New Build! Quilted Burl Maple/Sapele DC

[littlephil]

Now I know I've only just finished my first build, but I've just finished school and in 3 weeks after all my exams are done, I'm not going to have much to do until my Uni course starts in March next year, so I decided to build another guitar!
Browsing ****, I came across the sexiest piece of maple I have ever seen, from the same place I got the wood for my last build. Had a bit of a look around their items and decided what to use.
Here's the maple:



I bought it almost straight away once I saw it. Problem is its only 5 3/8" wide, so once its bookmatched there's still going to be a little gap when its used, so I decided to use a bit of the Sapele I'm getting for the body in between the 2 pieces of maple.

I havent decided on the final shape yet, but its going to be a DC of some kind (more like a SS/DC hybrid).

Anyway heres the specs:
Sapele body with Quilted Burl maple/sapele carved top
Curly Korina neck (fairly light figuring, nothing crazy)
24 fret bolt on neck with rosewood fretboard, Stainless 6100 fretwire
Direct mount Dimarzio Air Classics (nickel covers)
Hardtail (most likely Cosmo black Gotoh hardware)

I was going to try the Schaller Hannes bridge, but its too expensive! And hard to find in Australia.

Any ideas for colours? I was thinking a light blue stain (only on the maple) and everything else natural, or all natural.

[Yousef]

WOW!!!! That is some beautiful wood!!!!! Good luck with the build!

[Lordiesel]

Amazingness...

[nickcoumbe]

That has to be one of the best looking pieces of maple I have ever seen.

This guitar should be another killer.

[littlephil]

Originally Posted by nickcoumbe

That has to be one of the best looking pieces of maple I have ever seen.

This guitar should be another killer.

Hopefully. It should be here next week, maybe early the week after. I'll have finished all my exams then so I'll be able to work on it all the time! My last build took so long because I did it at school, so had a maximum of about 3 hours a week to work on it. I've ordered everything but pickups, fretwire and a few little bits, so it should progress pretty smoothly.

[shreddersymphony]

Honestly phil, if you're asking our advice...I personally wouldn't stain anything on that guitar. Burl looks GREAT with just some natural stain and clearcoat, I have it in one of my custom projects.

[littlephil]

Yeah, I've already decided that I'm going to leave in natural.

[jb4674]

I'd say leave the natural color and simply clearcoat the hell out of it. It should look nice.

Jimmy

[littlephil]

The whole body & neck is getting a Tung oil finish.

[littlephil]

Its here!
Got a big package in the mail today.
I know everyone says this, but the pics do not do this piece of wood justice.



Other side:


And without flash:

[littlephil]

The Sapele:

And with the body template I made a few days ago



Korina/Limba neck (it really has a light figure, but you cant see it in these pics)


And 2 Wenge laminates for the neck

[badhorsie777]

OMG the wood is amazing,can't wait to see your guitar finished.

[skins345669]

I'm looking forward to seeing how this one goes. Looks like a great project.

[littlephil]

Sorry for the lack of progress. I got the 2 Wenge laminates glued to the Korina, but there was a big ugly glue line still there, so I had to take it apart. Definitely not something I want to do again. 2 hours with an iron, a razor blade and a paint scraper is not fun. Still, better to do it right.
Also got the top bookmatched. Get a spare pair of jocks ready!




Nice closeup of the really dense birdseye at the top (may become a headplate)

[littlephil]

I also cut the scarf joint and smoothed it out with a router jig I made, then glued it.






I still need to get an 11mm router bit before I can rout the trussrod channel, so there isnt much I can do until then. I can make a start on the body though, so thats next.