My guitar model design (part 2)

Conjurer -model

Model shall be named as Conjurer. 

Part 1

Part 3

Body design

For long time I've had a certain model in mind that I would like to build. But laying that model to paper or template is not an easy task. I first draw center line and then used one template I have to draw outlines of that model for reference. Then I drastically started finding lines where I wanted model to go. I also used my first guitar which was cheap model from Washburn Nuno N1. Whole body design took days or weeks. It was fine at evening, but morning some things had changed in my mind so I needed to tweak it and it went like that for long period of time.

As you can see from picture that I've changed it alot during times. This is not completed yet.

I did couple templates and changed the design along the way. This was second template and I wasn't yet happy with design, but at least it was standing straight.

I can't exactly tell what had changed and actually I don't even remember. There is 1st and 2nd.

And this is where I ended up. It's still prototype and I'm going to change it if there is need for it.

Those are outlines for body and there will be big chamfer for right forearm so it will look lot different later.

Headstock design

Headstock design is kinda frightening to me always at first, but when I let loose it will start coming. There are many details where it can go wrong. Design should be practical but even most it should look fine. In this model there is one particular thing: it has no headstock or very little one because tuners are in bridge.

I've never seen headless model live so I don't know if it's wise choice to design one. As a guitar player I eager to get one. There will be high learning curve.

This is first mockup with some string and fretboard template. As you can see it's going to be multiscale guitar. So length of individual strings are different. Higher strings are shorter than lower strings and they are thicker which will give more tight sound for lower notes.

Selecting woods

There is one exceptional thing in first build with new model: all woods are harvested by me or by my brother. Some of them I have sawed my self with bandsaw and some of them at my friends sawmill. They have dried outside for years and later inside at least for many months.

I really love rowan (mountain ash, Sorbus). It's dense and hard and it has nice contrast with sapwood and heartwood. It might have flaming also. Rowan is holy wood in Finland. It protects from evil magic and that's why they have used rowan in walking sticks. Nowadays things are different, but in future you can use rowan guitar as a protection from evil sorceries. Sweet melodies will definitely drive away all evilness.

So rowan is for neck. There are similarities in rowan and maple. Both are hard, but rowan could be little more flexible. I would like to try one piece neck with fretboard rather than laminated neck. I might use some carbon fibre for reinforcing the neck.

Old telecaster project which has rowan top

I'm thinking for making two guitars at first and another guitar will be built using some exotic woods I have. So two same model: one using domestic woods and one using exotic woods. Or I'll save one guitar for later. I don't wan't to build two bad guitars. One is bad prototype enough and second should be fixed.

Rowan neck blanks

Wenge neck blank

More sexy wood pictures in next post. Body and top at least. Thanks for visiting!!