Custom building tips

[muted hedge]

I'm custom designing and building a guitar, what would I need to make it work?
The hope is for it to be a semi-hollow body electric guitar, HSH pickups configuration, coil splitting. The only thing I am curious about is, will it to be a tilted back headstock for it to have intonation, will it need string trees, will it need a pickguard? Any other specifics for it to work?

I'm curious to hear from @clever monolith @stray shadow @fathom summit @ocean glacier @urban flume (sorry for calling yall out).

[clever monolith]

"will it to be a tilted back headstock for it to have intonation" no,that is the headstock. its unrelated to intonation. the vibrating length of the string is between the saddles and nut.

"will it need string trees, " if it does, you can add these. there are tuning machines with short posts.. other ways of dealing with that.

"will it need a pickguard" no. but that may be easier for you to hide things and mount things

"Any other specifics for it to work?" yes. literally all of them. lol

[muted hedge]

This is the real image

[clever monolith]

" what would I need to make it work?" have you built any instruments before?

[muted hedge]

Nope but I'm working with a pretty good woodworker

[clever monolith]

cool. id hire a luthier to help if you need to build one guitar and have it be awesome

otherwise, i would suggest getting cheap/free guitars and learn from them and improve them

you can do fretwork on any cheap/free guitar and learn about fretwork

you can "fix" the wiring in something and learn about how to "split" the coils and add a switch for that on a cheap/free guitar

you can look at a strat/tele and remove the string tree and see what that looks like

[muted hedge]

The plan is to probably buy a custom headstock

[clever monolith]

you can look under a bunch of pickguuards, etc

[clever monolith]

sure. this will help none what so ever

[muted hedge]

I mean neck

[clever monolith]

your woodworkind friend can tell you, you wont need to purchase that, and then figure out how to join it to your neck

[clever monolith]

for a neck like that, a one-off, you could easily pay $600 to get that shipped to you, functioning

i suggest, making a simpler guitar first, or practice on some other instruments and just make what you want

i suggest, get the case first

try and have a case in mind, and all the hardware onsite before building anything

i suggest, try and get that headstock printed out as clear as possible

i think that truly is one of those things that looks like a cool idea

and it is

[twin sail]

The only problem really you might have with a custom headstock is tuning stability but it can be tackled, cool idea by the way

[clever monolith]

but i think you'll find, its not that great IRL

[twin sail]

Of that sort of wacky headstock but i like it it’s unique

[clever monolith]

i like how it looks. i certainly dont want a guitar like that, tho

[muted hedge]

Wait I'm confused, are you saying the entire guitar or the neck

[clever monolith]

you need someone to R&D a one off neck. that could easily be $600 + unfinished, maybe unfretted..

[muted hedge]

I plan on actually cutting the top "wing" on the left side, down to the third black cut

[clever monolith]

im saying, if you want to make a guitar, make a guitar. make sure you can make the neck. make an attainable neck

[clever monolith]

sure. this'll be easy to sort out. and have no effect on anything

i suggest something like a kit build

[muted hedge]

Which should make it fit better into a strat case

[clever monolith]

then, build something simpler from scratch

[stray shadow]

Ideally you want straight string pull through the nut

[clever monolith]

just have the case on site

[stray shadow]

Like so

[muted hedge]

Yeah yeah, understood that part

[clever monolith]

i truly think the headstock is just a "cool" idea. and you will need to let that go

but its your guitar

[muted hedge]

Okay

[clever monolith]

the only reason to make this is so you get exactly what you want

[muted hedge]

Hear me out

[clever monolith]

dont have to 🙂

its your guitar!

thats fundamentally a bad idea on many levels

and thats fine!

its yours

if someone were hiring me and the headstock needed to resemble that? i would make these work and make the string pull straighter https://www.stewmac.com/parts-and-hardware/tuning-machines/solid-peghead-guitar-tuning-machines/steinberger-gearless-tuners/

[muted hedge]

How about this for a headstock @stray shadow

[clever monolith]

but i would do my best to talk them out of a moon

[clever monolith]

this would be easier to get straight pull. you can check that

[muted hedge]

So go with this design for the headstock?

[clever monolith]

its your guitar

i typically draw the string path and choose the shape for the string pull, at least to some degree

but this is your instrument. i suggest, study some guitars and see what you like beyond just "looking cool", which is important i get it. but there's some things you can know, like headstock angle and how that cant effect intonation but can require a tree, or string pull, and how some guitars have straight, and some dont

les pauls are popular and dont have stright pull

[muted hedge]

see heres the thing, it will be my guitar, but i also want it to not just be a piece of art

[river zodiac]

What's actually wrong with the crescent shaped headstock?
other than like space constraints or maybe pressure on it?

