Plans for my first warmoth project - DONE AGAIN (new pics!)

[mark1178]

After several thoughts, emails with warmoth, thoughts on what body, I've decided that I will order a routed body blank from warmoth and cut the exact body shape I designed years ago.

Wish they could put a flame top on the blank but I'll go ahead and go without the flame.

Details:
Body
Swamp ash body (electronics and neck pocket routed by warmoth, shape will be routed by Brian Paul in Addison, Tx. I will stain the body using Wudtone Amaranthine stain.
2 humbuckers (probably 2 custom Roadhouse pickups as soon as the site is back up and running)
2 volume
1 three way switch
2 Seymour duncan Triple Shots
TOM/STP bridge

Neck
Maple/rosewood warmoth
1 11/16" but width
6150 SS FRETS
graph tech white tusq but
Planet waves auto trim tuners chrome

 

[bagman67]

Looks like a fun project!


You can have that with a flamed top, though.


You could shave an eighth to a quarter inch off the back, using a planer or a router sled, then glue on the figured top of your choice and use the existing holes as templates for the pickups, etc.  You'll need to shave some lumber off for the potentiometers to sit in, or use long-shaft pots.  Likewise, you'll need to do the same for the switch hole.  I'd use a drill press and a Forstner bit of 1.25" diameter.  You'll need to drill the ferrule holes deeper and re-do the edge of the control cavity; and finally, you might need to build up the bottom of the slot for the tune-o-matic. 


Going at it from another direction, you could shave the 1/8" off the TOP, and save yourself all the extra work on the back.  Just use the existing pickup routs and such as a pattern for the router to follow.  Drill a big enough hole to drop the bit through the maple cap, and go to town.  Use a flush-trim bit:  http://www.woodcraft.com/category/1001143/flush-trim-router-bits.aspx




Ultimately, as I think about it, I would attack it from the top, and leave the back alone. 


But long story short:  it's abundantly do-able without particularly sophisticated woodworking skills.  All you really need is the tools (and the balls) to try it, and an appropriate degree of caution.  Plan and plan and plan, and don't start cutting until you know exactly where you're going with this.


I'm looking forward to how this all plays out.


Bagman

 

[bagman67]

For router-sledding the top off, you can apply this sort of technique:
http://www.thewoodwhisperer.com/videos/flattening-workbenches-and-wide-boards-with-a-router/

 

[mark1178]

Thanks for the info bags, problem is I don't have the equipment to do so, I'll check with my luthier to see if he is able, but honestly since this is my first build I'll go on the cheap. I am planning on a second build after this one which will definitely kill a bank account in the future.

Thanks again

 

[Cagey]

It might be worthwhile to check if there's a Woodcraft store near you. I don't know if they all do it, but the one here has a huge shop full of all the best machinery where they give classes. You get to pick your own project, and you get to use their tools to pull it off. Cost is minimal, because they're essentially using the classes as a marketing tool to draw future business, plus I suspect the tool manufacturers subsidize them for similar reasons. Imagine having 18" bandsaws, 24" planers and 30" drum sanders at your beck and call.

 

[Jumble Jumble]

Imagine even having a table that doesn't wobble!

 

[DangerousR6]

Cool, kinda reminds me of Lindsey Buckinghams  Turnder guitar..

 

[mark1178]

Cool, kinda reminds me of Lindsey Buckinghams  Turnder guitar..

That's actually one of my inspirations, along with the EVH's first Ernie Ball, a tele and LP.

I'm thinking about going with about a brass TOM bridge from GFS, anyone have experience with these? Do they really sound better?

 

[DangerousR6]

Cool, kinda reminds me of Lindsey Buckinghams  Turnder guitar..

That's actually one of my inspirations, along with the EVH's first Ernie Ball, a tele and LP.

I'm thinking about going with about a brass TOM bridge from GFS, anyone have experience with these? Do they really sound better?

Pretty cool, as for the bridge, brass is a very interesting material, especially when it comes to it's resonating properties. A while back I made a brass bridge for one of Cagey's tele's, and he says it's sound is unbelievable. As for the brass TOM bridge from GFS I can't say, but I do have a roller TOM bridge from them and it's an incredibly great bridge for the price.

