My New Offset Designs: Artemis & Apollo - Builds Coming

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ThePearDream
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My New Offset Designs: Artemis & Apollo - Builds Coming

Post by ThePearDream » Fri Sep 09, 2022 2:56 pm

Hey gang, so I have some things that I've been working on in secret for a while. It's well past time that I have a small unveiling though. I'll post a few quick pics and a rough draft design statement. Then if you are interested, keep scrolling for a big dump of photos and information (all the color mockups are really old and out of date).

I'm posting this in Mods & Projects, because I'm just a guy with a tiny basement workshop and this isn't a commercial enterprise (yet?). I intend to use this thread mostly to show some of the initial builds that I do with these shapes.

Artemis and Apollo area a dynamic new duo of guitar designs build around the offset vibrato. Not just another Fender knockoff, Artemis and Apollo were designed from scratch, with bold, simple geometry inspired by vintage pointy guitars, but with a highly ergonomic offset waist. Created to be universal build platforms, they are adaptable enough to take just about any pickup combination you could want. With dozens of control combinations, multiple pickguard styles, and custom hardware, Artemis is intended for "F" scale builds. With premium woods, multiple edge style options, and rear mounted controls, Apollo is for "G" scale builds.

Apollo (L) Artemis (C,R)
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It's been around a year and a half of drafts, revisions, mockups, and prototypes, arriving at these. The prototypes above are pretty close to the final version, with some minor changes made to the neck contours and control cavities. I also have a number of proper builds in progress at the moment that I am really excited about.

I guess first off, as a designer, I like to set parameters when I'm beginning a design. The start of this design was the idea to take the general "formula" that an Explorer uses and make it work as an offset. I had previously experimented with the restrictions of an offset Bo Diddley, by switching the lines to arcs.

For my purposes, the formula for an Explorer is 6 lines and one arc, designated as L1-6 (lines) and A1(arc)
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So I limited myself to 6 lines and one arc and made the waist offset by 15 degrees. (For any Gibson lawyers reading, I didn't reference the Explorer's particular angles, nor their relationships with each, nor any other elements unique to the Explorer or Gibson in my design.)
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Also, it's not directly based on the Jazzmaster any more than it was the Explorer. But I did want it to feel very much like a Jazzmaster, but with a bolder look. I also had some general goals of "improving on" the classic offset design in some key area of player interaction. One of the biggest, was to have far less material present in the area of belly and forearm interaction (L3). Another was to move the lead controls back a bit. One of my biggest complaints about the Jazzmaster is that the volume knob is too far forward. I also made sure to have ample room for wiring options and have mapped out dozens of variations for each possible control location.

Here is an overlay of the Jazzmaster in red and the Artemis in green:
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Here's a shot of one of the first versions:
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Here's the first proto body:
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At this time, this was just one body style, combining elements that would become separated into different models later. As I kept working on revisions, at some point, I decided to split my efforts into two different, but related shapes, suited to different types of builds, based largely on scale length and pickups. One of my goals for these was to have my own unique build platform that could accommodate lots of types of pickups. I don't mean just Fender or Gibson formats either. There are all sorts of cool pickups out there, either currently made, or vintage examples, that don't fit into standard cutouts. I have plans to bring some of these to my offset platform.

First up is Artemis. Artemis is the "F" variant. 25.5" scale, rocking bridge, brighter pickups, top mounted controls.

G&L Jumbo MFD:
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Tele w/ custom bridge pickup mounting plate and its own control plate, not just a damned telecaster control plate stuck on some other body.
This has been my #1 for the last 6 months or so.
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Vintage Univox UC pickups:
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Blaster:
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Jaguar:
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THUNDERBIRD:
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XII:
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Strat:
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cheapo low-wind-P90ish Firebird sized things:
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It can even take Jazzmaster pickups, although you should really have a Jazzmaster in your collection first.
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Shortscale Bass:
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Simetra (Artemis reverse)
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Whew! That's a whole lot of stuff.
But that's just Artemis

Apollo is the "G" variant. It is slightly narrower in the hips. 24.5 - 25" scale necks, rolling bridge, warmer pickups, "nicer" woods, rear mounted controls. The edges can be rounded over and contoured, beveled front and rear, or given a bevel-carve bound top with contoured back.

PAF w/ PTB controls and bevels
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PAF:
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Zebra HB:
This also shows the special offset 3X3 headstock I came up with.
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Filtertron w/ bevel-carve bound top
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A90/P90 Coronet inspired w/ roundovers.
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Gold Foils:
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P90
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Gold Top (really old version)
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Jr. (no idea what the switch is for):
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"Old Black" pickups with full bevels:
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Work in progress in a proto chambered maple/walnut Apollo:
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Then there will be hybrids of the two, like this cab inspired thing and lots of other stuff I won't bother posting at the moment.
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Lastly, I am working on a proper 24" short scale using the same design language, but closer in size to a Mustang. That's still in pretty rough stages right now though.
Doug
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Re: My New Offset Designs: Artemis & Apollo - Builds Coming

Post by copacetic » Fri Sep 09, 2022 4:05 pm

Wow, some major eye candy here :? cant wait to see these come to life!!

Love the design choices, and your approach to coming up with new designs is super interesting and inspiring. They look like barrels of fun-- i wanna play one!
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Re: My New Offset Designs: Artemis & Apollo - Builds Coming

Post by Embenny » Fri Sep 09, 2022 7:05 pm

Oh yeah, those are awesome.

