Take your time and do it right the first time

[WickedBanshee]

I'm finally at a point where I think I can start a thread on my first build. I've always had a yearning to build my own guitar but I can honestly say that it might not have happened if I hadn't found this message board. More specifically, the Scattervarius thread. I'm a Les Paul guy, I have many other guitars but I always come back to Les Paul's, so that's what I wanted to build but I wanted it a little bit different. A little bit special. But I never really knew what/how I wanted it different. So ScatterLee was nice enough to sell me a template.

Now I don't want any negative people saying that I'm copying him or whatever. I probably would have just bought his except that I want humbuckers, Jimmy Page style wiring, etc. If he's fine with it and sold me a template then everyone else should be too. After all 90% of you are copying Mr. Les Paul's design anyway.

I also don't want to piss off any professional Luthier's on here if I ask people for questions. I more than appreciate all of your help and the sharing of your knowledge. I know I could pay a professional Luthier to build me one and I'm not trying to "take away business from them". It's more of a guitarist wanting to feel a special connection with his instrument type of thing. I want to create music. Truely create it. Not just write a song but to create the instrument that makes the sound then use that sound to write my songs.

So let's light this firecracker....


The Body: Black Limba 1 Piece
I was originally going to go w/ the piece on the right but it had some knotholes and other things wrong with it and since I have no experience I ended choosing the one on the left which is a little more plain but a perfect slab of wood.

The first cuts. I know I'm not that close to the line but this was literally the first time I have ever used a bandsaw and wanted to get a rough cut then remeasure with the template.

I should probably say that this thread/build is going to go slow at first as it's tax season and I'm working 80 hrs a week right now for the next couple months and can't do any more at my house cause I don't have any tools. My Dad works at the school back home (an hour and a half away) and my mom's cousin is the shop teacher so I can use all the big equipment there and consult with him when I need help.

 

[WickedBanshee]

This piece has some killer side grain. And when I tap the Korina with my fingers you can hear it from 3 rooms away.

It's got some pretty cool stuff going on, on the back also...

I'm going to do the cavity covers w/ matching grain to look like nothings there....

The input jack will also match the side grain....

 

[Barnaby]

Great idea for a build!

I think it's fantastic that you're going to make a 'Scattervarius'. I hope it encourages other people to do similar builds.

For what it's worth, my experience in this subforum has been completely positive. Never a mean word received for any of the things I have posted. Also, people are really forthcoming with information.

 

[GammyBird]

Should be cool. Can't wait to see more pics of the process.

 

[WickedBanshee]

The top will be this amazing piece of Claro Walnut.

I have some options once I get it bookmatched....
Option 1

Option 2

Option 3

The board isn't quite wide enough to do a non-bookmatched top. Otherwise I would seriously consider that as I can't bear to waste some of the beautiful grain and flame. Pretty sure I'm going with Option 3. 1 waste's too much grain and flame. 2's just a little too much going on. 3 is where it's at.

There's the design I came up with for the headstock shape. It's just Gibson's with the outsides raised. I like to call it the Sauron shape cause it looks like a Sauron Helmet.

 

[Paul_Cat]

Looks pretty neat. Can't wait to see more!

 

[WickedBanshee]

Since this is my first build and I don't have any experience, just going off the awesome knowledge you guys have been so kind to share, I'm just going to be building the body. I designed the neck but am pretty sure I'm going to have it built by SoulMate. It's going to be Black Limba also. Ebony fretboard. My headstock shape I posted above with a matching Claro Walnut veneer after I cut the body out and see what's left. And I'm thinking sideways Mother of Pearl f hole inlays. to go along with the theme. Also they will match the pearloid Gotoh Keystone tuners I got. It's going to have custom built hand wound double cream humbuckers, Jimmy Page style wiring, cream pickup rings, with these Ivory knobs....

 

[WickedBanshee]

Oh and also this cream colored crushed velvet strap I made...not the best picture but the only one I have on the computer right now...

