More in-depth WIP images of my beloved headless guitar kit:
Headless Guitar Pics Update
Guitar Pics
Thought I needed to add some archive pics of old guitar projects. This was my first effort. It still plays well, but looks really dark now. Should have done something witht the back/edges other than slap on the Tru-Oil. Lesson learned.
“Overlord of Music” Headless Locking Nut
OK, a word about the ‘Overlord Of Music’ brand locking nut for the Headless Guitar Kit (GK-SHS-40) that’s available for many in the UK and beyond:
The bridge is a ‘knock-off’ version of the Steinberger ‘R-Trem’, and it’s perfectly able and usable. I’ve been most impressed with it. However, the locking nut seems to be a different kettle of fish, and it took me a while to figure it out.
To make the guitar compatible with normal single-ball-end strings, ‘Overlord of Music’ have incorporated an ingenious system to keep the strings secure and in tune. Now, as there’s a normal type of locking nut used, it’s not quite strong enough to keep the ‘high e’ string in tune on it’s own – it slips and detunes far too easily. So, in the nut unit, there’s a series of small holes that you run each string through, before then tightening each with the grub screws on the end of the unit. It effectively clamps each string down – at right angles – through the end of the unit. The locking nut then does the rest of the load-bearing work.
Here you can see the string holes arrowed, with the grub screws clearly evident.
  
 
So, string goes over top nut, through hole, clamped with the grub screw, then string tuned. Then, and only then, are the locking nut clamps fastened and final tune-up performed.
Et voila! A very very cheap, yet perfectly usable floating, locking (DOUBLE locking!) tremolo system!
Hot Auburn Telecaster
Again, Wudtone come to the rescue, a stunning colour on a lovely Burl Ash-topped basswood body. Have high hopes for this one.
As time has passed, I’m really really regretting the decision to colour the back and sides of this guitar. I wish I’d left them as bare wood and simply covered with the famous wipe-on poly. Sure the Hot Auburn kit I got from the wonderful (yet not cheap) Wudtone gives a really warm, deep and striking finish to the graining, but the contrast of dark and light would have set this guitar off so much better IMHO.
It’s a shame, and I may have to try sanding back and re-doing the back and sides. All in good time, I suppose. . .
Laguna Alto
Laguna Alto – using one of Wudtone’s brilliant paint kits, ‘Azure Lagoon’.
       
Wiring!
A various selection of images and diagrams to enable me to work out wiring connections and switch positions etc.
Bloody Headless Pt.2
Headless!
The Winter Project!
Guitar Kit
So, the wife got me a surprise Christmas present last year – a DIY Guitar Kit!
Basically, a grown-up Airfix kit, with a pre-routed unfinished body, neck and all required hardware supplied. All I have to do is colour it in and stick it together. Easy-peasy lemon-squeezy, eh?
The body is mahogany with a flamed maple veneer, while the neck is mahogany with a rosewood fingerboard. Here’s what the bare wood looks like –
First off, everything gets a good sanding with some 240-grit, while I try to think of what colour scheme to apply.