WezV - building an electric with the laser cutter.

Teyeplayer · June 2023

Probably a few ideas you could borrow and adapt from here: https://www.teyeguitars.com
Edit: in terms of colour choice.

WezV · June 2023

PeteC said:

Look forward to seeing those. Ive been wanting to add a thin abalone pinstripe to the centreline on a couple of my builds but havent tried yet - a laser cutter would be perfect for cutting those - but rather overkill !! What inlays will you be using?

Nothing on this, just the deep engraving.

I'm finding i can use the laser for a lot more than expected, along with even more non guitar stuff.

WezV · June 2023

Jez6345789 said:

Keeping with the Zemaitis feel what about steel grey wood on the insert possibly classic cherry on the outer?
There are some tutorials getting a nice grey blue steel look on flamed woods.
Sure you will come up with a winner.

I'm thinking brighter colours on this.... but an actual metal top will be done at some point

WezV · June 2023

Teyeplayer said:

Probably a few ideas you could borrow and adapt from here: https://www.teyeguitars.com
Edit: in terms of colour choice.

I do love a Teye. I was thinking it might be nice to take colour inspiration from some of the turquoise inlaid versions he does... maybe go for a solid sonic blue/surf green type colour for all the brown wood, and something darker in the same palette on the maple

WezV · June 2023

Jalapeno said:

Awesome work, you are the new Tony Zemaitis !

My guitars are just as flawed

Teyeplayer · June 2023

WezV said:

Teyeplayer said:

Probably a few ideas you could borrow and adapt from here: https://www.teyeguitars.com
Edit: in terms of colour choice.

I do love a Teye. I was thinking it might be nice to take colour inspiration from some of the turquoise inlaid versions he does... maybe go for a solid sonic blue/surf green type colour for all the brown wood, and something darker in the same palette on the maple

I quite like the contrast he gets between those brighter colours and then the shipwreck type finishes on the wood. Creates an interesting juxtaposition between the different colours and finishes. It’s definitely thinking outside the usual guitar box.

WezV · June 2023

Yeah, I'm trying to do my own thing with this one, but there will definitely be something more in the Z or Teye style at some point.

Teyeplayer · June 2023

Whichever route you go I am sure it’ll turn out awesome! Always enjoy your build threads dude.

SteveF · June 2023

Looking great Wes!

bad_alice · July 2023

So pleased I decided to stop by the making and modding page today.
@WezV your threads are delight, not just for the (obvious!) fabulous guitars you create, but for how well you articulate the process of doing so and <swallows hard> the utterly filthy GAS inducing array of pics you supply too.
Please keep making guitars.
Because wow...

It's an absolute joy to accompany you on these projects.

WezV · July 2023

Thanks. I will be back on this with updates soon. I've had a busy couple of weeks away from guitar stuff.

WezV · July 2023

I carved the neck a few weeks ago, and fretted today after it had plenty of time to settle.

Can't believe how dark that rosewood went just from a coat of oil quickly rubbed on and buffed off. (Edit... it was my acoustic that got the pale board, not this

)

Nearly time to get it all glued together

WezV · July 2023

Some may remember I went for the usual rule of 18 fret scale on this, starting with a 24.5" scale

This antiquated way of working out fret placement gives a little less room between frets near the nut, and a little more up the top end of the neck... adding a bit of compensation to each fret in a rather crude way

Note this is a 24 fret neck, with chunky frets and a shorter than standard scale.... spacing would normally feel tight up there. Instead the spacing at the 24th fret is quite generous, more comparable to a standard 25 5" scale length than a normal 24.5" would be if calculated with the rule of 17.817

In reality there is only half a mm in it, but I've looked at this board a few times and had to double check the number of frets

WezV · July 2023

a couple of coats of sealer - still considering colour, but can't pretend I don't love the natural look

paulnb57 · July 2023

Natural looks fabulous, it would almost be a crime to cover it up…

TTony · July 2023

paulnb57 said:

Natural looks fabulous, it would almost be a crime to cover it up…

Not almost

WezV · July 2023

But what about with the matching wood pickup covers... I think it might be a bit too blonde when all together

Originally I was considering doing the dark wood in a sonic blue, with another shade of blue in the middle of the maple.

Now I'm considering leaving the dark wood natural, spraying a light grey burst in the middle section. Leave the pickups natural

Alternatively I can spray the pickup covers darker for some contrast... might be interesting to colour match them to the dark wood, whilst being grain matched to the light wood.

TTony · July 2023

WezV said:

Alternatively I can spray the pickup covers darker for some contrast... might be interesting to colour match them to the dark wood, whilst being grain matched to the light wood.

That's what I'd do - add the colour or stain to the pickup covers. Not necessarily matched to the darker wood either - you could stain them purple or something equally unusual ...

PeteC · July 2023

What about natural for the dark wood and a honey bursy for the maple - i think that would complement the main body wood superbly

paulnb57 · July 2023

Stain the pickup covers would be my choice

WezV · July 2023

It won't be stain... all the maple parts have some lacquer on them already.

One issue with leaving it natural is the colour difference between body and neck. Nothing fatal, but I think i would want to warm up the neck a little

Looks like I need to mix up some tobacco lacquer

TheMarlin · July 2023

Love this thread! very cool looking guitar.

Looking forward to seeing the final product.

WezV · July 2023

I sprayed the pickup covers a dark brown. I did start colour matched to the body but didn't like it, so went darker. Can't wait to peel the tape and see how it looks next to the rosewood as it should match up nicely with that

The maple truss rod cover will be the same brown as it will be surrounded by plain maple.

The back plates will be left natural.

I'm still not sure about the colour difference between body and neck.

SteveF · July 2023

I think that dark colour for the pickups looks great. Good choice!

WezV · July 2023

Yeah, I think it makes the knob choice easy too. I will either get some rosewood ones or spray some maple the same shade

SteveF · July 2023

If it's a good match for the rosewood then that would be a nice easy win, but if you can match the knobs exactly to the pickup covers I think it would look great.

WezV · July 2023

I need a second opinion here

The headstock is looking pretty good on its own

But as you may remember on page 3, I changed the top design for a thinner border. I left headstock as is, as the plan was to do a burst inside the line that would hide the different line weights.

does it look daft when all left natural?

paulnb57 · July 2023

I think its stunning as it is Wez

Sporky · July 2023

It looks like it matches the body plate, which is fine.

TTony · July 2023

WezV said:

I need a second opinion here

The headstock is looking pretty good on its own

does it look daft when all left natural?

No.

I'd say "classy" rather than daft. The plain finish emphasises the border, logo and TRC, which are the design-additive components. Adding burst would be another, competing, design element which would/could detract from the others.

Less is more.

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WezV - building an electric with the laser cutter.

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