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Molly (the Machine) - Completed
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Author:  Stuart Gort [ Mon Apr 21, 2014 10:13 am ]
Post subject:  Molly (the Machine) - Completed
She's done.

Neck strip is Maple and Black Cherry. Fretboard is Rosewood. Body panels are African Mahogany.

I made the bridge and other hardware. Tuners are Gotoh 510's and pickups are Lace Sensor Drop & Gains...GREAT pups for this.

This guitar as shown weighs 6 lbs. 6 oz.
Author:  Stuart Gort [ Mon Apr 21, 2014 10:15 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Molly (the Machine) - Completed
and...
Author:  lactose [ Mon Apr 21, 2014 10:19 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Molly (the Machine) - Completed
Love it. I would like to know more about the bridge / hardware construction.
Author:  Chris Pile [ Mon Apr 21, 2014 11:01 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Molly (the Machine) - Completed
Hit another one out of the park, Stuart!
Author:  cphanna [ Mon Apr 21, 2014 12:23 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Molly (the Machine) - Completed
Lots of times, solid body guitars don't capture my interest. But there is something about yours that really gets my attention. There's a strong "cool" factor there. I like the way you have made all the appointments harmonize visually. The knobs echo the position markers and the string tees. They, in turn work so well with the pickup covers, the bridge, etc. These are very nice visual details that bring the whole instrument together for me. I dig it! A lot!

Don't poke your eye out with that headstock! But you could use it to nudge another player away from the microphone.

Patrick
Author:  sdsollod [ Mon Apr 21, 2014 1:51 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Molly (the Machine) - Completed
Stuart, That is very visually appealing and creatively done. That is very impressive that you make the hardware. That also makes it unique. You can't get a guitar like that anywhere else...
Author:  jfmckenna [ Mon Apr 21, 2014 2:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Molly (the Machine) - Completed
Very nicely done, design through fit and finish.
Author:  Stuart Gort [ Mon Apr 21, 2014 2:55 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Molly (the Machine) - Completed
lactose wrote:
Love it. I would like to know more about the bridge / hardware construction.


The bridge essentially functions like a tune-o-matic with minor differences.

The pocket under it has two holes drilled down into the body aligned with the adjustment holes pictured. Long set screws are threaded into those holes....the wood itself retains the thread. The tops of those screws are received by the bridge body and access with an allen wrench is provided through the visible holes. In other words...putting an allen wrench into the hole turns a set screw which you can't see and raises or lowers that end of the bridge.

The bridge body is 6061 aluminum. The silver pins which the strings ride on are 17-4 stainless steel. They are press fit into the aluminum saddles.
Author:  Beazy [ Mon Apr 21, 2014 7:32 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Molly (the Machine) - Completed
Very classy! I really like the tailpiece/"ferrule plate" design. How is that whole system held together?
Author:  Stuart Gort [ Mon Apr 21, 2014 7:45 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Molly (the Machine) - Completed
Beazy wrote:
Very classy! I really like the tailpiece/"ferrule plate" design. How is that whole system held together?


Both pieces on the front and back press fit into their cavities...not very tight on the front piece so you can pull it out with your fingers. From that cavity you can tap out the back piece with a long pin. Both pieces could have fit in there looser though...and string tension alone would hold them all in place.
Author:  Don Williams [ Mon Apr 21, 2014 8:32 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Molly (the Machine) - Completed
Stuart, that has "you" written all over it...!
Love it, especially the hardware that you made.
Author:  Glen H [ Mon Apr 21, 2014 9:52 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Molly (the Machine) - Completed
Unique and well designed. Very nice.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Author:  Stuart Gort [ Tue Apr 22, 2014 12:18 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Molly (the Machine) - Completed
Thanks all.

I just got finished ordering some Sperzel tuners for the next three of these.

Those Sperzels are satin black like the hardware I made....not shiny black like the Gotohs. They can be ordered with silver locking nuts on the back so I get the two-tone black and silver thing going too. Plus they can be ordered with staggered tuning post heights...so bye bye to the string tees...which I hated to have to use. I'm kind of stoked about this.
Author:  Jim Watts [ Tue Apr 22, 2014 11:51 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Molly (the Machine) - Completed
Stuart, that's some really nice original work. Great job!
Author:  Sandywood [ Fri Apr 25, 2014 6:39 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Molly (the Machine) - Completed
I like it Stuart.
Very clean and beautiful design.

String trees and cavity cover are excellent too.

It does appear that the strings may be contacting the bridge- curious about that- and really like
the bridge design.
Ace.
Author:  Stuart Gort [ Fri Apr 25, 2014 5:50 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Molly (the Machine) - Completed
Sandywood wrote:
I like it Stuart.
Very clean and beautiful design.

String trees and cavity cover are excellent too.

It does appear that the strings may be contacting the bridge- curious about that- and really like
the bridge design.
Ace.


Close...but not touching...and I got a little lucky about that.

The tailpiece was up higher in the original design but without little grooves in the saddle pins the strings would pull off of the pins too easily when bending hard. So I reduced the height of the tailpiece to make a higher angle toward the bridge...and I filed little grooves in those saddle pins by hand. Totally took care of that issue but yes...the strings ended up pretty close to touching the bridge.

Next time I get those pins made I'll have little, rounded grooves turned into them and then make new saddles that are .1" higher. Then the whole bridge body will adjust lower...and therefore...more clearance.

Btw....I made five of these prototypes but only cut the bridge cavity in this one since I wasn't 100% sure it would intonate properly in this position. But the saddles ended up EXACTLY as designed because the nut slot, all the frets, and the bridge cavity were all cut at the same time. That kind of proved that the theoretical fret positions using "stretch compensation" are valid. Since making this one I finished cutting the other four and I'm getting a second one ready to play.
Author:  Radiohead [ Sat Apr 26, 2014 5:45 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Molly (the Machine) - Completed
Wow - really impressed. There is so much detail in this guitar. I have spent 20 minutes staring at the photos and I keep finding interesting and unique design features. Awesome work!

Rick
Author:  Nick Royle [ Sat Apr 26, 2014 8:18 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Molly (the Machine) - Completed
Stunning! I couldn't quite visualise its final look from the drawings. Worth the wait!
Author:  Jason Rodgers [ Mon May 05, 2014 8:51 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Molly (the Machine) - Completed
Nice chatting with you at the Marylhurst show, Stuart. You build some fine instruments.
Author:  John Sonksen [ Mon May 05, 2014 11:43 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Molly (the Machine) - Completed
I've got to second Jason's comments Stuart, your guitars are even more impressive in person. Glad you took the time to go over so much of the thought and work you put into them!
Author:  Stuart Gort [ Mon May 05, 2014 7:41 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Molly (the Machine) - Completed
Thanks for letting me jabber on about them, guys.

It's easy to see how the Maryhurst show could become a habit. Great group of guys attending.
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