[clever monolith]

thats why i suggest you either hire a luthier to help you make it, if it needs to be the only great guitar you make, or build some other instruments as learning experiences. start with a kit. the build a simple guitar from scratch. otherwise, this is a lot to take on, and you can. its doable. but there are things you can learn that will help you make decisions for that build to be successful. and not just wall art.

[fathom summit]

There could be a compromise shape like this or something

[clever monolith]

one of those things is not just having someone make the neck for you

[prisma wagon]

look at the string paths

[muted hedge]

so i need to move the tuners?

[prisma wagon]

no

[muted hedge]

to make it more straight?

[prisma wagon]

the tuners path is gonna make tuning stability kinda shit

strings going off in wonky directions

the E and e strings are beyond gonna be pinched and bent around the nut to get to their tuners

the best you can do here while keeping that shape is move all of them along the curve to keep the string path is straight as possible

[muted hedge]

okay

thanks kiko!

[prisma wagon]

talk to your luthier to make sure they're also on board with it

and theyll give their own critiques based on what they can do, want to do, and think you should do

[river zodiac]

ok fair that b string looks kinda awful there 😭

[muted hedge]

i will take a look into all of this info

[ocean glacier]

this looks like you just slapped random stuff together and hoped it would work

that headstock just wont be good

also the bridge is too close to the rear of the guitar and the top horn is too long, when you wear it on a strap standing up, your body will literally make half the fretboard inaccessable

the guitar would be too far right

[clever monolith]

#1216889679442350131 message i think the "upper horn" gets cut down.

ive made a few where, i have used cardboard analogs to try and feel the vibe of the body

i want to be clear, i am not saying "you need to make your body this shape"

im saying, this is a method by which you can use scissors, tape, and cardboard, to make an actual instrument shaped item where, you can put that in playing position and feel at least the shape of it, in your actual hands

i have a few like this.. one-offs with google photos albums of a lot of the build process that im happy to share

and again, im not saying "you need to make this guitar" or "make your guitar this shape"

im saying, i can share some information with you about how i made a few one-offs that were successful, and you can do similar and make whatever other instrument you like

this is more of a "chambered" body like you are planning..

[muted hedge]

I'm definitely going to be making the cardboard prototype first

[clever monolith]

one can test case fit, more or less, at that time

[muted hedge]

Yeah I'm thinking it might resemble more of a strat case

[muted hedge]

I will do that

[clever monolith]

one can make ones own cases

[muted hedge]

thats what my plan was tooo

[clever monolith]

https://www.penn-elcom.com/

in that case, one can make anything they want and make the case to fit the thing. otherwise, i suggest having the case on-site, if one needs "more of a strat case" whatever that means..

[muted hedge]

thanks for the link!

[clever monolith]

i dont have to understand what you mean. none of this needs to make sense to me. but it needs to make sense to you, and im just letting you know, on 2 of these one-off builds, i had a hell of a time finding a case to fit like i wanted. now, i'll purchase the strings before the build and measure everything.. lol. i have everything on site for one-offs

[muted hedge]

good tip

[muted hedge]

im still working on new headstocks, let me know what you think. (im asking to find out if it is better functioning

[muted hedge]

Heres the one of them

[prisma wagon]

better

[muted hedge]

here is this one, but i dont like it that much

[clever monolith]

if you get a chance, look at and consider https://www.stewmac.com/parts-and-hardware/tuning-machines/solid-peghead-guitar-tuning-machines/steinberger-gearless-tuners/

they wont be sticking all out at different angles like that

they can be closer together

[muted hedge]

Here is the next one

[clever monolith]

its your guitar

these pull straighter

i like nothing about this look, or the feel of that imagining tuning, etc..

i just cant imagine wanting a moon shape bad enough to tolerate the machines looking and feeling like that

if you get around to looking at https://www.stewmac.com/parts-and-hardware/tuning-machines/solid-peghead-guitar-tuning-machines/steinberger-gearless-tuners/ tho

these dont stick out like that at all

which may or may not be more desirable

[muted hedge]

i just don't know if i like the way it would look

[clever monolith]

if you like this look, go for it

i cant imagine being ok with this look, or feel

but its your guitar

[muted hedge]

i know

[muted hedge]

but like i have mentioned before, i want it to be playable, not just a work of art

[clever monolith]

sure

[muted hedge]

and to keep some of my design elements as much as possible

[clever monolith]

thats why im typing about the look and how i think this would feel to tune

this is chosen for its 'art-ful look'

which is fine

[clever monolith]

is this your design element?

looks like a moon

[muted hedge]

yes...?

