Aluminum sheet is readily available in just about any thickness you want. Signs are a waste of $$ to buy and cut up unless you want the sign on the face for some reason. Just google sheet aluminum and you will get several sources that will send it mail order in just about any dimensions you want. So...

The back contour is not that difficult on a semi-hollow, the front is harder but can be done but it interferes with the F hole. Check TDPRI on how it can be done. I would say a solid body out of Pauloina (very resonant) with strat type contours. It would sound much like a semi-hollow but take the co...

The only way to know for sure if it will do what you want is to try it on a test piece. There are other ways to get a darker metallic blue than using "guitar specific" paint. Duplicolor has several metallic blues in acrylic lacquer that works well and can be top coated with nitro clear. He...

Here's V1.1: http://img856.imageshack.us/img856/8453/sm2korina.jpg Rear routed for controls, not forearm contour but the back contour is already done, probably no picguard but maybe a minimal pickguard-undecided on that so far. Not sure of the finish yet either, maybe untinted clear but the korina l...

30 mile drive? I do that each way for work, you should already be there!!!!

ken

Haven't updated this lately, some progress has been made. I received the neck but the winter weather wasn't cooperating for the finish so I just used some Tru Oil on it. It's my first maple neck so that was a new experience, I'm happy with the result. The tuners are a new product from GFS, Grover st...

Try this without the tone pots/caps

http://www.guitarelectronics.com/produc ... -Taps.html

ken

I spent some time on a drawing and I think I can pull off a version of the Albert Lee style guard and it will look pretty good. I'll work on that next week. Maybe in this material, called Baltic Amber, or carbon fiber: http://pickguards.us/images/134_baltic_amber.jpg I got a couple better quality pi...

I appreciate the input on the pickguard, I agree it's pretty generic. I'll work on other concepts, I like the Albert Lee idea but those guitars have a straighter section on the lower bout where the control plate is. Maybe a blend of that and other designs. Sparkly you say? Maybe, I'm not much for sp...

It's just a hard tail toploader. That pic makes it look really short. Here's another angle that gives a better representation:



ken

I whipped up a pickguard today. The control plate still needs drilled & polished.



ken

I appreciate the positive comments. I very nearly left it silver, it looked really good that color. As far as the negative comment, I'll just say that guitars are very personal to each individual and I never expect everyone to like what I do. I personally think the Gibson SG is horribly ugly but the...

I tossed a neck on it so I could get it hanging and prevent damage to the paint, it's a 25.5" scale neck I used on a Tele project but with the dark red burst it doesn't look too bad.






ken

That's class. Good work. I'd nearly prefer it to go further though, like if the bottom bout was a bit more pronounced and outboard, if that makes sense. More explorer-like. It's really cool though. It looks like it belongs in that line if Fender designs, like it ought to have been made at some poin...

I appreciate the kind words.

I won't lie, the Voyager was part of the inspiration but mostly the Univox UC-2.

The clear is finished and it's in my office with heat for the weekend, the shop gets a little cold in NorCal in the winter.

ken

Got the base coat silver and translucent red on it this morning. Still working on a few more coats of straight clear, then wait a week or so, wet sand, polish & buff. I'll get better pics in natural light with a real camera next week. http://img594.imageshack.us/img594/2762/smj2base1.jpg http://...

Thanks, Got the body primed this morning early, hope to get the silver base coat on it in a day or so then the translucent red. It looks better in paint than bare wood.

ken

I agree, once you own it, make it yours. BTW I voted charcoal/black but it didn't register.

ken

I finished the cavity template this morning before work and routed the cavities at lunch then hit the belt sander and ROSS to do the contours: http://www.kengineering.info/smj-2%20body2.jpg http://www.kengineering.info/smj-2%20body%201.jpg I still need to do the finish sanding on it, the inside curv...

I just stumbled in from the OSG and this is my first post. I see some members I recognize from the OSG but this forum has a different flavor. My background is cars/motorcycles/firearms but summer of '11 I decided I wanted to learn to play guitar so I began by building several kit guitars, a few part...