MAYA - A baby Jaguar-shaped Duosonic

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Rgand
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Re: MAYA - A baby Jaguar-shaped Duosonic

Post by Rgand » Tue Aug 27, 2019 6:37 am

will wrote:
Mon Aug 26, 2019 9:34 pm
Rgand wrote:
Tue May 14, 2019 2:17 pm
When you drill the string through holes, only go halfway through. Then set up a piece of MDF with a pin in it the same size as the holes. Center that in your drill press (hopefully you have one) and clamp it down. Then set the body on that on each of the string through holes so you can drill them from the other side. Everything will line up nicely that way. Do that for both the through holes (1/8") and the ferrule holes (5/16"). I use a couple paper towels to protect the top of the body from minor scratches when I slip it onto the pin.
Such a nice solution! - thanks for sharing.
Glad to help. Make sure the pin is straight and tightly set. I did one recently and messed up the alignment with a loose pin. Now I know to check it.

:thumbsup:

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Amon 7.L
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Re: MAYA - A baby Jaguar-shaped Duosonic

Post by Amon 7.L » Sat Mar 14, 2020 6:49 am

Looooong time since the last update, for several reasons this project has been on hiatus for quite a while but now I'm back in action.

The obnoxious alkyd paint has officially proven to be a nasty one. I let the body hanged to dry for months and months and even when I finally went on with light sanding/buffing & polish, as soon as the body was left on the bench, it started getting the imprints from the cotton sheet I put underneath.
Seriously, this paint never fully hardened and at this point it's safe to say it never will.
Anyway, this prototype body is going to be the guinea pig for all future pickup tests and whatnot, so I'm not overly pissed about it.

Time to move forward with the neck build.
After sculpting the headstock transition I had to go back to the dot markers and... as I couldn't get a satisfying result with the baking soda & superglue trick nor with Fimo clay, I just went the easy way and gotten 100 fret dots for like 5 bucks off the bay.
Image

Oh, yup... they do glow in the dark. Like a lot.
Lovely for the unexpected X-Files effect when you don't know what's gonna happen as soon as you turn off the lights :D

Then it was time for frets hammer-on installation AND some proper dye: Fiebing’s for the win.
Also, some blue masking tape and black acrylic spray for the sides & fretboard slope towards the headstock as the Fiebing’s would have bleed so unpleasantly down to the pale maple shaft, we don't want that.
Given the options I'd prefer a well-defined and crisp black line.
Image

For once, things were moving along smoothly and the weather these days is being great, which boasted my "the heck, fuck it, let's get on with it" attitude that was building up right after each forwarding step... hence.. even thou I had to use the left-over black Alkyd paint for the sides of the neck and the well specified warning in the label "DO NOT PUT ACRYLIC ON TOP", I decided that "keeping the coats veeeery light will prevent any risk".
Self-assuring yerself is a very scientific way to propel the moronic comfort necessary for this incoming action. Nonetheless, being myself a walking contradiction who happened to have a spare can of red alkyd paint, I just grabbed a left-over piece of maple, sprayed a bit of colour on top of it and then... after a very polite misty coat of clear acrylic, I've just bombed the gas out of it with a massive heavy coat.
Lo and behold... and mostly: WTF?!
Image
Not only it didn't react but it went on surprisingly well.
I also tried torture it by exposing the sample at direct noon sunlight but even then: no bubbling whatsoever.
Looks like a success. For now.

At that point I was so moronically yet scientifically as comfortable as lawfully justifiable to proceed.
There.
Image

Two very light misty coats on the front of the headstock to seal the black alkyd fretboard transition and also as a base in preparation for the decal I'll have to put before the full clear coverage.
On the back, 1 misty coat followed by 3 medium coats.

This was sprayed just two days ago and so far, so good.
In spite of the warning, it looks like alkyd and acrylic paints get along just fine. (knock on wood :ph34r: )

At this very moment I'm dealing with the headstock decal. I'm not totally convinced by the lettering of the word Maya and I tend to change my mind a lot about what I like. I think this will temporarily save me from rushing with the curing time.

