software

Well I have yet to get 'the book' but I figured I could start planning without it and see how it'd look from there. The project will be a neck through, 24 frets, 25.5quot; scale guitar. For the designs, I can't chose between a Mockingbird or a soloist style axe with ESP's headstock (inspired by ESP's M series and Rhoads65's Weapon of Mass Destruction). The Mockingbird would be painted naturally, the soloist all in black.
I'll be using grade B wood from luthiersupply. Has anyone got experience with it? Would grade B just not look as good as grade AA, but sound the same, or is it less resonant too?
Anyhoo either way, the specs would be
Maple neck with a striped of walnut in the middle
Mahogany wings
2 humbuckers
2 volume controls, 1 tone control, a 5 way megaswitch
TOM string through bridge

Both shapes are fairly easy to to shape I believe, though of course the Mockingbird will be harder due to its shape. I'm not too affraid of it though. I'm going to order a template (50 bucks but well... needed I guess) since I don't know anyone in Edinburgh with either guitars and I suck with a pencil.
Here's a list of (basic steps) I'll take:

1) buy the bridge, check the height etc...
2) draw a real life plan of the guitar (or a half scale, if I don't have room) and figure out the neck angle for a string height of 1.75mm.
3) assemble the 5 pieces (3 pieces for the neck and 2 for the wings) without gluing, draw the shapes
4) plane the neck down for its proper angle, check if I'll have enough room for a non scarf neck joint
5) shape the wings
6) use the neck's straight edge to route the truss rod channel (tight but fit), cut the neck to its nut/butt width (I'd take the measurements from my Charvel's necks)
7) do the same to the fingerboard (which will be preslotted, I'm lazy and I want to be able to play it )
8) get the neck ready for the headstock shaping, rough cutting of it
9) put the special thingy on top of the truss rod, glue the fingerboard on, fine cut the neck to its proper dimensions, do a rough backshaping of it, drill the neck's sidedots holes drilled, put the sidedots onget
10) assemble the wings to the body
11) finish the body: heel, forearm and belly contours, fine cutting, neck backshape and bevelling the edges a bit.
12) take care of the electronics cavity at the back (smaller as possible, but with comfortable room for wiring etc...)
13) triple check everything before drilling anything else, take the measurements again, route the pickup holes, drill the holes for the TOM and strings, controls, etc...
14) triple check everything
15) fretting it
16) string it up, wire it, try, put the hardware (tuners, nut...) on it and play it (eh just for fun and to make myself happy)
17) strip it down, cover up the fingerboard and frets properly
18) spray clear coat, primer, sealer, paint, or whatever has to be sprayed first, let it dry however long it takes, repeat until it's painted using the proper steps
19) check for accumulated paint in the holes, fix if problems
20) shielding, hardware, wiring, pickups, tuners, etc...
21) play it!

And here are the questions... Is it better to paint the neck and headstock before or after having put on the nut? I'm thinking that if you do it before, you can cover up the neck's edge and paint UNDER the nut too, cleaning up a bit the area. If you do it after you can cover up the nut and yeah... I see no difference, maybe there just isn't any...
I didn't mention stuff like drilling tuner holes because it goes in the headstock prep for me. But I didn't forget. When I do a proper big plan on a paper list which will be pinned everywhere where I live, it'll be there and there'll be about 40 steps or so
If you see anything totally wrong, feel free to tell If you have any suggestions, also feel free. Thanks!

if you're talking about a regular nut, not a locking one, then that's about the last construction step, and the first set up step

you don't paint under the nut, btw - some people use a couple drops of glue to hold the nut in place, and it's probably better to have an unfinished surface

Exactly the kind of answer I was looking for. Thanks! I guess I should just put tape on the width of the nut when I paint then.

Can't see anything wrong at the moment but I'm no luthier.

Go for the Mockingbird if the other option is a soloist.

what is this luthersupply?

from : localhost/they sell woods and accessories to making guitars, banjos, violins... You name it.

I'm not a luthier either, but can offer a couple of tidbits of advice:

1. Someone on the board must own a Mockingbird. Perhaps they would be so kind as to trace it out on paper and send it to you, rather than spending $50 on a template.

2. There's enough cost and effort in any guitar construction project that it would behoove you to buy at least one of the reputable guitar construction books from Stew-Mac and/or others.

MTCW.

Artie

Yeah, I'm getting the Melvin Hickock book before I start. That's just a rough outline basically, but it's what I gathered so far in info. Thanks for the suggestion about the templates... I'm just too shy to bother anyone with that hehe... but in given time I'll do that

looks like you got it all planned
let us know how it works out

its gonna be hard as sh**. you had better know what you are doing before you start, and maybe practice building one from a cheap peice of lumber from a hardware store first. if you dont prepare and get everything exact, it could end up being a nightmare.

No worry, I'll have loads of free time to kill I'm planning on building a replacement neck for my Charvel first, just to get my hands on wood.

Edit: Just in case someone wants to joke about hands on wood, I did it first. AH!

thats gonna be a really tough and stressful project like nepalnt21 said, but it'll be really rewarding when its done, good luck!


Originally Posted by ArtieToo1. Someone on the board must own a Mockingbird. Perhaps they would be so kind as to trace it out on paper and send it to you, rather than spending $50 on a template.

I think it would be best for him to have the template and someone providing him with a trace. That way he could make use of some of the measurements plans usually come with and you could use the trace to make sure it ligns up.