[muted hedge]

i mean, my design

[clever monolith]

is this wood? have you had luck shaping wood to a sharp point like this?

i would expect to have to do layers of veneer, like plywood, to make sure that doesnt crack off

and i would dull it qiute a bit, and i wouldnt have tuning machines hanging inconsitently around the edges like that

[muted hedge]

to make it more blunt?

[clever monolith]

make it work

make it work out of the materials you are using

[muted hedge]

okay

[clever monolith]

think about why folks use plywood places and what wood grain direction does, etc..

[muted hedge]

okay, alright, sounds good!!!

[ocean glacier]

this looks better

but i dont think you should be disregarding tuner symmetry

it looks super wonky, and you’ll break the tip of your crescent within months

so no crescent and no good tuner placement

[muted hedge]

@ocean glacier Which tip?

[clever monolith]

this tip

[muted hedge]

thats a separate version from the one @ocean glacier linked to

[clever monolith]

ok

i assure you, its a similar pointy tip

[muted hedge]

Here's the newest versions of the headstock

[clever monolith]

any of the "artully pointy tips" that dont have function or help with the goal

[muted hedge]

"artfully" you mean?

[clever monolith]

'artful" i mean, since you want it to work, like you said twice IIRC, and not just hang on the wall like an art piece

[muted hedge]

is this better?

(unrelated to the guitar)
also just curious for @clever monolith @prisma wagon @urban flume @ocean glacier @river zodiac @fathom summit , what was the inspiration or reason for you username?

[twin sail]

This is by far my favourite one yet

[clever monolith]

i dont consider this 'better' no

but its not for me

[twin sail]

It’s subjective it’s your guitar OP

[ocean glacier]

yeah but theres a point where the form takes away from the function

[clever monolith]

its my name

[twin sail]

Surely that isn’t that bad?

[ocean glacier]

keysmash

[muted hedge]

cool, i guess!

[twin sail]

The string paths are quite straight

[muted hedge]

i figured as much

[ocean glacier]

:D

[muted hedge]

so what do you think of the newer version

[twin sail]

Are you talking the length from behind the nut

That’s actually very vast

[ocean glacier]

no not just that

[muted hedge]

function wise

[twin sail]

What’s up

[ocean glacier]

possibly, depending on your headstock angle

[muted hedge]

thats the point i want to be "behind?... Before?"

[muted hedge]

will flat work?

[ocean glacier]

you'd need string trees for sure

[clever monolith]

i dont need to separate these out, like that. i can make a nice looking shape that i would like that is reminicent of that, that takes string pull, and grain direction and weaknesses in wood into account, or plan for addressing that

i dont personally want a stretched out headstock like that

its maybe 5 inches longer than it needs to be

i dont want that weight or length there, for that asethetic

[ocean glacier]

the body shape is too far to the right, sort of the opposite of how a firebird would be to play

[clever monolith]

if you do, you do

you might not need string trees. you just have to see. you can add them anytime

[ocean glacier]

the bridge is almost at where you'd put a strap button on

[clever monolith]

if you used those stienberg tuners, for example, they wouldnt require string trees

not that is matters

there' no reason to avoid using a string tree

[muted hedge]

im asking for questions on function?, thats kind of what I've been asking for the whole time

how to make it function

[ocean glacier]

it'll function

if thats what you're asking

there isnt anything that necessarily stops the guitar from working

[muted hedge]

but, like will it do it well?

[ocean glacier]

my guess is no, but then again its a drawing

I might be wrong

[muted hedge]

thats what I want to correct

[twin sail]

Yeah true actually

I thought we were just talking headstock lol

[muted hedge]

@clever monolith , can you please pin this message?
so i can later save all the links

[ocean glacier]

have you thought about a headless design?

[clever monolith]

right?! and i would make it shorter. i dont want it so long. i would make the tuner buttons in a line, i wont want the crowding each other, or looking like "bad teeth" just hanging out everywhere. i would consider grain direction, etc.

[ocean glacier]

you could stick whatever design you want up there without it interfering with tuner positioning and possibly tuning stability

[ocean glacier]

bad teeth is a perfect way to put it

[clever monolith]

which can be fine, if you want that look, and dont mind the feel

im just not seeing anything in that design that makes that ok for me

[muted hedge]

if i go with headless tuners?

