# 7 string ibanez-like project



## SanekN (May 8, 2012)

Hello guys! I'm new here =) Just decided to show you my actual 7-string project for the guitarist of Weaksaw, french metal band. 

SO here we go! This will be ibanez/dinky inspired flattop solidbody, cuban mahogany for the body with flamed maple top and plain maple neck with ebony fingerboard. Also we have all black hardware : tonepros tom bridge, sperzels, some gotoh hardware, cts pot for just one volume etc...

patterns :




























my sketch for the final result :




Woods =)


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## SanekN (May 8, 2012)

First work day :

























Top carving :










Test for the tint :


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## SanekN (May 8, 2012)

Very important part for beer-belly =)













faor the hand too =)







neck pocket :
















neck...













some graphite :




Sorry for the long post and have a nice day!


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## sage (May 8, 2012)

very very nice


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## Thep (May 8, 2012)

Excellent work! 

Did you make those templates yourself?


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## GhostsofAcid (May 8, 2012)

Looks great!


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## SanekN (May 8, 2012)

Thanx to all! Templates - no i know some guys who make it with laser using the .dwg you send them, this set cost me 45 euros =)


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## eddiewarlock (May 8, 2012)

Love the look of the guitar. although, i looked at his pictures and he plays ESP Horizons...


Still, i like this model, did you come up with it or is it a copy of a guitar he plays?


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## SanekN (May 8, 2012)

Thank you! =) Actually he plays a cheap LTD SC207, I just brought my second handmade 6-string to him, he said that he loved the look of it and he wanna the same but 7 strings, ebony fretboard and black see-thru finish on the top... Esp horizon is the other guy's. Now he have ltd sc607...

This is my second one I made with my old jackson's neck, the sound is good... =) The shape is basicly jackson soloist/ran crusher's with some little changes


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## eddiewarlock (May 8, 2012)

well i really like your design


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## skeels (May 8, 2012)

Welcome aboard and yeah! Looks nice!
Keep the pics coming!


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## SanekN (May 8, 2012)

Thanx ppl! I will make some more this friday =)


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## Munch (May 8, 2012)

Wow, really good work! Also, I am extremely curious about the top. did you use heat to bend it to conform to the contours on the main body piece? I have wanted to curve thick pieces like that but wasn't sure what the best way to do it would be. It looks really awesome!


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## SanekN (May 8, 2012)

Thanx man, both tops are 7mm thick so it's still quite thin, I think you can make it with like 1cm thick tops but not shure about it, think it's possible! =) Firsly you must make it slowly like 3 steps of 15 minutes between each, on the both tops i bended i just put some hot water on it and heat with hair-dryer when bending, it comes on very nicely, but the body shape must be perfect for perfect feat (thanks cap!), the joins are not perfect everywhere, but acceptable, all is my fault - not enough of clamps, anyway you have this method too : 

Lepsky Guitars -

in this case joints will be just perfect =D


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## BlackMastodon (May 8, 2012)

Looking very clean so far, awesome work! I'm really liking that cut away on the lower horn for fret access. I also think that I would prefer to use your method of heat + water to bend the top rather than screwing it down like in that link you posted; seems much more safe to me, but then again I can't read Russian so I'm sure there is more to it than just that.


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## SanekN (May 8, 2012)

Thanx for your comment! The result is better in his way, but this is a professional and i'm just an amateur =) He put some water before binding the wood too


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## jarnozz (May 8, 2012)

great looking so far! keep it up


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## Munch (May 9, 2012)

Thanks for the info on bending, I would love to try that sometime!


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## spilla (May 9, 2012)

Very nice work, love the lower horn cutaways and the electronics cavity!


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## Pikka Bird (May 10, 2012)

Man, I would kill for something like this (no I wouldn't, but I _do_ like it a whole lot). Very inspirationally clean work.

What does it say under the tuners on the back of the neck?

