# Washburn WG-587 Rebuild



## Customisbetter (Dec 3, 2009)

Ok. I am making a pact...

I will not buy ANY more guitars until i do something with the multiple projects/parts i have laying around my house.

So lets start off! Up on the table first is my first sevenstring guitar which i played for about a week before ripping the neck to shreds...

here are some preliminary pics...















Here is the plan...

I bought a few feet 6130 fretwire, a neck blank made of Peruvian Walnut and a few Bloodwood fingerboards. 

They should be here by next week. Until then, I'm going to strip the body of all parts and paint, then make a few modifications.

-Re-Route the neck pocket to allow a 0 degree angle neck.
-possibly route a binding channel all the way around the body
-plug the bridge and tailpiece holes

The final product will most likely be Orange in color, with a 27" scale walnut/bloodwood neck, Schaller Hardtail bridge, with a NON-reverse headstock design of my HM 6er...






Im excited.


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## Apophis (Dec 3, 2009)

sounds interesting  Good luck


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## MaKo´s Tethan (Dec 3, 2009)

sounds good, and complex, I been done things like that so, I like to see other projects. keep us posted!


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## 7deadlysins666 (Dec 3, 2009)

If you plan on using the TOM style bridge you will have to have neck angle.


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## Customisbetter (Dec 3, 2009)

^I don't plan on keeping the TOM, i should have been more specific...

im using THIS schaller bridge. lol


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## Arteriorrhexis (Dec 3, 2009)

Sounds awesome



Customisbetter said:


>



I love that headstock... Can't wait to see it finished!


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## hypermagic (Dec 3, 2009)

What's that naked S looking body?


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## Customisbetter (Dec 3, 2009)

^a cheap ass thing i got off ebay forever ago... its pretty junky but i think the wood is solid enough to further use for fun projects. Im thinking that is going to end up a as "straty" type guitar...

Or maybe ill reroute everything ad make it a 7 string.


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## Sebastian (Dec 4, 2009)

That'll be interesting !


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## Customisbetter (Dec 4, 2009)

I got some wood today. 










Hardware has been stripped...

and this will be my inspiration for the paintjob..













lol jk...


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## chips400 (Dec 6, 2009)

i cant say im a huge fan of the paint job but i think its cool
EDIT: I DIDNT SEE THE JK


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## MaKo´s Tethan (Dec 6, 2009)

haaaaaaaaaaaahahahaha evil is here!!!



> EDIT: I DIDNT SEE THE JK



is a Debries or Devris wathever it calls.
search the thread, and have fun.


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## Customisbetter (Dec 6, 2009)

sorry guys i had to do it. I imagine that i will paint this guitar a Orange type of color...

or maybe it will get a paintjob from Out of this Swirled...


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## vhmetalx (Dec 7, 2009)

Looks legit so far!
Why you choose the schaller bridge?


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## Customisbetter (Dec 7, 2009)

^Because its cheaper than the Hipshot.  I dunno, if this goes better than expected, i might drop the extra cash for the hipshot...

UPDATE

i checked the status of the stripper today....

Final result : MASSIVE FAILURE
the the laquer was more "matte" but other than that, the stripper did nothing...






so we move on to plan B: HEAT!!!
this seemed to work great. i have both the front and back removed fo the paint. Now i will have to start sanding the primer off...










^This is a LOT of primer...


Front...





Back...


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## XeoFLCL (Dec 7, 2009)

That primer is a bitch, be ready


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## Customisbetter (Dec 7, 2009)

alright this is where things get difficult (and ugly).

the paint came off super easy, but the primer is stuff like glue...

i have tried heat, sanding, and now i am using a 2 way electric sander and its taking Forever...


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## Sebastian (Dec 7, 2009)

Progress


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## SpaceDock (Dec 7, 2009)

Been there, lots of work, but worth it in the end.


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## Customisbetter (Dec 12, 2009)

alrighty the work continues. its about 20 degrees here. im pretty cold but working anyways...

i just finish sanding for an hour. I picked up some 60 grit sandpaper and rebuilt the electric sander with a few tweaks. working great for now...

her is all that i have left for the front face of the body...






