My first build - 27" scale 7 string - Walnut, Maple, Ziricote
- Thread starter Levi79
- Start date
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Pikka Bird
Vaya Con Cornholio
Tesla_1989
Active Member
Excellent choice on the ziricote! My baritone-7 and my Warr TGSS both have ziricote fingerboards and all I can say is that it's definitely one of my favorite woods. Very beautiful indeed.
Also, looks like a very exciting build! Do you have an idea of which pickups you'll be using? (you may have already mentioned it and I'm simply too obtuse to have noticed
)
Also, looks like a very exciting build! Do you have an idea of which pickups you'll be using? (you may have already mentioned it and I'm simply too obtuse to have noticed
)
Tesla_1989
Active Member
Hmmmm, interesting choices there. I'm curious to see how this turns out.
This build was not abandoned!
It's been about a month since I've progressed on this build and I was very excited to get started back up today. I simply haven't had a place to work, but now I have a nice place to work in my garage!
I decided to use this Mahogany piece I picked up over the Walnut. These are the only good quality picture you guys get. Sorry. The rest are shit iPhone pics. There's some other stuff in this picture you will be seeing more of later I made my 5 hour trip to the lumber yard worth my while. My favorite Ibby is sitting atop the mahogany just for reference.
I am refretting the whole guitar, so I took out the frets. Then I used some CA glue to fix any chips and such. It's now re-radiused, resanded and looking pretty again. This time I'm going to make sure the slots are deep enough!
I have these to choose from for the pickups. Q Tuner 7's and Aftermath 7's. I'm kind of torn. I know the Aftermaths will sound awesome (have had them more than once) and the covers looks awesome, but I really want to try these Q Tuners I snagged. The Q Tuners require ridiculous routes, so that's the only thing holding me back.
Decided I want to do a tele! I've already had a few people tell me they don't like the horn, but whatever. I want a tele with more edge and I really like how this shape looks. So I'm going with it!
Today when I was drawing out a body shape, my brother came home with the mail and said I had a package to pick up. Stewmac orders>Christmas.
I got:
-Precision Router Base with binding edge guide and bit as well as a vacum thingy
-Fret Press Caul with a bunch of different radiuses
-Binding. Black, White and Cream plastic. As well as some fancy curly maple binding and cocobolo binding.
-1lb of fretwire
-Sheilding Paint
-Binding tape
-Bone Nut blanks
-A few Truss Rods
-A couple carbon fiber rods
-Needle Files
-1/32" router inlay bit
-Side dot material. White and Black.
-Inlay (jewlers) Saw with blades
-Fret slot depth gauge (thought it'd be a good idea this time haha. They're cheap anyways)
-Rock n' Roller neck rest (don't know why I got this really. Pretty overpriced for what it is and anyone who can make a guitar can surely make this for cheap.)
-Neck Support Caul (this one was cheap
It's got all the wrapping paper like Christmas even!
Started off some work today by bookmatching the curly maple you saw up above. Not using it on this guitar, but I was at my dads shop so I could thickness the mahogany anyways, so I did this. Table sawed the sides and put the middle through the big bandsaw he has there. Super rough looking at first, but it came out nice after putting it through the thicknesser a couple times. Looks so different just cause of the lighting haha. This is it just dry, so it'll look awesome oiled an/or stained!
Alright, now lets cut this body out!
These pics are truly awful. Now that I am working on it home I'll take some better ones.
My little work space I set up at home. I want to make some sort of workbench soon that's more practical than this table. In this past month I've bought alot of tools. Found some great deals on Kijiji. I got a Craftsman Router with 13 bits, a Craftsman 13" Scroll Saw, A Ryobi 9" Bandsaw, four different sanders (this tabletop one, another smaller tabletop one, a handehld belt sander and a little black and decker mouse), an old dremel tool (Even though i already have a new 4000 haha), a buch of chisels, files, clamps and random other woodworking tools all for $350! Then I got a like new Craftsman jointer and this Drill Press for $50 each. I love Kijiji. These aren't all excellent tools, but it's enough to get me off to good start.
That's it for now.
I need your guys' opinions on a few things.
Black or Cream binding around the body?
Q Tuner's or Aftermaths?