Also, I love that screw-down bending method shown on that other forum. A little question- you say to put warm water on the top, but how warm, and do you just pour liberal amounts of it on the outside of the top, or what?


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## Munch (May 10, 2012)

Also on the top bending, do you get it all bent, let it dry, then take it off and apply glue? Or do you glue it while you're bending it? If it takes a while to bend, it seems like you would have to wait to apply glue.


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## SanekN (May 12, 2012)

Hello guys!

Pikka Bird : Thanx man! It says made in france by alexander combarelle =D It's just the hottest tap water, liberal amounts, yes, i cant tell you exactly how much, just enough to wet the wood

Munch : I bend it just for see if it can bends when the glue applied, so i make this, wait 1 day, the top takes the form (not firmly, but a half bended) and then i apply the glue etc =)

BUT! Some awful work i made here =/ It was the fretboard job, my first one by the way... My old chunky saw was incapable to going through the fretboard, at the same time ruining ebony around the slots, and also i had some fret slots not deep enough, so i had some frets just so much high compared to normals... A lot of leveling, the "high" frets a half ....ed up and here the result =/ Now all the frets are leveled, but i will try to fix the fretboard chips with some epoxy and the ebony dust. Damn it, i hope it will works!


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## DropSplash (May 12, 2012)

I really like the cut out on the lower horn.


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## SanekN (May 13, 2012)

Thanx man! some little reparations and works for today : some epoxy + ebony to the fretboard chips and unwanted holes, also i glued up the head maple and made a hole in it for the truss rod access =)











More bigger works on the neck tomorrow (hope i could make some shaping)


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## JamesM (May 13, 2012)

Nice!


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## SanekN (May 14, 2012)

so I could work just this morning... less wood for the neck, side dots, repared chips on the fretboard, everything is good, tomorrow I wanna finish the neck


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## BlackMastodon (May 15, 2012)

I was wondering at the first picture why you put fret dots on the bottom part of the fretboard and then I realized that I'm an idiot.  looking good though!


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## SanekN (May 15, 2012)

Ok, today's work, essentially on the neck, not finished yet but it's close =)


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## Munch (May 15, 2012)

Wow, awesome! I really love the volute and body contours, they're really nice.

Also, thanks for the info on bending the top again. I can't wait to try it out!


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## BlackMastodon (May 15, 2012)

That stomach contour looks really comfortable! And is that an epoxy syringe? If so I may want to go look for one, looks very useful.


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## VBCheeseGrater (May 15, 2012)

Nice looking axe so far!


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## SanekN (May 15, 2012)

Thanks very much people =) 

Munch : good luck for the top binding, you can do it! =)
BlackMastodon : yeah it's the epoxy bi-component, like araldite whatever, really usefull everywhere and rock solid too =) but it's not precise at all it's just two big holes, epoxy flow out on the whatever plane, you mix it with some stick and then you apply it =)


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## SanekN (May 17, 2012)

just some lil photos for fun, some sandpaper, scraper and rasp work (not finished yet, but almost...) you can see some waves and scratches on volute


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## jake7doyle (May 18, 2012)

great work, cant wait to see the final product


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## SanekN (May 25, 2012)

ok guys it's already finished! =)


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## Ghost40 (May 25, 2012)

Im loving this thing! Nice work


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## eddiewarlock (May 25, 2012)

wow! it looks INCREDIBLE!!!


damn...i am speechless...very tasteful design...7 strings, one humbucker. The only thing i'd had changed if it was for me would be neck binding, but it is looking very professional.


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## canuck brian (May 25, 2012)

I'm really digging your work dude. More. Now.


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## otisct20 (May 25, 2012)

That. Is. Sexy.


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## Munch (May 25, 2012)

Nice!


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## Levi79 (May 26, 2012)

Wow. Super awesome dude!


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## BlackMastodon (May 26, 2012)

Very nice now that it's all cleaned up! What kind of finish are you gonna put on it?