Oh, btw.. speaking of changing my mind... if you happened to follow my threads, you know I'm kind of OCD when it comes to guitar shapes... I've modified again the outline for the body, this is my rev. 17 (I have a lot of variations, some are more mustang-ish, some more jaguar-ish and everything in between).
I took the liberty to put the right-handed version as well, I know lefty guitars freak some people out.
Image

And this is with the colour I will be going for when the right time comes:
My Maya in competition coral:
Image

I'm not sure about the headstock shape.
Being the body so small, I think the CBS looks like too much, I'm probably going for the smaller Stratocaster-sized Jazzmaster-ish shape the current neck has.
Also, I think the neck for the rev. 17 is going to be a 22". It would look more proportionated, as the overall scaled-down Jaguar without looking as a shrunken body mounted on a regular neck.

Here's an older mock up for reference:
Image

I'm open to suggestions and critics, mean critics are welcome as well.

Cheers :)

EDIT: One picture was posted twice.
Last edited by Amon 7.L on Sun Mar 15, 2020 2:38 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: MAYA - A baby Jaguar-shaped Duosonic

Post by epizootics » Sat Mar 14, 2020 11:15 pm

Nice to see you back here & back to work!
The level of OCD-related behaviour over here had dropped a tad too much to my liking.

That neck looks really, really nice. The glow-in-the-dark dots could have looked tacky on a crazy 1980's hair metal guitar but they look the just right shade of quirky here. And the translucent white works really well!

As for the alkyd paint - I find it satisfying to no end when I manage to work with a material that had previously proved difficult. I've used alkyd paint a few times now, but I kept the thickness minimal and topped it with acrylic varnish after it had gotten hard enough. I worked OK - maybe not the best option but it seems it can work.

I like revision 17 a lot, in both colors. Not a big fan of the font though - from a distance it seems to read 'MofYof' (or maybe I just need new glasses). I think you're on the right track with a thin lettering, but I'm thinking something less circumvoluted might work better.

Oh, and just to make you feel better with the OCD thing...Here's what my projects look like these days:

Image

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Amon 7.L
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Re: MAYA - A baby Jaguar-shaped Duosonic

Post by Amon 7.L » Sun Mar 15, 2020 3:44 am

Heya, mate! It's truly fun to be back in action and having a chance to discuss misadventures here :D

No worries, in case you ever feel the rate is dropping too much, I'll much gladly open up a dedicated thread: "The OCD Anonymous".
By the time I were done with the first chapter, the admin would have me banned for life :D
(I'm gonna be BOB during the meetings).

Thanks for your kind words and your insight on each aspect of the build, I much appreciate it.
The translucency really helped a lot, especially with the jet black fretboard, you just notice the glow when the lights are completely off. Then it could be another story :ph34r:
The neck is my third one so far and I'm starting to enjoying the process. It feels therapeutic to carve it but I've always hated the part of dealing with the entire frets installation/levelling/bevelling/crowning but I'm now growing more confident and it reflects a lot on my patience and the will to have it done properly and giving more attention to details.
Luthiery is awesome, everyone should try at least once, it can be challenging but nothing less than rewarding, wherever the lesson you get out of the experience.

You're absolutely right about the Alkyd, you are giving me confirmation that it works best being sprayed in a thin film... If I ever deal with it again (And I surely will, as I still have a tempting can of red laying around :fp: ) I'll be following your advice.
Worst scenario, there will be less material to sand if any reaction with the clear acrylic occurs.

Thanks again, I'm glad you're liking this revision and YES! IT DOES MAKE ME FEEL MUCH BETTER to see your drafting board so well populated :w00t:. (I think BOB needs a sponsor, if you're up for the task. If so, see you next Wednesday at the usual gathering, they have coffee and donuts :D )

RE: the font.
Yup, it needs to be something different. I had to put a placeholder for the render as I'm always founding difficult to deal with lefty headstocks and come up with a decal that doesn't feel weird.
CBS ones in particular are the most challenging for me as you'd usually have your name on the lower side of the fin and the guitar's name that curves along the transition towards the ball end. You can't do that with left handed counterparts, as it looks crooked.
The only solution that gives my erm... (there it goes again) OCD some peace is to put the brand on the ball end and the guitar's name on the fin (just like Lefty 70s strats).... OR, just going with the small headstock (which has a less pronounced curved fin and a longer straight-ish estate) and do like this.
Image

I know, I know... the Cancer symbol and the 13/7 are tacky but they do have a meaning and they're gonna stay.
I changed the lettering in the word Maya but I'm still not entirely convinced, the "y" bothers me for some reason. I guess it's due to the "leg" being curved the opposite way in relation to the M elongated fluff.. I think I have some ideas to try out but I'd be much welcoming any suggestion from you guys.. :)

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Re: MAYA - A baby Jaguar-shaped Duosonic

Post by thephza » Sun Mar 15, 2020 9:25 am

This is just AWESOME. Great work!

