soooo.... this happened.
Pitbull had this among the specials and I couldn't resist...
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Attachment 44987
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Attachment 44988
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Printable View
soooo.... this happened.
Pitbull had this among the specials and I couldn't resist...
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Attachment 44986
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Attachment 44987
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Attachment 44988
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Attachment 44989
30" Baritone guitar, the plan is to keep it fretless...
After a quick dry fit, it all seems ok, except:
# the neck pocket is a little bit abundant. First time I experience this on a Pitbull kit
# the neck seems a bit "angled away from the body" (see photo below). Not sure, perhaps it's normal on this type of instruments. Haven't checked with the bridge height yet, worst case scenario the next will need some shimming.
# the strings provided with the kit are too short (this is a 30" scale)
# in terms of strings, I am doing some research, for 30" baritone some people recommend bass VI strings. Not sold on this yet, and lots to read about strings tensions and type of tunings... Standard B, or E one octave lower (basically like a bass)...
# all the electronics came loose and will need to be soldered. I am not an expert but one or two bits and pieces seem missing to me (nothing major, like, there's no capacitor, and maybe something else missing, not a biggie though, could be fun)
# advertised as ash, but it feels very light (again not an expert, but way lighter than the fretless PB4 ash I build some time ago)
# the bridge pickup slots is slightly too small, the pick up fits "just", will have to use a Dremel to gently carve 1mm or so
Attachment 44990
I have done my good years playing metal and cover bands and all that, I think the body and head stock look great on this kit, but the idea is to mod them to make it less aggressive, still maintaining some interesting angles and shapes of the original design
here some ideas I just sketched
#1 Maestro
Attachment 44992
#2 Stalker
Attachment 44993
#3 Spigolosa
Attachment 44994
Currently more incline towards #1 and #2
Here a couple of "blank" photos in case someone feels like drawing something to share and idea or two! I am open to suggestions!!!
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Attachment 44991
.and here a photo of the back (notice the electronics cavity position, sort of far back into the body)
Attachment 44995
Nice pickup. I will admit that I was also looking closely at this kit!
I think the neck being angled away from the body is to compensate for the high tune-o-matic style bridge.
I recall that Simon B has mentioned the black ash versus the white ash. Black ash does has a lower density.
Thanks Trevor for the info!
here a couple more tests.. I feel like it's getting closer!! this is fun!!
#4 Maestro 1b
Attachment 44996
#5 Unico
Attachment 44997
My 2 cents:
I like the base of the #5 Unico, but I'm not sure about the horns. Maybe SG style (1 point) horns!
But in the horizontal position, I like the base of #4:confused:
Sorry, I'm no help!
Great suggestions Trevor!! Thank you!!!
here we go: (I like to sketch it out as it helps visualising it a bit better)
#6 Maestro EsseGi'
Attachment 44998
#7 Unico EsseGi'
Attachment 44999
Anyone else?
Hi FaustoB,
Your drawing #7 looks good to me. You mentioned the body feels light, and with a longer scale length there may be a potential neck dive issue. Keep as much as you can on the upper horn so there is room for playing with strap button placement (won't be a lot but something to think about).
This is a one off, so it would pay to check the neck angle is correct with the bridge you will be using. Being a bolt on, adding a shim if needed is easy enough.
It's a bold shape, do you have a bold colour scheme in mind?
Enjoy being creative with this one.
Grant
#6 and #7 are much better IMO. Please note that I have no art skills at all!
Still my 2 cents:
the right horn looks too much like Shrek's ear trumpet! Maybe the curve needs to be the same as the left horn!
Shrek green, there's a colour scheme for it.
There was a reply to my post but it hasn't shown here, strange. The reply copied from email notification;
"All very good points Grant... Thank you! Re: the bold shape, 100% definitely yes! all respect to Fender Gibson etc... stunning shapes and stunning instruments... but sometimes we just need something else a bit different out there! Re: the colour, I don't think it's will be too eccentric... an unusual body, long scale baritone, fretless... I think that's already a lot there! I'm doing some research about the strings... and like everything it's basically a universe on its own!" FaustoB.
Grant
Thanks Trevor and Grant for the the ideas and comments!
for Grant, not sure what happened to that message. I did send it with my mobile, but then I couldn't see it in the forum.. thanks for copying and pasting.
