Can you guys show me some unique materials /building techniques.

[dudeskin]

Hi all. I'm rethinking doing my guitar build ideas.
Still the same basic shape and stuff. But I'm more thinking of using my metalworking machinery to do something a little different.

I want to do a rick toone neck profile. But I was thinking maybe do it out of aluminium. Maybe one piece neck so it's solid with frets as part of it too. If that's makes sense?

I'm just wondering if anyone knows of any unique ideas that I haven't seen before.

I have some vague ideas for joining a neck to a body.
Il still be taking weight into consideration of course. Haha.

Cheers.
Joe

 

[Mr Wright]

some quick googling showed that some people have gone the aluminum route:

Kramer Aluminum Neck Guitars
Custom Metal Electric Bass - DWR Highly Custom Fabrication

some stainless:

$3000 Stash Stainless Bass Guitar that cannot be destroyed on stage | DamnGeeky

I think that stainless monstrosity definitely falls in the "unique" category.

 

[VanDewart Guitars]

I would not recommended an aluminum neck with built in frets. Aluminum is very soft, and would wear quickly. If they're part of the neck, you can't refret.

 

[dudeskin]

I know. Depending what I decide to do it out of with decide what I do regarding built in frets.
Sorry, I should have spaced that out a bit more.

 

[Halffarmer]

thought about this idea alot when i went to school for mechanical engeneering,
maybe i can throw in some of my ideas.
a solid piece of aluminum is pretty heavy but it could be chambered and would still be very stiff. then you could glue on a piece of stainless steel as fretboard, and fret it like usual

but think about using aluminum for the body, it weights half as much as steel, but will still break your shoulder if it is a massive piece, you could also chamber it, or just go with wood

(sorry for the mistakes i'm sure i made writing this post^^)

 

[Pikka Bird]

a solid piece of aluminum is pretty heavy but it could be chambered and would still be very stiff.

The Kramers had a sort of T-shaped cross-section with wood fillets inserted into the grooves. This made the necks lighter than on, say, a Travis Bean, and lessened the cold feeling. Plus it looked sweet.

 

[tssb]

Mr Wright had posted these already.

notice the ebonol fretboard, a stainless steel fretboard would be overkill & way too heavy.

 

[dudeskin]

Cheers guys.
It would be far from traditional shape wise and neck wise so I could work the weight down.
I was more looking for random designs and ideas away from a d shape neck etc
Ergonomic style with a twist. Having searched what I can think of I can't find much like what I'm thinking. Apart from rick toone and ola nobody really looks like they do this.

 

[tssb]

ergonomics with a twist, literally :

torval natural twist

 

[TylerRay]

ergonomics with a twist, literally :

torval natural twist

That's some crazy shit.

 

[anthonyferguson]

I did an aluminium/wood bizarre hybrid a few years back

http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/dealers-group-buys/106961-8-string-crazy-build.html

 

[Yo_Wattup]

I would love to see a kramer-type aluminium neck on a guitar. Apparently they have sustain for days. I wonder why Kramer didnt pursue the concept further? Make the headstock a bit more pleasant looking and it couldve sold well if they marketed it right.

 

[Not The Same as Yours]

ergonomics with a twist, literally :

torval natural twist

This one is kind of old, but pretty out of the box. In a way it looks like the Endur Neck and I think that this one isn't that practical, at least I can't imagine myself playing on one. If it was a huge accomplishment, it would be better known... so...

 

[Prophetable]

Seems like that Torval twist combined with the Endurneck could be a cool idea. Make both sides of the equation a bit more mild.

 

[StevenC]

The EndurNeck was designed to give all the benefits of the Torval Twist without all the complications that it brings. So to whatever extent it would be possible to combine the two would be pretty pointless.

 

[Prophetable]

Maybe I'll draw up a rudimentary mockup just to show what I'm seeing in my head. I don't think I could do it justice with words.