Scott's GED-enBacker RC-4 Build

[geddyfan]

Thanks, Stan...actually, that's a 1/4" drop top...I planed the body down y 1/4" before I glued it on...more wood, more room for screwing up

[Kick]

That quilt is really beautiful!

[stan]

Thanks, Stan...actually, that's a 1/4" drop top...I planed the body down y 1/4" before I glued it on...more wood, more room for screwing up

great job, it looks amazing

[FrankenWashie]

1/4" Drop top!? That can't have been cheap?? Great result though, absolutely looks the business. Very nice work!

[geddyfan]

1/4" Drop top!? That can't have been cheap?? Great result though, absolutely looks the business. Very nice work!

It was $120 for a "master" grade from Northridge Hardwoods...I thought about just doing a thin veneer, but was leery of working with something so thin and delicate, and given my plans for the pickups, etc. I thought a substantial piece of wood would be more forgiving. So far, that's proving to be the case...I can also get this sort of effect...just imagine the back and sides black as opposed to the natural in the photo:

[DaveyCustom]

This thing is gonna be really sweet!

Sent from my SM-N920T using Tapatalk

[geddyfan]

So, I'm getting ready to do the pickup routs and drill the holes for the controls...which means that I have to finalize the wiring for the Syrinx Model 2112...now, I thought it would be cool if there was a 7-way rotary switch to quickly select any pickup combination possible with three pickups...seems obvious, right? Bridge, Middle, Neck, Bridge + Middle, Bridge + Neck. Middle + Neck, All Three. But guess what? It doesn't exist...well crap...there are enough people on the interweb looking for such a beast, but no such critter. I can't believe someone hasn't made one...I suppose there's some reason for it (science, physics, whatever), but most of what I've found pretty much revolves around people disdainfully remarking "why would you even want THAT?" and "traditionalist" reasoning for why you shouldn't. Well...why not? "Custom" should mean "custom," right? Anything you want...people are funny, tho...

So...I guess the easiest way is to have an on/off toggle for each pickup. Fine...low-tech...it works...but I hate toggle switches on guitars...I'm a klutz, and I'm sure I'll break them off in no time...and, while I flail away (my version of "playing") I'm for sure going to smack into them...but oh well, I'll just have to learn to deal.

So...three mm pups...each with on/off toggle switch...push-pull volume for each (coil tapping) and a master tone...what do you think...sound like it will work? I'm drawing up a wiring diagram...but it's a bit like a cave man designing a space shuttle...haha...nah...it'll be okay.

Another question -- the neck on these kits...any cases of these things failing? It's solid, but I look at it and think, "Really? That'll hold?" The way mine is set up now, if that joint ever fails, I'm screwed...

[geddyfan]

Progress…finally…

So, I finally got around to doing the pickup routs for my build. Like a moron, I decided to make my own template. I was going to order one – and SERIOUSLY wish I had, for multiple reasons – but I figured…”Hey, I’m getting the hang of this whole router thing-ie business, I’ll just make one myself.”

God, I am an idiot.

After three tries, here’s what I came up with:



It more or less worked, but it was way harder than I expected, and the material I used was crap. Never going to use this stuff again, even if some guy on YouTube claims it works fine.

So, I laid it all out, measured, drew my guide lines and did my first route and I had this line parallel to the line that I wanted to set the template against. I remember thinking “You should erase that line so you don’t set up your template wrong,” and then thinking, “Nah…only an idiot would do that.”

*sigh*

Well, of course I used the wrong line, off-setting the pickup almost 1/8th of an inch to one side. Fortunately, I had cut the template so tight to the pickup, I was able to make up for it and get the rout back on center, but I had to essentially re-cut one end of the rout twice for all three routs so they'd match/line up.

Yup…I got friggin LUCKY. But it turned out okay.

Nasty routs:



Cleaned up routs:



While I was at it, I also put a thin quilted maple veneer on the headstock…turned out okay, but it’s not from the same material as the body and doesn’t look like it’s going to be anything close to a match…might re-do it. I have a piece left over from the cap I used on the body…if I could plane it down to, say, 1/8th inch thin…hmmm…



So here we are…routed, sanded, and ready to start finishing. I can’t wait to start the staining process. And before you ask…the answer is “because I can.”

[Hobastard]

That's gonna kick serious azz...

[stan]

Looks amazing despite your mishap