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## SanekN (May 26, 2012)

Hello guys! thanx for yours comments! I must wait 1 month now for finish the thig, cause of my least university's project, then I will be architect I hope lol I will put some water based black tint on the top for pop up waves (i will leave the natural binding on it, just love this thing! =D) and then bi-component polyurethane finish on it (sanding sealer and satin lacquer) no buffing, just 8000 final sanding and thats all =)

I just failed the neck pocket, not tight at all son of a bitch =( i think i will apply some invisible veneer into it for tighten the thing up and charge with lacquer =D

So... more photos soon =)


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## Barvar (May 26, 2012)

What's the scale length on this beast?


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## SanekN (May 26, 2012)

27 inches =)


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## BlackMastodon (May 26, 2012)

If all you want to do is make the grain of the top wood pop then maybe consider using an amber/golden yellow dye on the top? Try both methods out on some scrap and see which one gives you the results you are looking for. As for the neck pocket some kind of shim/veneer on the side with the gap should do the trick fine.

Good luck on your project!


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## SanekN (May 26, 2012)

Thanks for your advices man! But i have only the black stain, i just make il like this : much of black stain, sanding, black again, sanding, stain with some water, and thats all, made a scrap, worked very well =) Anyway, home sweet home, whole family! =D (and a little d-activator)











Damn, cant wait to finish it!


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## JaeSwift (May 26, 2012)

Really, really clean and nice work! Did you rasp/file the lower horn contour and belly cut or am I making the rasp marks up?


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## scherzo1928 (May 26, 2012)

Damn, I hadn't seen this thread till now. Oh well, at least I got to see it from start to finish in one day 

Really nice work man!


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## SanekN (May 27, 2012)

Thanks very much people! For the lower horn and belly cut, yeah, I use rasp and file, then flat scraper for finish the shape and then some 220 sandpaper for finish the all thing =)


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## Pikka Bird (May 27, 2012)

Like I said before, I am really into the look of this thing. Would you mind terribly if i based a build on this one some time in the future, with a few changes?


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## SanekN (May 27, 2012)

Man, i just glad you like it, just take the design if you want, i dont mind at all! if you want pdf or dwg give me a pm!


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## Mprinsje (May 27, 2012)

wow, this is soo cool! nice job man


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## iamrichlol (May 27, 2012)

That's a really nice looking guitar, dude.
Good job!


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## SanekN (May 27, 2012)

Thanx people! I just cant stop it! I have the last project presentation in my university in 20 days, so many documents to prepare, and guess what? I steal making the guitar!! ='D Damn it!.. SO, some little things, holes, graphite, nut slotting (with strings, yeah!..), 8000 frets polishing...


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## SanekN (May 27, 2012)

Plans changing, dudes! This will be natural, just some lacquer and thats all! =)


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## otisct20 (May 28, 2012)

I was hoping you'd keep this natural! This is some great work!


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## Levi79 (May 28, 2012)

Wow man. Coming along very clean and very fast. Loving the looks of this thing!


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## SanekN (May 29, 2012)

Thanx people! =)


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## Pikka Bird (May 29, 2012)

SanekN said:


> Man, i just glad you like it, just take the design if you want, i dont mind at all! if you want pdf or dwg give me a pm!



I don't think I need it to be that exact. There are just a lot of little details on this one that I'd like to borrow. But thanks anyways, that's really extremely nice of you.


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## SanekN (May 29, 2012)

Pikka Bird said:


> I don't think I need it to be that exact. There are just a lot of little details on this one that I'd like to borrow. But thanks anyways, that's really extremely nice of you.



No problem man!


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## SanekN (Jun 4, 2012)

some new photos, lacquer, assembling, but so much fretwork to make... Not finished yet. Sorry for shitty quality, it's the night here and my hands aren't stables enough =D


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## BlackMastodon (Jun 4, 2012)

Hmmm pics aren't working for me.


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## SanekN (Jun 4, 2012)

Check it now, i changed them =)


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## jeremyb (Jun 4, 2012)

Beautiful work man!