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Re: MAYA - A baby Jaguar-shaped Duosonic

Post by Amon 7.L » Wed Mar 18, 2020 6:51 am

thephza wrote:
Sun Mar 15, 2020 9:25 am
This is just AWESOME. Great work!
Thank you and welcome aboard thephza!

After some variations I decided to customise the "leg" of the Y and change the font of the underlying lettering in order to make it all fit without crooked overlapping.
I've also put some those two floating extra decorations to follow the style of the top lettering. A sort of stealth tribute to the Jazzmaster's farts, just less in your face.
Image

The decal has already been printed and covered with some clearcoats to protect it.
Here it comes the hardest part: the waiting for the curing.

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Re: MAYA - A baby Jaguar-shaped Duosonic

Post by Rgand » Wed Mar 18, 2020 7:14 am

That headstock looks really good. Nice job designing the decals.

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Re: MAYA - A baby Jaguar-shaped Duosonic

Post by Amon 7.L » Wed Mar 18, 2020 7:39 am

Rgand wrote:
Wed Mar 18, 2020 7:14 am
That headstock looks really good. Nice job designing the decals.
Thank you Rgand, much appreciated.

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Re: MAYA - A baby Jaguar-shaped Duosonic

Post by loveinathens » Wed Mar 18, 2020 7:03 pm

One of my favorite projects in a while! Love what you've done with the thing. A bit of a Reverend vibe, but also its on thing rly.

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Re: MAYA - A baby Jaguar-shaped Duosonic

Post by Amon 7.L » Sat Apr 11, 2020 7:42 am

loveinathens wrote:
Wed Mar 18, 2020 7:03 pm
One of my favorite projects in a while! Love what you've done with the thing. A bit of a Reverend vibe, but also its on thing rly.
Thank you loveinathens. Much appreciated.

While the neck was taking is time to properly cure, I went onward with the last necessary bits: the nut.
I had a only once piece of bone blank, but I'm a newbie and I need to learn how to cut them properly. Therefore, in order not to waste or worse: ruining precious material, I decide to keep the general artsy-fartsy theme that defines this project and decided to try a getto solution, which is nothing short of this:
Image

What you're looking at is basically two stripes of ABS binding that I've put together using the acetone trick, then sand-papered down to proper thickness.

I don't have any professional tools for the job and the nut width on this puppy is smaller than standard, so I couldn't just buy a pre-made one and slap it in there. So I had to do everything with some improvisation. An online proportionate-string calculator gave me the measurements, then CAD and printer gave me this:
Image

Then exacto knife for the butchery:
Image

tiny file for the finesse:
Image

Then it was just a matter of working with higher grades of sandpaper (I did not photograph the sandpaper, you need some mystery in life).

Anyway... because time flies when quarantine occurs, yes... look it up, the neck has already dried!
Yes. And it also looks like it's already been sanded & polished after the decal has been put into place and buried under a right amount of acrylic coats:
Image

Again: yes, not only the nut is already in place but there's also the entire machine heads pillarage installed.
And: no, the background wasn't meant as a homage to those who were waiting for the "needs tort".

Some guitar assembly as it appears that I somehow managed to complete the build :P
Image

I know... there should be a string tree in there.
Thing is: I don't have one. I mean, I actually do but... it has been wrongly delivered in gold, so I'm gonna put in there when the right one gets here (or I might simply spray paint it, we'll see).

Image
If you did not read the entire thread and wondering what are those plugs for: it's a coverage for the stop tail.
This guitar is a prototype and it's basically a sort of transformer. Which implies that if I need to take off the Toronado bridge for the new body, I would be able to use the TOM + Stoptail configuration to keep the guinea pig fully working.

