First Scratch build.

[DanMade]

/<\\/p>[]<\\/p>/Quote from GlennGP on December 3, 2013, 17:59
Brilliant "how to", thanks Dan - honestly, as a visual learner, this is worth so much more than a thousand words on the subject. A single look at the neck pocket template and the line across the body and you've solved about twenty scratch-build mysteries for me. Sweet.

Well I'm not really one for words, so this works well for both of us.

I just work from a center line. I use a protractor to find 90* off the center line.

[DanMade]

Next it was onto the body contours, I was a bit apprehensive as I haven't tried anything like this before.

At first I used a rasp file, but after some slow progress I thought there must be a better way. So I switched to an angle grinder with a sanding disc attached. Although it was quite dusty, it was very efficient and easy to control.

Once I had removed the bulk of the waste I finished it off with a random orbital sander.

Turns out it wasn't too difficult and I'm happy with the result.

[DanMade]

I'm having trouble posting photos at the moment.

[maxaxe]

That's a pretty amazing bit of work and an enlightening mini tutorial.

I've previously toyed with the idea of a scratch build body, but was apprehensive about some aspects of it.

Inspiring stuff . . .

[DanMade]

I've actually started on the finish. So I have plenty of pics to upload.

It's good too see others are enjoying the build, part of my intention was to show other beginners that is not that daunting a task. You might not get it right the first time, but you have to start somewhere.

[stan]

great work Dan. you make it look easy.

Some PRS guitars use a 5 way rotary switch to split the humbucker front and back, series , parallel,etc for a bunch of tones out of one humbucker - you could also use a 5 way strat type switch...

[DanMade]

Well I was going to just use a spdt switch to spilt it, but now you have spiked my interest with the rotary switch Stan.

I do like the option to run series or parallel, slug or screw coil. Lots of sounds. Although I'm not sure if I could get my head around the wiring needed. I'll deffinatly look into it.

Thanks Stan.

[DanMade]

That was easy. Just a quick google search.

Was this the kind of thing you had in mind Stan

[AJ]

Dan, you've sparked my inner creativity, and am going to give a scratch body a go, where did you get the body plan from? (dimensions etc)

[DanMade]

Hey AJ. This one I drew up from scratch using the basic dimensions of a telecaster. Scale, body width and length, basic pickup positions. Just to get the basic proportions, then I just freestyled the design from there.

I actually drew it up at half scale on some grid paper, then went to officeworks and had it copied at 200%, now I had full size drawings to use as templates. I haven't made a detailed plan for this one. I'm just making things to suit as the design develops.

I have some plans I got from ALS that I used for that first Tele a tried. There not particular cheap ,$30 a pop. They are very accurate and correct though.