[clever monolith]

i want my tuner buttons in line, or in an arch that feels nice to tune

i used those stienberger ones on my headless

[ocean glacier]

headless guitar, so tuners behind the bridge

it would give you a lot of options for """headstock""" shape without looking like broken teeth

[muted hedge]

keep in mind the guitar is a semi hollow

[ocean glacier]

oh fuck right lol

it still could be done with a center block

[muted hedge]

https://tenor.com/view/captain-america-marvel-avengers-gif-14328153

[ocean glacier]

you need to screw your strap button somewhere anyway, hence centre block

[muted hedge]

im just messing with you, nothing to be worried about.

[muted hedge]

oh i cant screw the strap button on the horn?

[ocean glacier]

you can, just leave a small bit of solid wood for the button to screw into

[muted hedge]

okay! I will take that into account

[ocean glacier]

have you considered getting a custom spec guitar from a company or maker based on the models they have?

[clever monolith]

my headless is as well

[muted hedge]

i have thought about it, but then said no.

[clever monolith]

maybe you want to see that google photos album

[ocean glacier]

a project like this isnt too sensible for someone who started guitar a couple months ago, and isnt educated on guitar design

[muted hedge]

sure!

[ocean glacier]

and discord people telling you their opinions wont really fix it either

[muted hedge]

yeah

[clever monolith]

https://photos.app.goo.gl/XBf1sKxkcnmMQciD7

i had different tuning machines to R&D with

[muted hedge]

i probably need to study guitar design

[clever monolith]

they didnt work out so i went with the steinberger ones.

[clever monolith]

its study-able, for sure. and also wood grain direction, etc..

https://riot-works.com/product/riot-tuners-black/ these were what i did the R&D with

they look cleaner, but they just didnt work

https://soundcloud.com/maureen-renihan-klinedinst/i-dont-want-to-set-the-world is that guitar.

[muted hedge]

aight

[ocean glacier]

very nice

[clever monolith]

https://youtu.be/cE24R69v9Q4?si=G5PiPoBlrgnzHWVW

[clever monolith]

cheers. i like it. i play it often. i wanted to "solve more problems than i created" and i think i did that

[muted hedge]

do you have any resources, that i could look at to study guitar design

[clever monolith]

https://www.youtube.com/user/twoodfrd/videos https://www.youtube.com/@CrimsonCustomGuitars https://www.youtube.com/@stewmac i basically did an apprenticeship with an amazing luthier, which helped immensely

but yeah, any books. i have the benedetto archtop book. thats nice

there's all sorts of books on repair that are relevant

[muted hedge]

thanks much!

[muted hedge]

are there specific videos on their channels, where they talk specifically about guitar design

[muted hedge]

also the wood grain direction, i dont need to worry about, since im working with a good wood worker

[clever monolith]

twoodfrd builds very little. he's an amazing tech, and shows and communicates everything

ben crowe at crimson has plenty of builds he talks thru

stewmac will have how-tos on everything. more "repairs" as well

[clever monolith]

one can be a great woodworker, and make terrific cabinets, and not make a great guitar

i feel fortnate to have studied for a few years with a carpenter before the luthier i studied with.

[muted hedge]

okay, just wanted to let you all know, i sent an email to luthiers near me. to hear what they had to say about my design

[clever monolith]

its certainly related, but no. its not just that a "good woodworker" can make or help you make a great guitar

sure

[muted hedge]

i have not heard anything back from them, yet

[clever monolith]

if you need that guitar to be successful? you need to shelf it, and build other things first, or pay someone (a luthier) to help you with it. and i would expect no one to return emails and calls, etc, without a lot of effort.

[muted hedge]

what do you mean "and i would expect no one to return emails and calls, etc, without a lot of effort." by that?

[clever monolith]

i mean, they have no incentive to get back to you

if you wanted someone to build that for you? which is kind of what that would be, that could easily be a $6k project, or more

and, its a one-off, so jigs dont work for it, etc..

[muted hedge]

what are jigs?

[clever monolith]

which is not meant to be discouraging. just realistic

[clever monolith]

i have jigs for some of the repeatable routes i make

to save time and make things more accurate and interchangable if i want/need

[muted hedge]

I still don't know what a jig is?

[clever monolith]

right?! and its not "one" thing..

its a bit like if someone said "tire" and you wanted someone to explain the full concept of "tire" to you

which is fine

there's jigs at stewmac https://www.stewmac.com/luthier-tools-and-supplies/types-of-tools/jigs-and-fixtures-for-guitar-building-and-repair/truechannel-binding-router-jig/

i make them, for, like i said, my neck mortise

i make them for pickup routes

[prisma wagon]

theres not much to study

[clever monolith]

i have them for my body shape, etc..

