A quick few question regarding lutherie of a seven string

[-Continuum-]

So I am planing a 7 build this summer as a project and I just have a few questions before I start buying in the wood and extra equipment.etc

First up... With regards to guitar scale is there usually an increase in body and headstock size as the scale goes up or do they tend to remain the same size as there 25.5 counterparts?

Lastly, for the time being- how thick do you like your tonewood? if I were not to have the contours I would probably settle with a flat stained tonewood with binding, so I am guessing I'd want it about 1.5 cm or thinner maybe?
Just a rough idea or any personal preference would be great

thanks

 

[Interloper]

Body and headstock size I would think is for the most part preference. Your headstock may need to be bigger to accommodate the extra tuner but it would have no relation to scale length.

Unless I am missing something, which is very possible, tonewood just refers to the type of wood you are using to build the guitar out of. I would think 1.5cm would be an extremely thin guitar.

 

[canuck brian]

First up... With regards to guitar scale is there usually an increase in body and headstock size as the scale goes up or do they tend to remain the same size as there 25.5 counterparts?

Lastly, for the time being- how thick do you like your tonewood? if I were not to have the contours I would probably settle with a flat stained tonewood with binding, so I am guessing I'd want it about 1.5 cm or thinner maybe?
Just a rough idea or any personal preference would be great

thanks

Body and headstock sizes are personal preferences. When you get into the longer scales though, you need to start thinking about neck dive and little things like "will this guitar fit into a case?". I got burned on the last one by 1 cm with all of my builds.

With regards to thickness of the guitar - i'm guessing you meant inches, not CM. 1.5 inches thick is decent - i do 1.25 on some and it turns out just fine.

 

[-Continuum-]

no I did mean cm but just as a "face" for the guitar.
Say a body built from -insert generic wood here- I'd then have a top which is made from a more unique wood type, then this rare wood is only on the front of the body and headstock. This way you don't end up paying £200 or 400 odd dollars for a large piece to accommodate a body and headstock.

I think it is quite common practice to do it this way as I have seen other custom shops doing this, i just don't know how thick they lay it onto the guitar- but then again, as you both said about the scale and body sizing it is probably down to preference!

Thanks for the info though, I think I have figured out a way around already

 

[Djentai]

^^^^ Talking about a top and was using the term "tone wood" to refer to the "top." Which is technically incorrect. That's referred to as the top.

You are asking about a 1.5cm top over the body.

 

[Fiction]

Fraser Valley Woods has tops that go up to .5", and stock up to 7/16" Sometimes, so 1.5cm (.6") is on the larger side of drop tops, i'd probably go for a top around .4" which is 1cm.