1 (edited by Russell_Harding 2014-04-12 23:39:09)

Topic: Made from Scratch

It took me a little over 5 hrs to build this I had to drill all the holes and solder all the connections, The tone controls are abalone and gold plated the pickups are Humbucking I am using Xavier light gauge (42 to 09) I cant tell you how happy I am with the way it sounds and looks and most important how it plays smile
This is what I started with the wood is Paulownia the body weighed 2.5lbs as you can see it is Teal blue smile
https://scontent-b-ord.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1.0-9/10177968_10203636130402572_8176524173850395272_n.jpg


https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-b4BYbuKyw0s/U0jBPqmw3pI/AAAAAAAABCw/0c_-NaR_E-Y/w717-h538-no/new+ax+003.JPG

"Growing old is not for sissies"

Re: Made from Scratch

Looks Great Russell!

Likin' the gold hardware with the seafoam green classic color combination, AND the Maple fretboard.  Is that a "skunk" neck?

Five hours is good time for a project, it's really surprising how much goes into the little final touches. Only about 20% of the effort goes into refinishing the wood... the rest is all in the details as you mentioned.

Enjoy;
Doug

"what is this quintessence of dust?"  - Shakespeare

3 (edited by Tenement Funster 2014-04-12 11:06:03)

Re: Made from Scratch

Russell ... you've done it again! One of these days, you'll have some big name guitarist calling you to do a custom job for them. Great skill and great taste in colors! Is that a kit you built, another Rondo you've refitted, or an older guitar resurrected?

Re: Made from Scratch

Doug_Smith wrote:

Looks Great Russell!

Likin' the gold hardware with the seafoam green classic color combination, AND the Maple fretboard.  Is that a "skunk" neck?

Five hours is good time for a project, it's really surprising how much goes into the little final touches. Only about 20% of the effort goes into refinishing the wood... the rest is all in the details as you mentioned.

Enjoy;
Doug

Hi Doug thank you, the neck is a Mighty Mite the body was ordered from Guitarfettish it weighs only 2 1/2 lbs very lightweight wood the finish is a hard Urethane all the parts were left over from other repairs, switches. pots. caps I save old transformers and salvage the wire for the soldering the body came with no holes for pickguard or tremolo it is a joy to play smile

"Growing old is not for sissies"

Re: Made from Scratch

Tenement Funster wrote:

Russell ... you've done it again! One of these days, you'll have some big name guitarist calling you to do a custom job for them. Great skill and great taste in colors! Is that a kit you built, another Rondo you've refitted, or an older guitar resurrected?

Thanks no its all from scratch the body was on sale at Guitarfettish for $49 I cleaned up all the extra pots the pickups that were laying around I painted the covers and pickguard flat black I did order the knobs they only came in sets of two so I have a extra so with shipping it came to about $20 the neck and tuners were from an old strat I will do a video of a new song using this guitar smile

"Growing old is not for sissies"

Re: Made from Scratch

You have a real beauty there Russell. In my humble opinion, nothing beats somthing built with your own two hands. I hope you have many years enjoyment playing your own one of a kind guitar. I also very much look forward to seeing and hearing your new song /video.
           
                                                                                                                                                                   Dave

Re: Made from Scratch

Looking forward to hearing it, I bet it sounds as pretty as it looks.

Live in the "now" - a contentment of the moment - the past is gone - the future doesn't exist - all we ever really have is now and it's always "now".

8 (edited by Phill Williams 2014-04-12 14:06:44)

Re: Made from Scratch

simply beautiful russ, loving the gold furnishings. the humbucker on the trem looks cool. cant wait to hear it.
wish i had the guts to pull my old strat apart and refit it, i'd love to stick a maple neck and new pick-ups on her, i bought her after seeing the bangla desh concert, so she's white. green looks nice.


phill

Ask not what Chordie can do for you, but what you can do for Chordie.

Re: Made from Scratch

Phill Williams wrote:

simply beautiful russ, loving the gold furnishings. the humbucker on the trem looks cool. cant wait to hear it.
wish i had the guts to pull my old strat apart and refit it, i'd love to stick a maple neck and new pick-ups on her, i bought her after seeing the bangla desh concert, so she's white. green looks nice.


phill

First Doug its actually blue! must be the lighting when I snapped the photo

bluejeep yes it dose and you will be hearing real soon

Dave I have several I built each one is unique in sound and looks I am also storyboarding my new video and new song tunes are just popping into my head gotta go with it before they vanish thanks for the nice comments smile

Phill if you need any help ship it to me I will have it purring in no time flat(seriously) glad to help my friend smile

"Growing old is not for sissies"

Re: Made from Scratch

I thought it was green also LOLOL classic Ibanez or Kawasaki green LOLOL but yellow light and blue  yep that makes green last time I looked at a color wheel LOLOL still KILLER! I love the HSS configuration. Selector on second position grabbing the H and the middle S always loved that tone.  Did you coil tap the Humbucker just in case you want that single coil sound in the bridge?