Thanks for the drawing Trevor! I love it, but to my taste is getting a bit too symmetric :)
Currently I'm leaning towards drawings #4 and #6, although I'm aware that getting that instrument to rest against the wall will be a challenge..haven't decided yet.
Re: the colour, I doubt it will be green... light blue or red cedar maybe... something simple
Tomorrow if I get the chance I'll test the neck angle with the bridge, draw the body and neck shape and maybe to the cuts. (I'm also working on a lap steel 25" atm)
A quick question about the pickups. what happens if I spray paint them black? the plastic cover is already black, I want to spray paint over the "actual" 12x round metal bits.. that should work I guess?
I have not heard of anyone painting over the pole pieces, but it should work!Quote:
Originally Posted by FaustoB
I have a set of black covered humbuckers where you see the 6 black screw pole pieces, (not the surrounds). If you want to trade?!
Hey Trevor, thank you so much, that's very kind to offer.Quote:
Originally Posted by Trevor Davies
I dont feel ok to trade these pickups because literally I don't know how they sound! They might be great, they might be ok, or they might be real bad!!
I guess I'll go with the spray paint option and document here how it goes.
This build has hit a partial road block because over the last month or so I really got into playing music and recording a lot of stuff and ideas, and that took the majority of my music related time!!
Ok, a little progress on this.
Before cutting the body and the headstock I checked the neck alignment and neck height using a long spirit level.
Attachment 45043
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Attachment 45044
all looking good!
It was obvious that the nut had to come off because the action would be way too high otherwise. I will use some sand paper to shave off some of that height. It came off sure easy.
Attachment 45045
This nut is very cheap!! Will definitely upgrade this
Also, not a key question at the moment, but I'm still unsure if this is a 30" baritone fretless or a 30" bass VI fretless. Mostly will be about the strings, I don't think it would affect that anything else.
I have done a fair bit of reading, I guess at some point I will buy different sets of strings and see what works best
Hi FaustoB.
Not sure, but it looks like the action will be quite high looking at the middle picture (I know the nut is very high). You may want to angle the neck back a bit with a shim to allow for the curve of the neck. At least being a bolt on neck, it will be easy to change later if needed.
Very good point Trevor, well spotted!
so what's happening there, it's a tune o matic bridge, that has those pins that insert super snag into the body.
I didn't want to press those pins down all the way for this test (before sanding, finishing etc..), so instead I just packet a tiny bit of timber under the bridge, measuring the bridge (& pins) at a fairly medium/high position.
Then set the spirit level across.
The nut is definitely too high, even if this guitar had frets (today I have shave off a good couple of mm off the nut) and the bridge is also high, but I know that I can go lower with the bridge, so that doesn't worry me too much. Also the spirit level is sitting flat "on top' on the nut and bridge, not in the grooves, that adds a bit too.
In any case.. good eye! based on that photo and without knowing the details I just shared you were 200% right!! thank you for the heads up!!
In the meantime.. here I am *maybe* ready for the cut!!
Yesterday I did some pencil drawing trying to match my test designs...
Attachment 45058
then adjusted manually here and there and drew the headstock..
Attachment 45059
the headstock is currently showing the same design mirrored L/R, it was a test, I am going with the one similar to my test drawing.
I decided to draw this design first, because I can always adjust the horns and try the "SG" style if I don't like these horns shapes..
.. had a good sleep last night...
today I am summoning the build-your-own-guitar spirits and about to approach the cut...
Good luck, may the guitar spirits (and gods) be with you!
...I think I got a bit carried away with the jigsaw.. maybe I've cut down a bit too much?
Attachment 45060
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:D
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cut and first round of sanding done!
This one is a weird one for sure!
Attachment 45061
Attachment 45062
Notice the home made rasps! two metal files covered with 60 grit sandpaper.. it works ! ..sort of... let's say it does the job :)
Now... those dots on the fretboard...
How would I get rid of them?
I am not sure of they are decals or if they are actually dots glued to the fretboard..
In an ideal scenario I would love to get rid of them for a sort of fretless unlined look..
any tips?
sand s
My guess is: drill them out, fill the gap with something. in which case that razor blade on the 12th fret could stay.
But if they are decals? just sand sand sand with a radius block? How do I know if they are decals?
