ShortScale.org

Okay then. Ive been waiting to put this thread up for a long old time, and I've just got so many questions that I thought I would go ahead and make it now.

I'm gonna do a project over the christmas holidays, when I get back from uni. The plan is:

Contoured mustang shape body.
22.5" shortscale neck.
Toronado Bridge
Single coil in the bridge position.
Standard hardware.

The plan is that by January I will have something resembling this to take back to uni and rock the shit out of.



As it stands, I have a body and pickguard (crafted by cooterfinger), and a 70's repro 22.5" neck.
So I need everything else.

Few questions:
I was thinking that instead of a toronado bridge I might stick a mustang bridge on with the tailpiece from a coronado. Would this work with the neck that I have. Would I have to measure radius and all sorts of jazz?

This is my first build project so bear with me on updates.
Pictures will be added next week when I get home, since all the parts are at my house away from uni.

alex.

Like dis?!

My advice: since it's your first project, keep it as simple as possible. I think a toronado bridge would be much easier to source and install than a Coro/Stang combination.

I can't wait to see how this turns out!

Pretty much that yeah, but different colours of course.

Nice stripe, I'm worried about attempting mine, any chance of a full shot of that beast?

Not for the next week, unfortunately. I'm at uni right now, but I'll get as many as I can when I get home this time next week.

I would recommend an actual vintage Duo Sonic Bridge(expensive) or CV Duo Sonic Bridge(really cheap) as opposed to the Toronado or 6 saddle Musicmaster bridge because you can avoid having to drill string ferrules. If you want the string ferrules, then make sure you use a drill press to drill the ferrules. Impossible to keep it straight with a hand drill. I learned the hard way on my Daphne Telecaster project and I corrected with a drill press but it almost messed me up.

Vintage Duo Sonic Bridge


What happens using a hand drill for string ferrules

Im not certain, but I think I have access to a drill press.

If not, my dad is pretty dapper with a drill, so Ill see if he thinks he can get it straight. I guess thats pretty unlikely, but I would like to experience a string through. Ive not owned one since i was about 12.

cheers for the shout though. I certainly cant drill straight to save my life... ferrules are just another expense too? hmm

Ferrules are cheap and might come with the Toronado bridge. String through is great for sustain, you just have to line up everything properly. Mike did a White Duo Sonic with the Toronado Bridge.

[youtube][/youtube]
[youtube][/youtube]

why such a short scale?

crofty wrote:Im not certain, but I think I have access to a drill press.

If not, my dad is pretty dapper with a drill, so Ill see if he thinks he can get it straight. I guess thats pretty unlikely, but I would like to experience a string through. Ive not owned one since i was about 12.

cheers for the shout though. I certainly cant drill straight to save my life... ferrules are just another expense too? hmm

If you do a string through just put some tape around the drill to mark it 2/3 of the body depth and drill as straight as you can from the top of the guitar. Then measure to the same locations on the back, and drill the final 3rd in a neat straight line. Or, you can drill one hole all of the way through (one of the E strings for example) and then drill from the back using that as the basis for your measurements. All of the messy part (the meeting of the slightly angled drill holes) is hidden within the wood.

Viola. Straight holes.

hotrodperlmutter wrote:why such a short scale?

The neck was cheap and available. 24" scales are harder to come by so Ive heard on here.

James wrote:

crofty wrote:Im not certain, but I think I have access to a drill press.

If not, my dad is pretty dapper with a drill, so Ill see if he thinks he can get it straight. I guess thats pretty unlikely, but I would like to experience a string through. Ive not owned one since i was about 12.

cheers for the shout though. I certainly cant drill straight to save my life... ferrules are just another expense too? hmm

If you do a string through just put some tape around the drill to mark it 2/3 of the body depth and drill as straight as you can from the top of the guitar. Then measure to the same locations on the back, and drill the final 3rd in a neat straight line. Or, you can drill one hole all of the way through (one of the E strings for example) and then drill from the back using that as the basis for your measurements. All of the messy part (the meeting of the slightly angled drill holes) is hidden within the wood.

Viola. Straight holes.

Clever. If I cant get hooked up with a press this sounds like the best way to do it.

Just got home today, and its awesome. Neck fits SO snug, gon' need some sanding.



Electrics next.

This looks great. What kind of electronics are you putting in?

proroby wrote:This looks great. What kind of electronics are you putting in?

Waiting on some electronics right now, but havnt decided on what single coil im putting in the bridge.

Just running it with 500k pots and a standard input, nothing too fussy. Really thinking about putting a humbucker in the neck though.

Also considering leaving the headstock blank and painting the body seafoam green or something. I think it would look good with the black p/g.

so yeah. ive decided to make a mockery of my already terrible wiring skills and stick a humbucker in the neck position.

can anyone recommend me some pickups? including a single coil for the bridge.

this kinda thing is my inspiration right now

[youtube][/youtube]

that stang is what brought me here.

this is more what im looking at right now

Looking forward to seeing this one come together. You're like me, your mind keeps changing throughout the whole build. I never know how mine are going to turn out until they are finished.

cheers bud. living in hope of some pickup reccomendations, i feel utterly lost.

I'm pretty much a single coil guy. Everything else is trial and error for me. I did really like the sound of a mini humbucker in the neck position of my musicmaster. I'm not sure how it would work with a single coil in the bridge position though.