# Custom Cilia Guitars Australia 7 String Build



## guitarnoize (Oct 15, 2012)

I am having my first seven string built by boutique Australian company Charles Cilia Guitars and just went to pick out the top for my guitar and wanted to share it with you guys. I will post the progress of this guitar throughout the build. The basic specs are 27" scale, Mahogany body, Maple top (see below), Wenge/Walnut 5 piece neck, Madagascar Rosewood fretboard with no inlays, matching Rosewood veneer on the headstock. Blower switch. Black hardware. OFR. And finally Seymour Duncan are sending me 7 string versions of their SH-16 for the bridge and a '59 for the neck humbucker.

Here is the top I chose, this has been sprayed with water to show the grain I think it's pretty amazing. A combination of Flame, Quilt and Burl in one!






I tried using an instagram filter to see what it would look like with a colour tint, I like it!


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## EarlWellington (Oct 15, 2012)

I've only just found out that we have some great luthiers in Australia... Charles' guitars look amazing! I was looking at getting one by ET but this has given me something to think about. If you don't mind answering, what sort of ballpark figure does he charge? His site appears to be under construction


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## guitarnoize (Oct 15, 2012)

EarlWellington said:


> I've only just found out that we have some great luthiers in Australia... Charles' guitars look amazing! I was looking at getting one by ET but this has given me something to think about. If you don't mind answering, what sort of ballpark figure does he charge? His site appears to be under construction



Charles is THE luthier in Australia IMHO, I have known him for a couple of years and played a lot of his guitars and they are world class. I would never consider selling my number 1 Suhr Modern unless I knew I was going to get something extra special. For a 7 you are looking at around 3k starting point, mine is looking more in the 4-5k range at the moment.

I played a Mayones 7, a J-Custom 7 and an off the shelf Schecter 7 just to see the difference between those and the Cilia, they all felt very heavy and very uncomfortable to me. I don't like wide fretboards that feel like a different instrument altogether and hate heavy guitars. The Cilia is light, feels like a 6 string and has loads of sustain. Played one of his custom 7's through an Uberschall for an hour and that was it I was sold.


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## mat2379 (Oct 23, 2012)

Def agree that Charles is THE Australian luthier. I just got my new 7 string off him a few weeks ago. I think you have played it the day before I picked it up  it's hands down the best guitar I own! I'll upload pics soon.


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## guitarnoize (Oct 23, 2012)

mat2379 said:


> Def agree that Charles is THE Australian luthier. I just got my new 7 string off him a few weeks ago. I think you have played it the day before I picked it up  it's hands down the best guitar I own! I'll upload pics soon.



The burl maple top with the Piezo 7? That was the guitar that made me decide to get one for myself. I saw that and the arch top he is building at various stages of the build over the last few months, amazing instruments! Can't wait to get mine


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## JP Universe (Oct 23, 2012)

Interested in this build  If it turns out nicely I may have to consider a build.... I really want a nice KOA top on a guitar


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## guitarnoize (Oct 23, 2012)

JP Universe said:


> Interested in this build  If it turns out nicely I may have to consider a build.... I really want a nice KOA top on a guitar



I was originally going to have a Koa top then Charles showed me Australian Blackwood which is a much cheaper alternative that looks very similar and apparently sounds the same. It was a toss up between that and the Maple top that I eventually chose.


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## mat2379 (Oct 27, 2012)

guitarnoize said:


> The burl maple top with the Piezo 7? That was the guitar that made me decide to get one for myself. I saw that and the arch top he is building at various stages of the build over the last few months, amazing instruments! Can't wait to get mine



Yep that's the one  i was going to get a quilt top but then i saw my friends guitar being made by charles and it had a burl top and then i knew i had to get one haha. Now time for the fret sense guitar.


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## guitarnoize (Oct 27, 2012)

mat2379 said:


> Yep that's the one  i was going to get a quilt top but then i saw my friends guitar being made by charles and it had a burl top and then i knew i had to get one haha. Now time for the fret sense guitar.



Yeah Burl's are amazing because they are so unique great choice on your top it looks awesome, the pic in his recent email newsletter looked killer! Played the Fret Sense again on Friday, such a cool instrument!


