I want to do a simple build before i start the next 3, which will all be a fair bit more challenging
so I grabbed a plank of sycamore and cut out a body. its got a few knots, a bit of spalting and it was a bit thin and small for anything else - perfect for a duo-sonic
I have not decided on much, but have a filtertron sized goldfoil going spare so possibly a cabronita, maybe set-neck rather than bolt-on... It will be short scale, it will be a natural finish to show off the unusual wood choice.
I am tempted to pair it with a softer neck wood, the opposite way round to most fenders
the best bit is around back
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I think the stripe is spalting, note the black outline does not follow the grain. Spalt can affect the structure if its too far gone (its the first stage of rot), but its totally solid on this
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I have had 2 solid rock maple guitars. One was a superstrat with floyd and ceramic pickups, and as you would expect it was far too bright. The other is my john birch, which sounds much more balanced. never looses clarity, but stays well away from ice pick territory
I have enjoyed using sycamore for the tops on my last 2 les paul builds, so want to try it for a solid body. If i was being scientific i would use known quantities for the rest of it... but i am tempted to try either a douglas fir or port orford cedar neck on this (whichever i don;t use will be seen on another build soon). I expect this dense body/softwood neck to give a very different resonance to a more standard electric guitar.
weight is not an issue either, the small shape and thinner body will keep it well under 4lb
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(formerly customkits)
That’s an odd mix. I am not sure a softwood will work for a fretboard.... but I do have some ideas on that
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Are you going 6 in line heastock
(formerly customkits)
I have done the full width to the bridge thing a couple of times and I don’t think it adds much... although it might look cool on this, so maybe???
it will most likely have a 6-in line headstock
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Just need to decide on a fretboard wood.
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I often wonder why folk feel they can't get on with the 24" scale, it's just like playing up the neck of a 25.5 a bit....
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don't worry - headstock won't stay like that - its currently got the wings being glued on so i can get a decent shape out of it.
I didn't get a pic of it, but the neck tenon extends all the way under the pickup. it will be trimmed level with the body once the neck is glued in. I am not sure whether to keep it on show, or hide it under a guard...I will make that decision later
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In some respects, compared to some Fender designs, a regular Mustang/Duosonic lacks a distinctive sound of its own.
For example, John McLaughlin's contributions to the Miles Davis album, A Tribute To Jack Johnson. You can tell what McLaughlin is not playing. (i.e. His usual Gibson or Rex Bogue.) Any listener lacking foreknowledge would struggle to discern what electric guitar he is playing based only on the sounds produced.
By comparison, the timber choices, construction and single gold foil pickup of the OP project should add up to something very distinctive indeed.