MERGER

anways, the face is DONE! ll start on the back after my fingers thaw...











Note to self, stock neck joint SUCKS!!! Definitely NOT Huf approved.


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## Kapee (Dec 12, 2009)

Looks nice so far, Its allways nice to watch building picstories  Keep them coming


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## Customisbetter (Dec 12, 2009)

This just in... 

I just ordered a set of V77 and V87 pickups for 36 bucks.

Deal of the day?

pic...






The back is done and thats it for today folks!


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## Wi77iam (Dec 13, 2009)

I fucking hate sanding


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## missingastring (Dec 13, 2009)

I was thinking of refinishing my WG until I saw this thread. 

Can't wait to see how this project comes out.


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## Customisbetter (Dec 13, 2009)

TRUSS ROD TIEM!!!

first pass, half cut...






Full depth. this came out a LOT better than my last one... 











*detective voice* There was Walnut here...






Pile of Projects...


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## Empryrean (Dec 13, 2009)

What project is under that awesome piece of neck!?


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## Customisbetter (Dec 13, 2009)

6 string S body being converted to a 7 string S body. 

I bought that for 30 dollars or something and whatever shitty wood it is, its only two pieces. Im kinda surprised.


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## Empryrean (Dec 13, 2009)

May I also ask what sort of neck that is?


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## Customisbetter (Dec 13, 2009)

Customisbetter said:


> I bought a few feet 6130 fretwire, a neck blank made of Peruvian Walnut and a few Bloodwood fingerboards.


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## Empryrean (Dec 13, 2009)

Customisbetter said:


>



The one from LMI? Would that be wide enough for an 8 string neck?


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## Customisbetter (Dec 13, 2009)

yeah, well i already have an 8 string Neck on order...

but that is yet another project. 

also, i don't think the LMI ones are QUITE wide enough at the heel. mine measures 3 inches at the end...


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## Empryrean (Dec 13, 2009)

Customisbetter said:


> yeah, well i already have an 8 string Neck on order...
> 
> but that is yet another project.
> 
> also, i don't think the LMI ones are QUITE wide enough at the heel. mine measures 3 inches at the end...



You serious right now brah?


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## Customisbetter (Dec 13, 2009)

^Serious about what?

about the width of the blank? Its actually 3 1/16 inches...

about the neck? I bought this neck from Kurt for the outragous price of 50 dollars...


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## Empryrean (Dec 13, 2009)

The blank, it wont work for 8 strings?


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## Customisbetter (Dec 13, 2009)

You know, on second though, i think it will, but barely...

HOWEVER the fretboards from LMI are not wide enough unless you get a "Wide" type which i couldn't find on their website in stock...


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## Empryrean (Dec 13, 2009)

Customisbetter said:


> You know, on second though, i think it will, but barely...
> 
> HOWEVER the fretboards from LMI are not wide enough unless you get a "Wide" type which i couldn't find on their website in stock...



Darnit! how often do they get those?


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## Customisbetter (Dec 13, 2009)

I have no idea. 
I only looked twice and that was in a one week period. 

you can get 3 inch wide blanks at other places im sure...


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## Empryrean (Dec 13, 2009)

oh 
I've got a looong time before I embark on my build, so hopefully I'll find what I need by then


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## Rotatous (Dec 14, 2009)

Good job so far! I couldn't imagine sanding all of that primer off. 

Though your current project seems cool, I find myself more interested in that other s-shaped body. What are your plans for it? Have you made a thread about it?


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## Customisbetter (Dec 14, 2009)

^Not yet but i will soon. 

MERGER

I have decided to pull a Keith Merrow and paint a sillhouette on my guitar...

Keith's...






My plan...

this is "Cubone", a pokemon. 

The stock basecoat of orange plus a Black trace. There will be grey shadows and a white layer as well.






Approximate size in comparison to my strat body in the room...


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## Customisbetter (Dec 16, 2009)

Holy shit this thread has over a thousand views. 

