Silent Guitar Scratch build ideas

[Zandit75]

Yeah, they are a quality guitar, but at around $1k, they are certainly getting up there in price.
I haven't added it all up, but I think I'm at the $200 mark on materials. I still need the veneer and body timber, but I'm expecting that to all come in under $50.

[dingobass]

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[Simon Barden]

Doesn't look like pine to me. I don't think pine would have enough strength or stability to make a neck from. It could be a maple or it might be birch, or wood from a multitude of other alternative trees available in the Asian country where it was made. The pattern looks like the pattern on the top and back of my ES-3, which is supposed to be all basswood (though I'm sure it's got a veneer).

[dingobass]

Yep, I agree with ya Simon.
The only pine I know of that would be stable enough for a neck is Australian Celery Top, which is rare as and also difficult to obtain with a knot free dead straight grain so I doubt it would be made from that

[Hobastard]

Celery Top like Huon Pine, is not really a true Pine.....

[Zandit75]

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Thanks again DB, most appreciated........It's all lies they say about you!!

Doesn't look like pine to me. I don't think pine would have enough strength or stability to make a neck from. It could be a maple or it might be birch, or wood from a multitude of other alternative trees available in the Asian country where it was made. The pattern looks like the pattern on the top and back of my ES-3, which is supposed to be all basswood (though I'm sure it's got a veneer).

OK, that sounds better. It's a very light weight timber, which is why I immediately thought Pine, and the colour is also very light.

Yep, I agree with ya Simon.
The only pine I know of that would be stable enough for a neck is Australian Celery Top, which is rare as and also difficult to obtain with a knot free dead straight grain so I doubt it would be made from that

I just took another look at the neck, and tried to dig my fingernail into the top corner. It's surprisingly dense. Nothing at all like I thought it would be.

Celery Top like Huon Pine, is not really a true Pine.....

I knew Celery Top wasn't technically a pine, but I'm surprised to hear that about huon.
The group of guys I play with are very close with Chad Morgan. Every time he comes to Tassie for some shows, they are there with him, and my mate Mick plays on stage with him occasionally. Chad is actually an avid guitar builder, and recently grabbed a slab of Huon Pine the last time he was here, and is planning to make a Tele bodied guitar from it.
He also built one out of a solid piece of Redgum. I have photo of me with the guitar, and it weighs a tonne!! I think it is on my Dad's camera. I'll try and get a copy of it and share it here.

[Zandit75]

I'm thinking I've been too smart for my own good. It dawned on me this morning that an LP bolt on neck is much narrower across the nut than an acoustic guitar, and the scale length is different also.
Another difference is the string spacing as a result of the wider neck. So i got down on the floor and roughly measured the distance between the nut and 12th fret. Then doubled it to get a rough idea of where the bridge will go. I may be alright with the string spacing at the bridge as it is pre-compensated.
So, taking this line of thought a little further, does anyone know of a string spacing calculator so I can work out where to drill my holes for the ferrules?
Also, does anyone know if there is a recommended distance from the bridge to the ferrules? I'm thinking it can't be too close as the break angle would be too sharp.
Thanks in advance!

[dingobass]

Celery Top like Huon Pine, is not really a true Pine.....

Same order (Pinales) but a different family (Podocarpaceae) according to the Minister for War and Finance who is our resident Horticulturist.
She always blows my mind when I ask her what is such and such a plant and she rattles off the Latin name

[dingobass]

So, taking this line of thought a little further, does anyone know of a string spacing calculator so I can work out where to drill my holes for the ferrules?
Also, does anyone know if there is a recommended distance from the bridge to the ferrules? I'm thinking it can't be too close as the break angle would be too sharp.
Thanks in advance

Generally speaking, all you need to do is work out what string spacing at the bridge is comfortable for you (as I assume it for your own enjoyment), but take into account the width of your neck as you don't want the strings running off the edge of the fingerboard.
When you have determined this, you can either evenly space the stings or you can use a compensated spacing rule, such as the one supplied by Stewmac.(but only if you are ultra pedantic and or anally retentive)
As for break angle distance, no closer than 10mm ish to the saddle and you will be fine.

[Zandit75]

Thanks DB, most appreciated.