Guitar build, starting from halfway. I need some guidance.

[wackakapow]

I've decided to pick up where I left off on an electric guitar I designed and started building about 6 years ago. The luthier I was working with at the time moved to ontario, so I was left without a shop and without guidance, but it needs to get finished, so here I am. It is kind of a customized SG type thing, made out of three pieces of laminated lacewood with a maple neck and eboony fingerboard. The luthier I was working with was a guy named Derrick McCandless (you here, Derrick?) who insisted that since it was the first neck I'd ever made, I'd have to make it completely by hand. Man it sucked (just sawing the shape out of the maple took like 4 days), but I appreciated it and think it's made a pretty awesome product. I've since had the fingerboard professionally refretted and re-radiused (once again, the lack of tools) because my original job was too rushed and hence, crappy.

Anyhow, I'm going to be getting stuck a lot along the way so I'm glad there's a lot of knowledgable and enthusiastic people on here to answer some dumb questions. I'm currently measuring where the bridge needs to go. Now, do I measure from the 12th fret along the fingerboard (which is at a slight angle to the top of the guitar) or along the body of the guitar to where th 12th fret is on the neck. When I go from the fingerboard, the metre stick is suspended so I'm not sure how accurate a measurement I'm getting. Here's the current stage of the guitar (minus refretting/radiusing), and hopefully in the coming weeks/months with the help of everyone on here I can get'er done.

http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/479/scarab2smallfw1.th.jpg (http://img19.imageshack.us/my.php?image=scarab2smallfw1.jpg)

http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/2671/scarab2small2vg6.th.jpg (http://img89.imageshack.us/my.php?image=scarab2small2vg6.jpg)

[Diablo666Bass]

measure from the nut. standard is 25.5in. that is from the nut to the bend in the strings at the bridge (were the saddles are). the 12th fret should be in the middle.

[mjshailes]

nah dnt do that at all.

it is actually the distance between the nut and the 12th fret should be the same distance as betweem the 12th fret and the bridge saddles

[DLR Guitars]

measure from the nut. standard is 25.5in. that is from the nut to the bend in the strings at the bridge (were the saddles are). the 12th fret should be in the middle.


Actually, it all depends on the scale of the fretboard. Standard Gibson length is 24.75. That means if you use a Fender lenght (25.5) you will never be able to play a fretted note in tune to save your life.

http://www.stewmac.com/FretCalculator/

Use that to try and figure out what your fretboard scale is (you will have to measure the distances between the frets and then compare them with different lengths, but start at 24.75 (because thats what I am guessing you have) and work back from there). Than, for instance, if you have a 24.75" scale, measure 24.75" from then nut, and thats where the bridge will go. The stop-bar will be located somewhere behind the bridge.

[rodderz]

its lookin gud so far, are u keeping it natural?

[wackakapow]

yeah it's staying natural, with perhaps a red-tinted transparent stain. I've got the measuremnets all figured out, thanks everyone. I'll post again when a little bit more is done.

[wackakapow]

Installed the bridge and tailpiece last night. Tailpiece ended up a bit off centre so I'll have to do some inlays or somehting to make it look like it was on purpose. I got inpatient and decided to drill with a masonry bit, and I think it walked a little before it bit in. The intonation is perfect, however, which has me pretty pumped. The nut will need more adjustment to be perfectly comfortable to play, but I'll do hat after it's been laquered, wired and ready to go.

I hope to rout the holes for the pots and pickup switch tomorrow.

Also, can anyone point me to a wiring diagram for a HB/SC, 1 volume 2 tone 3-way-toggle setup?

[wackakapow]

Here's some pictures. The bridge posts are screwed directly into the guitar, not into metal sockets. They did not come with sockets, and they are really solidly in there, so I thought if anything it could increase resonance with the wood. Is this a bad idea? I'm pretty aggravated about the asymmetry of the tailpiece, but hey, I'm not selling this one and it won't affect its functionality.

http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/3759/build001oi2.th.jpg (http://img99.imageshack.us/my.php?image=build001oi2.jpg)

http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/1658/build002wt9.th.jpg (http://img97.imageshack.us/my.php?image=build002wt9.jpg)

[Caliban]

what?? U left that babe for 6YEARS! I wouldn't be able to resist!

Good luck mate

[wackakapow]

Finally, got me some holes for the pots and channel switch. That crooked drilling for the stop tailpiece was bugging the hell out of me, so I drilled out the anchor bolts and filled the holes with dowel. I'm going to cover it up with some blemish covering wooden inlays methinks, and install through-body anchor holes instead. Anyone installed through-body before? I'm going to see if I can't get away with drilling small holes all the way through the body, followed up by slightly larger holes partially through on either side, perhaps with some kind of plastic reinforcement as to not damage the finish.

http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/1800/build2001jt6.th.jpg (http://img171.imageshack.us/my.php?image=build2001jt6.jpg)

http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/1281/build2002lb9.th.jpg (http://img206.imageshack.us/my.php?image=build2002lb9.jpg)

Rock on everyone.

[Yeroc]

String-thru ferrules. (http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Hardware,_parts/Electric_guitar:_Ferrules/Guitar_String_Ferrules.html)
String-thru top ferrules. (http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Hardware,_parts/Electric_guitar:_Ferrules/String-thru_Top_Ferrules.html)

StewMac is awesome.

[wackakapow]

Thanks Yeroc. Glad they list the diameter so I can drill the holes and get the guitar Varathaned while I wait for the order to arrive (as well as my new Mastercard).

[wackakapow]

I got my inlays in.
http://img240.imageshack.us/img240/5936/build3uk9.th.jpg (http://img240.imageshack.us/my.php?image=build3uk9.jpg)
I think they look pretty good; better than a crooked tailpice. though I've definately learned a lot about inlaying since I started them. Next time I'll have the full inlay design drawn up beforehand, instead of improvising every piece so the grain of the inlay wood is consistent, and I went out and bought a Dremel (OK, a Mastercraft... but it was such a deal!) halfway through as well. It sure beats all that bloody chiseling.

I made another huge mistake now, however, to add on to the learning curve. On the advice of a friend who is a furniture builder I decided to finish it with water-based Diamond-coat varathane. Basically, after about 15 coats I realized that during one of those coats I laid it on way to thick on the sides, so it was soft and gummy and now I have to sand the whole thing down again and start over. Live and learn. At least the grain is nicely filled, now. Will post again once the finish is on.