Custom RBM2 project

RCB · #1 01-02-2005, 06:59 AM

Well, it started.

Here are the specs:

4 piece double bookmatch figured bocote top with magogany body and a bookmatched figured cocobolo back.

Figured bocote neck with a matching figured granadillo stripe in the middle.

Figured bocote freatboard with no inlays.
Gold hardware.

HSS pup configuration.

This porject is not as complex as the PGM was, mostly because Im doing 2 other minor projects wiht the same luthier so I have some budjet concerns, and also because I think (hope) it will look as good as the PGM with a simpler aproach.

Ill post some pics of the project next week!

Tom B · #2 01-02-2005, 09:36 AM

will the wood look something like this ?

Love the look of this piece

In my google search I found really different looking peaces of bocote, that's why I'm asking. What are its tonal qualities? never heared of anybody using it on a guitar

RCB · #3 01-02-2005, 05:33 PM

Well thats a recular piece of bocote. The ones I chose look much better than that one, in fact you probably wouldn t believe its the same wood! =) Its like comparing regular maple to figured maple if you know what I mean.

Its even more figured than the wallnut root burl that was used in the PGM! I will take some pics of the woods tomorrow!

Bocote is a pretty strong and dense wood, so I think it fits pretty well for the neck and fretboard. The body will just have the top made of bocote. I also never heard of anyone using it as a top, but I think I saw a Conklin that featured a bocote freatboard.

RCB · #4 01-04-2005, 10:20 AM

Here are the first pics! So far I ve only taken pics of the woods that are going to be used fo the top, neck, freatboard and headstock.

It will give you an idea of how the guitar will look though since the top double bookmatch was already cut in the way its going to be assembled. It kinda looks like a tiger or a jaguar finish!

I forgot to upload the pics of the mahogany that will be used for the center part of the body, and the figured cocobolo that will go in the back of the guitar. Ill upload them later.

Remember this are VERY early pics of the rough wood, so the woods dont have any kind of polish at all. They will look much better as the project evolves.

Hope you like the wood selection! Here are the pics!

http://photobucket.com/albums/v493/RCB/RBM%20Custom/

Next week Ill take a few other pics (hopefully of the body already put toghether)

whatshisname · #5 01-04-2005, 01:45 PM

I'm sure this will look as good as the PGM, which is awesome! So, what's next- a Jem?

RCB · #6 01-04-2005, 02:32 PM

Well, it is a lot simpler than the PGM (it doesnt has bindings on the body and headstock, and it doesnt have inlays in the body and neck, it doesnt have a veneer on the headstock, and it features a 3 piece neck instead of a 5 piece neck), so its going to be different (and less epxpensive!).

I think it may come out looking nearly as good, though. I really like the bocote Im using for the top, and the freatboard. In fact, the decistion to leave the freatboard without inlays had nothing to do with the budjet, but instead was taken because the freatboard is just beautifull and it matchs the top perfectly. The neck will look as good (if not better) than the PGM. The quartersawn Granadillo really match the quartersawn bocote. The decistion to make a 3 piece neck instead of a 5 piece neck was taken because the wider "3 pieces" of wood are better to show the natural matching "striped" figures of the wood.

This project, along with the 2 customizations that are in progress (RT and RBM1), are the last guitars Im going to be able to make with Gabriel, because I will probably return to live in Argentina in the next months.

When this 3 ones are finished, 5 of my guitars are going to be either custom made or customized by these amazing Luthiers, so I think I ve done as much as I could with them.

About the custom jem... well, before the Custom PGM was made, my initial project was a custom jem based on one of the virtual jems, but it would ve been a little complex to be entirely handmade so I dropped it.

