Ambitious 1st build - crazy custom job

[Andy123]

Hi everyone. I wouldn't consider myself to be an aspiring luthier. Rather, I have some daft design ideas for a custom guitar, and on my budget it looks like some assembly will definitely be required. I've never used woodworking tools in my life, so this will be interesting.

I'd like an instrument that sounds decent both amplified and acoustic, so I'm guessing an archtop would be the way to go. I think I saw a recommendation somewhere that newbies should steer clear of hollow body kits - any thoughts on this? If I were to build the body from scratch I could understand the warning, but it looks like with these kits the hard work has mostly been done.

Also on that note, I understand the archtops come with a solid block under the soundboard to mount pick ups etc onto. I'd be doing a custom order without that bit and only F holes and neck pocket routed to preserve the sound board (floating neck mounted humbucker with knobs on the pick guard). I imagine I'll run into trouble with the need for some kind of bracing in place of the solid block - or would I be good to go as is?

I have a heap more questions which might be better asked in other forums, but figured this might pass for a brief intro and help me decide if I'm barking up the wrong tree by starting with a customised GR-1SF.

[Dedman]

I doubt the factory would make internal mods for you, check that with Adam.

However I have the ES-5 and she is pretty loud unplugged,in fact I have to turn it up quite a bit to hear the amp over it. I don't own an acoustic to compare it with but it sounds good to me.

The difficulty in the hollow bodies, is the set neck, cleaning up the binding after staining or painting and and feeding the wiring loom in through an F holes

[adam]

Hi Andy123,

What Dedman said. I think installing the electronics is the biggest challenge with the hollow body kits. There are some good resources on the Forum, so ask and someone will direct you to the relevant threads.

We have some ES-5V kits due in August... only 4 weeks away, which will have no routing except the neck pocket and f-holes. So they're designed to be Vintage style acoustic/electric kits.

We also have the benefit of our resident Luthier, Dingobass, who does keep an eye on this Forum... he may be able to put up a thread abut the work he's doing with Piezo pickups on his semi-acoustic builds.

[Andy123]

Thanks for the response guys.

It was actually a build diary on an ES-5V that raised my concerns about using one as an acoustic.

Attachment 16068
For those thinking of building one of these for acoustic playing, you may want to rethink your plans. The soundboard is supported by a block of wood from back to front, instead of tone bars like most full hollow-body arch tops. This is probably to stop the feedback usually produced in these guitars. Having said that, tapping the top sounds ok. It would probably sound fine if all you want is to practice while the kids sleep in the next room.

I'd like to avoid pulling apart the body if I can help it. Also, would it be possible to get a GR-1SF with only the F holes and neck pocket routed? I'm not concerned with time frames at this point. I'll need time to come up with the money and talk things over with my other half

[Dedman]

thought you might find this pic interesting. It shows the blocks and bracing inside a real Gretsch

[Andy123]

Perhaps I should be less precious about the acoustic quality of this build, as up until I found these kits I was going to resort to something akin to a cigar box guitar.

That reminds me though - I should qualify the subject heading of this thread and give you a better idea of why I'm here (beyond "something decent both amplified and acoustic").

I'd like to learn Middle Eastern music which can be microtonal in some cases. All of the instruments designed for the purpose that I've managed to get my hands on just didn't feel right:

• Too light and fragile
• Friction tuners
• Tied on frets
• Expensive with unreliable build quality
• Near impossible to source

What I wanted was a frankenstein hybrid between a saz, a tanbour, and a setar (not to be confused with a sitar).

Ultimately this instrument would have three courses of strings tuned to DAD. One low D string and the A and high D strings would be doubled an octave higher like a twelve string guitar. This would dictate some mucking around with the headstock, nut, bridge and tailpiece.

The microtonal part is where things get interesting. Not having the required skills or patience, Id rather go fretless than put extra frets in. My idea was to get a fret board with all the usual fret locations cut, but instead of installing frets, use a filler of contrasting colour to the fret board. The "extra" fret positions would be marked in a similar manner but different coloured filler.

This would enable also playing western music on it without getting too confused by all the extra fret positions. Hanging out on a CBG forum gave me the idea that this thing could also be good for blues slide guitar - maybe. Now I've stumbled upon PBGs and realised I could potentially have something way better for around a couple of hundred dollars more, I've been inspired to pursue that route.

If it all works out and I end up as addicted as everyone implies I might, then this project could possibly be followed by a regular guitar build. For now though, I have regular guitars, I don't have one of these monstrosities.

[Dedman]

I think you need to have a chat with Dingo Bass the resident luthier and one who dislikes frets LOL. Shoot him a PM or email as he may not see this thread.

[Andy123]

Thanks for the heads up, I've shot him a PM linking to this thread. No doubt being able to pick the brain of an experienced luthier would be an absolute godsend for a total n00b like me taking on something as out-there as this.

As a starting point though, for what I intend to do, would I be better off going for a kit or odd bits and pieces? The GR-1SF body caught my eye and I like the idea of a cut away, but I wonder how it sounds acoustically? Is the ES-5V far superior acoustically, just a little bit, or about the same?

Could I custom order a neck where the fret board has the fret positions cut but with out frets installed (and no inlays/markers)? How about a head stock without tuner holes pre-drilled?

Once I know what I'm ordering, I'll start a build diary and direct my other silly questions that way...

[Andy40]

Hi Andy123, great to see another Andy and from Brisbane too!

[Andy123]

Thanks Andy, looks like there's a few of us here.

Anyone curious just what the Dickens this thing is going to sound like, something like this. Although I should add I can't play nearly as well as this guy, he has mad chops. He's like an Iranian Hendrix.
https://youtu.be/knqUymwInCo