Category Archives: Projects

Work in progress projects

Day 1 Finish 2d Design

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  • Fanfret Guitar 24 fret
  • hardtail bridge
  • 2 p90s one single coil
  • 5 way switch
  • kill switch
  • diode breakup mod
  • reverse headstock, straight pull
  • richlite fretboard
  • hard ash body
  • bitteroot truss rod
  • oiled boned nut from Philadelphia luthier
  • hardtail bridge from squier mustang
  • toneninha staggered tuners
  • 2x 500k bourns pots
  • unknown neck plate
  • uxcell 10Pcs 10mm X 40mm Dowel Pin 304 Stainless Steel Cylindrical Shelf Support Pin
  • switchcraft dpdt
  • 16mm 2 Pin Normally Closed Momentary NC Metal Push Button Switch 36V/2A US
  • 2x wilkinson p90s, Single coil pulled from agile 630

I hear you. I understand more than most others. My approach to design has been to let simple lines and curves handle the perfection. I stopped tweaking once I gave in to geometry. I struggled with fitting in my whole life but since day 1 of guitar building, I never measured myself against anyone else’s process or construction. Inspiration comes from many places. The one that got me out of bed and refreshed was watching Jillard Guitars build an entire custom guitar in 24hours. That’s when I realized, guitars are not precision instruments. We don’t have to build them perfect. They will rock once strung. Take it easy. –Mark Gutierrez

Mapcity guitar updates 22 frets HSS, rhino3d model, noiseless single coils, piezo preamp pcb

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Yeah I know slow updates, been finishing past projects, will post images later. Learning rhino for 3d modeling, it’s really powerful, not just for making toolpaths. I can really model everything and use it for a design tool, can also calculate weight. So I’m learning to model all the parts.

Decided that I love the HSS setup, I can get spanky tones like position 4 of a strat but also the heavyness of a paf, in bridge. Not sure if I can get a PAF sound of a p90 though even if I match the dc resistance and inductance and resonant frequency of a paf. Love the sound of a prails p90. Got some data from antigua. Copied some data, so I can compare to my own tests.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/17AbMaX95ynprSnic92H7s0_SY-k6yjlDwA15DsCJMS0/edit?usp=sharing

from http://www.echoesofmars.com/pickup_data/viewer/

https://guitarnuts2.proboards.com/thread/8127/links-resources-discussions

Map City guitar- Tried to make 24 fret version but it looked too funky and upper frets were not easy to reach without modifying the whole body, which Iv’e really grown to like. 22 frets looked better, also the neck pickup on 24 would definitely mess up the tone, I’d have to overwind the pickup to cut the extra treble.

Other updates, got a mojotone winder pickup. Another rabbit hole. But I can save user money by winding my own. Really thinking about noiseless single coil pickups, really easy to do. I can also split them like on a spectrum guitar. I can make it stereo but that would take the noiseless out of it. It’s basically a humbucker in a single coil frame, with RWRP wired in series. You can wire dpdt switches to split the bass end strings on neck and the treble (unwound). I heard this on the spectrum guitar, sounded really awesome. sorry janky wiring diagram I quickly did in google keep lol.

Other wip ideas, Piezo neck pocket preamp for electric/acoustic guitar, Made a test guitar and ordered parts, thinking about cutting a pcb board based on video below. Just not sure how I would mix active and passive pickups, I definitely want a paf in bridge. Debating this project, just don’t like the idea of the 9v.

Black Ice wannabe 2 diodes clipping passive switch

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Onboard Distortion Without a Battery?

Added Passive distortion switch from tonefiend to my circuit. https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/STMicroelectronics/BAT41/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMvAvBNgSS9LquujaTxtlB93

Sounded more like a mild overdrive. Maybe because I was playing at low volume, Will blast it tomorrow and try with 4 diodes.

With 4 diodes

https://www.instructables.com/Passive-Guitar-Overdrive-Black-Ice/#step

Silent Killswitch, 11.75M ohm resistor, grounded normally closed switch, Signal not cut off, WOot woot! CLean Stutters

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Fixed the noise issue. The hum went away when I used batteries in my blackstar test amp. Also turned off other interference. Will need a lot of shielding. Breadboards and Resistors are magnets for hum. Will definitely need a faraday cage. I also removed the LDR resistors, makes no difference just expensive and I’d have to run a battery charged LED which is unnecessary, causes mores points of failure. The resistors have a max resistance of 10.75M ohms. I can probably lower this a little more.

The great part about this is you don’t get the popping from cutting audio source with a typical killswitch. With a Normally closed switch the path is normal, when switch engages it kills this path and goes to resistor path that is almost silent. This replicates the Tom Morello style switch with one volume set to low.

