https://www.strangeguitarworks.com/repairing-a-broken-gibson-headstock-and-adding-a-volute/

When I learned 7 years ago that Brian May built his own guitar, I wanted to do the same ; design my own. So I went and draw something while bored in class, inspired by the striking make up of my late hero, David Bowie. I didn’t knew it then, but it would soon become the project of my life : the Space Pallet. In march of 2019, I’ve completed the first version of the guitar (end photo). The body would be made from pallets (pine), and I’ve made the CNC program myself for cutting the neck from oak. Precut fretboard was my only option, along a badly applied Tru Oil finish. It would weight near 4.5kgs.

Then, starting late 2019, I’ve started working on a new version. That one arrived in 2020, the version II (penultimate photo). Lower horn redesigned, one kilo less, added bridge pickup, uniform color with matching headstock. It really started to look like a proper electric guitar, despite evident flaws.

In 2022, due to the multiple structural and finish problems, my own bettering at woodworking and my furthering ambitions for the instrument, I made the decision to completely make the guitar over again. I thought it was possible to make it in a few months ; it took me more than two years.

Why ? Because I only could work on it during vacations in my hometown… Also I’ve done a lot of retro engineering to fit what is still the same neck from the beginning and the same pickguard for 5 years now. It knew something like 4 fretboards in total, because of mistakes…

But I’ve worked hard, and tried everything possible to make my ideal electric guitar.

It still has flaws, but these one are a reflection of myself, so who am I to pretend my rock and synth machine will ever be perfect ?

FULL SPECS : -Burned pallet body and matching headstock -PU satin finish -carbon reinforced headstock and neck -ebony fretboard with pearl inlay and blind fretslots, custom constellation -stripped ebony backstrap -SS frets -burned and stained pallet body with maple reinforcements, -cavities with HDF reinforcements -locking tuners, with drop D -stetsbar vibrato pro III -SH pickup config with 6 ways freeswitch and series/parallel switch for neck HB, 2T 1V (I may change the layout in the future it’s a bit clunky) -slide magnet in the upper horn -a functional piezo sound with MIDI capabilities from Graphtech ; custom bracket for a seamless integration in the pickguard

First post in here, hello all, so I guess I’d better put up some of my current projects. Calling this one the Vorlich. 25.25” scale just to be different, twin p90s with all premium parts.

Building 3 at once for the first time ever. Identical design with different woods and pickup makers. French walnut, mahogany and paulownia. Biggest issue I’m gonna have is choosing which parts will go on each. Guess I can ask you guys when the time comes.

I’m about to carve the neck profiles, then I’m pretty much ready for lacquer/paint after the obligatory holes are drilled. Hopefully be ready in the summer. What do you think?

So I had this Meteora style body made for me all the way in Verona, Italy. I initially tried staining the body blue but the finish didn't go to plan, so I went with my plan B and sprayed it forest green with a matte polyurethane finish. Tbh I think the green was the right choice.

Hi. Im trying to repair my bass for the first time. Never soldered before. I ordered this stereo output jack and set about my task. Unfortunately this does not look like the piece I am replacing. Where do I solder the black and red wires to? I believe I can still wire this as a mono jack by ignoring one of the metal flaps. Could anyone give me a pointer (or 3)?

I have now tried serveral pickups, and adjusted the pickup height as far as it gets, but it still does not make much difference. Any tips please?

Working on some miscellaneous parts / the neck while I wait for the body to cure on the ozempic meteora

Hello everyone, excuse my English, it's not my first language. I built this guitar with Arabic patterns and I didn't know what to put on it p90 or humbucker

the pickup hole is bigger than it looks if i put humbucker i need to make big pickup ring I would love to see suggestions from the people here who are more creative than me.

Figured yall might get a kick out of this lol. Guitar 16, but only my second acoustic, so still building out all my jigs and whatnot

Total cost of this was like 8 bucks, outside of the radius dish which I already owned from a previous build

Curious to get some cool aesthetic or useful mods ideas! I've seen a video of someone making frets out of bone nut. As far as basic useful mods I love De-tuners on basses for solos.

Hello, I received an instrument that was already used and apparently they already dropped it. Tips on how to fix this

I have a warranty and stuff with it should I return it or is this nothing major pls help

Who all uses compound radius for their fretboards? I find radius blocks kinda useless unless you have a graduated set. I also find a straight radius on a tapered neck seems to show more pronounced curve at the fretboard tongue, where it should flatter there. Curious to hear opinions from luthiers and non luthiers.

Also included pic of a fretboard slotting jig with matching router template. It's much quicker for repeating the same scale and size. This one is 14" scale, 16 frets just incase for soprano ukes

How can I rotate the neck to center it? I've read that I should simply unscrew the screws and move it by hand, but when I start to tighten them, it leans back to the left. Sorry for the ugly neck pocket; this is my first hand-built piece.

Out walking my dog tonight I came across this. It is solid mahogany, and I have no way to move it right now. If it’s still there tomorrow when I come by with my truck, it’s going to my shop! Does anyone else look at piles of old furniture in the trash and see guitars? Happens to me….

Hey yal, Im doing my first amateur fret job here. Full fret replacement. Ive got no strings installed and no tension on the truss rod. Ive got some forward neck bow going on, and i know it need to be level before i level the frets. With no tension on the truss rod, i measured the gap between my high tech strait edge(yes i made it myself and ensured it sits strait by putting it on a window) and the 8th fret(which seems most center to me) and got a reading of .030" on the feeler gauge. With the truss right tightened down i got the gap down to .014". I cant get thos thing perfectly flat for my fret leveling job. Have i got a pretty big issue here or is this typical neck bowing? Thanks!

(Picture is with no truss rod tension)

H

I had waited a long time to do the inlay idea and finally got the chance to get it done on this build. Had a total blast making the guitar!
- 30" scale length
- Finnish cherry body (scorched and then stained)
- Redwood burl top with a Karelian birch veneer accent layer
- Pau Ferro one-piece neck (with carbon fiber reinforcement and Karelian birch veneer accent layer)
- Pau Ferro fretboard with ebony binding
- Wood/Brass powder/Mother of Pearl Icarus & Sun inlay
- Brass nut
- Lundgren M8 pickup set
- Grainger Hardtail bridge (string-through)
- Guitar Monkey Locking tuners
- SchallerStrap locks, switch tip, and knob
- Master volume, 3-Way toggle switch, Puretone jack
- Luminlay side dots
- Weight 3,2kg

Just practiced applying shellac on an older neck and I love how vibrant it is! I did a 50/50 mix of shellac and denatured alcohol. It’s a bit runny, although I made sure to ring it out more on the 4th coat. Once it dries, I’ll start applying polyurethane on it, but does anyone have advice on the best way to apply shellac on an entire neck?

Hey all. I have a '95 Fender American Standard Strat, I bought it in '97. I need to replace the neck(multiple issues). I'm hoping to replace it with a Fender neck. Is there anything I need to know about size, fitting, etc? It might be a noob question, but I'm a bit out of my wheelhouse with replacing a neck, and I don't want to buy something that won't fit because of differences in models or something.
Please help?