# Waghorn Sauria 6 - A Semi Hollow Stoner Machine - In progress



## Roo (Sep 17, 2013)

Since going in for my beloved Daemoness 7...

(you know the one, with the water droplet that I love flashing about.....this one: )



...I spent a lot of time in Tom Waghorn's workshop. Dylan was Tom Waghorn's apprentice back in the day, though Dyl is now setup elsewhere in Daemoness HQ, and as you all know, doing fantastic things. So I drop by all the time and drink tea and just check out what's going on really, continually fantasising about owning one of Tom's truly stunning instruments. So, much in the same manner I did with the Daemoness, I started planning out my fantasy and fleshing out hardware and inlay ideas and so forth. And then I just started playing around with the idea and talked to Tom about it where we went into some detail. Many cups of tea later I was 100% all in. So I went and worked my bum off at my shite part time job and sold some stuff. 

So, here's the first mockup





We're still finalising the inlay design at the moment, but it's working around my design here:





The shaded in parts will be in natural abalone and the rest in MOP. It will obviously be a lot smaller than that, but Tom's inlay work is astounding, so the final result will be a lot more visually stunning than my rather ham fisted drawing abilities might suggest.

Anyway, some specs:

-Chambered Semi Hollow with one top contemporary/classic F hole
-Modified Sauria Body shape with a gentle violin carve
-Bookmatched Flame Maple Top
-Black Limba Body
-5 piece FM/Wenge/FM/Wenge/FM neck
-Ziricote Fretboard
-Front and back Ziricote faced headstock
-Classic style Waghorn logo
-Pigtail Wraparound Bridge (with Graphtech saddles)
-Bare Knuckle Mule Bridge and Mississippi Queen P90 Neck
-Glow in the dark side dots, not fret markers though, just the inlay on the 12th
-Earvana Intonation Compensated Nut
-Various Combinations of cream bindings and scraped maple bindings
-Gold Gotoh 510Z 21:1 ratio tuners with Ebony Buttons
-550k Bare Knuckle Volume pot (no tone pot though, I never use them)

There are lots of little details I forget. But it will all be natural finish but with a Smokey, Matte finished Tobacco Burst top akin to this:






Aaaaand I went back to the workshop today. We drank tea like civilised English people, and then Tom showed me his wood: (No, not like that....but these: )

Here's the Black Limba is it will be seen from the back (obviously it will look a lot more super amazing when it has been oiled and finished)





And here's the top, again without oil and dye and finishing you can't really see the lovely flame on it:





Bit of a booty shot:









Bit of the Ziricote Fretboard:




















So yeah. There's that. Needless so say I'm really really excited. I just want to play big groovy stoner on it all day forever super all the time 100% always and then a little bit longer. Then drink some more tea.



If you've not had the chance to check out Tom's and Dave's work I sincerely suggest you check this page: Waghorn Guitars ~ Custom Acoustic, Electric & Bass Guitars

As mentioned, Tom makes stunning, super high quality instruments, and more than regularly surprises me with the results and his genuine, gentlemanly modesty. Some truly wonderful instruments have been made by this man and passed quietly into players' hands the world over. Simply put MORE NOISE SHOULD BE MADE ABOUT THESE THINGS. I'm not usually one for making culinary comparisons, but his guitars play so very buttery...butterarily...buttertastically...buttmotroni....they play like butter.

Also, he trained Dylan, and look how that turned out. For reals.

And if you're nearby, drop into the workshop, and talk guitars and drink tea...and then maybe buy one. A guitar that is, not the tea


----------



## celticelk (Sep 17, 2013)

Killer! Can't wait to see how this turns out!


----------



## Solodini (Sep 17, 2013)

That's going to be bootyful! To the extent that it took me 3 attempts to type the first word of this reply. Keep up posted!


----------



## chassless (Sep 17, 2013)

personally I would have went for another finish. but it is still gonna be a killer guitar i'm sure ! congrats in advance



> Chambered Semi Hollow with one top contemporary/classic F hole


 
proof of class.


----------



## Aghasura (Sep 17, 2013)

now this is gonna be an awesome build.