Finding normally closed switches will be a pain. I need to upgrade to something probably more durable. I tried so hard to get the normally closed switch to work. But Only worked when pushing the button to get the sound. The guitar would be normally muted. Something I maybe to add with the original circuit. To get two types, You’d prolly need a switch to activate it though.

Really excited I can get pretty clean stutters. Hopefully I can find some quieter normally closed switches. No sure the switch I’m using will last. It seems pretty sturdy though.

LDR resistor Killswitch, new wiring. LDR controls volume of off mode depending on lighting

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Modifying the Bishop Vogue wiring. I ran the LDR from hot to hot, instead of the other end to ground. The kill sound was altered by lighting in room. When totally dark, full resistance kicks in and operates like a traditional kill switch. Add any light lowers the resistance, can of like having a volume control. The clicking was noticeably lower with LDR. Not perfect but way better. The issue I had running the wiring in series was that the ground was noticeably loud and needed a normally off kill switch to work. I’m getting a tone of cheapo normally off and normally on killswitches tomorrow for more testing. I am getting a lot of noise but I think that is expected being in the open. I suspect a faraday cage would help a lot. Running two 10M max resistance, I tested the resistance, they react really fast to light and darkness. Wonder if there is way to create a peekaboo box to adjust the lighting, not sure if that is practical.

Amerikkka v1 multiscale guitar, mashup original design

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Created original multiscale design. It looks like a map guitar the National Glenwood. The glenwood multiscale I attempted to design just never looked right. Happy accident, maybe my subconscious acting up on me again. I really never intended to make a map guitar. I knew I wanted perpendicular horns and less curves. Seems all guitars look so curvy, like all modern car look the same.

The striped pickguard style from a Teisco TG64. Weird, how everything just fell in it’s right place. Also love the tone shaping of the Teisco spectrum. Thinking about knob functions, maybe 3 volumes, passive distortion, 3 tone cap switches, no tone knob. Piezo pickup underneath the neck pocket. That 3rd volume to control/blend it, always on. Not sure I wan’t to make it active. Find it so annoying changing batteries. I know I’m a lazy prick.

Version 1, might tweak the neck a little more. Maybe expand pickguard at middle section, to make semi hollow at at mini sound hole on it. Ideas floating around…floating…..

3 colors representing the political parties, a map shape, with stripes of a flag. I’m really happy and surprised. Can’t wait to get this on the CNC.

Shizzles for my nizzles(Cap and passive distortion switch, toggle, 2 volumes to enable kill switch mode

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Added Pickup Toggle switch, passive distortion switch, using diodes. 2 volumes for Tom Morello style kill switch, and a variable tone 3 way switch, (no cap, bright tone and bass tone). Feel the on off switches are redundant in these Japanese guitars, unless there are more than 2 pickups. maybe one of the volume could be a push pull blower switch.

New Headstock , Toneninja Tuners, St George 1″ fanfret

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  • Straight pull neck, ala fender, tb-64 bass, firebird and prs style 3+3
  • St george guitar with new headstock
  • added woodburn stain
  • .svg toneninja staggered locking tuners

Serenity now! Think I finally designed a headstock that I’ll keep. Inspired by TB-64 bass with huge fender end. Also curved a bit like the PRS style 3+3 tuners, and the firebird cutoff by the top. Also upgraded to locking toneninja staggered tuners.

Tom Morello St. George MP-2, offset Reverse headstock

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This is definitely going into production. 1960’s guitar modified for multiscale 25.5-26.5″. Modified body and pickguard and plates to fit the p90s. Will also add a kill switch/toggle selector like Tom Morello has, must make route the back cavity for it and put a plate on it. I may add diode clipping for the third switch. The original body looks really thin. I’ll try to keep it as small as possible for the tremolo route behind it. Will definitely upgrade to toneninja locking staggered tuners. The 12 string version has a bevel around it. Look s pretty cool and an extra pickup, May make a deluxe version. Can’t wait to build this thing. Tom was one of my hero’s back in the day. I saw him with this guitar in Guitarworld magazine.

https://reverb.com/item/37842164-teisco-12-string-st-george-1967-sunburst

Ural 650 white multiscale offset guitar, added zero fret

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Added Zero Fret= should allow players to use whatever guage strings they want without having to worry about modifying the nuts.

Added better knobs, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B081NFQ7V2/?coliid=I3LJ4EOZITYHR8&colid=28IAS7XBZGFIH&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

White switchcraft switches, hopefully it’s mount securely

stainless steel .002 jescar frets. will update the tuner to staggered toneninja locking tuners.