[prisma wagon]

most designed guitars are "i want it to look like this, now lets see how to built it and if its possible"

[clever monolith]

https://maderasbarber.com/tonewood/en/clamps-jaws-and-fastening-elements/9358-neck-joint-routing-jig.html

@muted hedge im getting these links because i typed "guitar making jigs" into a google search

[muted hedge]

Oh so they are like c-clamps?

[clever monolith]

no

[muted hedge]

Or things that help you outline?

[clever monolith]

one can use a c clamp in a jig

https://www.stewmac.com/luthier-tools-and-supplies/types-of-tools/jigs-and-fixtures-for-guitar-building-and-repair/

[clever monolith]

a jig can do that, yes. but thats not what a jig does, exclusively

its a jig!

you may want a jig for routing some part of your build

[muted hedge]

and that's what i want help with from yall

[prisma wagon]

just a watch a few videos n shit

youl have a better understanding of how guitars are built

and apply those constraints, be it tooling, construction, or whatever, to your ideas

[muted hedge]

ALRIGHT!!!!! sounds like some solid advice there, kiko!

[twin sail]

I can’t tell if you’re angry or not

[muted hedge]

nope, im not angry. I'm saying it like, ....Alllllll-Riiight!

[twin sail]

Lol

[muted hedge]

i have a few new ideas

[muted hedge]

which is the best out of the 5?

[clever monolith]

i see no reason the tuner buttons cant be symmetrical looking

this spacing benefits nothing

[muted hedge]

yeah i can fix it

[clever monolith]

im just not sure why you dont make a good headstock that works

you can paint a moon on there

have a moon truss rod cover

[muted hedge]

(sorry bout this), but, LAME

[clever monolith]

no, i think the moon is also lame

but if i wanted one? i could have one functional ways

[muted hedge]

but a good headstock that works, is too basic

[clever monolith]

ok

[muted hedge]

how is that?

[clever monolith]

you stated you wanted this to function

if its wall art? its not a problem

[muted hedge]

i mean, what do you mean?

[clever monolith]

if you want this to function? you'll need to be more specfiic and consider function

@muted hedge i suggest, get some instruments and practice on them

learn about function

[muted hedge]

okay, how would i make a crescent moon truss rod cover

[clever monolith]

you can know that having the tuner, where its mounting gromet is outside the structure is a bad idea, and not going to work

[clever monolith]

i woud shape one, out of anything

i dont know if anything you are sharing is "in color"
looks like aluminum, etc..

i can shape one out of aluminum

its just a design element

you dont have to make the headstock moon shaped

you are just causing a lot of problems to try and have that shape

[muted hedge]

okay let me throw on a firebird headstock

[muted hedge]

that is the only way i will change my idea

[clever monolith]

i dont need you to change your idea

you need it work work

this tuner will pop out ^

its not in the wood

[muted hedge]

(the idea for this whole project started based on the announcement of the epiphone dg335)

[muted hedge]

i can fix that part

[clever monolith]

sure

[clever monolith]

you dont have to. this doesnt have to make sense to me

[muted hedge]

this one looks so much like the firebird headstock... or if not like it, it really reminds me of it.

[clever monolith]

the only reason to make your own guitar is so you get exactly what you want

if you like this? go for it

[muted hedge]

would it be easier to tune?

[clever monolith]

its about 7 inches longer than it needs to be. its not solving any problems, its just adding length for no good reason

[muted hedge]

well im trying to squish it now

[clever monolith]

a tele is easy to tune

a strat

a normal 3 per side acoustic

les paul

if you want "easy to tune" you have example of that

if you require this to be moon shaped? and dont want to figure out how to make a moon looking item up there, then go for it

you can paint a moon on

you can make a moon truss rod cover

you can make a moon shaped veneer piece

you can make a moon looking element, without re-desinging the instrument and making problems up there

you can also make whatever you like. this is your build

[muted hedge]

i mean, out of all the headstock designs, would this design be easier to tune than the other designs?