----------



## JaeSwift (Sep 17, 2013)

Man, you're in for an absolute treat. It's like everyone who's name is Tom that happens to be a luthier make amazing stuff 

All kidding aside, I've known about Waghorn way before Daemoness. There was a guitarshow in the UK about...6 years ago? He had some stuff on display there that was simply leaps and bounds ahead of the competition at the time. Really looking forward to this build!


----------



## capoeiraesp (Sep 17, 2013)

Tasty combination!


----------



## Roo (Sep 18, 2013)

Things are really picking up for Waghorn recently, the older builds were really brilliant and played wonderfully, so he's seemingly taken that drive and super high quality and hired Dave and just started making more, faster. The new shapes are really great, definitely playing to strengths by having a contemporary range as well as the tried and tested classics. 

I'm really excited about all the detail and accuracy he naturally has in his work. There have been a couple of recent saurias (sauri?) that have just been so comprehensive and detailed close up as well as overall visually stunning that just complete them. He recently did a really tight solid mahogany SG with a single Warpig for a sludge player, apparently it just sustained endlessly. But in all it's simplicity and purity, it just looked so very professional.

I guess with the Daemoness being so modern and technical I wanted to go for something a lot more simple and classic with contemporary applications. I have a real thing for earthy groove, so this just felt like it needed to have nice, earthy tones and a more vintage sensibility.


----------



## DrJazz (Sep 18, 2013)

Good sir,

This is a textbook example of tasty wood combination.


----------



## Vostre Roy (Sep 18, 2013)

That thread title was calling me. Semi hollow? Stoner Machine? You know your stuff 

I'll keep an eye on this for sure.


----------



## Roo (Sep 18, 2013)

Yeah, earth music in general. I just can't be down with the djent stuff, it bores me silly in many cases. I write lots of stoner and psychedelic stuff, a fair bit played rubato as well, I practice playing technically of course, but it's the groove I want to hear most....by which I don't mean breakdowns and hard noise gating/tight edits, just dirty, massive groove.

I don't mean to be deliberately contrary, but I do like the idea of owning 2 customs and NOT playing djent riffs on youtube. That is a done thing. And of course sometimes it's pretty cool, but a lot of the time it is gratuitous and boring


----------



## ManOnTheEdge (Sep 19, 2013)

That looks awesome, like if the Dweezil Zappa PRS drowned in a vat of guinness, grew a beard and was locked in a room listening to Dopesmoker on repeat.


----------



## celticelk (Sep 19, 2013)

Roo said:


> Yeah, earth music in general. I just can't be down with the djent stuff, it bores me silly in many cases. I write lots of stoner and psychedelic stuff, a fair bit played rubato as well, I practice playing technically of course, but it's the groove I want to hear most....by which I don't mean breakdowns and hard noise gating/tight edits, just dirty, massive groove.
> 
> I don't mean to be deliberately contrary, but I do like the idea of owning 2 customs and NOT playing djent riffs on youtube. That is a done thing. And of course sometimes it's pretty cool, but a lot of the time it is gratuitous and boring



The world definitely needs more ERG doom/stoner/drone/psychedelia. (Not that this is an ERG here, but you know what I mean.)

...dammit, now I want one of these. I'm not supposed to want double-cutaway guitars! WAT U DOOING 2 ME?!?


----------



## Roo (Sep 19, 2013)

Hehe, that sounds like exactly the sort of description I want to hear. Plus I managed to work a beard into my guitar somehow, which I would call a success.

You should have seen the rad natural finish double cut Tom made, the woods were stunning, but the way it played really was amazing. PeteyG was pretty much in love with it. Really like Tom's neck work a lot. In fact, check out the website, he just made a really nice sauria semi hollow, a slimmer sauria model and a super badass SG from solid mahogany with a single Warpig and a goatskull inlay for pure sludge brutality!


----------



## Roo (Sep 23, 2013)

Just a little update, Tom has been sorting out the facings on the headstock. Really nice to see the contemporary acoustic headstock in an electric format:









Rear facing is being curved before gluing, took my current Les Paul-alike guitar round for a neck thickness and radius measurement before the neck is carved.


----------



## hairychris (Sep 24, 2013)

Looking good so far!


----------



## asfeir (Sep 24, 2013)

Waghorns are just wow. I wonder why there aren't more NGD with waghorns in here. Do they have a long wait-list like Daemoness?


----------



## Roo (Sep 24, 2013)

Surprisingly the waiting list is really short right now, though that may be about to change, more and more current artists are getting involved and the name is getting out there.