It's been about a month since I've progressed on this build and I was very excited to get started back up today. I simply haven't had a place to work, but now I have a nice place to work in my garage!
I decided to use this Mahogany piece I picked up over the Walnut. These are the only good quality picture you guys get. Sorry. The rest are shit iPhone pics. There's some other stuff in this picture you will be seeing more of later
I made my 5 hour trip to the lumber yard worth my while. My favorite Ibby is sitting atop the mahogany just for reference. I am refretting the whole guitar, so I took out the frets. Then I used some CA glue to fix any chips and such. It's now re-radiused, resanded and looking pretty again. This time I'm going to make sure the slots are deep enough!
I have these to choose from for the pickups. Q Tuner 7's and Aftermath 7's. I'm kind of torn. I know the Aftermaths will sound awesome (have had them more than once) and the covers looks awesome, but I really want to try these Q Tuners I snagged. The Q Tuners require ridiculous routes, so that's the only thing holding me back.
Decided I want to do a tele! I've already had a few people tell me they don't like the horn, but whatever. I want a tele with more edge and I really like how this shape looks. So I'm going with it!
Today when I was drawing out a body shape, my brother came home with the mail and said I had a package to pick up. Stewmac orders>Christmas.
I got:
-Precision Router Base with binding edge guide and bit as well as a vacum thingy
-Fret Press Caul with a bunch of different radiuses
-Binding. Black, White and Cream plastic. As well as some fancy curly maple binding and cocobolo binding.
-1lb of fretwire
-Sheilding Paint
-Binding tape
-Bone Nut blanks
-A few Truss Rods
-A couple carbon fiber rods
-Needle Files
-1/32" router inlay bit
-Side dot material. White and Black.
-Inlay (jewlers) Saw with blades
-Fret slot depth gauge (thought it'd be a good idea this time haha. They're cheap anyways)
-Rock n' Roller neck rest (don't know why I got this really. Pretty overpriced for what it is and anyone who can make a guitar can surely make this for cheap.)
-Neck Support Caul (this one was cheap
It's got all the wrapping paper like Christmas even!
Started off some work today by bookmatching the curly maple you saw up above. Not using it on this guitar, but I was at my dads shop so I could thickness the mahogany anyways, so I did this. Table sawed the sides and put the middle through the big bandsaw he has there. Super rough looking at first, but it came out nice after putting it through the thicknesser a couple times. Looks so different just cause of the lighting haha. This is it just dry, so it'll look awesome oiled an/or stained!
Alright, now lets cut this body out!
These pics are truly awful. Now that I am working on it home I'll take some better ones.
My little work space I set up at home. I want to make some sort of workbench soon that's more practical than this table. In this past month I've bought alot of tools. Found some great deals on Kijiji. I got a Craftsman Router with 13 bits, a Craftsman 13" Scroll Saw, A Ryobi 9" Bandsaw, four different sanders (this tabletop one, another smaller tabletop one, a handehld belt sander and a little black and decker mouse), an old dremel tool (Even though i already have a new 4000 haha), a buch of chisels, files, clamps and random other woodworking tools all for $350! Then I got a like new Craftsman jointer and this Drill Press for $50 each. I love Kijiji. These aren't all excellent tools, but it's enough to get me off to good start.
That's it for now.
I need your guys' opinions on a few things.
Black or Cream binding around the body?
Q Tuner's or Aftermaths?
Necromagnon
Well-Known Member
Dude... This mahogany... 
But one thing I've to say: I hate tele...
Anyway, nice collection of woods. You're almost as sick as me.
But one thing I've to say: I hate tele...
Anyway, nice collection of woods. You're almost as sick as me.
scherzo1928
has wood for you
That's a lot of tools... Nice.
It's a nice piece eh? Grabbed that piece that is more than enough for two bodies for $80! I had no intentions to get mahogany, but it was so nice I couldn't resist.Dude... This mahogany...
But one thing I've to say: I hate tele...
Anyway, nice collection of woods. You're almost as sick as me.
I've got more wood pics if you want to see them.
All these tools and more for $450 too!
