Project ES .357

[silverctr]

So I embarked on my first build with my cousin a few weeks ago. He had some major GAS for an ES style guitar, but wanted to build one as cheap as possible. And since the project is at a standstill at the moment I thought I'd post some pics of the progress.

Specs:
Body-pine with birch ply for top and back
Neck-22 fret Ibanez SA series "reconfigured" to look like a Fireman headstock
Bridge-string-thru gotoh hardtail
Pickup-Seymour Duncan SP90-2 (Hot Soapbar)

Started with a 24" dia. laminated pine table top from the local hardware store:


Chambered body


Workin' out the top/bottom panels


Tried to wrap it like Gibson, but ran out of cord.

[silverctr]

Preliminary neck pocket route


Neck fitting and mounted strap buttons


Body primed and waiting for paint


Time to work the neck. My cousin had painted the headstock pink because he originally was using it on another build


Trimmed and sanded to reveal its true identity


Almost finished with the neck

[silverctr]

The body will be painted something real close to Gibson's TV yellow. Right now we're at a standstill since my cousin went back to work after being on the DL, but the paint and final assembly will be done at his house. There's still some more sanding and finish work to be done to the body because the bearing on my router bit put a nice little groove along the side of the body. :/ Stay tuned for more progress pics!

[AlaskaBat]

Pretty cool design!
That pocket doesn't look like AANJ though--it's a square heel joint.
Anxious to know how pine sounds....

[LonePhantom]

Very cool!

[silverctr]

Originally Posted by AlaskaBat

Pretty cool design!
That pocket doesn't look like AANJ though--it's a square heel joint.
Anxious to know how pine sounds....

I see what you mean; I'll have to edit that one. It's kinda hard to see in the pic, but the AANJ cut is there. Look closer at the pic of the body right after my rock pose. The back doesn't have the relief that a true AANJ would have, so I'll call it the half-arsed AANJ. My cousin didn't want to do the full relief because the back panel is only 3/16" thick. Also locating the front strap button was a little hurdle too. Both my cousin and I had tried some ES and SG models at a couple different shops and noticed that they were a bit neck heavy and the button was right behind the neck heel. I brought up the idea of moving it to the upper horn and voila! It hangs perfectly and doesn't neck dive.

[RyansJem]

This looks pretty sweet! Nice build

[wilch]

Can't wait to see the finished product! Looking good so far!

[j.arledge]

yep although pine isn't used too much anymore some of the ealier fenders where made of pine. Warmoth still sells some pine bodies.

I would love to hear what you think about how it sounds. I would comment on your pictures but i can't see them lol.

[silverctr]

Finally got some paint layed down. A few more layers of the yellow to go before the clearcoat.

[LonePhantom]

Damn dude, that is going to be off the hook!

[ozjem]

Yoda ?? !!

[Algiman]

Nice project. Aren't the strings going to be at all sorts of odd angles between the nut and the tuners?

[andrewgosline]

i like the idea/inspiration. Please keep posting!

A

[silverctr]

Originally Posted by Algiman

Nice project. Aren't the strings going to be at all sorts of odd angles between the nut and the tuners?

No more than what's on the Fireman.