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Incredibly impressive. That's all I got to say.

Very cool. Very nice payoff after so much effort

Is it me, though, or does it look like the truss rod cover is too high? From one of those pics, it looks like it will interfere with the strings as they exit the nut going to the tuners?

Congratulations on the completion of a beautiful guitar! Absolutely stellar work! It's an incredible feeling to finish what you started, isn't it? And you should absolutely be proud of what you've accomplished here.
Just wait until the first strum!

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Mike

The only thing nescessary for evil to thrive is for good men to do nothing.

Thanks so much!

_________________
"Talking about music is like dancing over architecture".
See the most insane first guitar build: http://www.virgilguitar.com
http://www.youtube.com/VirgilGuitar

Hi Roger - thank you sir! great point - I may have to make it thinner after I get the strings & nut set up after it comes back from the painter guy - I didn't want to sand it down too thin yet...

_________________
"Talking about music is like dancing over architecture".
See the most insane first guitar build: http://www.virgilguitar.com
http://www.youtube.com/VirgilGuitar

Hehehe Hey Mike! It ain't done quite yet - still need to clean some chatter my friend Tony discovered on the back of the neck tonight, needs to go to the painter still, need to dress the frets still and do the long awaited PRS wiring job that I may have to call in an exorcist for LOL - but YES - I am so excited to be near the end - there's SOOooo much stuff I have learned NOT to do along the way and can't wait to make my next 2 guitars already lol - thanks my friend!

_________________
"Talking about music is like dancing over architecture".
See the most insane first guitar build: http://www.virgilguitar.com
http://www.youtube.com/VirgilGuitar

Technically, no. But the construction part of the build is over. When i think of how much i nurse a build along, worrying about every little thing, going over every step in my head a dozen or more times before I ever actually do anything.... It's a wonderful feeling to hold an instrument at the end of that phase. I have no idea if it's in any way similar, but to me, it's almost like giving birth, lol. And that's with the fairly simple designs I build. I can imagine the way it must feel after you've put all of the work in that you have. Enjoy it.
And when you finally get through finish, fretwork/setup, electronics and hardware and hear the voice of your "baby" for the first time, there's really nothing like it.

_________________
Mike

The only thing nescessary for evil to thrive is for good men to do nothing.

Sweet!!!!!!!
!
Congratulations.

Finally, someone put a smile on my face (I have had one for a while now, but it was upside-down to )- hehe - YES - I did enjoy putting it finally in my lap - so far, I LOVE the balance of it alone - hopefully it will keep it after the electronics and finish - I am planning on posting a video of it if I can play it after the "Post surgery" lol - thanks again bro!

_________________
"Talking about music is like dancing over architecture".
See the most insane first guitar build: http://www.virgilguitar.com
http://www.youtube.com/VirgilGuitar

Thanks Alan! Woot woot - it's almost looking like a real gee-tar eh?

_________________
"Talking about music is like dancing over architecture".
See the most insane first guitar build: http://www.virgilguitar.com
http://www.youtube.com/VirgilGuitar

Nice. This looks like it was pretty easy, am I right?

Excellent work. You made it look easy. OK...you made it look like it wasn't impossible! Cant wait to see it with finish on it!

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http://www.CostaGuitars.com
PMoMC

LMAO Tony! Selecting the type of fretwire was the ONLY easy thing about this build! The biggest thing I have learned during this time is that there is so much more for me to learn. There are allot of builders that I have so much respect for in regards to these builds - I have taken some MAJOR shortcuts and have had some help with different people that I could not have done on my own - mainly the neck - I am still a virgin in that area and will eventually build one, but for now, I had this one made by Rick Penta from Penta GuitarWorks ( http://stores.ebay.com/Penta-Guitarworks ) - for around $69 I got a blank neck that I got to cut out my own headstock with and some other mods as well. I am lacking on tools/area to do allot of things still, but I'm doing what my imagination is steering me to do. I made it look easy? (That was not intentional )

_________________
"Talking about music is like dancing over architecture".
See the most insane first guitar build: http://www.virgilguitar.com
http://www.youtube.com/VirgilGuitar

Just unfrickin-believeable.
That's a technical term, isn't it?

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"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

Ha! Thanks Chris - too technical for me!

_________________
"Talking about music is like dancing over architecture".
See the most insane first guitar build: http://www.virgilguitar.com
http://www.youtube.com/VirgilGuitar

Dragons are going to the painter tomorrow! WOOT WOOT!

