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Yamaha SG-3 & SG-2 replicas - SG-2 Finished p15/18

Posted: Tue May 18, 2010 10:45 am
by theworkoffire
15 Oct 2012 UPDATE: SG-2 replica finished photos on page 15: http://www.offsetguitars.com/forums/vie ... 10#p913260

More pics from 2016: http://www.offsetguitars.com/forums/vie ... 6#p1436085

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I just had word from PoppaPopp that a whole load of tracings and measurements he's really kindly done for me are on their way from Germany, so I feel like I can open a thread on this one now.

My next project is a replica of this:

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- a Yamaha SG-3.

I thought at first it would just end up being 'inspired by', but Michael has been amazing and took his apart to get me all the tracings I need to make it as close as I can to the original. There will be a few tweaks here and there, but I'm going to stick to the plan for the most part.

This is as far as my drawings have got from photographs - I'll update when I get the tracings and accurate measurements.

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I was going to have just three jag pickups with stock covers and claws, but I'm now leaning towards using Shapeways to make some more accurate covers like this:

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The way I've designed these means the claws are still there but they slot inside the covers. Peter pickup wizard has wound me a set of three Jag pickups - Bridge and RWRP middle in Alnico3 (to be wired as a variable humbucker), RWRP neck in Alnico5. Amazingly, I got them for what I thought I would pay for just two. Wizard indeed!

Other interesting specs - 25.5" neck, but 22 frets (no overhanging nonsense, though, so it won't fit Fenders) plus a zero fret, and I'm going to sink a spoke truss adjuster into the fretboard at the 21st fret marker - you can just about see it in the picture.

Somehow I need to get the bridge made, either cast or printed ( shapeways can do it, but it might cost a fortune) in stainless steel, and I'll use the innards from a JM trem.

This is the original I'm working to:

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Re: Yamaha SG-3 replica project build

Posted: Tue May 18, 2010 3:24 pm
by Stereordinary
Oh hell yes! I've been waiting for this one! I'd love to get a copy of all your drawings when you've finalized them and make my own, but you know what? Your shit is so damn tight I'd really almost rather have you just build one for me. 8) Wanna do a trade one of these days? :whistle:

Re: Yamaha SG-3 replica project build

Posted: Tue May 18, 2010 3:53 pm
by theworkoffire
One day I'll swap you one of these for a TB-64 :)


I just uploaded a mock-up of the trem to shapeways to get a costing for it in stainless - $180. Maybe not as bad as I thought, but still...

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Re: Yamaha SG-3 replica project build

Posted: Tue May 18, 2010 4:02 pm
by Stereordinary
Oh snap, I gotta get up on this Shapeways business, I had no idea I could 3D parts that freakin' cheap!

Re: Yamaha SG-3 replica project build

Posted: Tue May 18, 2010 9:22 pm
by Harvester
stereordinary wrote:Oh snap, I gotta get up on this Shapeways business, I had no idea I could 3D parts that freakin' cheap!
hmm ... has anyone here got anything to show that's come from shapeways ?? maybe i'll start a new thread if there's any interest ?
you guys think it's cost effective for some small metal parts ?

AP

Re: Yamaha SG-3 replica project build

Posted: Tue May 18, 2010 11:26 pm
by theworkoffire
Harvester wrote:
stereordinary wrote:Oh snap, I gotta get up on this Shapeways business, I had no idea I could 3D parts that freakin' cheap!
hmm ... has anyone here got anything to show that's come from shapeways ?? maybe i'll start a new thread if there's any interest ?
you guys think it's cost effective for some small metal parts ?

AP
dnv made some white rollers and blank covers that turned out ok. http://www.offsetguitars.com/forums/vie ... ys#p372506 I'm sure these'll need some smoothing and polishing, but it's worth a punt, I think. I'm going to get some quotes for casting the trem plate more locally and see how it compares. Seems like it can be CNC milled in wax and sand-cast, which might be better. Also, I think the original is aluminium (not sure) which can't be 3D printed as strong I don't think, so casting would be the way to go for that.

Re: Yamaha SG-3 replica project build

Posted: Wed May 19, 2010 12:41 am
by Jimbo
theworkoffire wrote:One day I'll swap you one of these for a TB-64 :)


I just uploaded a mock-up of the trem to shapeways to get a costing for it in stainless - $180. Maybe not as bad as I thought, but still...