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## Sepultorture (Jun 4, 2012)

dude, that is some sick work, i would have def been all over this guitar with black stain back in the day when i had both an ESP and an Ibanez


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## SanekN (Jun 5, 2012)

thanx dudes! =) i just played the thing (not connected to the amplifier, just some simle accords). I have a feeling this will sound damn good. Some playing tame and the guitar have started to vibrate with notes, sweet, sustain increase and the acoustic volume too! Some hard playing for one month and this will be perfect. 
Finally it wasn't that bad for the frets, I have just two dead spots in the end of fingerboard...
Some shitty spots in the lacquer to repare too

Damn i freaking wanna to leave this axe to myself lol


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## tommychains (Jun 5, 2012)

That maple is absolutely delicious


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## DjentDjentlalala (Jun 5, 2012)

O.O


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## BlackMastodon (Jun 5, 2012)

Man that looks very good! The whole natural looks is fantastic on this.


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## Ruins (Jun 5, 2012)

absolutely awesome work! i dig the design and the simplicity.
i would love to hear some sound samples as soon as possible


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## SanekN (Jun 5, 2012)

Thanx people, samples not yet, some finishing come before


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## groverj3 (Jun 5, 2012)

This is turning out to be quite the awesome axe, man. One day I will attempt a build as ambitious as this. I absolutely love that lower horn scallop.


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## Joe Harvatt (Jun 7, 2012)

Incredible looking guitar, man. You have an eye for detail; I love that the control cavity is circular and the rounded asymmetric neck join.


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## JStraitiff (Jun 7, 2012)

Looks really good dude. Im planning on doing that exact same thing with the cut on the lower horn on the build im working on. Pretty much custom 24 inspired.


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## Yaris (Jun 7, 2012)

That looks freakin' amazing, dude. I'd pay a lot of money for that.


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## SanekN (Jun 10, 2012)

Thanx to you people! Maybe in near future I will make some of this for sale, not shure yet, but very probably!


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## SanekN (Jun 17, 2012)

Hello guys! I have a fu..ing problem - truss rod broken when I was setting up the axe... But stucked just in right position so... I dont know what to do now. Anyway, made some fret leveling, but not enough, it still have a little buzz on 16-19 frets.

Made a little video for test


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## Levi79 (Jun 17, 2012)

That's really unfortunate dude. Are you sure it's busted? How do you know? You might just have to really wrench it or turn it the other way and turn it back again. It's a good idea to test your truss rod before putting it in your neck. I didn't with my first build and now I'm sketched out about it  You can test it by putting the non adjustable end in a vice and turning the rod. If it works like it's supposed to then put it in! Definitely will be doing that on my next builds.


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## SanekN (Jun 17, 2012)

Yeah sure man =) The head of the truss rod just went away when I turned it... But it was really tight. BTW! I just gave this to the guy. He was very pleased with the sound of the thing. Some photos :


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## TankJon666 (Jun 17, 2012)

F*ck! Sucks about the truss rod. What are the chances of that happening! 

Still. That guitar looks amazing. Really, really fantastic job. That heel is something else!


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## TankJon666 (Jun 17, 2012)

Levi79 said:


> That's really unfortunate dude. Are you sure it's busted? How do you know? You might just have to really wrench it or turn it the other way and turn it back again. It's a good idea to test your truss rod before putting it in your neck. I didn't with my first build and now I'm sketched out about it  You can test it by putting the non adjustable end in a vice and turning the rod. If it works like it's supposed to then put it in! Definitely will be doing that on my next builds.



Haha same here! Didn't test my truss rod either ...getting a bit panicky after reading this. Fingers crossed for both of us!


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## SanekN (Jun 17, 2012)

Thanx dude, on the other hand, it's not so difficult to change the truss rod after all, but the customer will see later, for the moment it's perfect as is =)


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## Faine (Jun 19, 2012)

wow man, very impressive.


