Absolutely! I'm looking at a high mass bridge and lightweight tuners which will help- but a lot of the final decision will be determined by the wood itself.
Absolutely! I'm looking at a high mass bridge and lightweight tuners which will help- but a lot of the final decision will be determined by the wood itself.
"Music is in the air; it's my job to pull it out."- Jaco Pastorius
Tassy Blackwood can have some beautiful colour through it. Will be watching with interest Bass Guy. As your dad has probably said already, measure twice, cut once
Builds to date
#1, 3 string box guitar
#2, GR-1SF, November guitar of the month 2016
#3, Charvel Surfcaster tribute scratch build. ( Completed )
#4, Pawn shop Strat ( Completed )
#5, Current build MM-1Q
I do try to read everything and I'm just good at remembering stuff like that.
I have measured out the neck and pocket templates, allowing for the correct positioning of the bridge this time. Headstock is still to be decided upon but I'm seriously contemplating the pros and cons of a reverse headstock design. At present I'm just letting it percolate until it brews into something.
"Music is in the air; it's my job to pull it out."- Jaco Pastorius
The next two shots will be self explanatory. I like the flowing organic look of #2, even though the chambering isn't as extensive as #1.
I've been mindful to ensure that there's enough support around the neck pocket area and the bridge/pickup block. Version 1 seemed a little fragile, and the increased mass at the bridge end will help alleviate sustain and balance issues.
I'm also thinking about the topography of the inner chambers- I will be considering the depths of the chambering throughout, and may even look at different rear chambers, depending on the thickness of the timber I'm using... (insert evil chuckle here)...
"Music is in the air; it's my job to pull it out."- Jaco Pastorius
Idea 2 seems better to me, though I'd probably keep it solid in the area between the pickup and the neck pocket. There will be the upward pull on the neck joint from the strings, as well as an inwards compression force, so I'd suggest making that area as strong as possible.
If the strap button is going on the end of the top horn, just make sure the wood is thick enough to take the screw without it poking through on the inside. I use Schaller straplocks and always use the longer screws they come with for a bit more security.
After a bit of to-ing and fro-ing over the pros and cons of various designs- I have settled on the following as the first trial.
The plan is to get a body blank made of inexpensive low-ish grade wood and test out the before and after effects of the chambering, looking specifically at inherent acoustic amplification, weight relief and body balance.
A lot of this is theoretical guesswork at best and at worst experimentation of the "duhhh, I dunno" school, but results should be intriguing.
"Music is in the air; it's my job to pull it out."- Jaco Pastorius