El Torometer

[maxaxe]

Is it a guitar? Or a Barometer?
Well it's going to be kinda both . . .
Not a playable axe this time, but a guitarry weather instrument.

I have always loved the concept and beautiful shape of the classic Maton El Toro guitar from 1968/69.
There were only 56 or 57 ever made plus 45 basses.
The distinctive 31 fret 27 3/4" scale neck (2.5 octaves)and unmistakeable Spanish flavoured design appeal to me immensely. It was obviously based on the earlier Danelectro Longhorn, but Maton improved the design and materials by quantum leaps.
The Maton bodies were made of solid Honduras Mahogany and everything else was ultra high end back in the day.

I'm cheating and using radiata pine from an undisclosed source for this effort. I've cut the body from 19mm pine on the bandsaw (wish I had CNC) and started gluing it together in two layers with an overlap for strength.
The whole thing MAY be a run-up to building proper replica El Toro guitar if I can nut out how to build that long 31 fret neck.

Anyway, I had a spare mercury tube (sealed up) lying around the place. Had a light globe moment when I thought "this thing would squeeze into a full scale fake guitar!"

So the mission has begun:

Pic 1. Initial thumbnail plan
Pic 2. First roughish cutouts
Pic 3. Gluing up (view from back)

[wokkaboy]

wow what a cool concept Max. Got to give you credit for building the most bizaar axes. This should look amazing just like the pinball wizard

[jarrod]

Max you will earn the name mad scientist with these wonderful creations you bring. I love it and I love your want for creation of different guitars

[pablopepper]

I like where this is going.

[maxaxe]

Body all glued together ready to smooth out and then start the joyous routine of sanding &c &c.
All the gold hardware and ivory binding is on its way. Just need to organise the switchplate brass or whatever and away we go.

Time to start on the neck/headstock now. Because she's a fake & therefore fretless/trussless, I think I can manage alright.
If it ever comes to building a real El Toro, you can expect some serious brain picking from me (using a stiff plectrum)

[bargeloobs]

Guitar/barometer I wouldn't expect anything less from you Max, will be watching with keen interest.
I just have to ask, do you feel any pressure with this build?

[stan]

Another cool and fun idea, looking forward to seeing this

[maxaxe]

Thanks for the encouragement gents, it does help - especially when you're doing something a bit oddball.

BTW Bargy: only normal atmospheric pressure

I've started smoothing up the body, and in the absence a proper bobbin sander I've had to make do (see pic) next comes the manual labour part.
I have been considering getting a Triton TSPS450 oscillating spindle sander for $209.00
Anyone have experience/advice about these or other units?

Ta

Mad Max

[maxaxe]

Progress:

Faux neck has been tapered & the headstock is taking shape - faux neck profiling still to do.
Neck aligned & temporarily screwed on. Mercury tube reservoir "pocket" routed out.
Pocket & the pup recess will be concealed by a black acrylic escutcheon plate much like pic.1
The dud pups will be just a pair of gold covers with fake poles. The real bridge & tailpiece cover will complete the charade.

This build is going waaaaaaaaaay faster than my last effort. Barring SNAFU's and mailing delays, it should be finished in next to no time :?

[maxaxe]

In spite of my revered El Toro appearing in the "Ugly Guitar" thread, I'll shed a bitter tear and press on regardless (no malice intended)

Today the ivory binding, gold bridge and tail cover, gold selector toggle and gold knobs turned up - yay. More hardware still coming.
In the mentime, I've profiled the neck and shaped the 'stock.

More soon.