# Welcome and some home build 7 Strings



## Walterson (Nov 26, 2012)

Hello everybody,

I've been reading this forum for quite a while now and found many usefull tips and ricks here over the last two years.
I would like to give something back now and show you some of my latest builds.

So lets start with two 7 strings I build this year:

No #005

Body: Hard Ash
Neck: Wenge / Bubinga
Fretboard: Bubinga
Headstock plate: Ebony
PUs: EMG 707 & Piezos & Graphlex Hexpander & Acoustaphonic Preamp
Electronics: Volume (for the EMGs) & 3 way switch
Bridge: ETS Tuningfork "rounded"
Tuners: Sperzel Trimlock
Finish: 2k over black stain, danish oil for the neck


































Watch the build process here if you like:
Build Blog for No. 005 - a set on Flickr

No #007

Body: Hard Ash
Neck: Maple / Padouk
Fretboard: Birdseye maple
Headstock plate: Ebony
PUs: EMG 707
Electronics: Volume (for the EMGs) & 3 way switch
Bridge: ETS Tuningfork "rounded"
Tuners: Sperzel Trimlock
Finish: danish oil over black stain, danish oil for the neck































Best regards
Walterson


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## mniel8195 (Nov 26, 2012)

i would love to start building guitars. Do you have a cnc machine or was this all done by hand?


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## Walterson (Nov 26, 2012)

I do not own a CNC, it's all done by hand.....


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## mniel8195 (Nov 26, 2012)

wow looks awesome. did you have prior wood working experience?


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## Rojne (Nov 26, 2012)

Hi there!

These guitars looks awesome and super comfy, great job! 

How did you do the finishes on them?


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## phugoid (Nov 26, 2012)

I find both of them absolutely stunning and elegant. 

I've noticed that the headstock is actually a separate piece of wood from the neck, and this is the common approach. But why? The neck and headstock joint looks difficult, and it must withstand quite a bit of stress. Why not make the headstock/neck from one piece of wood?

Edit: I mean, from continuous pieces of wood (I realize there are several pieces glued together lengthways, that run the length of the neck).


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## Walterson (Nov 26, 2012)

@mniel8195: no, i did not have any prior wood working experience. I startet the first guitar with a premanufactured neck and moved on from there to where I am now.

@phugoid: there are two reasons:

1. you can build a neck with a smaler piece of wood
2. it is much more stable than a one piece neck....


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## helferlain (Nov 26, 2012)

Hello from Bielefeld and welcome, neighbor 

Where did you get those ets bridges? How much did they cost?


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## Ruins (Nov 26, 2012)

stunning work! i love the beauty of the simplicity of the design and the fine and clean execution.
any chance that you will upload some sound samples or even better a video of this beauties in action?

i hope to see some more work from you in the future


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## Walterson (Nov 26, 2012)

Hello Helferlain, nice to meet you here...

The bridges are sold exclusively by BassParts.de - Der Online Shop von BassLine

They raised the prices this year, so I'm not shure what they cost now. I think its a good idea to ask Mrs. Ziesemann to calculate a price for you. She is very nice and responses really fast...



@ruins: there will be some soundsamples in the future...


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## immortalx (Nov 26, 2012)

That's some unbelievably clean work! I want them both!

EDIT: Forgot to ask, what do you think about that ETS bridge? How is the finish/quality? Any issues?


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## Captain Butterscotch (Nov 26, 2012)

Wow, the second is literally everything I have planned for an upcoming build I'm doing except for the pups and color. You have done some beautiful work here.


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## TheBigGroove (Nov 26, 2012)

pretty awesome work especially considering your experience level.

But dat green shag carpet! wooooooo damn


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## Polythoral (Nov 26, 2012)

TheBigGroove said:


> But dat green shag carpet! wooooooo damn



Holy crap I thought that was grass.


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## goldsteinat0r (Nov 26, 2012)

You got talent, my friend! Those are classy guitars.

Skeet.


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## Levi79 (Nov 26, 2012)

Beautiful guitars man!


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## skeels (Nov 26, 2012)

Welcome! 

Also, really cool shag carpet -I mean, guitars!

Also interested in hearing about the ETS hardware.


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## quoenusz (Nov 26, 2012)

Looks great man! Keep it up!


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## Maurobrazil (Nov 26, 2012)

Walterson said:


> Hello everybody,
> 
> I've been reading this forum for quite a while now and found many usefull tips and ricks here over the last two years.
> I would like to give something back now and show you some of my latest builds.
> ...


 
How do you set up the Hexpander? Last time i see, i would need 2 hexpander for 7 string. Does it have a 7 string version now?


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## Walterson (Nov 27, 2012)

@all: thank you very much! Green carpet rules.... 

The ETS Bridges are great! Very well made. I bought three until today and I will use them again on future builds. They are made on order, that means you can specify the string spacing, the fretboard radius, if you want to pull the strings through the body or not and the colour - of course. 