“Find your own sound.  Dont be a second rateYngwie Malmsteen be a first rate you”

– George Lynch 2013 (Dokken, Lynchmob, KXM, Tooth & Nail etc....)

11 (edited by dino48 2014-04-12 17:39:25)

Re: Made from Scratch

Looks like you did another good makeover Russell, I love the Green/Blue?

my papy said son your going too drive me too drinking if you dont stop driving that   Hot  Rod  Lincoln!! Cmdr cody and his lost planet airman

Re: Made from Scratch

beamer wrote:

I thought it was green also LOLOL classic Ibanez or Kawasaki green LOLOL but yellow light and blue  yep that makes green last time I looked at a color wheel LOLOL still KILLER! I love the HSS configuration. Selector on second position grabbing the H and the middle S always loved that tone.  Did you coil tap the Humbucker just in case you want that single coil sound in the bridge?

Thanks Beamer I know the tone your talking about I use it a lot no I didn't coil tap the humbucker the sound I get is really nice and sustain is excellent eventually I will get gold screws and hardware including tuners but no rush just having a blast playing all my guitars each one is a different sound gotta love it smile

"Growing old is not for sissies"

Re: Made from Scratch

dino48 wrote:

Looks like you did another good makeover Russell, I love the Green/Blue?

tis blue dino thanks glad you enjoyed this I will take some more shots later think blue lol

"Growing old is not for sissies"

Re: Made from Scratch

thanks russ, i wish we lived closer to each other, postage and parts would make the whole project slightly impractical but thanks for the thought. i may get round to it one day. LOLOLOLOL (whatever that means lol )

Ask not what Chordie can do for you, but what you can do for Chordie.

Re: Made from Scratch

I see the blue now its a nice shade.

my papy said son your going too drive me too drinking if you dont stop driving that   Hot  Rod  Lincoln!! Cmdr cody and his lost planet airman

Re: Made from Scratch

Ok Phill maybe someday I will hit the lottery and visit that would be a blast smile yes dino it is a nice shade of blue its teal blue and this is my lineup

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-kdJeXRQy_gQ/U0sepk3ZYUI/AAAAAAAABDQ/Yu-hYbpVCvo/w706-h530-no/new+guitar+lineup+002.JPG

"Growing old is not for sissies"

Re: Made from Scratch

Great looking lineup, I would hang mine up but you never get an earthquake warning here. Best to put on stands.

my papy said son your going too drive me too drinking if you dont stop driving that   Hot  Rod  Lincoln!! Cmdr cody and his lost planet airman

Re: Made from Scratch

Gorgeous.

I need you to take up making bamboo fly rods. :-)

Granted B chord amnesty by King of the Mutants (Long live the king).
If it comes from the heart and you add a few beers... it'll be awesome! - Mekidsmom
When in doubt ... hats. - B.G. Dude

Re: Made from Scratch

Zurf wrote:

Gorgeous.

I need you to take up making bamboo fly rods. :-)

Thanks Zurf hmm bamboo fly rods reminds me I live right off the lake might have to do a little fishing smile

"Growing old is not for sissies"

Re: Made from Scratch

hummin n strummin wrote:

You have a real beauty there Russell. In my humble opinion, nothing beats somthing built with your own two hands. I hope you have many years enjoyment playing your own one of a kind guitar. I also very much look forward to seeing and hearing your new song /video.
                                                                                                                                                                            Dave

Dave check out the songwriting forum my new song is called "Dagger" thank you for commenting smile

"Growing old is not for sissies"

Re: Made from Scratch

Russell ...

I had a look at the clearouts that Guitar Fetish has, and I gotta admit it is verrrrry tempting to tackle a project like this. They mention that most of this is "as is", so obviously I'd hate to have something sent way out here to Atlantic Canada and not be able to use it. In your opinion, how bad are their "slight imperfections"?

Re: Made from Scratch

Tenement Funster wrote:

Russell ...

I had a look at the clearouts that Guitar Fetish has, and I gotta admit it is verrrrry tempting to tackle a project like this. They mention that most of this is "as is", so obviously I'd hate to have something sent way out here to Atlantic Canada and not be able to use it. In your opinion, how bad are their "slight imperfections"?

They usually mention what the imperfections are on the page if you see something your interested in send me a link I will check it out for you I do a lot of business with them they have been very honest and trustworthy, in the past I have had to send parts back(bridge) for a defective screw that snapped they sent me a shipping label and replaced the whole bridge free but let me see what you are planning on getting I'll give it the eagle eye smile

"Growing old is not for sissies"

Re: Made from Scratch

You make those???

Re: Made from Scratch

Baldguitardude wrote:

You make those???

I made the Stratocasters from scratch including wiring

"Growing old is not for sissies"

Re: Made from Scratch

Good to know, Russell ... thanks. A blemish in the finish or a small ding in the wood is nothing I'd worry about. Those cosmetic issues can be fixed with some TLC. I'd be more concerned if there was a crack in a body or neck, a warp in a neck, or if any of the pre-routed electrical cavities were off measurement so that the "innards" won't fit.