Forshage Neo-H build thread.

octatonic

Just before my mother died we talked about me commissioning a guitar to be built with some of the money I get from the estate.

I've decided to do it and I can think of no one better than Chris Forshage to make it for me and he is happy to do so.
I already have one of his ergonomic Orion guitars, which I love, but I wanted something a bit more traditional (relatively speaking).

Chris makes a model called a 'Neo', they are a Hollowbody guitar but thinner than a traditional Hollowbody- if you are familiar with Languedoc or Artinger then you will know some of the design ideas.

Here are a couple he has made in that style- one with a Gotoh trem and one with a more traditional archtop bridge:







We've pushed the boat out on wood choices here- this guitar will have a curly Koa carved top and flat back.
This piece is 28” x 8.75” x 2”, has been dried for 30 years and has incredible flame on it.




We are still talking materials and some design ideas but it will be a Fender scale with 2 humbuckers, probably Bareknuckles.

This might be a bit soon after mum's death to be making such a post but fuck it, we never stood on ceremony and I know mum wouldn't have minded.

CloudNine

Great idea, and quite right in terms of 'fuck it'.

And whilst it is hard to love the look of your other one (yeah, I know why it looks like it does), these look stunning! I didn't really know much about Forshage, and had just assumed wrongly that he only made the ugly ones.   

Please keep us updated on the build.

SRich

I'm sure your dear Mum would approve whole-heartedly of the single 'f hole' Forshage  AND the wood choice. Great tribute I'd say.

Schnozz

Archtop bridge is way better and my condolences regarding your mum's passing - Music is the best way to lift your mood and take your mind off things.

McToot

I applaud wholeheartedly and so would your mum, I'm sure. 

That wood is so gorgeous, I'd be tempted to just hang it on the wall... But then again, there are those who say my ability to extract a good noise from a guitar is roughly equivalent to my skills at making music from a blank plank of wood. You're a different kettle of fingers. 

Trem model for me, please. 

octatonic

Thanks chaps.

The archtop bridge vs trem is a form vs function thing.
A lot of my playing style is based around using the trem.
I don't have it on my Forshage Orion and I do miss it.
But the archtop bridge and tailpiece looks more right.

So I am torn as to whether to put a trem on it or not- I am tending towards yes, but need to think about it a bit longer.
The build will take 9 months to a year so I do have a bit of time to think about it.

Winny_Pooh

Beautiful looking guitars and yes, the 2nd one is reminiscent of Trey Anastasio's.
How heavily do you use the trem? 

If the inserts are solidly installed with this in mind you could try one of these:

https://m.thomann.de/gb/schaller_tremolo_scdc_c.htm

And if it's not to your taste you'd still have the option of adding a stop tailpiece and tune-o-matic later. 

octatonic

I'm pretty heavy on the trem.
Chris has a couple of options for me we are discussing, I'll send this to him as well and see what he says.
Cheers.

I'm going to avoid making it look too much like a Languedoc.
I love Trey's playing but I want a Forshage, not a Forshage copy of a L'doc.
I'm having slashes rather than bound F holes, the Forshage headstock and a liberal use of cocobolo and snakewood.

octatonic

Update: it has been a while but Chris has been working on it though-
Today he sent me the Koa top as he's carved it.
That is a very pretty piece of wood.

CloudNine

Very nice piece of wood.

You need to find yourself a better luthier though, look at the state of that place. Tools, nails, all sorts lying around the place. Manky towel, probably used for some undercarriage flossing after his shower. Also, WOOD SHAVINGS EVERYWHERE!!! Awful mess if you ask me.

octatonic

Updates:

octatonic

octatonic

Chris has been cracking on with it.

Sides are bent and we had enough flamed Koa to make the neck and heel block so this will be an all Koa body with multi piece maple neck, cocobolo fingerboard bound in Koa, Koa headstock veneer.

Potentially finished end of summer if all goes well.

TTony

Is it a camera perspective thing, or is that headstock very long and narow??

octatonic

Nope that is how they look.

Here is another one:



This model is Chris' take on the Languedoc model that Trey Anastasio is famous for using.
Paul Languedoc uses a headstock shaped like the state of Vermont.



I didn't want that- I wanted Chris' headstock.
My guitar is different in a few other ways- it has a tremolo for as start.

TTony

octatonic said:

Nope that is how they look.

Here is another one:

Ahhh ... It doesn't look as long/narrow with the tuners and inlay in place!

Winny_Pooh

Very nice wood you have there, what pickups are you planning to use? Chunky neck?

octatonic

Either Fralin or BK Abraxas humbucker pickups.

Not a chunky neck.

octatonic

We are going with Lollar El Rayo pickups and some pretty crazy electronics tricks, borrowed from David Torn's Ronin guitar.

Some new pictures as my old ones have dropped off.
That Koa top is going to shine up beautifully.

octatonic

Some more of the pics that seem to have dropped off.

octatonic

Here we are a year down the line and it is coming along.
Should be done in a month or two.