Here is a bigger picture of the bridge with piezo elements:






@Maurobrazil: The hexaphonic Preamp runs with 6 Strings only - I set it up for the lower 6 strings. But the acoustic part can use as many strings as you like...


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## immortalx (Nov 27, 2012)

Walterson, thanks for the heads up about the ETS bridges. I sent them an email today and they responded immediately answering all my questions in detail! They seem very friendly and professional and they told me i can order directly from them. 
I'm looking forward to your next builds and I'm sure they'll be even better than those two awesome guitars you have here!


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## TheFashel12 (Nov 27, 2012)

awesome work


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## Walterson (Nov 28, 2012)

immortalx said:


> I'm looking forward to your next builds and I'm sure they'll be even better than those two awesome guitars you have here!


 
I'm currently working on the finish of No #009 one more coat of oil an I can start to mount the parts.... 

They may be a little "better" in terms of build quality, but they are very different and I'm shure that not every body will like them - they are more on the ergonomic side...

Here are some pictures and yes - the guitar screems "Toone". I changed the shape until it felt good for me. Its a 27" Baritone, plays awesome and sounds killer. (Sorry for the grey carpet)












But thats maybe something for a new thread?


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## MF_Kitten (Nov 28, 2012)

Holy shit, man! your builds are really clean and neat and classy looking, very nice work!

I love the Toone-inspired one as well! It looks odd, but i really want to play it! 

I'd love to see a baritone headless 7 or 8 string with the Hipshot headless bridge and nut. Have you made headless guitars before?


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## immortalx (Nov 28, 2012)

Wow! It surely turns heads and it must be very comfortable in the sitting position! And i love that headstock design. Keep it up man!


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## eddiewarlock (Nov 28, 2012)

wow! very clean work!! Looks totally proffesional.

Love the look of that hard ash, and the finish is flawless...

If ONLY the first guitar had an ebony fretboard with white binding...it would look even more beautiful.

Congrats!


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## Webmaestro (Nov 28, 2012)

Hot damn, man. Very nice-looking work. Welcome to the forums.


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## BlackMastodon (Nov 28, 2012)

Those are some really impressive builds. Any sound clips? Also bitchin' carpet. 
Welcome to the forum.


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## Walterson (Nov 29, 2012)

@all: Thanks again!




MF_Kitten said:


> Have you made headless guitars before?


 
Not yet. Maybe in the future. I think headless hardware is pretty much overpriced at the moment. The cheapest I found was 240EUR for a 7 string. You can easily buy some nice hardware for 3 "normal" builds for that amount.



immortalx said:


> Wow! It surely turns heads and it must be very comfortable in the sitting position!


 
Indeed. And it also plays very well on strap. Here it balances freely in perfect playing position on the arm rest of my sofa. Thats how it behaves on strap an whilst seated....










BlackMastodon said:


> Any sound clips?


 
Here is a soundclip of my third built*, a pretty cool "darker" Version of Satriani's Friends:





and no thats not me...

*6 String with Korina Body, Wenge Neck, Maple Fretboard and Schaller Hannes Bridge


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## Walterson (Nov 29, 2012)

and some more detailed pictures of the baritone:





















Specs:
Pretty wide (45mm @nut) and fat, carbon fiber reinforced Wenge/Padouk Neck with Birdseyemaple Fretboard. Sperzel Locking tuners, Schaller Hannes Bridge. European Walnut Body with Ovengkol Top. EMG 81 & 89R (Split with push/pull Pot) and switchable 18V Mod. I think thats it....


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## Alexis (Dec 1, 2012)

beautiful grain and great choice of fretboard wood!


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## Watty (Dec 1, 2012)

The contrast between the woods just makes it look very...well, clean. Excellent work!


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## Toxic Dover (Dec 1, 2012)

Your work is absolutely inspiring man! These are some amazing instruments you've made!


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## simonXsludge (Dec 2, 2012)

Great and super clean work. Color me impressed. Good to know about more talented luthiers here in Germany.


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## lateralus819 (Dec 2, 2012)

Wow wonder if its just me but whatever you're using to capture these photos makes the guitars look like they were made for a dollhouse. Quite eery. Beautiful work though!


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## Walterson (Dec 3, 2012)

@all: thank you very much! 




lateralus819 said:


> Wow wonder if its just me but whatever you're using to capture these photos makes the guitars look like they were made for a dollhouse.



Nothing special: an old Canon 5d Mk1 and a 1:1,4 50mm..... 


Just posted my latest Build here:
http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/st...-string-multiscale-many-pics.html#post3297251


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## Walterson (Feb 8, 2013)

Somebody asked for sound samples..... here is a serious one:



The whole album was recorded with the seven strings I made.... and no, thats not me in the video. The guitarists are close friends.


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## ElRay (Feb 8, 2013)

Walterson said:


> Indeed. And it also plays very well on strap. Here it balances freely in perfect playing position on the arm rest of my sofa. Thats how it behaves on strap an whilst seated....





Actually, it needs more:



Ray


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