Anyways, I got new pickups today! V77 and V87 

im surprised that these things have 4 wire leads. I guess i need to buy a 5 way switch.


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## leandroab (Dec 16, 2009)

I know these pickups were cheap as fuck, but they suck so much balls man... But I only realized how much they sucked when I swapped them for DiMarzios so.. 

Good Luck!


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## MaKo´s Tethan (Dec 16, 2009)

mmmm I have to emember that....Marowak??????

edit: damn, didnt see the last page, was cubone good job, keep us posted.


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## hypermagic (Dec 16, 2009)

Use the Intrepid neck on your S body (neck pocket allowing), that'd be tits! Thin and comfy 8


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## PirateMetalTroy (Dec 17, 2009)

Dude, go for marowak. That thing is >9000 times the awesome of cube, that or make that pic bigger.

EDIT: I tried to uber contrast a pic to look like keith's Vader. Didn't turn out the way i wanted, really.


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## Customisbetter (Dec 17, 2009)

Im definiely going to make the Cubone a bit bigger, i was kind of testing my Gif layering capabilities. 



leandroab said:


> I know these pickups were cheap as fuck, but they suck so much balls man... But I only realized how much they sucked when I swapped them for DiMarzios so..
> 
> Good Luck!



You are never going to believe this, but my ear for tone is so shitty that i can't tell the difference between my "Randall" pickups i got in my cheap washburn, and the 320 dollar set of Q tuners i replaced them with. 

So long as they produce sound, i think i can deal.


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## paintkilz (Dec 17, 2009)

did you get your stuff from LMI?

is the neck blank carved and going to be used on the washburn body? or do you have to shape the neck and its just a long thick chunk of wood


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## Customisbetter (Dec 17, 2009)

^The latter. and yes i did get the wood from LMIi...


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## Customisbetter (Jan 4, 2010)

Ordering a 7 string Gotoh bridge from Warmoth...






Should be here by next week. I need to find some tuners too.


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## 8string (Jan 5, 2010)

got a tip for removing paint fast.




I keep an old knife for the purpose. 

It's looking good so far


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## ryzorzen (Jan 5, 2010)

haha man, please do up that cubone, that would be so sick haha


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## leandroab (Jan 5, 2010)

Customisbetter said:


> So long as they produce sound, i think i can deal.


That's the ticket!


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## Customisbetter (Jan 17, 2010)

That is all.


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## MaKo´s Tethan (Jan 17, 2010)

yea!!!!!!!!!!!!!!+10000 for the RGD!!!


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## Customisbetter (Jan 17, 2010)

Rofl yeah.

So im going to call this an E Custom RGD 3127EX
Alder Body, Walnut Neck, Bloodwood fretboard
25.5" scale
100% Badass

What does the first number mean in ibby's naming convention?


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## MaKo´s Tethan (Jan 17, 2010)

is about the price/quality, 1000, 2000, 3000, is the levels on the prestige line.


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## Prydogga (Jan 17, 2010)

Don't forget 4000s.


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## Customisbetter (Jan 17, 2010)

oh ok then...

E Custom 9127EX 

Convex sides sanded...






Concave sides done...


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## Customisbetter (Feb 4, 2010)

TRUSS ROD IS HERE! I got the 14" hotrod from Stewmac. Should be installing this weekend. prepare for pics. 

EDIT

well i royally fucked myself. I ordered two truss rods that are too small.  I have no idea why i didn't check first, but i bought two 14" rods rather than the 18" ones that i routed for. 

guess i gotta send Stew mac an email...


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## Customisbetter (Feb 6, 2010)

TODAY IS CARVING DAY
















This post will be updated with more pics.


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## Kapee (Feb 7, 2010)

Nice to see some progress on this one!


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## Prydogga (Feb 9, 2010)




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## awesomeaustin (Feb 9, 2010)

looks awesome bro! youre making want to do this to my washburn body


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## Customisbetter (Feb 9, 2010)

FUCK YEAH IM A CONTRIBUTOR!