Yesterday I came out with the idea of "natural GMC or natural RMC", basically a jem with a very swirled bocote top (swirled pieces of bocote are easier to find than the ones Im using on the custom RBM) stained and cleacoated with a transparent green or red. You may end up with a credible swirl if you pick up the right top of bocote. It easy to make and it may look OK. I dont have the time to do it though. If I ever have the chance to do it, I will probably make a test over a blank of swirled bocote in order to see if the result is worth doing the project, because it may turn out not so cool.

machinediva · #7 01-06-2005, 01:53 PM

amigo, I love reb beach and wish you all the best for this project!!!...

go for it!!
...also, thanks for the initial set of pics

RCB · #8 01-07-2005, 11:07 AM

Well, I ve allways loved the Voyager series, and I could never find an RBM2, so I guess Im taking revenge...... =)

BTW, im going much further with the customization of the RBM1 (nothing to do with this guitar, its a completely different project). Instead of just refinishing it in oiled mahogany, Im going to add a vavona root burl veneer on the top, with a sunburst finish, and Im going for a purple heart/granadillo/purpleheart neck with ebony fingeboard and purple heart dot inlays.

The Custom RBM (the one this thread s about) is also going to have granadillo dot inlays over the bocote freatboard.

RCB · #9 01-11-2005, 11:24 AM

The status of this project changed dramatically. It is not going to be a Voyager anymore; it will be another custom PGM instead.

Nonetheless, since Im also doing a custom RBM (an RBM1 body and hardware with a vavona root burl top and a purple heart/granadillo/purple heart neck with ebony freatboard and purple heart dot inlays) Ill keep this thread alive for that one.

I hope Ill be able to post some pics of this project tonight.

whatshisname · #10 01-11-2005, 11:53 AM

I was SO looking forward to seeing the RBM!

I'm sure the PGM will be really cool, though!

RCB · #11 01-11-2005, 12:18 PM

Well... look at it on the bright side: The original customization project for the RBM1 was just stripping the paint off and leave it with an oiled mahogany finish (not very interesting). The new customization project includes a veneer root burl top that will looks as good as the Custom PGM did (with a sunburst instead of a binding) and a whole new custom neck that will look amazing!

Id say its fair to say that these guitar is almost a full custom guitar..... and I will have a new custom PGM with some interesting and unique features such as an oiled body (with the same woods the RBM was going to feature and the addition of purpleheart Fholes) and a Les Paul style of bridge!

RCB · #12 01-26-2005, 11:15 AM

Here are a few pictures. The progress is being very slow now, but it will speed up the next weeks. Here are some pics of the current projects. The first one is a pic of the custom RBM, the others (6) are of the custom PGM (that may turn into a custom RG, wich for the moment is looking pretty rough). There is another project going on, but I didnt post any pics of it (it will feature a bird eye maple top, although the top in the RBM looks so good that I may go for the same wood....opinions are welcome).

Here they are:

http://photobucket.com/albums/v493/RCB/customs/

Tubarão Guitars · #13 01-26-2005, 03:11 PM

Hey, hermanito:
Got some pix of the finished PGM???
I'd love to see it finished!!!
Tubarão

RCB · #14 01-26-2005, 03:42 PM

You mean the first one, the one that was finished on the first days of December? Sure! here you are (the pics arent very good, because they were taken at nigh, some of them with flash):

http://photobucket.com/albums/v493/RCB/PGM%20finished/

hope you like it!

Tubarão Guitars · #15 01-26-2005, 04:13 PM

Maaaaaaan!
This is a VERY VERY Beautiful thing!
You have to e-mail PaulGilbert and send some pix to him!
It's awesome!
Actually, i'm making my CUSTOM by myself, using some nice brazilian woods.
I'm using an antique piece of wood i found here last year.
This was found by me under some house destruction.
Those pieces of wood have at least 30 or 40 years of age, holding the roof of this old house.
Now it's down for some modern building construction.
The wood is called PEROBA ROSA.
It's redish and well figurated.
It's like mahog about tone and feel.
I'll put some pix of my custom today.

BTW, exotic woods ROCKS!
Keep up the good work, hermano.
Tubarão.