Pointy Guitar Build Thread

KungFuPro

Thanks, finish isn't as shiny as it looks there, only a dull sheen. Looks purple again in the video for some reason, think it depends on the lighting, looks reddish when I photograph it.


I'll post a few clean clips when I get a chance, don't want people thinking pointy guitars are one-trick ponies made for metal.

Might redo the electrics first, bridge ground and pickup wires were a pain to feed through but they're not going anywhere. Going to have to desolder a few wires first to put in the new mini-switch. Hopefully do a neater job second time round, went a bit overboard with the solder on the shield wires. Still need to make a cover for the cavity but that can wait for now.


Think the intonation needs adjusting too, listening back it sounded a bit off on the higher fretted power chords. Might've been my dodgy tuning though as I switched to Drop-D at the last minute. Made it easier to play the riffs but a bit confusing having worked them out in standard tuning first.

KungFuPro

Still plan on doing a better demo of that pointy Bich build when I get a chance, recently bought a couple of cheap necks from ebay to play around with, 22Frets Electric Guitar Maple Neck and Fingerboard Dot Inlay 8U2Y

Skunk stripe looks really odd in the stock photos (from 3rd fret?) but it's a proper routed skunk stripe.


Think they're factory seconds as both have the odd imperfections, dark bits in the maple, the odd scuff mark. Frets ends are a bit sharp but at least they're properly seated.

Besides that, the quality is better than what I was expecting, slim neck shape and satin finish feels smooth. Better than what I could do with limited tools. Not trying to compete with the likes of Paul Reed Smith, I just like using power tools and creating sawdust.

Anyway, good enough for a Frankentele project I've started.


Main bulk of the body is pine, walnut centre strip through body for stability, rest of the top/cap is made up from bits of wood left over from previous projects; walnut, spalted beech & horse chestnut, olive ash, brown oak, a proper frankenstein body.

what is looks like dampened (plan on blue/green dye finish)


Done a bit of routing today, going with top mounted standard tele controls.


Thought about black binding but there's a couple of chipped bits from routing, might have to contour instead.

Not 100% sure on pickups/bridge yet. Got a black Wilkinson 2-point trem and a Floyd Rose special I might use instead of hardtail, thinking of adding a single coil between humbuckers, HSH style.

KungFuPro

Not been playing much guitar but progressing with the tele build.

Used previously made router templates for humbuckers and control cavity. Also used neck template from the bich build, had to slightly widen it, 54mm-56mm. Fits well, can pick it up by the neck without the body falling off.


Gone with neck ferrules this time, keeping neck pocket square with contoured heel. Used a router chamfer bit to take off excess around body before shaping, tried round over bits but contour was too shallow.


Back shaped and rough sanded


Same chamfer bit on top as well


Knew there was something I'd forgotten, channel holes for pickup wires!


Whole body shaped and sanded to 180-grit. Would normally go 240/320 but going to wood dye first. Having it sanded like a marble finish can stop the dye soaking in.


Should have this one done over easter, want to get it out of the way as I have some nice mahogany I've been hoarding. Thinking of a Shorthorn Mockingbird, not many of them about, maybe a 7/8 string build.

hyperfish

Looking great mate. Love the curves on this one.

Axl

This is gonna look sweet, coming on nicely.

KungFuPro

Cheers, Bich build was supposed to for Drop B tunings (odd Slipknot, Machine Head song) put 9s on it to test and now it's my go to E-standard guitar. Going to put some 12s on the Tele once it's finished so I have use it for Drop tuning!

KungFuPro

Been experimenting with dyeing the tele body. First up was a concentrated yellow dye on the front, looked ok but think the mixture was too strong, bit thick in places.


Tried to burst it, blue on the back and green sides. Turned green but didn't really blend, should've done it all in one go instead of letting the yellow dry first...  sanded back.


Second attempt, kept it simple, blue all over in one go


Liked the front but wanted the back darker, tried adding a second coat but ended up doing the whole body. Way too dark, sand back again, @*$&!


Blue again, that's it, fed up of sanding. Should look ok with a clear finish.

KungFuPro

Also been tinkering with the pickups I plan on using for this build. Bought a few Chinese no-brand humbuckers a while ago, fully covered chrome set and red SD Invader lookalikes.

Tested the covered chrome pups and they don't sound too bad, first guitar in this video (Bich build in this video @0:45).
                               
Not Dimarzio/Duncan standard but better than some stock pups I've played. Typical cheap ceramic mags pups, saying that, some of my favourite bridge pups are ceramic; EMG81, Duncan Distortion, Dimarzio Super Distortion.

Don't like ceramic mags in the neck pup though, never understood why Ibanez stock pups have ceramic for neck and alnico for bridge.

Anyway, I've taken an alnico mag out of a Wilkinson pup and swapped it with the ceramic in the neck invader lookalike.


Not trying to teach old dogs new tricks but ceramics look black and alnico are silver.

Also, if you're intersted in Wilkinson humbuckers, the ones in the Vintage V100/VS6 range are 'licensed by', blank backplate, ceramic mags. Pickups in the icon range (AFD100, Lemon Drop) are the proper Wilkinson pickups, stamped baseplate, green/red/black/white conductor wires.

Enough rambling, managed to swap the magnets without knackering either pickup, red invader lookalike read 6.8k before swap, 7.06k after.

What they look like in the guitar, clear finish next.

hyperfish

Well played mate, I'd gladly pay you to give me lessons

I was looking at magnets last week. I didn't get around to doing anything about it, but I was toying with putting Alnico 3's in my Epi. Worth a punt for a few quid each.

KungFuPro

Hah, thanks, don't think I'd make a very good teacher, can barely focus on one thing myself before finding another song/riff/project I want to start. Homer Simpson chasing a squirrel springs to mind.
                                                                                                                                                 

I was looking at buying pickup mags a while back and found this site
Guitar Pickup Magnets

Still haven't tried them, site was a lot more basic last time I checked, no option for magnetised last time I looked, now the have options for 7 strings, etc. Must've clocked on there's a market for guitar magnets. Prices are still good compared to ebay/dedicated guitar sites.

I should have ordered some myself before butchering a perfectly good Wilkinson pickup but where's the fun in that.