What do you guys think of the body shape? I've had alot of people tell me they hate it because of the horn, but nobody has said they like it :/
JaeSwift
Of Blood and Sawdust
Honestly, I really like it. It adds edge to it and the light enlargement & offset on the rounder side compliments the look nicely. Not so sure about the headstock + body combination though, as the headstock is a bit more dramatic and ''weird'' than the bodies lower horn.
BobbyBaja
Well-Known Member
I personally feel that the left side of the body is too high compared to the horn on the right. Besides that, I love the wood choices you made, and I think it's gonna look great!
Necromagnon
Well-Known Member
At that priece, it'd be a crime to resist...
All these tools and more for $450 too!
In france, it's almost 1000 bucks (in USD)...
I already said I don't like Fender's shape.
About binding color, I don't know. It depends on if you stain the mahogany, just left it natural as much as possible, stained it just with varnish, and also depends on hardware color.
For exemple, on lightly sbrown stained mahogany, with gold hardware, I love maple binding.
With lighter mahogany, and black hardware, I'd go for something like ebony, or rosewood, or maybe snakewood or another wood I don't have the name in english (called "amourette" in French, if a french speaking have the translation).
It's gonna be black hardware and I'm gonna be using plastic binding on the body for this one. And I'm doing it completely natural. I think if it ends up darkish I'll use cream and if it ends up lighter I'll use black.
Necromagnon
Well-Known Member
If you have small pieces of your body left, try some finish you'd like to use, to see how it stained mahogany. It could help you choose which binding to use.
You know how I said I was going to be taking pictures with something that's not my iPhone? Well I lied. Way too convenient.
Anyways, I'm almost at the home stretch here. All that's left is pickup and electronics routing and that's basically it. Then there's finishing and hardware installation, but those are both super easy.
Seeing how she looks with some hardware.
Routing front chamfering.
Smoothing out the transition area.
I like how this looks right from the router. Leaving it on this end.
Chamfered the whole backside.
Routed for binding
Neck drilled and bolted on.
Binding installed.
Bridge all drilled and test fitted.
Fretting and fret dressing was also done. Forgot to get pictures though. Turned out way better the second time around. Pressing cauls>hammering. So much faster and easier!
Next update should be completion!
Anyways, I'm almost at the home stretch here. All that's left is pickup and electronics routing and that's basically it. Then there's finishing and hardware installation, but those are both super easy.
Seeing how she looks with some hardware.
Routing front chamfering.
Smoothing out the transition area.
I like how this looks right from the router. Leaving it on this end.
Chamfered the whole backside.
Routed for binding
Neck drilled and bolted on.
Binding installed.
Bridge all drilled and test fitted.
Fretting and fret dressing was also done. Forgot to get pictures though. Turned out way better the second time around. Pressing cauls>hammering. So much faster and easier!
Next update should be completion!
SanekN
Well-Known Member
Really nice dude! Coming out clean and smooth! but too much blur on photos... =D
scherzo1928
has wood for you
Looking mighty fine. I'm starting to like that little horn thing.
Couple of things though. Did you continue the binding all the way onto the chamfered edge? If so, why not instal the binding first, and chamfer later? Or is the top chamfered to a point, then there is a small part without chamfering or binding, and then the binding starts? Can't see that on pics.
And, this.
In the future, avoid drilling holes on a straight line right along the grain like that, particularly so close together. I'm sure it won't be a problem, but I guarantee that if you ever drop it, or it gets banged up badly while shipping/moving, that's where it would break.
Again, looking awesome!
Couple of things though. Did you continue the binding all the way onto the chamfered edge? If so, why not instal the binding first, and chamfer later? Or is the top chamfered to a point, then there is a small part without chamfering or binding, and then the binding starts? Can't see that on pics.
And, this.
In the future, avoid drilling holes on a straight line right along the grain like that, particularly so close together. I'm sure it won't be a problem, but I guarantee that if you ever drop it, or it gets banged up badly while shipping/moving, that's where it would break.
Again, looking awesome!
Thanks dude. Maybe I should stop putting that in
I made the chamfering about 1/4 thickness of the body. The body is 36mm thick. So there's a middle section without chamfering or binding. And thanks for the tip dude, I'll be sure to change that on my next build.
The neck holes will be recessed by the way.
