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New to forum, first build
http://mowrystrings.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10123&t=31067		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  Chameleon [ Thu Feb 10, 2011 11:26 pm ]
Post subject:  New to forum, first build
Hello everyone. This is my first dive into guitarmaking. I'm using the Robert O'Brien kit from LMI and I have some interesting concepts I'm playing with.

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tattoo & guitar 010 [1600x1200] by markpotato

As you can see it is a sort of Strat-Paul hybrid. The circles near the bottom are flamed redwood and I put them there to cover up a flaw I made being a little irresponsible with clamping. My original idea was to have a clear finish even though the wood does not look that fancy, but I may end up just painting it. Being my first build, I'm trying to keep it fairly simple and let myself make mistakes and I'm trying to keep my options open for finishing.

The main thing that will stick out on this guitar will be the electronics. The hole in the top left is for three 3-way switches, one for each pickup, and there will also be a coil tap for the humbuckers, so you get all the pickup combinations of a Stratocaster and a Les Paul plus many more.

Another thing that will stick out is the neck. I carved it very thin and very flat and I'm not radiusing the fretboard. I have never seen an electric guitar with a flat fretboard and I would like to see one. So far, it feels like it will play like a dream. I love the feel of the neck.

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tattoo & guitar 013 [1600x1200] by markpotato

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tattoo & guitar 012 [1600x1200] by markpotato

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tattoo & guitar 011 [1600x1200] by markpotato

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tattoo & guitar 017 [1600x1200] by markpotato

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tattoo & guitar 022 [1600x1200] by markpotato
I sanded a little too deep on the headstock here.

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tattoo & guitar 019 [1600x1200] by markpotato

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tattoo & guitar 023 [1600x1200] by markpotato

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tattoo & guitar 020 [1600x1200] by markpotato
Comments and suggestions are welcome. Think I should paint it? Anyone else ever seen a flat fret electric?
Author:  peters instruments [ Fri Feb 11, 2011 1:20 am ]
Post subject:  Re: New to forum, first build
will this have some type of top on it?
Author:  Matt P [ Fri Feb 11, 2011 10:47 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: New to forum, first build
Your guitar reminds me of one I made that was inspired by Buddy Guy's polkadot Strat. Looks like you have a good first start. Just a suggestion: put more dots on it so it looks like you meant it and not like you're covering up a mistake. Have fun with it.
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Author:  Chameleon [ Sat Feb 12, 2011 11:53 am ]
Post subject:  Re: New to forum, first build
Now that you mention it Shad, I'd really like to put a top on it and make it look nice. One problem is the top is already carved (not a true carve, just a little added comfort) but I wonder if a thin enough piece of wood would be able to shape to it. I've got a piece of figured redwood that I have from a long time ago but I need to get the other half of it from a friend of mine. It's a bit shy of 1/8 in thick, think that might work? I'd probably have to soak it and shape it to the body a little bit. The piece has some wormholes and it's a little fragile so care will need to be taken. I imagine I'll also shave off about 1/8 in from the top of the body.

Another option is to shave the body down flat with the lowest part of the carve and glue it flat. That would take out the top of my pickup cavity though and it may need reinforcement if I do that.

Any suggestions?
Author:  Mustang_jt [ Sat Feb 12, 2011 2:25 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: New to forum, first build
Welcome to the forum, I have seen electric guitars with no radius. TK instruments does it

http://www.tkinstruments.com/id17.htm

would be hard to play chords on, but would bend like a dream.
Author:  Brett L Faust [ Sat Feb 12, 2011 7:02 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: New to forum, first build
I had a Travis Bean with a no radius fretboard about 30 years ago, so this is not a new idea. BTW it works great for bending strings as it will not fret out even on huge bends if the set up is anywhere near good.

Just a heads up if you have not already done a test fit.
You might want to check the tuner fit. When a headstock gets thin the ferrules/nuts may have to be shortened or more wood added to mount the tuners properly.

Good luck and have fun.
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