_________________
"Talking about music is like dancing over architecture".
See the most insane first guitar build: http://www.virgilguitar.com
http://www.youtube.com/VirgilGuitar

What color you gonna paint it?
Ha!
Anyway, I wanted to tell you I like the way you did your peghead,
with the routed out cavity, and then the inlayed wood.
Sweet!
Maybe I'll try that out someday.
Looks bound, but it's not.
Also, I like the way you can see bricks reflected off the pickups in one shot.
Nice touch!!!!!!
A

Hi Alan!
I am painting the entire guitar taxicab yellow - over the inlays and everything. - ok, not really - it's getting a clear urethane finish on the entire guitar. The headstock inlay was not part of the original design - I was originally going for a "translucent burgundy on flamed maple top" however, after looking at the low grade flamed maple, I decided against putting the dragons into it, so came the idea of an ebony top on the flamed maple - that made me want to put the Gabon ebony on the headstock as well and I actually already had a thin flamed maple laminate on the headstock, so I just went for the (scary) inlay - it's actually an 1/8" thick piece of ebony in there! And those bricks are my house! Hehehehe - you have a good eye for detail Alan!

_________________
"Talking about music is like dancing over architecture".
See the most insane first guitar build: http://www.virgilguitar.com
http://www.youtube.com/VirgilGuitar

This is an incredible build. I't got me inspired to finish mine.

When are you getting the finish put on? I'd love to see it played.

Ahhh, yes, the finish...... I decided to let a "pro" do the finish, because I have spent so much time on the details of this guitar and all of the exotic woods on it, I didn't want to risk ruining the thing with a can of varnish from Home Depot! So therefore, there is a guy locally who does allot of work (Paint/Finish) on custom guitars from a well--known guitar manufacturer, so I put the trust in him to bring the dragons to life. He was really backed up with work when I brought him the guitar almost 4 weeks ago (Wednesday will be 4 weeks) and he said it would take 2 to 5 weeks to get it back to me, so I guess we can all start the drum roll about now.

I'm not that anxious.

Yeah, right!
Thanks for your kind words!
V

_________________
"Talking about music is like dancing over architecture".
See the most insane first guitar build: http://www.virgilguitar.com
http://www.youtube.com/VirgilGuitar

Hi there, Im working on my first build and I referencing you pics to for routing my truss rod channel. Are those straws that you have on your truss rod? If ther are then why did you put them on (im also doing a single action truss so Im curious if I should do to same thing) -Alex

Hi Alex,
The setup for my trussrod was suggested by my luthier friend Rick Penta, of Penta GuitarWorks. I super-glued 2 drinking straws to each other (To make 1 long straw) to put around the trussrod so it would move freely for when I put the bondo over the trussrod. I first made a crescent shaped piece of poplar that fitted in between the 4th & 7th fets to force a bend on the trussrod. I then sanded everything level to the top.

There has been some objection to this method on this forum as to using "Bondo" on the guitar as well as forcing a bend on the trussrod ( ) and I was told that woodworkers use bondo to attempt to cover up mistakes, however, this was not the purpose of the bondo. Also, I thought it was a great idea to keep the rod from any rattling (Especially with the straws around it, as well as the forced bend.). And the bend on the trussrod forced by the crescent-shaped poplar guarantees that when you tighten the trussrod, it is going in the opposite direction(back-bow) than where the strings are pulling. Good luck with your build! And stay away from any crazy stuff on the first build! (Sheesh, who am I kidding! )

_________________
"Talking about music is like dancing over architecture".
See the most insane first guitar build: http://www.virgilguitar.com
http://www.youtube.com/VirgilGuitar

Thanks for the reply! Ive already got my curved channel routed along with two additional channels for carbon fiber rods (my neck is soft maple which is alot more likely to twist over time, so the carbon fiber rods are just a preventative). What did you use to cut out the channel for the end of the truss rod where the adjustment nut goes. I dont want to just rout out a bigger channel using a larger bit because I dont want the washer laying against a concave surface, but I cant think of any other way.

Alex, I actually purchased a blank neck from Rick Penta here: http://stores.ebay.com/Penta-Guitarworks - they run from $59 to $89 and on my first few builds, until I get better tools (Like a REAL bandsaw as opposed to my P.O.S. Skil Saw from Home Depot) I will just be buying them from him.

_________________
"Talking about music is like dancing over architecture".
See the most insane first guitar build: http://www.virgilguitar.com
http://www.youtube.com/VirgilGuitar

Virgil this is fantastic getting to see your work and I
think it's great-especially being your first.

Thanks for sharing it and really looking forward to
seeing it with the finish.

Cheers,
Michael

Thanks Michael - she is coming back from the finisher this week! I CAN'T TAKE IT!!!!! ARGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG

_________________
"Talking about music is like dancing over architecture".
See the most insane first guitar build: http://www.virgilguitar.com
http://www.youtube.com/VirgilGuitar