Image

Maya in a full front shot. Unfortunately, I couldn't get any better front shot, the phone's camera works only when it wants.
Or it has some sort of self-defence mechanism that prevents it from having its lens permanently damaged by the horrific sight.
Image


Maya full specs:

Body: 17 pieces of unknown wood + 2 sheets of MDF for top and bottom;
Body thickness: 40 mm (40.58 mm with paint);
Body roundover: 9.5 mm;
Body finish: Baufix Alkyd Paint, gloss black (on top of everything mentioned earlier);
Bridge: Toronado string-thru AND Recessed TOM + Stop tail;
Neck scale: 24" or 610 mm;
Neck: Maple;
Fretboard: Mahogany, ebonized with Fiebing's leather dye;
Trussrod: NO TRUSSROD;
Fret markers: Glow in the dark;
Side dots: black;
Nut width: 37.70 mm (raw wood) 37.89 mm with finish (basically 1.5");
Nut material: ABS plastic;
Neck finish: Clear gloss acrylic;
Pick up configuration: HS
Control plate: Aluminium, custom made
Controls: 500k Vol & Tone
Switches: 2 3-way switches.
Strings: Fender Stainless Bullets .10

This is the prototype version based on the very earlier design.
Once better time comes, I'll be building a proper one based on the latest revisions, hopefully.

This goes out in loving memory of Maya.

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Re: MAYA - A baby Jaguar-shaped Duosonic

Post by s_mcsleazy » Sat Apr 11, 2020 7:18 pm

i still want a right handed version of one of these. obviously give it my own flair.
offset guitars resident bass player.
'Are you trying to seduce me Mrs Robinson? Or do you just want me to solder a couple of resistors into your Muff?'

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Re: MAYA - A baby Jaguar-shaped Duosonic

Post by epizootics » Sat Apr 11, 2020 10:28 pm

Well, Amon 7.L, you have now officially out-Fendered Fender's recent offerings to the market...
I like everything - shape, color scheme, and that heastock logo looks just right. Very slick and elegant. I am particularly drawn in by the pale headstock.
:?

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Re: MAYA - A baby Jaguar-shaped Duosonic

Post by Amon 7.L » Tue Apr 14, 2020 2:18 am

s_mcsleazy wrote:
Sat Apr 11, 2020 7:18 pm
i still want a right handed version of one of these. obviously give it my own flair.
Hotrail in the neck and a very hot mustang single coil in the bridge, perhaps? 8)
epizootics wrote:
Sat Apr 11, 2020 10:28 pm
Well, Amon 7.L, you have now officially out-Fendered Fender's recent offerings to the market...
I like everything - shape, color scheme, and that heastock logo looks just right. Very slick and elegant. I am particularly drawn in by the pale headstock.
:?
epizootics, you're too kind. Thank you very much.

All the guitar self-deprecation sarcasm aside, this project has been amazing for me and, very surprisingly, giving the very unorthodox approach with both materials and the untested parts/construction, this little puppy is a complete fun to play.
The action is the lowest of all my guitars and the neck hasn't moved at all even these days with the strings on.
Having the neck seasoned this long time might have made the difference in the positive outcome.
Another thing is that the body feel so much comfortable, the lack of contours are not of any concern whatsoever.
Plus, it doesn't feel like a toy as I was suspecting when put side by side with a full sized Jaguar.

I want to thank all of you guys who participated to this thread and gave me further motivation to keep it going and finished, you've been awesome.

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Re: MAYA - A baby Jaguar-shaped Duosonic

Post by s_mcsleazy » Tue Apr 14, 2020 8:44 am

Amon 7.L wrote:
Tue Apr 14, 2020 2:18 am
s_mcsleazy wrote:
Sat Apr 11, 2020 7:18 pm
i still want a right handed version of one of these. obviously give it my own flair.
Hotrail in the neck and a very hot mustang single coil in the bridge, perhaps? 8)

or a big old fullsized humbucker in the neck.
offset guitars resident bass player.
'Are you trying to seduce me Mrs Robinson? Or do you just want me to solder a couple of resistors into your Muff?'

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