Thanks guys. Im going to sharpen my spokeshave blades (from India  ) tomorrow so i can finish the bevels.

the post holes have been plugged and have been drying over the past few days. ill show the before and after shots once i get those beasties planed and sanded flat. 

then i gotta make a huge order to warmoth. 7 string bridge and 80 dollars worth of schaller tuners for the 8 string. 

Sorry for the pic-less post. Ill make up for it tomorrow.


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## Customisbetter (Feb 9, 2010)

FUCK YEAH NEW BIGGER AVATAR!

also double post test..

EDIT

FUCK YEAH!

ok guys im done.


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## Metalus (Feb 9, 2010)

Looking forward to the end result


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## Customisbetter (Feb 9, 2010)

Sorry but a pic-less update is just unacceptable. here is the plugs as they sit now. They still need a bunch of filler so i will do that tomorrow.


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## paintkilz (Feb 9, 2010)

looks really good...like how your carving is coming along..


so youre building a whole new neck for this out of the walnut blank?


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## Customisbetter (Feb 9, 2010)

^Yuppers. Bloodwood fingerboard as well. Should be an interesting sound.


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## XeoFLCL (Feb 9, 2010)

My washburn is next. 

Now to wait for pics of it with a fixed bridge on


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## Customisbetter (Feb 13, 2010)

partied until 4 this morning. woke up at 2 to find this....






My truss rod is here! Lets build a neck shall we?


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## Customisbetter (Feb 13, 2010)

Here are the bridge plugs planed. still need some mad filler on these beasties...






rough headstock cut. I will be finishing this cut with a router table.






truss rod in slot. the nut stick out nicely like i hoped.

I am going to try something weird, if any pros think its stupid please tell me. 

I leaving about 1 mm of truss rod sticking up out of the slot. I plan of routing that additional 1 mm into the base of the fretboard. this i believe will help keep the truss rod in place. stupid or not?






Here is my ibanez profile neck template. I have the neck pocket rough cut and its fitting pretty nice...






This 1/4" piece of junk is holding the whole weight of the body. Pretty tight fit eh?






I am also moving the neck out a tad bit because.... i don't know, but im doing it.

here is the new bridge position marked out...


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## Customisbetter (Feb 13, 2010)

Times up...

Routed Fretboard. little chip there...






Its sets really well...






All together now...


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## anthonyferguson (Feb 13, 2010)

niiiiice! i really like bloodwood. i need to get some for my next build!


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## LLink2411 (Feb 13, 2010)

Customisbetter said:


>


Wow, those are some great bevels.


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## Customisbetter (Feb 13, 2010)

LETS GLUE THIS BITCH


ok maybe a little too much tape...






Oh thats MUCH better!






yeah spread it around... just like that... ooohh






CHOKE HOLD






I smell a new control cavity....






BITCHIN!


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## Empryrean (Feb 13, 2010)

ed, is there a slight carve in the fb so that the truss rod doesn't end up making it bend?

edit; nvm i feel dumb


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## Customisbetter (Feb 13, 2010)

i have no idea what you meant.


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## Empryrean (Feb 13, 2010)

Customisbetter said:


>


+


Customisbetter said:


>


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## Customisbetter (Feb 13, 2010)

Oh the Truss rod sets parallel to the neck, it only stick up a hair.


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## Empryrean (Feb 13, 2010)

Is there some super secret design advancement behind this or is it just awesome?


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## Customisbetter (Feb 13, 2010)

fuck if i know.


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## paintkilz (Feb 13, 2010)

ED! Looks great, this is turning out amazingly.



one question!


where did you get that ibanez profile template? 


i most definitely want one of these too..


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## Customisbetter (Feb 13, 2010)

I made it. 

i just googled the ibby dimensions and made a template based on the measurments.


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## paintkilz (Feb 15, 2010)

Customisbetter said:


> I made it.
> 
> i just googled the ibby dimensions and made a template based on the measurments.




is this a file you have saved on your pc and print?

would it be at all possible to get a copy or the file to print my own?

im working on building mdf templates for rg styled neck/body specs in 6/7/8 string fashions for a start. i can share whatever i know/what have with you as well.
on a side note-i got alot of progress done on my body, taxes filed so ill be getting my pups and bridge next week..alot of stuff to come soon.