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## mwcarl (Jun 19, 2012)

Like the body shape and the finish looks good. Curious though whether there are any intonation problems with the bridge saddles the way they are.


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## eddiewarlock (Jun 19, 2012)

mwcarl said:


> Like the body shape and the finish looks good. Curious though whether there are any intonation problems with the bridge saddles the way they are.



+1 i was wondering the same...


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## SanekN (Jun 20, 2012)

yeah, not enough space for right intonation for 7th string, but everything else is ok... I will move new frets 3mm above the bridge this time. I've got the bridge placement from the stewmac site, but not enough for This gauge... Just enough for 9th or 10th, but 11-54-64 not enough =) I'm still an amateur after all...

I decided to make new fretboard with better fretting, better intonation and change the truss rod beacause the action on this guitar dramatically sucks!


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## eddiewarlock (Jun 20, 2012)

SanekN said:


> yeah, not enough space for right intonation for 7th string, but everything else is ok... I will move new frets 3mm above the bridge this time. I've got the bridge placement from the stewmac site, but not enough for This gauge... Just enough for 9th or 10th, but 11-54-64 not enough =) I'm still an amateur after all...
> 
> I decided to make new fretboard with better fretting, better intonation and change the truss rod beacause the action on this guitar dramatically sucks!



If you do that, try fixing the intonation problem moving the neck upwards.

Or build another neck and save this for another guitar...

You can also make a 25 " scale fretboard for it to have the intonation right


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## metalman_ltd (Jun 20, 2012)

Wow that looks amazing!


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## SanekN (Jun 20, 2012)

eddiewarlock said:


> If you do that, try fixing the intonation problem moving the neck upwards.
> 
> Or build another neck and save this for another guitar...
> 
> You can also make a 25 " scale fretboard for it to have the intonation right



I dont have money for make another neck unfortunately, nor tools, so i have to make just new fretboard, it's nice idea to make the scale a little bit smaller than 27 to reach good settings on the bridge... 25 seems too small for me, but something like 26,8 can be the way to go!

metalman_ltd : thanx man! =)


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## BlackMastodon (Jun 20, 2012)

My tech told me that if the bridge is just a bit too far back for proper intonation to just shim the neck forward a bit to get that extra little bit. Hopefully the new fretboard works out for you. Alas, the guitar was too good to be true.


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## eddiewarlock (Jun 20, 2012)

SanekN said:


> I dont have money for make another neck unfortunately, nor tools, so i have to make just new fretboard, it's nice idea to make the scale a little bit smaller than 27 to reach good settings on the bridge... 25 seems too small for me, but something like 26,8 can be the way to go!
> 
> metalman_ltd : thanx man! =)




Oh i thought it was a 25 1/2" scale model. Yup, make it a bit shorter, maybe 26,8 or 26.5" and you'll be able to intonate it properly.

I have made that mistake before, and it is very unpleasant. In fact, i have thos PRS guitar i made with birds inlays and all and i can´t intonate it because i used stew mac bridge locator.

If i use a 24 3/4" fretboard it might be good.


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## SanekN (Jun 20, 2012)

damn that stewmac informations! =/


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## eddiewarlock (Jun 20, 2012)

the way i position the bridge is like this.

Measure the fretboard from the nut to the 12th fret, i take that measure, from the 12th fret to the body. I trace a line at that point, then, place the bridge, with all the saddles towards the neck and then i use the Caparison method if i am going to down tune. Move the bridge 3 mm towards the butt end of the guitar. If it's a tune o matic, besides doing that you gotta tilt the bass string parts 2 mm further to the butt end of the guitar.


Hope it is clear and easy to understand.


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## x360rampagex (Jun 22, 2012)

That is so sexy. Very beautifully crafted.


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## Munch (Jun 22, 2012)

Really awesome! I am stoked to see this.


