Silent Guitar Scratch build ideas

[Zandit75]

I've got no idea when this project will start, or for that matter if it will even get off the ground, but I've always wanted one of Yamaha's Silent Guitars.


But over the last couple of days I've been thinking of doing my own version.

I seriously doubt I could get my hands on the electrics from a genuine Yamaha Silent Guitar, but I could do something with an Under Saddle Transducer style Piezo pick up without needing to get too creative.

Unlike the Yamaha, I think I would go with a string through design as long as that would be stable considering the "body" is only going to be about 75mm wide.

Other decisions to be made include Neck Through body, or do I use a PBG bolt on Strat/LP neck onto another piece of wood for the body?

Next would be what kind of material do I use for the outline of the body? The possibilities would be endless. I could make them out of MDF, or Aluminium, and I could even powdercoat the aluminium to any colour I want.

Is there anything I am overlooking, or even over thinking?

Ideas please!! Throw them this way!!!

[wokkaboy]

wow Zandit very nice looking axe. It is possible you could use a bolt on neck and screw into a central frame. But a neck through would probably preferable to have maximum strength.
As for bending the outside shape of the body I would look at outsourcing that to an acoustic builder as you need alot of equipment/jigs to bend it into shape.
It is hard to see in the dark photo but I am assuming its just a outside frame and no bracing ?

[Zandit75]

Yep, spot on Woks. It's only about the thickness of an electric guitar body, and the top section comes off for transport in an ultra thin soft gig bag.
Here's a video that introduces both the steel and nylon string versions.


As a gigging guitar, they eliminate all feedback normally found with acoustics due to the air movement inside the body creating distortions in the sound.

In regards to the outside shape, if using a product like MDF, I could just cut the shape directly, and sand it back to whatever my final preference is to fit my body comfortably. If I used Aluminium, I could probably use a hydraulic bending jack to get the desired shape.

[FrankenWashie]

Next would be what kind of material do I use for the outline of the body? The possibilities would be endless. I could make them out of MDF, or Aluminium, and I could even powdercoat the aluminium to any colour I want.

Is there anything I am overlooking, or even over thinking?

Ideas please!! Throw them this way!!!

10mm heat formed Acrylic or Coloured Perspex?

As far as getting it off the ground goes, there's a dude on Ebay selling laminated neck blanks at a reasonable cost, the fishman Piezo units like Robin used are cheap as chips (I have one sitting at home that may or may not have been a rash impulse purchase after reading through his whole build thread) and you know there'll be a chorus of well meaning forumites geeing you up and cheering you on.

[Zandit75]

and you know there'll be a chorus of well meaning forumites geeing you up and cheering you on.

And a loving wife telling me there's no way in hell I'm buying what I want!!!!

[JB RETRO]

Bending timber to that shape is not that hard if you are laminating several thin pieces together. The hardest part is creating the form on which you clamp it to. I used to make skateboard decks in that manner to create the kicker and concaves

[wokkaboy]

good advice JB. I want to make a skate board guitar as I love building stuff that's not mainstream (as you can see from my avatar haha)

[robin]

Go for it Zandit. My solid body acoustic was inspired by the Yamaha Silent guitar.

Like you, I knew I could never afford to buy one, so making my own was the next logical step. For convenience and lack of skill I opted for a full solid body rather than the bentwood version of Yamaha.

rob

[JB RETRO]

AS they say, nothing ventured nothing gained. Go for it

[Zandit75]

Go for it Zandit. My solid body acoustic was inspired by the Yamaha Silent guitar.

Like you, I knew I could never afford to buy one, so making my own was the next logical step. For convenience and lack of skill I opted for a full solid body rather than the bentwood version of Yamaha.

rob

Your build is also inspiration for this one. The end result you got was brilliant, and now that my other builds are out of the way, I can chip away at some ideas and start sourcing some bits and pieces here and there as I can afford them.
My main issue will be cutting and shaping the body. I don't have much in the way of tools for this side of thing.
We will see!