[clever monolith]

i dont want to use any of the headstock designs you have shared for various reasons

the last one would likely have little impact on tuning. but its not helping anything being that long

[muted hedge]

yes, i know, lol

[clever monolith]

ok. so if you require one of these? have at it

if you are asking a question? consider something that looks like a moon up there

and not making the whole headstock a moon

if you dont want to? thats fine

i suggest mocking this up

you can get some wood. and go on and order your tuning machines and mock something up

[clever monolith]

get some wood, and your tuning machines and mock this up

you need to see how you will want those tuning machines to be more even, and how the bass E position one nowo wont work ^

[muted hedge]

ohhhh

[clever monolith]

also, you can see how it feels to tune an instrument like that

[muted hedge]

that little gray part?

[clever monolith]

you can do the chardboard mockup

and put this on there and see how that feels

[clever monolith]

no. not the "color"

[muted hedge]

what would that be?

[clever monolith]

anything

aluminum

other wood

the same wood, just routed away, etc..

[muted hedge]

added on?

[clever monolith]

or routed away, yes

a design element

@muted hedge

i can shape some other wood, like a moon, and glue it on there

i can route away a shape like a moon and paint something or inlay something

[muted hedge]

glue it on to the edge of the headstock?

[clever monolith]

one can

one can add a moon looking item

that item can be anything

metal

other wood

one can route a moon shape

its just a design element

i can think of lots of ways to implement that on a headstock that i know would function well and feel nice to tune

[muted hedge]

could you sketch something up?

i dont think i fully understand what you exactly mean

[muted hedge]

so am i supposed to be worried about it swinging?

[clever monolith]

im just making you aware of how the sketch ups you have have the tuning machines in places where, they run into the wood, or they are off the side of the wood

and you arent gaining anything from it

[clever monolith]

i just dont see that and thing "wow, im glad that is moon shaped, its totally fine that the tuning machines are not equidistant, and one is off by itself and they arent symmetrically following an arch.. its worth that for the look of a moon-ish"

but this is your guitar

[muted hedge]

i will probably change it up, in this example, due to the fact that it looks too much like a sharkfin

[clever monolith]

@muted hedge im going to suggest prolly #guitars-repair-upgrade ..thats really the closest thing we have to a build community. this is for folks looking for advice on what to buy, and i do stuggest you go on and buy your tuning machines and some thin stock and start mocking really any of this up you like and see if you like it, in person

[muted hedge]

yeah fair enough. (you should definitely add a custom build channel like this one

[clever monolith]

you can use #guitars-repair-upgrade .we discuss building over there often

[muted hedge]

yeah i know but, stuff can get lost in the valleys of messages

[clever monolith]

just not #1019841011888959498 since its for what to buy, and i dont think you are buying tuning machines

[muted hedge]

i will be buying tuning machines

[clever monolith]

copy paste it for your reference as you please

[clever monolith]

when you do? you can make a thread here about "what to buy".. til then? this is for "what to buy"

[muted hedge]

alright, (i just hope this thread wont close too quickly

[muted hedge]

how about this one ?

[muted hedge]

how about this for a truss rod?

[prisma wagon]

good functionality and being pretty / different can coexist

etc

[muted hedge]

wait... I can do that?!

have a floating headstock?

[prisma wagon]

i just think yours are a little

unfunctional

[prisma wagon]

like this one, the tuners arent to scale

theyre extremely small

in real life

they wouldnt fit that close

[muted hedge]

that is exactly what im trying to fix with all of your help

[prisma wagon]

theres also a lot of unnecssary space

[muted hedge]

also, this one gave me an idea

maybe a les or adjacent, style headstock, but with the cutout

[prisma wagon]

just look on pinterest or something

good functoinal headstocks that still have artistic flair exists

they dont have to be all boring

[muted hedge]

i will. thanks for the ideas!!!

[muted hedge]

would the red part of the logo work for a headstock (filled in obvi)

[muted hedge]

hey @prisma wagon what do you think about this one?

Is this much better now? @urban flume @clever monolith @prisma wagon

[muted hedge]

how about now? i like this design lots!
is it functional though?

[twin sail]

It’s still huge

The high E string is in a different continent

[urban flume]

the tip of that headstock scares me, it just looks like somemthing waiting to be broken

[tribal sequoia]

lots of different designs!

i loved the crescent moon idea but is it possible to make your guitar a headless one and then add the headstock purely for art and not functionality?

i have a feeling that you still really want that headstock and it would be a one of a kind if you make it! but making it work is the problem, so if its possible just make it headless then somehow add the headstock it would look great

[muted hedge]

so if i can find a way to bring the high e, down?

[muted hedge]

i dont know how to do that

[muted hedge]

how about now?

[tribal sequoia]

why don't you go for a solar type headstock?