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## SanekN (Jun 22, 2012)

eddiewarlock said:


> the way i position the bridge is like this.
> 
> Measure the fretboard from the nut to the 12th fret, i take that measure, from the 12th fret to the body. I trace a line at that point, then, place the bridge, with all the saddles towards the neck and then i use the Caparison method if i am going to down tune. Move the bridge 3 mm towards the butt end of the guitar. If it's a tune o matic, besides doing that you gotta tilt the bass string parts 2 mm further to the butt end of the guitar.
> 
> ...



Thanx man I will follow your tips next time I make another 7 string! =)


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## SanekN (Jun 22, 2012)

Thanx people for your kind comments!


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## jake7doyle (Jun 22, 2012)

congrats man, very impressive work. been interesting to see this one develop


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## SanekN (Aug 17, 2012)

HELLO AGAIN, dudes! =D I just changed the truss and the fingerboard! Action lowered, new high frets, 26,8 inches worked, the thing intonate perfectly... Aannd, I just gave it 25 frets this time (more space with 26,8). Sound didn't changed, just cleaner with new fretwork =)


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## skeels (Aug 17, 2012)

Not only an awesome and informative build but great troubleshooting tips too!

You, sir, are a scholar and a gentleman.




And an architect too, right?


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## SanekN (Aug 17, 2012)

Thanx for the kind words, dude =) 

Yeah, I'm architect now, but haven't fint any job yet... =)


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## Vicious7 (Aug 18, 2012)

Beautiful work man!! Digging the neck joint, cutaway and bevels.


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## SanekN (Aug 18, 2012)

Thanx good sir! =)


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## SanekN (Sep 8, 2012)

Hey dudes! Check this out, just little soundcheck video before the concert, the amp is EVH 5150. Thats the first time I hear my baby growling with the true amp, fucking nice lol =) Cheers!


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## SanekN (Oct 9, 2012)

Hello again mates! For people who wanted some "real mixed" sound samples here you go :

MODERNPUNK_4 by Leosendra/musicmaker on SoundCloud - Create, record and share your sounds for free

everything that is punk-named is made with this axe, this is not metal-metal but you can hear how the thing sounds in hi-gain mode anyways!

Have a nice day!


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## iRaiseTheDead (Oct 10, 2012)

Looks very good dude!


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## luthierjules (Oct 12, 2012)

Ça a d'la classe! (this is slick, dude!)


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## SanekN (Oct 13, 2012)

Thnx dudes! =) Here another little soundclip :

SHITTYCOREMETAL by Leosendra/musicmaker on SoundCloud - Create, record and share your sounds for free


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## OfArtAndArsenal (Oct 16, 2012)

Wait, so what happened to the intonation?
27" didn't work? Just want to understand the issue because I'm planning a 27" build.


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## SanekN (Oct 16, 2012)

Yeah, just not enough of lenght... I needed 6-8mm more scale to make it perfect on 27 fretboard basis. So i made another fretboard with 26,8 inch scale, so this time it was perfectly intonated with studs in the center of TOM. Just make sure if you make 27" fretboard to add some extra to the scale, especially with big ass sized strings like 11-52 + 64 I used in this build...


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## OfArtAndArsenal (Oct 16, 2012)

I see. Wow you used 11's on a 27" scale? What are you (or the new owner) tuning to?


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## SanekN (Oct 16, 2012)

Yeah this dude is a little crazy about string tesion lol =D The tuning is drop A#


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## OfArtAndArsenal (Oct 16, 2012)

Yeah no kidding. Well we're all a little different, aren't we?
So was the issue with scale caused by the string gauge you think?


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## OfArtAndArsenal (Oct 16, 2012)

I just realized you used a TOM bridge. I wonder if that had something to do with it.


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## SanekN (Oct 17, 2012)

No it's not about the TOM bridge, it' sabout the gauge (thickier gauge you have, further you make the bridge position) and the "true" scale which is a little more than the original 27". I can't tell you how exactly much you have to add to your original 27" though... Something like stewmac scale calculator's results + 5mm


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## darren (Oct 17, 2012)

Nice work!


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