 

[mark1178]

Just ordered the body blank! Called this afternoon and spoke with Cari (spellcheck?) and he says it will be here in 1-2 weeks! Booyah!

 

[mark1178]

I guess it's normal for me to squeal like a little piggy after he gave me a good price to carve the top, drill the holes and carve a tubby cut.

 

[clearerphish]

tubby cut.

lol

 

[mark1178]

Well, squealing like a girly pig mic'd through a wah pedal, my body blank has shipped. The 25th can't get here any faster.

Now, pickups, waiting in word from TroubledTreble about the pickups.

All I know is I finally decided on the electronics:

2 Humbuckers, both 4 wire
1 3 way toggle
2 Seymour duncan Triple Shots - each to a phase switch
2 volume
1 Tone - with a 3 way mini-switch to select between the bridge, middle and neck position. I may have said no tone control, but after playing my Gibson SG-X and coil tapping, sometimes backing that tone control can keep my ears from bleeding. Reason why I want a 3 way toggle for the tone, I sometimes back the tone all the way on the neck for some trippy heavily saturated dying cello sounds, then switch to the bridge quickly for a lead or chunky rhythm. Instead I going with. 2 tone controls, just use one with a switch to select either position. Since I'll have the 2 mini switches, I'm running out of room for a second tone control and I'm not a big fan of push/pull pots.

Now for my meaty kielbasa loss usage like fingers to get skinnier so this slider job gets easier.

On the next list of stuff to order: Neck and electronics

 

[stratamania]

Do you have a circuit worked out for the three way mini switch ?

I am just wondering about the three way toggle to the tone control, for example if the bridge pickup is selected as the pickup that is active by the pickup selector but it is not selected by the tone toggle do you have a means of bypassing the toggle switch for that pickup whilst for the other keeping the tone control in the circuit ?

 

[tangent]

Do you have a circuit worked out for the three way mini switch ?

I am just wondering about the three way toggle to the tone control, for example if the bridge pickup is selected as the pickup that is active by the pickup selector but it is not selected by the tone toggle do you have a means of bypassing the toggle switch for that pickup whilst for the other keeping the tone control in the circuit ?

yeah the wiring for that can get hairy pretty quick.. much easier to wire it as a master tone with a switch to disable it

or use a 5 way super switch and do
1-Neck bypass tone
2-Neck w/ tone
3-N+B w/ tone
4-Bridge w/ tone
5-Bridge bypass tone

 

[mark1178]

If I can wire up a motherbucker to 4 switches, I should be able to pull this off with only losing a half my hair.

Stop killin my dream ya buzz killingtoners!

I've got a couple cheap pots here, I will be doing a lot of testing the next couple weeks, I've got time since I'm getting the body cut shaped and carved next weekend, then ordering the neck and the rest of the hardware

 

[stratamania]

We want the dream to succeed, for the tone toggle as well as it being single throw, I think you will need a double throw at least.

I was asking more also from curiosity if you had figured it out yet. If not I am sure there will be ideas forthcoming. 

 

[mark1178]

I'm going through diagrams of wirings, going to dissect a SD wiring scheme that has two TSs, 2 vol, 2 tone, 2 switches, and a 3 way.

My idea is to wire the tone pot that goes to the volume pot to a 3 way switch, that switches between the two volume pots.

 

[stratamania]

With two volume pots this seems more possible, the original mock up diagram only had one pot I think which would have made it awkward. I would still tend toward trying a double throw so that both the hot and ground wire can go out or into the tone circuit without any bleed.

If you want to do coil taps then it would get more challenging.

 

[mark1178]

The coil taps will be handled by the Seymour Duncan Triple Shots. I thought about not getting them and just getting two switches for each pickup, but my laziness got a hold of me, that and the memory if the motherbucker wiring still haunts me.

Using this as the main schematic for the build.
http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/wiring-diagrams/schematics.php?schematic=2h_2ts_2v_1t_phsp

My original ambien and Lyrica enhanced idea was this, not sure this is possible since I'm not wiring guru, is to move the ten pot in between the 3 way switch and the volume pots, then have. 3 way in between the volume pots and tone pot. If I can't work it, I'll just go with a master tone pot I can switch on and off.