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Hmmm...

This looks intriguing. I have three examples of the more recent Yamaha SGV series. One is the cheaper SGV300 which has a Fender-type neck and headstock and the pickups you are seeking, and also two SGV800s, which have a more conventional P90-type dual-pickup layout and boundnecks with angled headstocks - and Sperzel tuners).

The 300's controls include master volume and tone, with the third pot acting as a Rickenbacker-style pan control with a centre-detente position where the two "bridge" pickups are acting as a humbucker.

One of the 800s has a damaged (cracked) trem unit. It's not the same as the one on the older models (it's a cross between a Bigsby and a Strat - really!), but it would be nice to be able to replace it with something as good...

http://www.ishibashi.co.jp/webshop/guit ... -300_b.jpg [SGV300]
http://www.elderly.com/vintage/items/im ... -front.jpg [SGV800]

JN

Re: Yamaha SG-3 replica project build

Posted: Wed May 19, 2010 1:49 am
by theworkoffire
Cool! Shame about the crack. I love the big roller bridges on those - it would be amazing to get hold of one for this but I'm not holding out much hope. I've yet to find one anywhere. Likewise the pickup covers, which is why I'm going down the custom route.

Re: Yamaha SG-3 replica project build

Posted: Wed May 19, 2010 3:38 am
by PoppaPopp
Ok, some impressions from last saturday when I disassembled the SG3 for the tracings ans measurements. Again, sorry for the delay Ben... I just couldn't find the time to do it earlier...

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to trace the guitar as accurate as possible I put together a litte "drawing-jig" as described in Martin Kochs guitar building book. for the very tight inner curve at the neck pocket I've used (one half of ) a pencil that i cut in two halfs... (sorry - no photo) ...I hope the tracings are good enough for you to work with...

cheers,
Michael

btw.
which software do you use to create your CAD/stl models?

Re: Yamaha SG-3 replica project build

Posted: Wed May 19, 2010 6:26 am
by theworkoffire
Oh my god, that's what that hole in the neck pocket is for!!! I'd seen it on another site, but never seen the underside of the neck. Ingenious! Bollocks to the idea of exposing the truss rod through the fretboard, then: I'm doing it their way. Fantastic. Interesting trem, too, with the hidden pivot.

Thanks so much, again, for the work you've put into getting me the tracings, Michael, you've been so much more thorough than I ever hoped. I'll make sure this does justice to your efforts.

EDIT: I use CorelDraw for 2D work, Sketchup for 3D. Sketchup exports to .dae, then I've had to use a whole bunch of other stuff to check the files for shapeways as per their instructions. (MeshLab converts .dae to .stl)

Re: Yamaha SG-3 replica project build

Posted: Wed May 19, 2010 6:47 am
by Harvester
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genius ! :wtf:

i've always wondered about accessing the trussrod from the rear on one of my set neckguitars but putting it under the neck plate like that is perfect.

looks like you're getting some fine plans there ben.
i miss my old yamaha ( one of the 'banana' models in orange .. wonderful neck )

re - shapeways - i just can't decide on anything that i'd need made up other than thicker steel plates which are best done with laser/water cutting ... maybe some truss rod covers with some kind of interesting edge profile ...

great thread, beautiful guitar.

AP

Re: Yamaha SG-3 replica project build

Posted: Wed May 19, 2010 7:26 am
by PoppaPopp
:) a few more pics...

my hands :derp:
I need to put on some creme


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Re: Yamaha SG-3 replica project build

Posted: Wed May 19, 2010 8:10 am
by Stereordinary
This thread is now already one of my favorite threads ever!!!

Re: Yamaha SG-3 replica project build

Posted: Wed May 19, 2010 11:30 am
by adamrobertt
That guitar is so f-ing cool. I can't find much about them online - anyone have any good resources?

Re: Yamaha SG-3 replica project build

Posted: Wed May 19, 2010 12:02 pm
by PoppaPopp
adamrobertt wrote:That guitar is so f-ing cool. I can't find much about them online - anyone have any good resources?

I'm pretty sure you can find a little bit more info on surfguitar101