rootbeerjuice

So I've been reading a lot of the building threads in this forum and I've decided to try building a guitar myself. I have absolutely no experience with this kind of thing, but I don't just want to build another strat; I'll try to make something that's (hopefully) interesting and somewhat unique.

Specs (subject to change):

Body Wood: Rosewood (see below)
Body Shape: Fireman Style
24 frets
Set Neck
Fixed Bridge
Neck Wood: Wenge (see below)
Ebony Fretboard
25" scale
Natural

Electronics

HSH pickup configuration
One volume, one tone, 5-way switch, push-pull on the tone knob, 2-way toggle switch

5-way switch will do the standard switching, push-pull will split the humbuckers, toggle will be a neck-on switch for extra combinations.

I will be buying all the needed electronics when I go to the States in a week. What I need to know before then is exactly what I'm going to need, and I'll have to figure out exactly how to wire this. All I already have are the two humbuckers (stock PRS). Also, will all these switching options be too much? I don't want to have to hollow out too much of the body for the wiring.

About the woods: I haven't yet checked out what woods are available here in France, so swamp ash may not be a viable option. If I find some interesting-looking wood, I might use that. My other idea was to make a rosewood body, I see lots of acoustic bodies made of rosewood, but I only ever see it used for fretboards in electrics. Is there a reason for this?

I also have no idea what kind of woods to make the neck out of, I know most necks are maple (why?), but I wanted to do something different. The reason I picked mahogany was because I like the sound of mahogany guitars.

I'm not sure if all the necessary tools and equipment will be available over here, but I'd like to buy them here so that the power/plugs are compatible. What tools and other materials (templates, etc.)will I need exactly? I know I'll need a router, a planer, and some other things, but I'd like a full list so I don't get to a point where I need something and discover I don't have it.

I won't be starting this build until late August or September, but I'll be getting all the parts ready beforehand.

Advice and suggestions for a first-time builder would be greatly appreciated as well!

-rootbeerjuice

__________________

My Fireman Build (indefinitely delayed)

the humanity

wise forum members?

but anywho,sounds epic to me, what's a fireman exactly?

__________________



Warwick Fortress>>Acoustic AB50

http://www.myspace.com/rustingbloom

rootbeerjuice

^It's Paul Gilbert's new custom Ibanez. Basically, a reverse Iceman.

Here ya go:

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My Fireman Build (indefinitely delayed)

basilbrush

about the wood: Rosewood is too heavy to build your entire guitar from. Don't hurt yourself with such a guitar please.
The reason why Mahogany isn't used for the neck is because it's too soft. The chances of it warping are very, very high. Do not try this
Otherwise, good luck mate

rootbeerjuice

Alright, thanks for the wood advice. I'll keep the hardness of the wood in mind when I go to the lumberyard.

Does anyone think my wiring ideas will be okay, or is it too over-the-top?

__________________

My Fireman Build (indefinitely delayed)

Baby Joel

Wrong, and wrong.
Rosewood is a brilliant wood to build with, and has been done several times. You can chamber the body for weight relief anyways. Here's a build that was made: http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/foru...ad.php?t=878759 ALL rosewood, not just the body.
And mahogany is quite often used as a neck. Just about every Gibson and ESP is made of mahogany for the neck.

Good luck, and I like the Fireman idea. First time I've seen it done on here.

dsss guitars

Hi,
Just ensure your wood is correctly seasoned, Mahogany may be a little too soft for the neck ( may bend or twist if not seasoned properly).
Take your time when choosing as this is one of the most impotant parts of the guitar.
You need a sound Base.
Good Luck
Dessi

Baby Joel

If you are worried about the neck, just put two carbon fiber rods in it.

rootbeerjuice

Chamber the body? Is that like partially hollowing it out or something? I'm new to all this luthier jargon

And the grain on that rosewood in the link was amazing, much better looking than I thought. Rosewood it is!

__________________

My Fireman Build (indefinitely delayed)

the humanity

fireman is cool.

I might suggest the awesomest neck wood ever- wenge.

