Guitar projects?

Most recent collaboration build. 30.3" scale length Bridgeburner built using reclaimed douglas fir from an old potato shed thats been hollowed out and topped with aluminum. The neck is maple with a cherry back on the headstock, aluminum front plate. and a Richlite fretboard. Control and jack plates are custom cut. Hardware and electronics are Wilkinson brand.
The aluminum plates will be removed to be anodized

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Wow, that is gorgeous!
 
I’ve got a lot going on right now, though a lot of it will probably have to wait for another time.
  1. My main strat— I need to figure out how to cut a specific slot in the pickguard so I can finish rewiring it (started a year ago, then never got around to cutting the slot in a new pickguard and wiring it all up)
  2. Danelectro 12 string— I need to cast replicas of the knobs to be compatible with the new pots. Also need to enlarge the jack hole so the stereo jack fits.
  3. Squier Bass VI— need to rewire it now that I finally got the last of the new pickups for it. Also need to replace the arm collet with a staytrem arm.
  4. Danelectro dc59— need to find a new bridge for it (I’ve been searching for a better replacement for years, no luck. The original design is terrible). Also need to build new pots for it so I can finish rewiring it.
  5. Homemade lap steel— after years of having the ‘fretboard’ missing, I found it. Just need to get the fret markers glued in and then attach the board.
  6. Harmony guitar— need to build a new neck for it fretted for 15edo. Also need to get a new spray gun that can handle the large metalflake blend I came up with for it. Also need to find a pickguard material I like for it— I’m too indecisive
  7. Tele build— I bought parts years ago for this one, but always got sidetracked with other builds. I need to finally just make the dang body for it and get the neck pickup. Right now it’s just a bunch of hardware in my drawer.
  8. I also have a bunch of other builds planned that I need to just finally get started at all with.
 
I was looking for body blanks out of curiosity the other day but I was surprised at how expensive they were
It's all marketing. Just buy flooring. The only difference between a body blank and a piece of timber for soneones deck is intention.

You'll find shrewd timber yards selling offcuts of wood (500mm length say) that are too short for trade use as "body blank" or "guitar wood" or something like that, and for about 6 times it's regular cost.

Just buy regular timber. As long as it's dry and straight you'll be fine.
 
It's all marketing. Just buy flooring. The only difference between a body blank and a piece of timber for soneones deck is intention.

You'll find shrewd timber yards selling offcuts of wood (500mm length say) that are too short for trade use as "body blank" or "guitar wood" or something like that, and for about 6 times it's regular cost.

Just buy regular timber. As long as it's dry and straight you'll be fine.
Yeah dry is my biggest concern. Is there a goal moisture content for guitar bodies?
 
I have just spotted your next guitar project @Feral Feline

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Dojze Sai!


MEWOW-MEOW I want this so badly!

If I didn't already have a cheap&cheerful body, not to mention my telecaster-body, too...

I'm surrounded by knutty knitters (Wife, Mom, Friends...), yet I just showed it to my wife and she didn't spot all the yarn ... hmm and I just noticed, interestingly, every cat on there is a Calico.




As for moisture content, yes, I've read about various luthiers having a moisture-content limit they strive for. I've seen CCBs (Cheap Chinese Basses), as in uprights, that were so green you could practically watch them warp on the showroom floor.
 
Last year I built (assembled) this lovely guitar.. It was meant to be my "ultimate" Tele, so I went all out with the Bigsby and primo Fender parts! This year I'm going to swap the haggard old mid-80s American body with a nitro shell pink body from BloomDoom, so I'll update photos whenever that comes in.

Yellowcaster.jpg YC2.jpg

I'm also working on this project as time and funding allows. MJT body in Lake Placid Blue, Mastery bridge, and (soon) a set of Lollar gold foil pickups. I also need to have a Cabronita-style pickguard cut and source a neck. I'm leaning toward maple with an aged nitro finish!

New Blue.jpg
 
Last year I built (assembled) this lovely guitar.. It was meant to be my "ultimate" Tele, so I went all out with the Bigsby and primo Fender parts! This year I'm going to swap the haggard old mid-80s American body with a nitro shell pink body from BloomDoom, so I'll update photos whenever that comes in.

View attachment 13136View attachment 13135

I'm also working on this project as time and funding allows. MJT body in Lake Placid Blue, Mastery bridge, and (soon) a set of Lollar gold foil pickups. I also need to have a Cabronita-style pickguard cut and source a neck. I'm leaning toward maple with an aged nitro finish!

View attachment 13137
I've been looking at MJT stuff for a few months. Do you like it so far? Did you get it from eBay or custom?
 
Last year I built (assembled) this lovely guitar.. It was meant to be my "ultimate" Tele, so I went all out with the Bigsby and primo Fender parts! This year I'm going to swap the haggard old mid-80s American body with a nitro shell pink body from BloomDoom, so I'll update photos whenever that comes in.

View attachment 13136View attachment 13135

I'm also working on this project as time and funding allows. MJT body in Lake Placid Blue, Mastery bridge, and (soon) a set of Lollar gold foil pickups. I also need to have a Cabronita-style pickguard cut and source a neck. I'm leaning toward maple with an aged nitro finish!

View attachment 13137
That lake placid blue color is so nice, that I feel putting a pick guard on is a shame....

E.
 
I've been looking at MJT stuff for a few months. Do you like it so far? Did you get it from eBay or custom?
I ordered it custom because I had a specific inspiration: Fender's CS El Caballo Tono, minus the $3500 price tag. They were really great to work with, but it did take several months to arrive. Sadly, that seems to be the norm among all aftermarket body suppliers these days..


That lake placid blue color is so nice, that I feel putting a pick guard on is a shame....

E.
Yeah, I'm still conflicted. The Cabronita guard felt like a nice compromise but we'll see once I install the pickups!
 
These started out in life a little different:

Ibby RG7620. Ditched the vampire kiss basswood body, got a black limba body from a guy who CNC's em. Filled the grain with a black grain filler, finished with hardwax oil.
20200503_181255_1_70~2.jpg
Carbon Bolt Kit guitar. Picked it up for a song, was uggggglyyyyy. Kinda pale burnt orange finish, not great. Stripped, filled the grain, applied a water based blue dye, finished with hardwax oil. Changed out the pickguard and slapped in some BK holy divers. 20200406_180512_70 (1)~2.jpg
 
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Three we just finished this week

30.3" scale Bridgeburner. Douglas fir body, given the Thinline treatment and topped with steel. maple neck, Richlite fretboard
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27" Jazzblaster. Douglas fir body, maple neck, Richlite fretboard. All metal bits except the tuners handcrafted out of 1/8" aluminum by my friend at Mastiff Metalworks
218233783_4891850677508727_5306737057830268749_n.jpg



30.3" scale Telecaster. Walnut body, maple/maple neck. All met bits except the tuners handcrafted out of 14ga steel by James at Mastiff Metalworks
218633709_4891868617506933_3564266060090966155_n.jpg
 
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