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Hey folks. I think I maybe introduced myself somewhere when I joined a while back, but now I'll actually share some stuff about me and my forthcoming build.

One of my resolutions was to finally build a guitar. Over a decade ago I received Melvyn Hiscock's Make Your Own Electric Guitar for Christmas. Sometime after that I bought an oscillating spindle sander and a nice Freud router. Hacked up a body blank and bought some other parts, but I was in college at the time and it got abandoned. I've done a whole lot of reading on the subject, but little hands on work. I've assembled and finished two bass kits, so I guess that's not nothing. Anyway, enough talking. How about some pictures?



This was the first version of the digital mockup. I'm starting with plans from a Telecaster and modifying it for my wants and needs. Freeman (and others at Harmony Central) have pointed out that the distance to the string ferrules to the bridge is too great, so that will change even though I haven't changed it in subsequent mockups yet. If you look closely you can see the to scale outline of a Telecaster behind it.

Some specs:
25.5" scale, 9.5" radius
Walnut top and back with chambered maple core (think original Danelectro construction)
Nickel hardware even down to actual nickels inlaid on wooden knobs
Recessed Tune-o-matic (I don't want to shim the neck and I don't want to try routing an angle in the pocket on my first build)
Laminated maple and walnut neck
No access panel for electronics, so I'll be pulling it all in through the pickup cavities (I'll practice before I seal it up)



Like all great ideas this started as a sketch on the back of an envelope.




My headstock shape is probably not what you would expect on this guitar, but it's kind of what I've adopted as my shape having used it on my last bass kit. I may or may not make it just like this with the walnut headplate veneer carved away to expose the maple. I might redesign it to something that complements the body better.




These were the first "parts" to arrive. I specifically sought out Liberty and Buffalo nickels minted in years that were prime numbers. Many more parts and tools on order. Many more part and tools left to order.




I'm doing my print in Illustrator. Maybe it's not ideal, but you can get specific on dimensions up ten thousandths of an inch.




This is one of the most recent digital mockups. Added bursted edges and a pickguard. Not sure if the pickguard will work or not. I haven't ordered it yet, but I'm kind of hoping it goes with the nickel hardware. It's quite possible that I'll make more than one pickguard for it and decide what I like best. Might not be easy to tell comparing this with the first, but I also increased the overall size and changed the angle on the bottom from 6 degrees to 4 degrees.

Ordered nut files today. Still need fretting files, fret cutters. I think I'm going to try to make my own mitre box and put a 1/16" locator pin in it so that I can use StewMac's fret slotting template (but I'm open to other suggestions). Making a fretwire bender is on the list, too, unless enough talented builders want to vouch for the ribbon curling method.

There are other pictures and minutiae that I could share, but I'll leave it here for now. I bet I'm going to have some more questions, too.

Hi John. With such careful planning and drawing your odds of success are pretty good. Your distance from the string ferules to the bridge may depend on how high the bridge is set. I think you want to shoot for a string break angle at the bridge to be near 12%. Most TOM bridges have saddles that work best at around 12 degrees. Be sure to keep us posted with your build. Matt

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A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other way.
Mark Twain

This is a number I'd not heard before, so thank you for the information! I've tweaked the design a bit so I will now be using a stop tailpiece (custom made), but I will keep that figure in mind. I know StewMac's product info for stop tails specifically says to mount the center hole 1.500" behind the bass side of the TOM bridge center stud. Just threw it into my sideview elevation and it's real close at 14 degrees. I could be off since I don't have a stoptail to take actual measurements from, but also my TOM is recessed due to the lack of a neck angle and the body is flat, all of which tweak that angle a bit.

My previous sideview. It's not an awesome mockup, but gets the information out where I need it.

http://threechordme.com/hodgepodge/guitarbuild2017/sideview_01.jpg[/img]