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## Customisbetter (Feb 15, 2010)

Naw man just to the Ibanez site. They have all the neck dimensions for every model, minus the neck joint. I just did that by eye.

I made 4 points, width at the nut, and width at the 24th fret, and drew lines between all of them. BAM template.


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## paintkilz (Feb 15, 2010)

Customisbetter said:


> Naw man just to the Ibanez site. They have all the neck dimensions for every model, minus the neck joint. I just did that by eye.
> 
> I made 4 points, width at the nut, and width at the 24th fret, and drew lines between all of them. BAM template.



right, gotcha! ill probably end up doing the same thing. i do know the heel width for the 6-8 ibanez aanj and its the same for teh agiles coincidently.

so by me making templates for all this, ill be able to pull off 22228 replacement bodies hopefully. ill just need a donor for the edge8, or modify and edge3 template. im wanting to be able ot do this for people like myself who dont have alot of disposable income..i figure if my works good, i can do this as a service to SS.org. someone can send me money for wood or wood, and ill charge them like $30. but i wont be doing any painting. itll just be straight bodies.


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## Customisbetter (Feb 15, 2010)

Thats the entrepreneurial spirit!


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## Customisbetter (Mar 9, 2010)

TEASER


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## CrushingAnvil (Mar 10, 2010)

Takeuchi?


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## Sebastian (Mar 10, 2010)

Nice !


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## Customisbetter (Mar 17, 2010)

Might star working on the neck today... no guarantees tho.


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## Customisbetter (Mar 20, 2010)

This is an optical illusion. The template is actually larger than the original...






Grovahs


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## Customisbetter (Mar 20, 2010)

FUUUUUUCK i KNEW someone was gonna say that. :haha

also her are some Ash pieces for headstock enlargement.


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## Customisbetter (Mar 20, 2010)

prolly the last update for today...

Here are some Ash pieces for headstock enlargement.


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## Sebastian (Mar 20, 2010)

Nice update man ! but why isn't the headstock reversed ? besides the tuners heh...


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## MaKo´s Tethan (Mar 20, 2010)

I love this thread, and now you are at that point in which everyone think ¿wtf are you doing??? but YOU KNOW what are doing. Keep workin, this will be amazing.


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## Sebastian (Mar 20, 2010)

Customisbetter said:


> because reverse headstock are...


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## Customisbetter (Mar 20, 2010)

sorry man. if it makes you feel any better, my Agile has a RH


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## TomParenteau (Mar 21, 2010)

That Takeuchi looks good. I have no experience with those, and I wasn't able to find a 7-string one when I was shopping for my project guitar.


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## Customisbetter (Mar 21, 2010)

I bought it from warmoth for a 190 bucks.  i fell kinda bad for spending that much and im not even going to really use it.


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## Customisbetter (Mar 28, 2010)

a little more progress today. i finished the rough cuts of the bevels. they extend all the way to the points now. i also worked on flattening the side bevels...

















I also attempted to make a pickup template and Failed MISERABLY. if anybody knows someplace that sells 7 string humbucker templates, please hook a brotha up. 






really rough cut of headstock...


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## Customisbetter (Apr 16, 2010)

WEll..

i made a mistake. THe headstock template was adjust extremly incorrectly and now the string will be angled towards the tuners. 

ah well. i guess this is my "original: headstock idea.


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## Customisbetter (Apr 16, 2010)

measuring frets






Frets marked






i have bloody wood...






EEK






with nut






I routed the nut slot a 32" too deep and nicked the truss rod. oh well.


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## Customisbetter (Apr 20, 2010)

Cut up the neck today






Cut up the pickup routes today






cutting up the the headstock later today


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## Customisbetter (Apr 20, 2010)

cut up the headstock today


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## Customisbetter (Apr 21, 2010)

I have new schaller tuners on order. this is just a mockup with the old grovers.