I did research about adding a jazzmaster style tremolo. Mastery and Staytrem are sold out or don’t sell to America. Also found a black one on ebay, but not sure of quality. Even the stew mac version had bad reviews. Also I would have to dramatically change the design more toward a les paul style where the neck is tilted. Someone does make a low profile bridge https://www.fredguitar.com/en/gibson-type/45191-goldo-low-rider-bridge.html. But they are sold out.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/SB-0211-003-Black-Vibrato-Tailpiece-Kit-for-Fender-Jaguar-Jazzmaster-Guitar/233359046681
BXR056
https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/switchcraft-inc/BXR056/1290040 https://switchcraft.com/Drawings/bxr0_3_series_cd.pdf,
https://www.fredguitar.com/en/gibson-type/45191-goldo-low-rider-bridge.html

Chambered Electric Acoustic project for neice and nephew

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Working on my niece and nephews first guitars. Chambering the bodies. Guitar fetish body with 72 tele routing. Laser cutting pickguards 1/8 acrylic from delviesplastics.com. Used Keda dye powder for purple. Initialy wanted to paint metallic purple but kept oversanding wood grain. Also installing a piezo disc pickup in both neck pockets. Tested the sound and it sounded really great. No preamp had to crank amp but it sounded like when you put your ear on the neck and play. Does pickup hand noises but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Trying wood grain hack from guns and guitars. GFS tremolo, says I need to shim neck.

Kurt Cobain Mustang project

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Cobains 3rd mustang with Jesus gethsemane picture. The above picture is best picture I can find. Have to recreate based on that. Not sure of colors. Have a stewmac schaller non tremolo bridge. Apparently cobain and novolseic had made a few homemade mustangs. The body looks really thin. He made another on in bloom video and another pale pink one. These guitars seem to be made to be broken. Used some applebarrel paint watered down with 25% water/paint ratio. Applied with soft brush.

Making a model of Cobains first mustang. Livenirvana.com has a lot of info. Bought reliced hardware from realliferelics on reverb. Issues when making vinyl record pickguard. Wanted to give pickguard some stability. Attempted to glue vinyl on .80″ acrylic with loctite glue but vinyl reacted weird to and became malleable on certain parts. Might have applied to much clamp pressure. Not sure. Maybe less glue.

Skeleton Yamaha FG700S Project

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Yamaha Acoustic skeleton project. Inspired by Omaki. Tried contacting her but mypace outdated. Tried some acrylic paint on top but paint must’ve had some enamel in it or something, really hard to sand. Must strip paint off and try maybe a stain. Not reacting well to top. Might be the sealer on it and have to sand more. Think about using some transparent acrylic on top for cage and painted/underneath. Epilog laser , need to purchase thin 1/16 acrylic, maybe transparent yellow from delvie’s plastic. Love the laser machine, it is so accurate and and clean.

Jackplate mirror acrylic

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Used Mirror acrylic bought from amazon https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01AWXNHT0/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Since I can’t fabricate my own metal at my apartment due to the loud sound. I can use mirror acrylic, which reflects better than chrome. Major issues with tearing though, have to use hand drill (5/32″ bit) at low speed with your index finger, not too hard but time consuming. Will create an extra pot hole for a master volume/blower switch, dual volume control and a bass cut tone control and the output jack. Gonna have to space this out right, but I think it’s doable.

Used Wen Scroll saw with spiral blades from flying dutchman. https://mikesworkshop.com/

 

Headstock ideas

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Bouncing ideas off starcaster model, not clicking with me though, atm, Maybe something after seahawks logo, love the idea of headstock with bald eagle on it

Thinking about doing the standard 3/3 tuners and putting an eagle silhouette on top. inspired by this 4K video on Bali using the panasonic lx10 camera. Thinking about this portable camera for my trip.

Laser Engraved Pickup Covers

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https://www.reddit.com/user/Vesuz/

“I actually used a 100w yag laser. If you are looking to do acrylic (engraving or cutting) you’re gonna want a C02 laser. We have 2 trotec flatbed C02 machines that are pretty good for that kind of thing. You could look into sand carving the acrylic too vs just engraving with the laser, usually has a nicer finish.” -Reddit user Vesuz

We make stencils with the laser. Cover it with your sand blast stencil material and then use a C02 laser on low power to cut through the stencil material but not into the acrylic then go with a second pass on hi power to cut out the shape of the pickguard, then sand blast. Should speed up the process quite a bit. -Reddit user Vesuz

Reddit user Vesuz
Reddit user Vesuz