savvy, and I think we got a few milimeters going on the sides.


----------



## tuttermuts (Jan 15, 2010)

First pass at buffing




...no words man


----------



## FearFactoryDBCR (Jan 15, 2010)

Probably the cleanest and most sophisticated build i've seen yet. Keep it up man


----------



## tuttermuts (Jan 18, 2010)

We did some considering between the chrome and black knobs aaaaaaand....








chrome ones win!!









set of strings should arrive soon (ernies) 
And thursday the electronics wil be done. (not that it takes so long, it's just that day they will be worked on) And after that the guys from the guitar shop are gonna throw a little party, and rightly so I might add!


----------



## Janiator (Jan 19, 2010)

Looks amazing. But who did the knob placement? Looks like it's not ment for volume swelling


----------



## MF_Kitten (Jan 19, 2010)

OMG, why haven´t i seen this until now?  (i´ll be a bit embarassed if i find a comment from myself earlier in the thread!)

it looks awesome, man! classy as hell, and i love fanned frets! 

edit: the reason i haven't seen this until now is the damned title! "just some speculations" my ass! 

speculatin' so hard it virtually materializes, eh?


----------



## tuttermuts (Jan 20, 2010)

Lol I know right! why can't I change the friggin title? (you better believe theres a ngd topic going for this one as to get some fresh attention )

Janiator: I'm planning to do my volume swells with the back of my pinky, somehow doing it like most people never works for me. 

thx for the kind comments fellas


----------



## Daemon (Jan 20, 2010)

Waouw, we have to speak =) !
Seriously your work is amazing, I'm fan !


----------



## zacharjones4288 (Jan 20, 2010)

AMAZING!
What did you finish with?and buff with?


----------



## tuttermuts (Jan 21, 2010)

thx, I'm the owner to be of this guitar btw, someone else is building it.
He finished it with this one: hard hat by rustoleum.
I'm not entirely sure what he used for buffing.

btw: the finish is not sticky like some clears tend to have 






I tried her out last friday night, a 12 set with a 0.9 string on top (I usually go for 10) and the bridge wasn't set up yet (no slots for the strings, he might be doing that today I think)
it was at some party, and guess who didn't bother meeting anybody except the guitar, yeah that's right me 
It was through a little h&k combo so distortion wise it's hard to tell. But the cleans, THE CLEANS!!! good gravy...blimey...jumping janitors
I see myself using these split modes in the future, you know how with some guitars you just don't bother to flick or pull that switch live, because it's too much hassle for that little 8 measure bridge? I dunno if this guitar will be diffirent in that case, but the splits do sound verry noteworthy (hah get it ...ok) 

first post: country twang? CHECK!!!! (in all caps)

edit: she's gettin reaaaal close naw








action goes as low as 1 mm


----------



## george galatis (Feb 6, 2010)

com on dude put the strings 

next gotm +1


----------