And I just got my Schroeder single piece wraparound bridge and TonePro's locking studs in the mail the other day, along w/ some wood glue, grover straplocks, input jack, etc.

 

[scatter lee]

thats some awesome looking wood grain ya got there

 

[WickedBanshee]

Thanks Scatter. I'm super excited. Just sucks that I won't be able to do anything but wipe alcohol on the wood and look at it for the next month and a half. It's almost as bad as waiting for the snow to melt when you got the itch to go fishing. Maybe I'll get that neck order put in....

 

[ievans]

1 vote here for option 3.

That's some lovely grain and figuring in both the limba and the walnut.

When you say "mother of pearl" f hole inlays, do you mean binding the f holes with MOP? Or do you mean you're not going to route out the f holes, but will have MOP inlays in the shape of f holes? 'Cuz binding with MOP is pretty advanced for a first build.

 

[WickedBanshee]

I'm not building the neck. Having it professionally done. Just picking out all of the elements I want.

 

[Barnaby]

1 vote here for option 3.

That's some lovely grain and figuring in both the limba and the walnut.

When you say "mother of pearl" f hole inlays, do you mean binding the f holes with MOP? Or do you mean you're not going to route out the f holes, but will have MOP inlays in the shape of f holes? 'Cuz binding with MOP is pretty advanced for a first build.

I am actually going to confuse things by saying I like option 1 the best...it's the most 'violinish' to me...

Beautiful wood, whatever you choose.

 

[WickedBanshee]

Well tax season is over so it's time to get this thing rollin.....

I don't have any experience but I do have access to badass equipment.

My first time ever running a bandsaw, planer, or forstner bits, etc. The good thing is I can grab some scrap wood and test things out a bit then go at it with the real deal.

Pics aren't the best cause they are from my phone so you can't really see any cool detail. I'll get some better ones in the next steps w/ digital camera.

 

[Barnaby]

Looking good!

 

[emoney]

You are so copying Scatter Lee and you're going to piss of a bunch of Luthiers by asking
so many questions...........NOT!

Last I checked, about 90% of the guitars made are "copies" of something. I think it's great
you had access to ScatterLee's templates and it's still building a guitar anyway you look
at it. You just saved a step! Oh, and the "Luthier thing", man if asking these guys
questions makes them mad, then don't worry because they are all about to kill me by
about now, lol

Looks great and I wish I had all those tools in my garage, but kudos to you for having
access to them! Keep 'dem pics a'comin!

 

[Claymore]

Looking great so far WB!
You appear to be planning and executing well.
I think you should tackle that neck
There is lots of good detail here on how to go about it...

 

[WickedBanshee]

Been busy but finally got the top bookmatched. Just can't decide on which way to glue it now. Going to glue tonight or tomorrow and take it back home this weekend to cut it to shape.

I was originally planning on the first picture. But most of my friends and family choose the 2nd. I'm torn. If I choose the 1st I'm going to think it's too monotonous and cliche of what a guitar with this type of top would look like and then I'd wish I went with the 2nd because it's more unique. But if I go with the 2nd I'm afraid down the line I'll wish I went with the more traditional look instead of the initial wow factor of the 2nd. Kind of like when I was 18 I'd rather have an OCC bike but now that I'm 28 I'd rather have an Indian Larry bike.

I like the direction the flame goes with the 1st option better than the 2nd. But the f holes would flow perfectly w/ the wood grain on the 2nd option. Also I'm afraid that the 2nd option people will just see a giant fat vagina in the grain. The 1st might look a little better for the violin shape but right now I'd say I'm leaning 55/45 toward the 2nd.

 

[ievans]

I think you might be overthinking this. I see really nice grain patterns both ways. You could go crazy thinking of all the ways someone might scrutinize your build. Instead, think about what kind of guitar you want, and who cares if someone sees a vag in your grain?

 

[ihavenofish]

option one might have glueing issue because its end grain to end grain. its usually better with the grain runs parallel to the length of the guitar. so option 2 is what id pick because its more of a 45 degree grain at the joint.