WezV DC Juniorish build

davros

Special for me too, fits better with the knob positions too.

mikem8634

#3 for the Special, but I might consider something different with that straight top edge.

In fact, I might try the front half of the Junior with the rear half of the Special. 

I know. Shoot me.

Philly_Q

Definitely the Special scratchplate.  It looks like it's meant to be there.

WezV

mikem8634 said:

#3 for the Special, but I might consider something different with that straight top edge.

Thats the bit I don't really like about specials anyway.... but I was happy it went straight from corner of neck to pickup.

davros said:

Special for me too, fits better with the knob positions too.

Agree with that... I think a switch chip would look wrong with the junior one.



I might try mixing them together,  special style near the controls and round the pickups, but junior style everywhere else.

Roland

From a playing perspective I like the way the junior guard reaches above the E string, which is where many bodies suffer plectrum strike. For the rest of the outline I like the special, the way it follows the horn, and the straight line under both pickups.

PhilKing

What about the special but with the junior bottom horn shape?  I think that might look good.  What material were you thinking of?  The specials look good in 3-ply black but juniors always look better in tortoiseshell.

WezV

I was thinking similar

I have gone for the junior/early special neck join with all of the board off the body.   The  specials like this had a daft filler strip between board and neck pickup.    They quickly moved the neck in by one fret so the last bit overhangs the body, then later moved the neck pickup too.


The proper special plate with bevels most of the way round wouldn't work with the neck join i have here, and I don't like the bevel straight after the fretboard on later specials.... so its not only a case of deciding shape, but how much to bevel.


I think it needs to be black, likely 5ply

Philly_Q

WezV said:

I think it needs to be black, likely 5ply

I think it would be funky in white multi-ply, but I'm still thinking of Dave Hill and John Birch. 

And of course it depends on the colour of the finish.

WezV

Philly_Q said:

WezV said:

I think it needs to be black, likely 5ply

I think it would be funky in white multi-ply, but I'm still thinking of Dave Hill and John Birch. 

And of course it depends on the colour of the finish.

TV yellow.  

Philly_Q

WezV said:

Philly_Q said:

WezV said:

I think it needs to be black, likely 5ply

I think it would be funky in white multi-ply, but I'm still thinking of Dave Hill and John Birch. 

And of course it depends on the colour of the finish.

TV yellow.  

OK, tortoise.... no, you're right, black 5-ply it is.

WezV

Plate design 3.

vasselmeyer

That looks great apart from...those inlays. I mean, it's not my guitar so none of my business, but they seem oversized and out of place to me, especially the black borders.

davros

I think that plate design looks great

WezV

vasselmeyer said:

That looks great apart from...those inlays. I mean, it's not my guitar so none of my business, but they seem oversized and out of place to me, especially the black borders.

yeah, they are not going to appeal to everyone.  

Here it is next to my john birch, which uses a similar style of inlay


Not sure how JB did it, but its common to see the pearl turn black like on  my example so i suspect a black glue and thinner inlays   Its not black pearl, but ends up looking a bit like it.  The JB ones are a better size than mine, but I do expect the look of mine will change once its got a lacquer tint on it, 

Some less discolored JB inlays showing the border a bit better



Fender do pearloid blocks in maple with no border - they often get a bit lost

PeteC

Plate design 3 looks great - at first I thought a slight convex curve would look good going from the top of the neck to the pick up surround, but on reflection the straight angle works well.

Any shots of the back of that laminated flamed neck @WezV ? 

WezV

PeteC said:

Any shots of the back of that laminated flamed neck @WezV ? 

sure,   still got to tidy up the transitions an bit and finalize the carve, but i think it will really pop once i get some lightly tinted lacquer on there

PhilKing

I think the lacquer will make a difference.  This is my John Birch and you can see (same as Wez's), that it makes a difference and tones down that contrast

WezV

Plates nearly made, just got to get the corner around the pickups fitting a bit tighter, will then drill 

PhilKing

How does it sound Wez?  Did you wire it up yet?   Just curious, as I have been thinking that the middle pickup will have a really interesting sound and the maple neck will be a bit brighter than the regular mahogany.

WezV

Not sure yet, I won't wire it up until its all painted... Its just a good habit to make sure everything fits and plays nicely before I move onto paint.