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## Customisbetter (Apr 21, 2010)




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## paintkilz (Apr 21, 2010)

hell yes my friend. looking really good.


hows the 8 project going? im hitting a fucking wall on mine and its really unnerving..i think i just want to get new wood to redo the body than use somethign thats been altered 10x before it got here.

the neck pocket was fucked from teh get-go and now it just kinda makes everything crooked. and i definitely need a tight neck pocket. i wish my camera woudl work so i could show you atleast..the carves turned out great..alteast my next body would almost be perfect(almost, not gonna get cocky or jinx it.)


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## Customisbetter (Apr 21, 2010)

^The 8 will be getting some attention in a bit. I'm making some routing templates for the pickups hopefully.

im also ordering new tuners for this and the 8.


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## m4rK (May 29, 2010)

sooooo? any updates? I would love to reshape the body of my washburn like this!


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## shredfreak (Jun 1, 2010)

cool idea to reshape the body, think i'll go for an rga shape aswell if i mod my rg7 again


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## Kapee (Jun 2, 2010)

headstock and the new body shape came up really nice! Start's to look awesome!


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## Customisbetter (Jun 24, 2010)

i failed miserably on one fret. the saw i used was a tad thick. The fret tags still catch so it won't be an issue, however right now it looks pretty shitty.


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## Customisbetter (Jun 25, 2010)

And becasue i know you guys love wood hunting.. i found this place a few miles from me that i will be changing my mailing address too.


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## Customisbetter (Jul 2, 2010)

I bought a readius block and some 6000 fretwire. installing now...


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## Customisbetter (Jul 3, 2010)

finished routing the bridge today...


















And started the fret installation process. Also of note, i ran out of Fretwire. Not even close, im missing 4 frets.


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## Bungle (Jul 3, 2010)

Coming along very nicely dude! Once again, I'm left sitting here thinking "Should I carve up and respray that shitty old BC Rich I've got under the bed?"


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## Customisbetter (Jul 22, 2010)

Neck pocket has been rerouted. It fits nice and snug....

Also, all holes are filled with epoxy and will be leveled tomorrow.


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## Customisbetter (Jul 23, 2010)




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## OrsusMetal (Jul 23, 2010)

Customisbetter said:


>


 
Oh snap! That looks fantastic!


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## Sebastian (Jul 23, 2010)

Great work man !


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## Customisbetter (Jul 23, 2010)

I just want you guys to know that there are a LOT of imperfections in the finish, and there will be grooves and bumps.

I'm trying to minimize hem by lathering it in primer and sanding them out, but its going to take a while...

here is another shot with the olive test stick...


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## Sebastian (Jul 23, 2010)

White looks really cool


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## m4rK (Jul 25, 2010)

so cool, love how its taking shape. I've never liked the shape of my washburn all that much...


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## D0mn8r (Jul 25, 2010)

looking great!!!!!!


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## Customisbetter (Jul 27, 2010)




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## Empryrean (Jul 27, 2010)

Looking good ed boy!


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## XeoFLCL (Jul 27, 2010)

I'm guessing that you're going to install the floyd as a fixed bridge. Awesome idea 

How are you going to go about adjusting the action? Are you going to drill two mount holes in the bridge or just use the blade edges and pressure to do it? From the route I can tell you're going to use the block to keep it stable, so I'll assume the latter..


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## Customisbetter (Jul 28, 2010)

YEs i will be installing the trem post holes.


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## JohnIce (Jul 28, 2010)

I honestly preferred the finish when it was half-done, it had a kind of a rocky Caparison vibe to it... looks good either way though


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## Customisbetter (Oct 15, 2010)

Please note This is now deemed a "practice guitar". There were a LOT of mistakes, many of which I will be fixing periodically, but for now, it plays.  Also of note, this fucker is LOUD. As loud as my Nylon string in fact.


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## SirMyghin (Oct 15, 2010)

Not bad, curious as to why you bought a floated and didn't route for it to float though, love fine tuners something fierce?


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## Customisbetter (Oct 16, 2010)

^Yup yup. I don't really use trems much but I like the tuning stability of a locking setup.


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