WezV - Metal top build

Jez6345789

I have to also say a big + for G&W  good people and tool one of my go-to's when in Spain and about to get some of their blanks shipped over. Extremely lucky for wood in Spain and Portugal, G&W/Lagrima/Maderas Barber and MadInter. Although Madinter was recently bought by Stewmac so price have been going up but the others are good value still.

Will be tagging along with this and looking forward to seeing it progress.

WezV

Finally got around to processing some of that free wood.

I'm less sure it's Obeche, it's a lot less yellow now it is planed and I can see the grain better ... possibly Meranti??

This is it with a large idigbo body blank for reference 



Grain

Marked up for cutting



And sliced into a variety of body blanks.  Everything from full thickness LP customs to oversized blanks for bigger shapes.

WezV

WezV

I decided to proceed with the G&W Khaya body blank for this, so its been marked on the laser and roughly cut out.



It's currently at 45mm.  I'm going to take it down a bit thinner and chamber it to get this to the 4 1/2-5lb range before proceeding

PhilKing

What pickups are you using on this one?  It looks like P-90 size markings.

WezV

I think I'm actually gonna wind a set of raw nickel humbuckers for it.... just need to update the plans before I make the plate

SteveF

Looking forward to this one. 

TTony

That pile of wood should keep you busy for a few weeks.

WezV

I found some old Honduran mahogany from the school I used to work at, I've had this about 18 years.  It came from their old library when it was renovated - It's going to be used for  a 3-piece neck + ears here.  Paired with a wenge fretboard

I used to always glue up wood then cut to shape, but these days I prefer to cut the laminates first with extra tabs for gluing.  It's a little bit less wasteful.

WezV

i've not forgotten this, just been focusing on other things.

Somehow I managed to move the center line on my design and made some incorrect templates, the positions marked on the body above are incorrect for everything except plate shape are incorrect.  Thankfully I caught this before routing anything and made a new template for the top plate

The fretboard is now bound, and a metal plate has been started for the top

paulnb57

F A B! Looking forward to progress

WezV

I got most of the body routing done, taking off 1.5lb from the rough cut blank  I still need to add full wiring channels and some contours round back. 

Once the neck is made  and a neck pocket has been routed I will also round off the treble side of the cavity and taper the thickness of the horn, although i'm not sure I will go as far as  slotting through binding in recreation of the  Zemaitis quirks.



I also  found a Zemaitis style bridge I made last time I was playing with this idea.  I may try and improve it a bit, but trying it out won't rule out switching to a normal tune-o-matic at a later date.  The humbuckers have also been wound

WezV

time to figure out some engraving ideas - nothing is fully developed yet, but these are the ways I am leaning

Z style dragon, shown with rope borders


Burton Cooper, with hops border and filigree

PhilKing

Much as I like the dragon, with where you live and your day job, the Burton Cooper is very cool.

WezV

Yeah, I liked the idea of the hops filigree as a nod to my hometown, but struggled to decide what to pair it with.   The Cooper is a bronze statue that's been in the middle of Burton for nearly 50 years, so seemed like a good fit with a beer theme.

Maybe it needs a Bass triangle inlay on the neck to complete the theme, although I should probably  save that for a bass version.

But I am worried it makes it all a bit niche, more so than usual and a Dragon would be an easier sell.

WezV

Original statue for reference

Teyeplayer

I like the Burton Cooper version, that’s cool. Could the top be brass/copper? That cooper image reminds me of the brasses that used to adorn the walls of old pubs. 

WezV

Possibly, but I'm not really a metal worker.  If going that way I might have to outsource it, but the designs would be done.

Other ideas are an American traditional tattoo style pirate ship, or a Mucha style ladies head with lilly filigree.   The first is an alternate take on some of the Z themselves, the second would be another attempt at something more personal to me.

DartmoorHedgehog

I like the idea of the cooper now you've given us the background story.  But I have to admit if it were my guitar I'd prefer the dragon - sorry.

paulnb57

For me I suppose it would depend if I was keeping it or selling it, as a keeper Id go for the Cooper, if made to sell then the Dragon as it would have a more universal appeal…