Bobber - A Bit Different

Talk about modding or building your own guitar from scratch.
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Rgand
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Bobber - A Bit Different

Post by Rgand » Mon Jul 29, 2019 6:12 am

On the 'What's on your workbench' thread, I posted a proposed pic of what I'm calling the Bobber. It's started as a Telerauder body I was making for another forum member that got goofed up string through holes and had to make a new one for him. This one was just lying around and I didn't want it to go to waste. There are some things I've been wanting to try so this will be the test bed. Here's the concept image although some of the things will change on it. The controls, for instance will not be as shown. There will be other changes as I go along, too. The color will probably be nothing like this but that still is up in the air. The pickguard shape is Maverick inspired.

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The body after modification to the heel and upper horn.

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Yesterday I installed threaded inserts in the neck.

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Then I bolted the neck on to make sure it fit. Notice it's already different than the projected image because it has a rosewood fretboard..

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Here's the neck before I shaped the headstock. Warmoth lets you order an in-line paddlehead for custom headstock designs. I have shaped this one like the one on the roadhouse. Pretty much like the headstock on the concept image. The neck is a Gibson scale conversion.

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It'll be fun to see where this goes. I have some shoulder surgery coming up in a few weeks and having one arm in a sling will certainly stall things for a time. Until then, I'll continue working on this one. I have to plug and re-do the bridge and string through holes before I can mount the bridge on it. At this time I'm planning a humbucker Tele bridge (you can see one in the photo with the neck bolted on.)

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BTL
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Re: Bobber - A Bit Different

Post by BTL » Mon Jul 29, 2019 6:38 pm

This looks like a fun project...looking forward to it!
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Rgand
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Re: Bobber - A Bit Different

Post by Rgand » Mon Jul 29, 2019 8:44 pm

BeeTL wrote:
Mon Jul 29, 2019 6:38 pm
This looks like a fun project...looking forward to it!
Thanks. All projects are fun. This one is just a bit more... experimental, I guess, for lack of a better word.

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Shadoweclipse13
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Re: Bobber - A Bit Different

Post by Shadoweclipse13 » Mon Jul 29, 2019 8:55 pm

Dig it! You should've left the paddle headstock uncut and just clearcoat it as is :D It would work well I think.
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Rgand
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Re: Bobber - A Bit Different

Post by Rgand » Tue Jul 30, 2019 5:17 am

Shadoweclipse13 wrote:
Mon Jul 29, 2019 8:55 pm
Dig it! You should've left the paddle headstock uncut and just clearcoat it as is :D It would work well I think.
Thanks.

LOL, I was tempted to do just that but It would need a laminated butcher block body for that. And a beveled edge. ;D

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Amon 7.L
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Re: Bobber - A Bit Different

Post by Amon 7.L » Tue Jul 30, 2019 5:30 am

Rgand wrote:
Tue Jul 30, 2019 5:17 am
Shadoweclipse13 wrote:
Mon Jul 29, 2019 8:55 pm
Dig it! You should've left the paddle headstock uncut and just clearcoat it as is :D It would work well I think.
Thanks.

LOL, I was tempted to do just that but It would need a laminated butcher block body for that. And a beveled edge. ;D
It would be the perfect AXE, literally: the butcher master.
Image
Feature, the butcher headstock (imagine a swoop mimicking the blade :D ).

Jokes aside, yet another cool project you've setting up there. I'm very fond of the geometry of the routes, it's art.

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Rgand
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Re: Bobber - A Bit Different

Post by Rgand » Tue Jul 30, 2019 5:45 am

Amon 7.L wrote:
Tue Jul 30, 2019 5:30 am
Rgand wrote:
Tue Jul 30, 2019 5:17 am
Shadoweclipse13 wrote:
Mon Jul 29, 2019 8:55 pm
Dig it! You should've left the paddle headstock uncut and just clearcoat it as is :D It would work well I think.
Thanks.

LOL, I was tempted to do just that but It would need a laminated butcher block body for that. And a beveled edge. ;D
It would be the perfect AXE, literally: the butcher master.
Image
Feature, the butcher headstock (imagine a swoop mimicking the blade :D ).
Brass spots on the neck would really finish it off, too. Damn, that's tempting... :w00t:
Amon 7.L wrote:
Tue Jul 30, 2019 5:30 am
Jokes aside, yet another cool project you've setting up there. I'm very fond of the geometry of the routes, it's art.
Thanks. The routs have evolved over three different times in an effort to reduce the wiring headaches. I really don't like drilling holes between them if I can avoid it.

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Rgand
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Re: Bobber - A Bit Different

Post by Rgand » Thu Aug 01, 2019 2:56 pm

My recent fun has been drilling and plugging the bogus holes. I used a standard twist drill to size the holes for dowels on the front. Now I remember why I like Forstner bits. At least this will get paint, not a transparent finish. These holes will be covered with the bridge anyway. The back went a bit better since the dowling was 5/16", the same as the Forstner bit that drilled them in the first place. After everything gets flat sanded, I can locate and drill the holes for the bridge I'll be using.

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Image

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VPO
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Re: Bobber - A Bit Different

Post by VPO » Fri Aug 02, 2019 2:13 pm

I dig this!

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Rgand
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Re: Bobber - A Bit Different

Post by Rgand » Fri Aug 02, 2019 3:25 pm

Thanks, VPO. It's a fun project. Hopefully I can get on it some this weekend.

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Re: Bobber - A Bit Different

Post by jvin248 » Fri Aug 02, 2019 4:51 pm

.

Nice guitar project!

You know, you don't really need to use string through holes. I hate drilling them, the drill tends to wander without half drilling from both sides, and I hate re-stringing guitars with them. I have converted Tele bridges to be top loaders by drilling the bridge plate and that works a lot better for re-stringing over the life of the guitar.

.

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Rgand
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Re: Bobber - A Bit Different

Post by Rgand » Fri Aug 02, 2019 8:57 pm

jvin248 wrote:
Fri Aug 02, 2019 4:51 pm
.

Nice guitar project!

You know, you don't really need to use string through holes. I hate drilling them, the drill tends to wander without half drilling from both sides, and I hate re-stringing guitars with them. I have converted Tele bridges to be top loaders by drilling the bridge plate and that works a lot better for re-stringing over the life of the guitar.

.
That's a good idea although this is the first time I've had difficulties. My jig was off when I drilled them and that's my fault for not checking it first. I do have a top loader I may use but it isn't what I'd call top quality. The market for top loading Tele humbucker bridges is a little lacking.

My favorite humbucker bridge is the Rio Grande Vintage Tallboy Twangbucker but I don't want to invest that for this guitar since I have pickups already. I'm going to try one on a future build.

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Rgand
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Re: Bobber - A Bit Different

Post by Rgand » Sat Aug 03, 2019 4:04 pm

I did mention that this was not a set-in-stone design, didn't I? Well, with the rosewood fretboard also came cream colored marker spots. Soooo..... a little color change going on at this time. who knows, though? It may morph back again but for now, I chose a cream pickguard (have the material already) which exactly matches the spots. Also, the paint will need to go with the pickguard color.

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Amon 7.L
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Re: Bobber - A Bit Different

Post by Amon 7.L » Sun Aug 04, 2019 4:50 am

I like this revision quite a lot, morphing is always an intriguing subject, especially in situation like this!
I'm looking forward to see how the project unfolds.

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Re: Bobber - A Bit Different

Post by Rgand » Sun Aug 04, 2019 5:57 am

Thanks, Amon. The color might be different. I'm also toying with something like the 1949 Studebaker Willow Green.

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