----------



## Roo (Sep 25, 2013)

You'd probably be looking at a few months maybe, don't quote me on that, but mine took less than that to get started.


----------



## Roo (Sep 26, 2013)

Hmm...nice:


----------



## Solodini (Oct 2, 2013)

Tease!


----------



## XxJoshxX (Jan 4, 2014)

Any updates on this?


----------



## Roo (Feb 4, 2014)

Well, this is the exciting bit I've been waiting for, Tom very diligently gave up quite some considerable time to super finely carve and set in the inlay from a design we came up with. And the finished result is nothing short of flawless. 

It is jaw dropping. The fine detail is just fantastic. I tend to hang out at the workshop quite a bit, so I am familiar with the exceptionally high standard of work that is synonymous with Waghorn guitars, but this is on another level entirely of a luthier going way beyond just to get it perfect.

BEHOLD:









Glorious!

Also, he's been making a lot of progress lately with the top carve and recently the F hole has been cut:

With the man himself:
















Really nice flame on the neck:





The neck joint:





Rear headstock:





Headstock face (note how by sheer fluke the grain on the fretboard Ziricote matches up with the headstock facing)








As you can probably imagine, I am extremely excited.


----------



## rifftrauma (Feb 4, 2014)

Dude.....this is awesome....


----------



## Vostre Roy (Feb 4, 2014)

Seriously, the shapes reminds me of my Schecter 006 mixed with a PRS with a Fender F hole. I find this freaking awesome


----------



## timbale (Feb 4, 2014)

love the flamed maple neck! Is ne neck joint going to stay like that?


----------



## BlackMastodon (Feb 4, 2014)

Everything about this build is just classy as all hell. Really clean work, love the maple of the neck. And the inlay turned out incredible!


----------



## Purelojik (Feb 4, 2014)

dont know why but that slight heel carve is so clean, that it just reeks of class. one day im gonna get me a waghorn.


----------



## celticelk (Feb 4, 2014)

The baddest of ass. *Love* that inlay!

...and here I promised myself I was only going to play production guitars for a while....


----------



## Solodini (Feb 4, 2014)

Excuse me, sir, are you sexy enough to own that instrument?


----------



## celticelk (Feb 4, 2014)

Solodini said:


> Excuse me, sir, are you sexy enough to own that instrument?



...are any of us?


----------



## Eliguy666 (Feb 4, 2014)

If it truly is a stoner machine, you've got to keep your weed in the F hole.

Can you hotbox a semi-hollow guitar?


----------



## XxJoshxX (Feb 4, 2014)

Ehrmahgerd yussssss!!!!!!!!


----------



## Helstormau (Feb 5, 2014)

Damn this guitar looks tasty


----------



## FIXXXER (Feb 5, 2014)

this looks so clean, great craftsmanship!


----------



## Roo (Feb 5, 2014)

Clean is certainly the word. Tom's work is really precise and very well crafted. I was really going for a classic vibe on this one, and Tom has blown me away every time he progresses with it.

The edges will be rounded smoothly and there is a little work to do yet on the contouring on the back. But I assure it you all that it will stay super classy.


----------



## molsoncanadian (Feb 5, 2014)

My god, stunning. No disrespect to all the BM/Hype Machine's, but it is truly refreshing to see something like this in light of all the "fanned fret...BKP juggernaut....blah blah." 

Absolutely georgeous!!! Beautiful design.


----------



## Roo (Feb 6, 2014)

That's actually really nice to hear that buddy, it's a challenge to get work like this noticed when everyone is so wrapped up in super shreddy Blackmachines and Skerversons etc.

That said, this is having a BKP set. A Mule Bridge and a Mississippi Queen P90 neck


----------



## molsoncanadian (Feb 6, 2014)

Roo said:


> That's actually really nice to hear that buddy, it's a challenge to get work like this noticed when everyone is so wrapped up in super shreddy Blackmachines and Skerversons etc.
> 
> That said, this is having a BKP set. A Mule Bridge and a Mississippi Queen P90 neck


 
Im sure those pickups will supplement this build quite nicely! I honestly can't stop looking at this thing. Guitar of the year! Keep us posted with updates!