[muted hedge]

does this work? @tribal sequoia

[tribal sequoia]

it looks like a retard sharpened a pencil with his nails

no offense ofc

personally i would look for inspiration and then implement different quirks of headstocks to make my own

[ocean glacier]

i thought holstein told you to use the guitar repair and upgrade channel

you should really use this forum to ask ideas about stuff you think about buying

[ocean glacier]

you dont know how to do a regular headstock either

asking "does this work, does this work, does this work" to tens of different photoshop headstocks wont get you anywhere

you have a luthier thats gonna help you, why dont you work with them?

he can easily show you what would work better than others, which would make you understand better

you can also try and build a model of the design you want, even a cardboard one. What have you done so far other than photoshop and miniature drawings?

[hushed tulip]

the concepts are cool but its better to ask a real luthier and knowing how building instruments work et

etc

[muted hedge]

the plan is to soon, order some tuners. just my woodworker friend is super busy currently, so when his time is freed up, then i will order them

[muted hedge]

did it

[muted hedge]

yes, i know... i plan on grabbing all the good stuff that has been on this post, and copying it down to keep it.

[tribal sequoia]

that looks fire bro

[muted hedge]

heres a question, that actually goes with this posting channel: what is the opinion of "AllParts" https://www.allparts.com/products/ap-2419-000-black-tusq-xl-sleek-tring-trees-w-chrome-screws?_pos=2&_sid=db72038da&_ss=r

[muted hedge]

for buying parts for the custom build?

[twin sail]

By far the best

[muted hedge]

https://tenor.com/view/spray-paint-070shake-modus-vivendi-paint-on-jacket-personalized-jacket-gif-17076048

[muted hedge]

i just need to figure out how to make a template for all the stars, (like an outline, whatever you call this)^^^

[river zodiac]

(stencil)

[muted hedge]

thanks, magic! i forget that word a bit

[muted hedge]

what do you think of it now, would this work as a truss rod cover, and how do you recommend making it?

[ocean glacier]

"how do you recommend making it" is a question for your luthier friend

as long as it doesnt block the tuner posts, it'll be fine

[muted hedge]

but like the coloring?

[ocean glacier]

up to you

its not gonna be our guitar

[muted hedge]

well how would you recommend doing the coloring(not talking about changing the color)

[ocean glacier]

what does that mean

"colouring (not changing the colour)"

[river zodiac]

if it's plastic or polymer or whatever you could probably print or paint it on somehow right

[ocean glacier]

oh, painting

yeah print or paint

[river zodiac]

all the stars and constellations make it look like cutting out individual pieces and putting it together like a puzzle would probably suck/not end up looking great

[muted hedge]

thanks magic! (for understanding the question)

[muted hedge]

my idea for the stars would be to print it out, take the paper and try to poke the holes in

or something

unless anybody has any ideas on how to make some quick dotty stars (like painting them)

[ocean glacier]

spray paint if you want it to look like what you drew

it just looks like a generic splatter effect which is super easy to do with spray paint

[river zodiac]

^

if no spray paint could also flick paint off of a brush or something? practice first tho

[ocean glacier]

yeah the paint brush trick works

[muted hedge]

why did you cross through "practice first tho" ?

[ocean glacier]

because if you do it without any experience ur gonna fuck up the paint on ur new guitar

if you get it built that is

you'll have to strip it and repaint it until you get it the way you want if you dont practice

[muted hedge]

i know that part

[ocean glacier]

okay, great

[muted hedge]

now i just have to worry about the shape of the body

[ocean glacier]

also, please dont post here and in #guitars-repair-upgrade at the same time lmao

[muted hedge]

yeah i wont!

actually i plan on transitioning from here to there, when i can figure out how to start a thread over there

[ocean glacier]

you dont start a thread there

you just ask

[muted hedge]

i wish there was a posting channel like this, but call it "Custom Build Projects"

[prisma wagon]

yeah somethin like that exists: #gear-pictures

[tribal sequoia]

is that the orion constellation?

[muted hedge]

nope, capricornus

[tribal sequoia]

ah okay, they look similar haha

[muted hedge]

is kerfing needed/important?

[muted hedge]

do i need kerfing, for my build @urban flume @clever monolith?

[clever monolith]

its your build

[muted hedge]

i mean, to make it structurally sound

[clever monolith]

look up why folk use kerfing

[clever monolith]

you have a block for most of the structure

if im attaching thin sides to thin top? i use either kerfing or i bend material and use that in layers to increase that glue surface

[clever monolith]

a better question is, what are you making? and why would you not to it like people make those?!