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## mat2379 (Nov 5, 2012)

Yeh it looked good in that newsletter. Oh sweet that fret sense is killer. Hopefully putting my deposit down for one this week. time to sell some gear


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## MaxAidingAres (Nov 7, 2012)

*doooooooooool


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## quoenusz (Nov 7, 2012)

Holy !#@$%!!! That looks good!


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## guitarnoize (Nov 13, 2012)

Just got a couple of new pics from Charles!

The glued up body (crazy figured Maple top on Mahogany body)






This is the neck I've decided to go with instead of the Wenge/Walnut neck, still going with Madagascar Rosewood fingerboard.


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## ROAR (Nov 18, 2012)

that wood looks unreal


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## RickSchneider (Nov 18, 2012)

Dude am i crazy or was this complete and did you have it at the Tosin clinic thisevening to get it signed? Haha I'm friends with Chris/Jamie and they pointed out a friend of theirs with a Cilia custom. Looked absolutely unreal!


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## guitarnoize (Nov 18, 2012)

RickSchneider said:


> Dude am i crazy or was this complete and did you have it at the Tosin clinic thisevening to get it signed? Haha I'm friends with Chris/Jamie and they pointed out a friend of theirs with a Cilia custom. Looked absolutely unreal!



Haha no that was Matt's guitar, mine will be based on that one but a few differences. That guitar was what made me order one though


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## trickae (Nov 21, 2012)

dammit i missed out on the clinic. Coulda gotten another guitar signed by him


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## skisgaar (Nov 21, 2012)

Dat flame. My god that looks tasty.


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## guitarnoize (Dec 4, 2012)

Here are the Seymour Duncan pickups that I'm putting in the guitar, an SH1n and a production floor custom SH-16:


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## guitarnoize (Jan 30, 2013)

Hi guys quick update, I have posted more progress shots over on my website, didn't think it was worth doubling up here so here is the link:

Charles Cilia Custom 7 String Build: Neck


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## leechmasterargentina (Jan 30, 2013)

Is that his real last name? Cilia?


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## guitarnoize (Jan 30, 2013)

leechmasterargentina said:


> Is that his real last name? Cilia?



Yes why?


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## AwDeOh (Jan 30, 2013)

Not sure if I missed you saying it already - what's the body shape going to be?


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## guitarnoize (Jan 30, 2013)

AwDeOh said:


> Not sure if I missed you saying it already - what's the body shape going to be?



It will be the same as Matt's http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/se...1-ngd-charles-cilia-7-string.html#post3253267


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## guitarnoize (Feb 13, 2013)

Here's a few more pics:

















it is looking bloody magnificent I can't wait to get my hands on this beauty!


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## BlackMastodon (Feb 14, 2013)

The figuring in that neck is crazy! Looks awesome!


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## RickSchneider (Feb 15, 2013)

That neck is just... Wow! I think you've confirmed how I want my headstock on my custom 7 soon! Cannot wait to see the completed project


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## guitarnoize (Mar 14, 2013)

I was over at Charles' workshop the other so I took a few more photos of my neck:


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## redstone (Mar 14, 2013)

Unreal maple neck!


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## guitarnoize (Mar 14, 2013)

redstone said:


> Unreal maple neck!



Thanks yeah it will look amazing once it is oiled


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## Suitable (Mar 14, 2013)

Bloody oath! That looks wicked! All of it!  What radius fretboard did you go?


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## guitarnoize (Mar 15, 2013)

Suitable said:


> Bloody oath! That looks wicked! All of it!  What radius fretboard did you go?



16"


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## guitarnoize (Apr 7, 2013)

I dropped into the workshop again on friday to check out my new guitar with the neck bolted on to test the neck carve etc. It looks incredible, the photos below were taken once the top was sprayed with water to show what the grain will look like once sprayed. The pickup selector cap is just one Pete threw on so that I could test the positioning, the final version will be a small strat style cap.


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## guitarnoize (Apr 18, 2013)

A few more pics of the build:
















Loads more pics here:
Charles Cilia Custom 7 String Build: Maple Top Bending & Shaping


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## Pikka Bird (Apr 18, 2013)

Aww yeah! And a nice and _tight_ Floyd rout, finally!