Removing/replacing fretboard dots*
Once they’re out if you have a plug cutter and some thin rosewood (like a headstock face/head board etc) you could make some ‘fill’ dots to glue in:
https://www.buildyourownguitar.com.a...c-e3ec8172541f
https://www.buildyourownguitar.com.a...4-c0d703d88d62
Attachment 45063
Some judicious grain matching and/or dark stain then seal the board with CA glue for fretless joy and you probably won’t even see them*.
(* some risk involved)
Thanks WeirdBits! I love the * !
great tips.. I am sourcing all the required bits and pieces!
I am having fun just thinking about this step
resuming operations on this build!
sanded, stained, spray painted, tru oiled
photos of a dry fit after the tru oil
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ground wire run from bridge to cavity
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happy times so far all going smooth.
I've got some time this week, I m planning to finish this build in the next few days.
I have decided that this will be a bass VI fretless instead of a baritone fretless. The strings should be here soon!
You have something really unique there. What is the scale on it? Curious how you plan to string it. Are you giving it a low B? Or are you planning to have the upper strings to get some Baritone out of it?
the scale is 30" ish
Attachment 45605
After a fair bit of research, based on what's available and at a reasonable price, I have bought Stringjoy's 24-90 strings, specific for bass VI
the current plan is to tune it all in fourths: E A D G C F
Attachment 45606
Wiring done!
These are the bits that came with the kit (plus a bunch of assorted wiring and 5-6cm of soldering wire)
Attachment 45607
and this is the wiring diagram:
the B500k linear pot was used for the volume, the A500k logarithmic pot for the tone
Attachment 45608
I like using log pots on the tone control. It will be interesting to see if you like having the linear pot on the volume. That's less common but there are people who really like that. Particularly for swells.
strung up the bass VI, first set up seems going well, plugged in into my bass amp, and it sounds very.... interesting I guess?! definitely a unique sound, that I am gradually getting used to it.
it plays the same notes as a bass, but it feels a lot closer to a guitar, the weight, the neck...
it sounds more present and more mid range than a bass, more upfront in some ways, but a bit thinner than a bass as well. the high notes are very interesting to have, entering the electric guitar range and musical possibilities...
it's an unusual scale length for me, I am used to playing 34" bass, this bass VI is 30", the strings are very close to each other (again compared to a traditional bass) and there are 6 of them!! this instrument would probably feel immediately familiar to a guitar player, it's taking me some time to adjust although I do play guitar occasionally.
The string tension is pretty good, however I might go up a gauge very likely very soon, I see that Stringjoy has a slightly bigger set, I just need a little bit more tension, especially on the low notes E A D.
Tuning in fourths is definitely the way to go (EADGCF from low to high), it makes so much sense! Moving up and down the neck, diagonally, whatever, its just so much more intuitive that EADGBE. in the standard tuning I always feel that the B strings "breaks" the patterns, for chords, scales, arpeggios... in fourths I can just transfer any chord shape, and scale, anything to anywhere on the neck, I really like it.
After playing for a few hours, I wanted to do a first mod though... I needed to add a fret!
this instrument has 22 frets.. the highest note I have on the fretboard is a Eb... no way!!! I could reach 4 full octaves if I had an additional fret to press onto (or lets say if I could extend the fretboard a few mm), giving me a E note, that will make this a full 4 octaves instrument...
Quick trip to the garage then, I have cut out a piece of timber....
Attachment 45612
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slotted it in...
Attachment 45613
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. sand sand refine until if fits pretty good, I wouldn't say perfectly.. it still need a bit of work where it meets the fretboard, but the height and radius are spot on, they are the important ones
the "additional fret" just rests on top of the pick up plastic bit, no glue nothing.. and it works! 4 octaves!!! :cool:
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I've recorded a quick video with a little improv and some first tests...
the instrument still needs a few tweaks but it's mostly all there
https://youtu.be/-vMT9wjuVfY?si=HqZUnwkgj89Nn80g
Attachment 45616
This thing is fun to play!
it's recorded with my phone and the volume might be a bit low, headphones on or crank it up in your stereo! :cool:
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Looks good and sounds great to me! Nice work!
Wow, that is astounding! Sounds great. I think you have invented a new instrument!
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