[muted hedge]

that guitar we were discussing

[clever monolith]

lol. thats for you to answer

i know what you are making

something like a 335, with a block

[waxen sinew]

Now it’s amazing. Solar headstock is like one of the best one’s

[muted hedge]

yeah, im glad this was an idea, that should work

without making it entirely wall art

[waxen sinew]

Are you really into reversed headstocks?

[muted hedge]

maybe?

i think

[waxen sinew]

If you want a non reverse then do this:

[muted hedge]

hmm

i dunno

[prisma wagon]

you have to understand how you actually want to build the guitar in the first place

before asking if you need kerfing

[ocean glacier]

why not ask your luthier friend about kerfing

nothing we say will be as useful as their input, and showing you in real life will make you truly understand the thought process that goes into building a guitar

then you literally cannot build the guitar

when neither of you know anything about building guitars

woodworking enough wont get you a guitar, especially when you yourself don't really know what you need to build a guitar

why delete messages

[muted hedge]

im not sure

[ocean glacier]

ask them if they know how to make a hollowbody guitar

you cant really ignore stuff like the truss rod, the frets, the electronics when you dont know how to do it yourself

[prisma wagon]

you're asking about building techniques when you don't fully know what you're building and how in the first place

[ocean glacier]

a woodworker might not even know what a fret or a truss rod is

[prisma wagon]

just start with videos on youtube of people building semi hollows or something

[muted hedge]

thanks kiko!

[muted hedge]

i know what those are!

[ocean glacier]

do you know how to put them inside the neck?

do you have the tools to do so?

i really suggest you talk this through with someone who actually makes custom guitars

[prisma wagon]

theres different ways you can do it too, and there's different truss rod types

[muted hedge]

well then, give me the list

[ocean glacier]

find out yourself

[prisma wagon]

just watch someone building a guitar on youtube

tchik has a video series on it

[ocean glacier]

you literally wont be able to do anything with a random list of tools I give you

[muted hedge]

thats my plan!

[prisma wagon]

most of us haven't built a full on guitar before, what we're saying is all just from the internet and background knowledge

so you can just do the same and do research online

[muted hedge]

thanks for the heads up

[muted hedge]

i will!!!!

[clever monolith]

https://www.stewmac.com/ has "tools by job", but there's lots of tools and methods to get tasks done

there's no constructive list of 'here's the tools" that one can refer to that will make sure that, when said tools show up, a person who purcahses those tools ends up with a guitar at the end

[tribal sequoia]

@muted hedge

@muted hedge moon headstock

its possible

on a bass at least

[muted hedge]

i had heard about that before,

[tribal sequoia]

its pretty cool that its been done before

how is your building progress?

[muted hedge]

havent yet, i need time, so probably during the summer or something maybe?

idk

its on the dream plan

its a goal

i guess?

[muted hedge]

would $300 be enough to buy the parts (besides the wood and tools, already got that figured out)

[river zodiac]

Depends on how fancy the parts you go for are, and what they're made of/who's selling 'em

[twin sail]

Very subjective

[river zodiac]

I think your biggest issue there'll be the pickups probably

HSH is like. Basically five pickups

even if you go for like rock bottom blowout amazon temu whatever pickups, that's still probably going to eat like $100-$150 of that $300 easy

you need the six tuning heads
two humbuckers
a single coil
looks like a tune o matic bridge?
four potentiometers?
and the switch with assuming five way since you want split coil?

and then does wood/tools also include any paints, lacquers, stains, fretwire, the nut, string guides on the head if you're still going with the fun headstock?

[muted hedge]

No, don't worry, i finally folded. i Will be going with a solar guitars style headstock shape. but have a really cool vinyl plate over the top of it.

[river zodiac]

🔥 😭

[muted hedge]

whats that about? why are you crying?

[river zodiac]

the moon shape was cool rip BUT probably good idea not using it

[muted hedge]

I cant even remember who in this chat was on what side

[river zodiac]

everyone who has actually built a guitar was against it iirc lol

[muted hedge]

yeah, but they are probably right, to be honest

i also thought about how it might look when performing with said guitar. i might have begun to think it would look weird and quite wacky

[weak escarp]

yapping it up

[weak escarp]

okay this desgin is kind of cool

[muted hedge]

thank you very much

[waxen sinew]

If you want a non reverse headstock you can go with a Fernandes vortex elite headstock

[muted hedge]

Send a photo of it

[waxen sinew]

Sec

[waxen sinew]

Mmm love apple

.jp2 files