AES-1 Special

[HarmonIser]

I don’t honestly know if you need specific tuners for this. I have brought classic guitar style tuners, individual 3x3 with 6mm diameter metal shafts off eBay. I believe I’ve I have seen pictures of regular electric guitar tuners used in this way, but I really can not comment on that.

Have a search for Shinto Japanese Rasp Saw. I’ve got the 25cm course/fine blade. That course on one side and fine on the other. It is the BEST wood working tool I have brought. I’ve made a similar headstock once before and it took forever sanding to shape. With the rasp it was done in no time. It’s like a power tool with the control of a hand tool.

I’d like to see someone else having a go at the slotted headstock. If you use a veneer on top, be sure to take the thickness of the veneer off the headstock, otherwise the slopes to the slots get too long. You could use a rasp for that.

Awesome - thanks for that info. I'll check it out. I also want to buy a small fine handsaw, it would be ideal for cutting things like the pickup holes for this archtop build I'm on now. I dare say it'd be another Japanese tool, as they do this kind of thing so well!

I'm hoping to go the slotted headstock design - there are still things I need to figure out, and I don't have a drill press, though I could go to the local men's shed for that step.
I guess, because the strings are designed to be so far above the "fretboard" on a lappie, the angle down from the nut would be pretty steep, so I don't think that long slope concern would arise. Thanks for that thought anyway!

[DarkMark]

The tuners I’m using look similar to the ones in Simon’s link...but mine are a little cheaper.

[HarmonIser]

You'd either need tuners with a constant diameter shaft designed for slotted headstocks and that are supported from the centre of the headstock as well as from the side, or else for a 'standard' guitar tuner style, locking ones with the locking mechanism at the base, not the top of the post. These Grover Sta-Tite tuners are the sort you want for steel-string acoustic slotted headstocks;: https://www.wdmusic.co.uk/hardware-p...-mounting-p702

With non-locking tuners, some strings you'd want to wind from the central string hole towards the outside, and some towards the centre. (those Grover Sta-Tites I lined to have two sets of holes, so you can string from the inside of the slot outwards, which can help keep the string wraps pulling against each other for more friction and better tuning stability).

There just isn't the space to do the winding towards the inside on a conventional electric-guitar style tuner, as the string is likely to slip off the end if you put more than a turn or so on (though it can depend on the tuner design). As you won't need more than one turn on a locking tuner, then these are much better to use than conventional tubers if you go for the type that are only supported from the side. Locking tuners would also be quicker to restring than any other type, as slotted headstocks make restringing a lot more fiddly than a flat headstock as you haven't got clear 360° access.

Some pretty technical people reckon that having a tuner that's supported at both ends does improve the tone and sustain a bit, which is why slotted headstocks are still popular, especially on smaller-bodied guitars where any improvement in sustain and a fuller tone is welcome. So conventional locking tuners may possibly rob you of the tonal benefits of having a slotted headstock. I can't say for sure.

Rummaging around in the workshop yesterday, I actually found a set of what appear to be classical tuners, which I may try for the lappie - I read your comment about the post diameter determining the ease/accuracy of tuning, but I figure I'll give them a shot anyway.
Failing that, I'll get something like those sta-tites. I have a similar style set of sta-tites (non-classical) on another guitar, and they're great.

[DarkMark]

Neck attached. Stained to match the back and darker areas of the burst with a few coats of satin poly.

[dozymuppet]

Phwoar....

[Simon Barden]

Rummaging around in the workshop yesterday, I actually found a set of what appear to be classical tuners, which I may try for the lappie - I read your comment about the post diameter determining the ease/accuracy of tuning, but I figure I'll give them a shot anyway.
Failing that, I'll get something like those sta-tites. I have a similar style set of sta-tites (non-classical) on another guitar, and they're great.

I'd go straight for the proper item. You'd need to drill out for the much larger string posts, which will give you a lot of work to do filling in and re-drilling when you find the classical tuners aren't working well. You'll also get a fair bit of wear over time from the steel strings on the plastic posts.

[Simon Barden]

That headstock design looks really good on the guitar. Great choice.

[FrankenWashie]

Now that, Sir, is an object of beauty. Very much looking forward to the final outcome here.

[DarkMark]

New photo resizer, old no longer compatible (grumble grumble)
One more coat on the back and I’m ready to let it sit and wait for it’s final polish.

Some things I’ve neglected to mention if anyone’s interested.
This veneer wasn’t too bad for glue spots apart from at the edges.
As already discussed I dug out the central join and replaced with timbermate. The timbermate stained a bit dark but that’s ok. Moving on the the outside edges I coated the binding with poly, and auto tape once the poly was set. The auto tape sits high so I scraped timbermate around the edges and sanded level to the tape. This covered the obvious glue at the edge. The photo is the worst spot, you can just make out staining variation at the inside edge of the timbermate (next to the small light reflection) which I can certainly live with.

Headstock had bit of a twist in it which I hopefully have nullified (enough) by a longer narrower design.

Thanks DM, Simon and FW.

[DarkMark]

One more photo for the road for you and new app education for me.