Green and purple goblin

VinceClortho

Junior Member
Messages
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Ever since the Goblin Flake was introduced I've been wanting a guitar with that finish so as a treat to myself I decided to put one together.  The body and details were the easy part but I had a tough time deciding on the neck wood.  I knew I wanted to try something a little different and I've already done maple, roasted maple, and padouk.  I tried a friend's wenge neck and wasn't a huge fan, mostly of the really open grain even though it was fast and nice sounding.  So, my final choices were either to go conservative with indian rosewood or get crazy with purpleheart.  I was worried the latter would be too much but I went for it anyway.  How could purple and green not be both horribly gaudy and beautiful at the same time?  The neck arrived yesterday and it is just what I hoped with a not-too-bright purple and a great feel.

Beginning yesterday I buffed in some danish oil to seal it a bit and help smooth out the back.  I slightly rolled the fretboard edges and got the tuning keys and ebony truss rod cover installed.  A real surprise was the frets were dead on and didn't need any leveling at all.  Every other Warmoth (or other brand) neck I've ever had at least needed a little touch up here and there.  With these all I had to do was the usual end dressing and to give them a good polish.  I also gave the top of the headstock a little reshape to a bit more of the PRS style which took a lot longer than I had expected.  Purpleheart, it turns out, is quite dense and fairly oily so it was slow going to remove wood and to keep it from burning.  It probably took me almost an hour vs maybe 15 minutes for maple or padouk.  I'll do a bit more buffing to the back of the neck as I wait, otherwise it is ready for the body which I'm hoping will ship any day.

I love the black MOP dots with the black ebony fretboard as it is a bit more subtle vs the higher contrast of standard white dots. 

Style: Vortex
Construction: Gibson® Scale (24-3/4") Conversion Tiltback
Orientation: Right Handed
Neck Wood: Purpleheart
Fingerboard Wood: Ebony (Black)
Nut Width: 1-11/16"
Back Shape: Wizard
Fret Size: SS6100 (Stainless)
Tuner Ream: Schaller (25/64")
Radius: 10-16" Compound
Scale: 24-3/4" Conversion
Fret #: 22
Mounting Holes: Standard 4 Bolt
Pre-Cut Installed String Nut: R3 Floyd Prep w/ Mounting Holes
Inlays: Black Mother Of Pearl Dots
Side Dots: White Side Dots

The tuners are Hipshot classic open locking with mini-Schaller style knobs.  The nut is a standard R3 Floyd.  The ebony truss rod cover came from a guy on Etsy and is smaller than the provided Warmoth plastic which suits the trimmed headstock better.
 

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Shiny!
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I lost the straight-out-of-the-box hero shot from a camera issue, but here she is in all her glory with a few new holes.

 

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Marking out the controls with a template.
EPoWX8U.jpg


Ready to drill.  No matter how many times I do this it never fails to terrify me.
IdKxg3P.jpg


Cleaning up the area around the controls in the cavity w/ a forstner bit.
R2IQ4mg.jpg
 
Ah, great color. Glad those holes went through cleanly. I always feel a little nervous when drilling or routing on new finishes.
 
Was the template made of an existing guitar with similar holes?

I am assuming so otherwise you could just mark them directly.

Looks like a good job either way  :icon_thumright:
 
-VB- said:
Also risky! Looks great, well done!
Indeed!  The one below was the scariest.  Drilling a 1 1/4" deep hole from back to front in a 1 3/4" thick body for the flush mount strap locks.  At least it was with a drill press so I felt I had some semblance of control. 
k6K0tIK.jpg
 
stratamania said:
Was the template made of an existing guitar with similar holes?

I am assuming so otherwise you could just mark them directly.

Looks like a good job either way  :icon_thumright:
Yep, the template was from an existing guitar.  It is about as simple a control setup as is possible but I've gotten used to it and wanted it identical to the others I have.
 
I just realized I posted specs for the neck but not the body, so here you go:

Model: Musiclander
Orientation: Right handed
F-Holes: None
Scale: 25-1/2"
Wood: Alder
Rout: Rear Rout
Pickup Rout: Humbucker (Neck), None (Middle), Humbucker (Brdg)
Controls: None
Bridge: Floyd with Angled Pocket
Stud Install: No Stud Install
Jack Rout: 1/2" (13mm) Side Jack Hole
Neck Pocket: Strat® Shape
Mounting Holes: Standard 4 Bolt
Contours: / Tummy Cut / Forearm Contour
Battery Box: No Battery Box Rout
Weight: 3lbs., 2oz.
Top Finish: Goblin Flake
Back Finish: Goblin Flake
Finish Type: Satin Finish
 
That really is an amazing finish. Kudos to you for being bold with your choice of neck wood too.

Where have you positioned the other strap 'button'?
 
VinceClortho said:
stratamania said:
Was the template made of an existing guitar with similar holes?

I am assuming so otherwise you could just mark them directly.

Looks like a good job either way  :icon_thumright:
Yep, the template was from an existing guitar.  It is about as simple a control setup as is possible but I've gotten used to it and wanted it identical to the others I have.

That makes perfect sense to me...  :icon_thumright:
 
Fat Pete said:
That really is an amazing finish. Kudos to you for being bold with your choice of neck wood too.
Thanks! I'm very excited to get it all together
Where have you positioned the other strap 'button'?
It is in the cutout part (next to the contoured arm rest on the top).  That is the main reason I went with the flush mount strap locks as it doesn't get in the way if I'm not using a strap and want to hold it in a classical position.
LQRpG1Z.jpg
 
I usually drill my volume and tone pot holes at 3/8" and when I use the smaller thread pots I turn a small bushing on the lathe in order to get a snug fit.
mfB8pUK.jpg
 
That is cool...
th


Kinda funny I was just watching Maximum Overdrive and was researching what happened to the Green Goblin Truck... :dontknow:
 
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