__________________



Warwick Fortress>>Acoustic AB50

http://www.myspace.com/rustingbloom

Baby Joel

Yep, chambering the body is essentially hollowing out the body to relieve weight. Also, with such a warm wood like rosewood, this would make it sound just so so sexy.

Schism1985

To answer your question about the wiring being "too over the top", I think that your plan sounds completely feasible but I'm not sure what the point of the 2 way toggle switch is if you already have a 5-way switch. What you could try instead of a 2-way toggle + a 5-way switch is having 3 mini toggle switches, 1 for each pickup.

This way you could select any pickup combination you want without over complicating your control cluster.

__________________
--Stuff I've Done/Am Doing--
HKF: 7 Hour, $21 Pedal Board
Squier: Relic Project
Warmoth: Custom Soloist

rootbeerjuice

I like the wenge idea, that's one hell of a sexy wood, and it looks like it'll go well with the rosewood. Isn't it usually used for basses, though?

And how exactly would one go about chambering a body?

EDIT:

First of all, thanks for answering me!

Next, the two way toggle switch would serve to let me use all 3 pickups, or just the neck and bridge, depending on where the 5-way switch is (one of my guitars has one for that purpose, along with a 5-way switch). And it seems to me that your idea would be more complicated, although I'm new to this stuff, so I'm probably wrong.

__________________

My Fireman Build (indefinitely delayed)

Baby Joel

Wenge is often used in guitar necks as a laminate. It isn't quite as common as maple or mahogany to be used in guitar necks, and it's mainly used in bass necks for the extra stability and colour.
You chamber a body by using a router. Basically, you route out huge holes, and then cover them (If you so wish).
What I'd do is make the guitar with a rear mounted cavity (Like a Les Paul, control cavity is on the back), and just make it huge. This will also allow for cool wiring mods you may want to do, like built in distortion and stuff.

the humanity

it's used for basses because of Warwick being a bass only company, they are the main wenge users.

there is no tonal problem with wenge- must warn though- it is heavy. and can give you some crappy splinters that hurt and will make you sleepy if you're as ******ed as I am and snort a few.

__________________



Warwick Fortress>>Acoustic AB50

http://www.myspace.com/rustingbloom

Schism1985

Wait what?

__________________
--Stuff I've Done/Am Doing--
HKF: 7 Hour, $21 Pedal Board
Squier: Relic Project
Warmoth: Custom Soloist

the humanity

I took a vent for the saw to the face and went with it blasting that crap at me.

I received splinters in my right nostril as a result.

__________________



Warwick Fortress>>Acoustic AB50

http://www.myspace.com/rustingbloom

rootbeerjuice

Alright, I understand the chambering concept now (my PRS has a rear cavity, I'll use that as a reference).

I don't know if I'll chamber it if I'm using wenge, though. The total weight, as long as it's not ridiculously heavy, doesn't bother me, but I don't want the guitar to have a super heavy neck and a light-ish body.

These problems will be easier to think about once I actually start the build, though (I think). Right now what I need is essentially a shopping list. I know I need a router, a planer, sandpaper, and the electronics, what am I missing?

__________________

My Fireman Build (indefinitely delayed)

Schism1985

No problem, and you're not necessarily wrong I think you're just unfamiliar with what I'm talking about. I think the 3 toggle switch set up is called a "Super Strat" wiring, and It's actually more common (and simple) than you would think. GFS even sells a kit for it:

http://store.guitarfetish.com/whmoofpesuki.html

The 3 toggle switches allow you to turn on the pickups in any configuration you want (neck/mid, neck/bridge, neck/mid/bridge, neck only, etc.). I've actually never heard of the wiring set up you described, so I could be wrong as well but if I was in your situation I would just go with 3 mini toggles instead of a 5 way as well as a 2 way switch.

In the end it's all up to you, but I just thought you should know that there may be a simpler way to achieve what you want from your guitar.



Lol alright, I thought you like... intentionally snorted sawdust or something

__________________
--Stuff I've Done/Am Doing--
HKF: 7 Hour, $21 Pedal Board
Squier: Relic Project
Warmoth: Custom Soloist