First time 7 string build

[PaperyAlloy]

Hello everyone!

I've just signed up to this forum so I could look around the Luthiery section for a some inspirations, and I've decided on building a guitar!
This is quite an undertaking if I'm not mistaken, and with virtually no woodworking experience I assume there are going to many a problem I'll encounter if I were to try by myself, so I figured I'd start my own thread
My guitar knowledge is relatively limited as to the technicalities, so let me know if what I say is complete bull
The idea I've had is an Ibanez Iceman shaped body with a fixed bridge. I'm thinking 27" scale but I'm open to suggestions if anyone thinks there might be some problems with it. Other than that I don't think I've actually 'decided' on anything. I mean, I've got various ideas like an ebony fretboard or a 3-piece thru-neck, but it all depends on whether I'm confident enough to try pulling it all off!
So basically I could use some help with pretty much every stage of this build - I'm trying to draw up a design as I'm posting this so I'll get that up when it's all done

Cheers!

 

[espman]

All I can say is, measure 20 times, cut once
Good luck with the build, looking forward to seeing some progress

 

[PaperyAlloy]

Haha, amen to that!
Got a sortofdesign at the moment - it's a hybrid between the Iceman and the RG7321, with a bit of individual flair (can opener headstock for one! ) Did it on google sketchup. Let me know what you think! 25.5" scale.


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[BlackMastodon]

I'm liking that quite a bit. Just be careful with the headstock, don't want that point to be too thing (or the tuner side for that matter). Just make sure it can hold well and I think it will be really good.

 

[Themadcow]

Congrats on deciding to go for it. I didn't know my ass from wood either when I started.

I suggest you do a bolt on first. And a fixed bridge. Little less to worry about (neck angle and such), and if you screw the neck or the body up beyond repair, you still have the other piece

EDIT: I like your headstock design, but I would leave a little more meat on the tuner side just to be safe. The can opener look is very cool though.

 

[PaperyAlloy]

@BlackMastodon
Thanks Seems like thickening the tuner side is a plan. Sort of a Blackmachine/Ibanezwithachunktakenout thing really

@Themadcow
Haha, great stuff Definitely gonna do a bolt on and fixed bridge Bolt on is easier and I've already got a Mockingbird ST with a floyd on it, so my whammy cravings can be satisfied

Now I need to get this thing to scale! It's currently 50ft long according to Sketchup, so I need to sort that out

 

[HaMMerHeD]

Heh, the headstock kinda looks like a robot hand to me. I like the design though.

 

[sk3ks1s]

Now I need to get this thing to scale! It's currently 50ft long according to Sketchup, so I need to sort that out

600" scale for DJENTZ!!!