Sonics 5th build - The Ultracaster (with special sneak peak)

[Fretworn]

Similar body shape to a Carvin Allan Holdsworth Fatboy.

[JohnH]

I like that body shape a lot Sonic. And surely there's no such thing as too many guitar projects, right? (...right??)

[Sonic Mountain]

Similar body shape to a Carvin Allan Holdsworth Fatboy.

It does a bit. I tell you, it doesn't matter how original you try to be with a shape, someone somewhere has had the same idea. And once you start getting really wild with it, they lose a lot of practicality. Sticking with some semblance of ergonomics always seems to yield the tradition shapes in some way or another.

[FrankenWashie]

I like that body shape a lot Sonic. And surely there's no such thing as too many guitar projects, right? (...right??)

It’s the N+1 rule for sure,

[Sonic Mountain]

I like that body shape a lot Sonic. And surely there's no such thing as too many guitar projects, right? (...right??)

I am feeling a little overwhelmed. I have other guitar stuff going on behind the scenes as well. I made some good progress on the SG assembly last night, once it and the Washburn are playing I'll feel a bit better. Actually I'm going to be hard pressed to choose which one to play....

[FrankenWashie]

I am feeling a little overwhelmed. I have other guitar stuff going on behind the scenes as well. I made some good progress on the SG assembly last night, once it and the Washburn are playing I'll feel a bit better. Actually I'm going to be hard pressed to choose which one to play....

It’s a familiar story, “I’ll start this while that’s drying/curing” and “while that settles i’ll just start marking out this PUP rout” and before you know it there’s 4 bodies hanging with wet paint or clear, more necks than you have bodies for requiring fret levelling (or in my case stripped and awaiting new boards), router bits and shavings everywhere and everything unprotected is covered in sanding dust.
...and the ideas keep popping in to your head and resonating....building in intensity...seeing someone else’s work on a guitar style you’d never considered before tip you over the edge and.........Adam has some more of your money and you are checking the Auspost app on the hour.

[Sonic Mountain]

It’s a familiar story, “I’ll start this while that’s drying/curing” and “while that settles i’ll just start marking out this PUP rout” and before you know it there’s 4 bodies hanging with wet paint or clear, more necks than you have bodies for requiring fret levelling (or in my case stripped and awaiting new boards), router bits and shavings everywhere and everything unprotected is covered in sanding dust.
...and the ideas keep popping in to your head and resonating....building in intensity...seeing someone else’s work on a guitar style you’d never considered before tip you over the edge and.........Adam has some more of your money and you are checking the Auspost app on the hour.

Accurate. I'm definitely going to go back to one at a time. Apart from anything else, I don't seem to have any time to play them as there is always something to do on the builds.

[JohnH]

It’s a familiar story, “I’ll start this while that’s drying/curing” and “while that settles i’ll just start marking out this PUP rout” and before you know it there’s 4 bodies hanging with wet paint or clear, more necks than you have bodies for requiring fret levelling (or in my case stripped and awaiting new boards), router bits and shavings everywhere and everything unprotected is covered in sanding dust.
...and the ideas keep popping in to your head and resonating....building in intensity...seeing someone else’s work on a guitar style you’d never considered before tip you over the edge and.........Adam has some more of your money and you are checking the Auspost app on the hour.

Definitely accurate. I had set myself a bit of a New Years resolution to finish the two I've got on the go, and the two I've ordered and then maybe one more after that. Instead it's mid Jan and I'm making bloody templates for two more semi- scratch builds, have decided to buy two more kits, and am drawing up plans for two more scratch builds after that (with about a dozen other ideas kicking around). I have no idea what I'll do with them all; I don't even really play that much!

[FrankenWashie]

Definitely accurate. I had set myself a bit of a New Years resolution to finish the two I've got on the go, and the two I've ordered and then maybe one more after that. Instead it's mid Jan and I'm making bloody templates for two more semi- scratch builds, have decided to buy two more kits, and am drawing up plans for two more scratch builds after that (with about a dozen other ideas kicking around). I have no idea what I'll do with them all; I don't even really play that much!

Sounds like you have your own Igor giving you bad (good) ideas.....

[Sonic Mountain]

Okey done. I've been a little quiet with building of late. I've actually been doing more playing and spending some quality time getting all my setups just right. I have to say I have been playing the S**T out of my Hondo acquisition. Its awesome.

So back to the Ultracaster. I've been thinking about this one a lot. I really want to do a SuperTele 80's style build, but I think with the new PBG headstock and the Wilkinson bridge with the cover it would be too much of a clash. So the plan now is to do something a bit more classic.

I am struggling to come up with the finish I want to attempt. I'm leaning towards white, cream or mustard/butterscotch yellow.

What I have decided is that I'm going to use one of my spare hum buckers in the bridge position. I have a black metal pickup ring to suit. I'll need to fill the corners of the cavity as there isn't enough meat for the screws to bite into, but that is a minor issue.

I also have a black neck back plate and I'll use the left over black grover tuner bits from the SG to mix and match those up. So there will be a black/chrome theme. Maple neck and ? body. (burst? Gold???)

Anyway, ideas and interference welcome. I do want to show off how nicely this headstock has come up. Not to blow my own horn or anything but its really quite elegant and will suit a classic tele style build.