The Guitar Refinishing and Restoration Forum

[slotrod65]

I have done plenty of mods, and refinished a guitar or two, so I was thinking of building a guitar (at least the body) for my next challenge.

I have been inspired by numerous builders on this forum who have built guitars using Dano style construction: cheapo frame with masonite top and bottom. I said: hey, I could do this! I also love wacky 60's guitars, so I want to build something a bit out of the ordinary. I figured I should design the whole thing before I lay out any $$ for a Dano style neck and other parts. Oh yeah... I have a few projects in the works that I have to complete first....

Anyway, after searching ebay and the rest of the internet for pics, I have come up with an idea for a design. It is based on a altered pic of a Kay double cutaway solid body, that was taken at an odd angle.

Using this pic, and Dano drawings supplied by Cooter (thanks!!) I started drawing in Coreldraw over top of the Dano drawings. I kept the basic overall body size of the Dano, plus the bridge placement and neck pocket.

After drawing the body shape, I added correctly scaled photos of GFS NYII surface mount pickups, and a Wilkinson half ashtray bridge. The results were printed it out and I started sketching to see what I could come up with.

Inspired by the pointy double cuts, I already had a theme: Lil Devil.
Sketching produced a lightening bolt F hole and a flame shaped pickguard. Then I added a cut to the Dano headstock for a flame top. (another Kay inspiration).

I then scanned my sketches, and added the new details in Corel, as well as some color.

Below are the results. As this is my first draft, I would appreciate any feedback, good or bad, as well as any possible possible pitfalls I might encounter.

Phred

[slotrod65]

Over 100 hits and no replies at all. I guess it must suck Just kidding.

Should the headstock be OK with this cut?

Has anyone ever used these surface mount ala' Rick pickups?

Phred

[guilds100]

I didn't want to post a reply as I'm new here, but I would reconsider the narrowness of the heastock after the nut. There's alot of tention in that area and you may run into problems. I'm not sure about the pickups as I have no experience with them.

[Cooterfinger]

I like it. Looks cool. Are you going to use binding or white vinyl tape like on a dano?
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[slotrod65]

I have been wondering about that as well... I am not sure yet, but I am leaning towards white vinyl tape. But as this is still all in my head, I could change at any time..... I think that white binding would look really cool, but this being my first shot at a body, I might go for tape. Does anyone have any other ideas what might look good?

I am trying to go for a vintage Sears catalog guitar look, so binding on the top only would probably go the best with the theme.

Thanks again for the Dano drawings! They really made this work.

Phred

[slotrod65]

Guilkds 100 wrote: "I would reconsider the narrowness of the heastock after the nut. "

Thanks, this is the type of info I am looking for.

Sorry for my lack of explanation: The guitar neck planned is a stock Dano neck. I know I cannot build a neck yet, so I would buy one from Allparts. My only mod planned is to cut that scoop out at the very top, above the D and G tuners. Hey, if that narrowness above the nut works for Dano, it should work for me.
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[ghobii]

Hey Slot, it looks like you are exactly where I am. I'm in the middle of a refin and a partscaster build, and was starting to plan out a guitar like this one too.

I like the design a lot. All except the tele ashtray bridge. Doesn't really go with the design and is kind of distracting IMHO.
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[Lone*Star]

I like it. Visually it is a really nice design - good balance, classic 60's cheese-o-rama design that I dig.

[Cooterfinger]

The vinyl tape should look great. The only thing I might change would be to round the bottom of the body a little to take out the flat section. But, that's just personal taste. I think you have a cool design there.
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Smells like Rock 'N' Roll!

[guilds100]

I did alittle snooping around the web, and you should be ok. I didnt know that a replacement neck for that guitar was available. I thought you were going to use a strat type neck.

[slotrod65]

Yeah, the half-ashtray bridge was really all I had to take a pic of for this draft. If I could get a cover for it, then that would be retro cool.... Any ideas for a vintage style bridge with a cover?

I am still pondering the flat bottom Richard, but I sorta liked it all dorky looking. Maybe, maybe not....
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[Cooterfinger]

[ghobii]

This would be cool

http://cgi.ebay.com/OLD-STYLE-ELECTRIC-GUITAR-BRIDGE-/220565109254?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item335ab47a06
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[twangster]

The pickups are surface mounted with no adjustment , so this directly affects your neck pocket depth , neck height , type of bridge , bridge height & neck angle. The GFS site says the neck position is 3/8 " high, that will sit way above standard " bolt on " neck height for starters. The bridge pup is 5/8" high, so you have a set path to work with & the bridge type in your pic definitely won't be high enough .

If you're going with that style of pickup get them early in the process ( or make dummy versions) and mock up your string path , string height off the guitar top etc on a flat surface.

[crazydave911]

Here is what the pickups sound like,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNq1YI9F6Zo&playnext=1&videos=QlAvoOSzZdE

This ought to be cool, but I think you'll need need to use a different bridge to get the strings high enough, check out this sight, if you can't get any ideas here, you won't anywhere,

http://guitarz.blogspot.com/

The ebay bridge is cheesy enough.............lol
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