Project Guitar : 2011 Edition
- Thread starter eieio
- Start date
3hree6ixty
New member
Here's a teaser.
Took me 5 days to draw, redraw and to finish just this pickguard.
Took me 5 days to draw, redraw and to finish just this pickguard.
3hree6ixty
New member
Thanks guys.
This was actually a replica of Luna Guitars' Henna Paisley Electric range (http://www.lunaguitars.com/electricproduct/hennablack.php)
that I built earlier this year.
Story behind this was, a friend of mine was very partial to Luna Guitars, having already owned one of their acoustics.
Then she saw above-mentioned range and tagged me on FB. I took a look and commented that I could probably make a decent knockoff that could measure up, or even better. So she challenged me to do it and I, of course, accepted.
So I scoured the Buy/Sell Section and found a nice red alder body and scavenged a Stagg tele neck from my parts bin (from which I also found a Graphtech nut and tremolo bridge, perfect). Then I went down to Music Ensemble to grab the moon phase inlay stickers.
Here it is after much cleaning, fitting, sanding, cursing and swearing:
This was actually a replica of Luna Guitars' Henna Paisley Electric range (http://www.lunaguitars.com/electricproduct/hennablack.php)
that I built earlier this year.
Story behind this was, a friend of mine was very partial to Luna Guitars, having already owned one of their acoustics.
Then she saw above-mentioned range and tagged me on FB. I took a look and commented that I could probably make a decent knockoff that could measure up, or even better. So she challenged me to do it and I, of course, accepted.
So I scoured the Buy/Sell Section and found a nice red alder body and scavenged a Stagg tele neck from my parts bin (from which I also found a Graphtech nut and tremolo bridge, perfect). Then I went down to Music Ensemble to grab the moon phase inlay stickers.
Here it is after much cleaning, fitting, sanding, cursing and swearing:
3hree6ixty
New member
And as to how the pickguard started out, I bought a Fender SSS black pickguard:
The pickguard on the original was a cedar laminate, but I only had a sheet of Sycamore, so I had to make do:
Roughened up the pickguard surface with some sandpaper and applied some wood glue and clamped together for a few hours, prior to planing it down:
Then its time to re-route out all the holes that were covered by the laminate:
Fairly clean job, and nice detailing of the grain...
The pickguard on the original was a cedar laminate, but I only had a sheet of Sycamore, so I had to make do:
Roughened up the pickguard surface with some sandpaper and applied some wood glue and clamped together for a few hours, prior to planing it down:
Then its time to re-route out all the holes that were covered by the laminate:
Fairly clean job, and nice detailing of the grain...
3hree6ixty
New member
Get a piece that is properly dried to prevent nasty warping that may arise over time.. And also pick one with an interesting but uniform grain, not only fo aesthetics, but an even grain is easier to work with...
superpotato_30
New member
Just curious DIY fanatics. Have any of you ordered bodies from guitar fetish?
3hree6ixty
New member
well mine was a spare given by a friend who was building an acoustic (along with other scraps). no idea where he got his sources from. but if u're looking for laminates for the same project, i'd suggest ripping out the wooden laminates from old cupboards, wardrobes that people discard... it's the same thing. and usually have better grains... =)
3hree6ixty
New member
No problem. And here are more pictures of my build.
A close up of the neck with the inlay stickers
Got started on the paisley design that was hastily copied. And no. Unlike Luna, I didn't have any laser etching equipment, so I had to make do with a pencil, eraser, markers, and a steady hand. =P
5 days later, I was finally done with the damn thing. Yes, I know it's kinda sloppy.
Then I began to load the hardware. Here are 2 stock High-output pickups that are really not bad at all. Clear highs and mids. And on the bridge position is a Lace Holy Grail.
Wired everthing up. And with my OCD on at full steam, there's no hope for a rat's nest of wires. it's all heatshrunk and cable-tied to perfection.
A close up of the neck with the inlay stickers
Got started on the paisley design that was hastily copied. And no. Unlike Luna, I didn't have any laser etching equipment, so I had to make do with a pencil, eraser, markers, and a steady hand. =P
5 days later, I was finally done with the damn thing. Yes, I know it's kinda sloppy.
Then I began to load the hardware. Here are 2 stock High-output pickups that are really not bad at all. Clear highs and mids. And on the bridge position is a Lace Holy Grail.
Wired everthing up. And with my OCD on at full steam, there's no hope for a rat's nest of wires. it's all heatshrunk and cable-tied to perfection.
3hree6ixty
New member
And here's the ever-reliable orange drop capacitor. I used a 0.022uf cap. But 0.047 is okay, too if the pickups sound a bit too bright.
Nothing but the best. CTS pots for volume and tone
And something that will pwn those luna guitars in terms of tonal versatility. A CTS blend pot.
All the wiring is done with solid core wires instead of the ones that are normally used. Again, its just a preference and there's no way of knowing for sure which is better. Though at least I'd like to think solid-core is better.
And tuners are of course replaced with Grovers, as per the original.
And yeah. I can't resist stickers. But just one, though.
And after only a record of 13 days, the guitar is done! I was too lazy to do a proper job of the headstock logo...
Nothing but the best. CTS pots for volume and tone
And something that will pwn those luna guitars in terms of tonal versatility. A CTS blend pot.
All the wiring is done with solid core wires instead of the ones that are normally used. Again, its just a preference and there's no way of knowing for sure which is better. Though at least I'd like to think solid-core is better.
And tuners are of course replaced with Grovers, as per the original.
And yeah. I can't resist stickers. But just one, though.
And after only a record of 13 days, the guitar is done! I was too lazy to do a proper job of the headstock logo...
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3hree6ixty
New member
Just an explanation on the Blend pot.
I wired it so that it can blend either the bridge or neck pickup into the mix, depending on which position the selector switch is.
Say I've selected the bridge pickup. (position 5)
If I turn up the blend pot, it will bring the neck pickup to blend together. Creating the "tele sound".
Same goes for vice-versa.
and if the switch is left in the 2nd (neck+middle) or 4th (middle+bridge) position, the input from bridge and neck pickups respectively can be added to the other 2 pickups already selected. Which means that all 3 are engaged for a very full sounding guitar, that for some reason, is noise cancelling. Don't know why, though.
And yes, my friend is still waiting for her Luna guitar so we can A-B them. But this guitar already won this half of the fight. =P
I wired it so that it can blend either the bridge or neck pickup into the mix, depending on which position the selector switch is.
Say I've selected the bridge pickup. (position 5)
If I turn up the blend pot, it will bring the neck pickup to blend together. Creating the "tele sound".
Same goes for vice-versa.
and if the switch is left in the 2nd (neck+middle) or 4th (middle+bridge) position, the input from bridge and neck pickups respectively can be added to the other 2 pickups already selected. Which means that all 3 are engaged for a very full sounding guitar, that for some reason, is noise cancelling. Don't know why, though.
And yes, my friend is still waiting for her Luna guitar so we can A-B them. But this guitar already won this half of the fight. =P
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3hree6ixty
New member
*post deleted*
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superpotato_30
New member
@eieio: Bro why do you say you prefer a squire above gf's bodies??
Btw beautiful pickguard. I wish i had the patience to do that.
Btw beautiful pickguard. I wish i had the patience to do that.
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