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## guitarnoize (Apr 18, 2013)

Pikka Bird said:


> Aww yeah! And a nice and _tight_ Floyd rout, finally!



Charles told me he was going to work some more on the Floyd rout as he said he could improve it even more, he is a perfectionist which is why I ordered the guitar!


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## Majkel (Apr 18, 2013)

Shit, Jon.. that is turning out entirely amazeballs.


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## guitarnoize (Apr 18, 2013)

Majkel said:


> Shit, Jon.. that is turning entirely out amazeballs.



It had better, I sacrificed my Favourite Suhr for it!


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## parksed24 (Apr 19, 2013)

That's freakin' beautiful


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## guitarnoize (May 28, 2013)

Yesterday I went to check out a paint sample for my 7 string build, below is the colour test which I was really happy with on my Burl offcut:






Once finished it will be similar to this Aurora that Charles is currently building:


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## Curt (May 28, 2013)

That color is absolutely perfect for that burl, man. 

Being that I am from the U.S., I have never heard of this guy. However, that looks amazing.


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## guitarnoize (May 28, 2013)

Curt said:


> That color is absolutely perfect for that burl, man.
> 
> Being that I am from the U.S., I have never heard of this guy. However, that looks amazing.



Yeah I think it's going to look fantastic. I think a couple of people in the US have one of his guitars but with shipping from Australia it probably works out expensive. He's got a good reputation here as one of the top builders.


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## Curt (May 28, 2013)

Just figured it up, At $5000 AUD, it would be in the upper range of 4 grand USD before shipping/etc..

Not terribly out of my price range even after shipping. But I am fixated on snagging a couple of Mayones Regius 7's,
So, I will be pretty much broke as far as gear funds go for a couple years.


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## guitarnoize (May 28, 2013)

The CGA7's start at $3500 I think, I just went all out managed to talk him into letting me have some private stock rosewood, also extra routing required with the Floyd etc. 

Fair enough though the recent Regius photos I've seen look really nice


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## guitarnoize (Jul 10, 2013)

The paint process finally started today on my CGA7, you can check out 4 different stages over at the Cilia Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/ciliaguitarsaustralia but here is where Charles is at so far:







O_O can't wait!


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## Carver (Jul 11, 2013)

dude there are some wicked cuts of wood in this thread, and they seem to be turning into some sort of guitar, too cool.. that neck.. the cross grain is so nice looking... and the top of this thing reminds me of birds eye on acid. 

very very nice, its also cool to see the other builds this guy is working on,.. is it all one builder?


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## Konfyouzd (Jul 11, 2013)

The flaming on that neck... DAMN


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## guitarnoize (Jul 11, 2013)

Carver said:


> dude there are some wicked cuts of wood in this thread, and they seem to be turning into some sort of guitar, too cool.. that neck.. the cross grain is so nice looking... and the top of this thing reminds me of birds eye on acid.
> 
> very very nice, its also cool to see the other builds this guy is working on,.. is it all one builder?



Yes it's all from Charles Cilia https://Facebook.com/ciliaguitarsaustralia they just posted a photo with the edge burst applied tonight too, looks sick


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## Carver (Jul 11, 2013)

thats awesome its all one dude... he sure is a skilled man! congrats on a wicked build!


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## Mattmc74 (Jul 11, 2013)

Looks awesome!!! Love the burl!


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## guitarnoize (Jul 11, 2013)

Carver said:


> thats awesome its all one dude... he sure is a skilled man! congrats on a wicked build!



He is indeed. He has a couple of guys working for him but he is the luthier and has 15 years experience running his company.


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## guitarnoize (Aug 16, 2013)

Polished and ready for final assembly!!


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## Pikka Bird (Aug 16, 2013)

Hoping he'll scrape that carbon paint off the top before assembly commences... Otherwise...


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## guitarnoize (Aug 16, 2013)

Pikka Bird said:


> Hoping he'll scrape that carbon paint off the top before assembly commences... Otherwise...



Haha yeah Charles is a perfectionist there won't be anything there that shouldn't be when it is finished


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## charlessalvacion (Aug 16, 2013)

similar to what I have in mind! Great build! congrats!


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