----------



## scherzo1928 (Feb 6, 2014)

The neck joint!! ERMEHGERD the neck joint!!!
HNNNNNNNGGGHHHH


----------



## Levi79 (Feb 6, 2014)

Waghorns work has always looked a step above to me, and this is definitely no exception.


----------



## penguin_316 (Feb 6, 2014)

This is amazing; but, that little bevel he cut out at the tip of the headstock had me yell out "NOOOOOOOO!" haha


----------



## Roo (Feb 11, 2014)

That's actually from the standard Sauria headstock, I was having the contemporary shape, but I wanted it to be more linked to the Sauria model.


----------



## penguin_316 (Feb 11, 2014)

That's cool, to each his own. It still looks gorgeous either way.


----------



## Roo (Feb 12, 2014)

Yeah, I originally was going a different direction, in fact I had considered going for a semi hollow blue flamed Les Paul, but then I grew into the Sauria shape hugely. And whilst I wanted a unique instrument I didn't want it to be a million miles away from the Waghorn style, I really love Tom's work so rather than him just make me something like a PRS or a Les Paul I wanted to really work with him on it, and the end result is so deeply personal but really nicely crafted by a man who very clearly and confidently knows what he is doing!


----------



## pott (Feb 12, 2014)

Wow! That's convinced me to send a deposit on my dream Corax  Thanks!


----------



## vansinn (Feb 12, 2014)

Absolutely too lovely, even not yet finished 
Simple, elegant lines always does it over complexity for me.


----------



## skisgaar (Feb 16, 2014)

Any more progress on this beauty?


----------



## Roo (Mar 25, 2014)

Really pleased to see some people getting onto Waghorn for some builds, that's really great guys. I know you'll be pleased with the outcome, I think it's always a gamble going with newer builders, some make some truly incredible instruments from the go, but a lot leave much to be desired. By comparison Tom has been doing this for a long time, he really knows the ins and outs and will make a stunning instrument that does not fall short in any department.

I've been down a couple of times recently, but he's just getting on the clear coats at the moment, which is a bit of a long process of spraying and hanging that has to be done right, so there'll be progress quite soon, but at the moment nothing that'll be really worth showing off. However, soon there shall be some pictures coming up, this is where it all gets rather exciting! I'll try to head in when I can between lectures, so watch this space!


----------



## Alikingravi (Mar 26, 2014)

Super amazing! Nice inlay man.


----------



## Roo (Mar 30, 2014)

Ohmygodohmygodohmygod.

So classy





I'm going to have to go in at some point to see this myself but this is the first few coats.


----------



## narad (Mar 30, 2014)

I think you just convinced me to spend money.


----------



## Coreysaur (Mar 30, 2014)

That classic Tobacco Sunburst I've seen 1000and1 times looks so fresh on this one. I guess it never gets old.


----------



## InfinityCollision (Mar 30, 2014)

Hot damn.


----------



## 8STRINGS (Mar 30, 2014)

That inlay is incredibly doom.


----------



## Solodini (May 16, 2014)

Any progress with this?


----------



## asher (May 16, 2014)

Solodini said:


> Any progress with this?


 
You threadbumping cocktease!


----------



## Blue1970Cutlass (May 16, 2014)

Jezus, everything about this guitar just screams awesomeness! 
The shape (like someone else already mentioned - reminds me of the schecter 006/stargazer)
The heel, that inlay


----------



## alvo (May 17, 2014)

Whoa, that looks amazeballs.


----------



## skisgaar (May 17, 2014)

Holy shit. I would defile that guitar with nothing but Mastodon tunes.


----------



## Eliguy666 (May 26, 2014)

Saw something special from Waghorn's facebook today.

Damn! https://www.facebook.com/andrew.helps/media_set?set=a.10100919830850638.1073741829.223705736&type=1

I adore the touches of the f-hole binding and the cream pickup rings.


----------



## DredFul (May 26, 2014)

Eliguy666 said:


> Saw something special from Waghorn's facebook today.
> 
> Damn! https://www.facebook.com/andrew.helps/media_set?set=a.10100919830850638.1073741829.223705736&type=1
> 
> I adore the touches of the f-hole binding and the cream pickup rings.





Good thing I was already heading to shower.










If you know what I mean


----------



## Roo (May 26, 2014)

IT IS FINISHED!!

Making a new thread for it right now.


----------