I really love the pickup and control plates on the Tele style one. It's immediately noticeable that you didn't just slap Tele hardware on there, and it makes the design so much more cohesive.
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Re: My New Offset Designs: Artemis & Apollo - Builds Coming

Post by marqueemoon » Fri Sep 09, 2022 7:20 pm

:?

Oh wow. This is giving me… ideas.

I love them both, but especially Artemis.

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Re: My New Offset Designs: Artemis & Apollo - Builds Coming

Post by ThePearDream » Fri Sep 09, 2022 8:08 pm

Thanks friends!

---

Typical Artemis roundovers: 3/8 front, 5/8 rear:
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Artemis contours:
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Full bevels on the Apollo leave a thin edge profile:
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A different view:
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Aluminum cavity shielding plates:
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Walnut/ Rosewood Apollo neck in progress:
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Re: My New Offset Designs: Artemis & Apollo - Builds Coming

Post by JSett » Fri Sep 09, 2022 9:17 pm

Wow. These are great. Love the shapes and the bevelled one is :?

Excited to see these progress - and if some ever come for sale
Silly Rabbit, don't you know scooped mids are for kids?

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Re: My New Offset Designs: Artemis & Apollo - Builds Coming

Post by Shadoweclipse13 » Fri Sep 09, 2022 11:49 pm

:? Holy shit! These are all absolutely gorgeous!!! I too really like the Tele one as well!!! The extra chrome makes me feel funny :blush:
Pickup Switching Mad Scientist
http://www.offsetguitars.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=104282&p=1438384#p1438384

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Re: My New Offset Designs: Artemis & Apollo - Builds Coming

Post by ThePearDream » Sat Sep 10, 2022 6:29 pm

Thanks again folks!

Here's a lefty for Shadoweclipse13:
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Being able to mix tele pickups with a really comfortable body and an offset vibrato was definitely one of the big things I wanted to be able to do with this design. I haven't seen this tackled yet in a way that satisfied me. But then I also kept watching videos of ASATs and wanting the sounds, but knowing I'd hate the body just as much as tele bodies. So I also wanted an offset ASAT.

I have immediate plans for four proper builds of each

Artemis #1 is the vintage Univox pickup pair, wiring will include series and phase options, three way bass cut switch, and onboard "Arrows" boost. Color tbd, but it gets the bound neck seen earlier and an opal acrylic pickguard

Artemis #2 is the ASAT pair with a 4-way switch, V, T, and a three way bass cut switch. The neck is a 2 piece roasted maple. Plan A for the pickguard is black anodized aluminum with a matching control plate. I'm still working on the brushed finish at this point. It's semi based on the prototype Desert Sand Jazzmaster, but also old G&Ls with the black control plates and chrome knobs. With a darker roasted maple neck and a black pickguard, the Desert Sand will look washed out. So I'm going to darken it up and make it metallic, which means something like Shoreline Gold.

Artemis #3 is going to be a real build of the tele setup. I'll probably use the Fender Broadcaster set. I'm hoping to do a two-piece Rosewood or Pau Ferro neck and a Gunmetal Blue Metallic finish with a wbw guard.

Artemis #4 will be a Thunderbird pair. Neck will be Rosewood/maple. I'm thinking of a tortoise pickguard and a darker finish that would look good with tort.

Artemis is faster to make and if I can find a good source for decent paddle necks, I could possibly squeeze a few more in.

Apollo #1 will be a low wind PAF pair with PTB, in a full bevel body in a Pear Green finish with a Rosewood/walnut 3X3 neck

Apollo #2 (or 3) will be a bound Maple on Khaya body with the bevel-carve thing mentioned earlier, which will be where I work down the edge between the bevel and top into a smooth melty form. Gibson style Gold Top with cream binding and natural back. Bound 3X3 Katalox/Khaya neck.

Apollo #3 (or 2) will be Epiphone Coronet/Black Beauty inspired. The body and neck will be Spanish Cedar with a Katalox fb. Hey, did you know...
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The body will get roundovers and contours. I will attempt an Epiphone style Silver Fox finish. Pickups will have metal covers and pickguards will be white like the Coronet and its relatives. Pickups are a Black Beauty inspired Alnico Rod P90 neck and P90 bridge duo.

Apollo #4 is TBD. A few ideas are: chambered Walnut with bevels, walnut neck, and T-top style HBs; chambered ash with bevels, white blonde, Gold foils, tortoise pickguard, Pau/maple neck.

After that (or possibly before I'm finished), I expect to be moving across the country and not immediately setting shop back up. We'll want to rent for 6 months or so, and get a feel for our new area before buying a new house. If everything goes right, I hope to get myself a small CNC setup for the more complex Apollo stuff, while also getting my drawings setup with an OEM shop to do things like basic Artemis bodies and necks - then I can just rout for pickups and finish sand.

I'd love to do things like, for example, a small run of 10 of a particular configuration, where we do some fun things like, I spec materials and finishes for two to my specs, two to vintage Fender specs, have copacetic spec out two, have another finisher spec out two, and have OSG spec out two.

I also have a few more prototypes going - so I can figure out build processes. Some of these and the current 3 prototypes will eventually make their way over to the For Sale section for some silly prices so I can get them out into people's hands.
Doug
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Re: My New Offset Designs: Artemis & Apollo - Builds Coming

Post by Shadoweclipse13 » Sat Sep 10, 2022 10:45 pm

ThePearDream wrote:
Sat Sep 10, 2022 6:29 pm
Here's a lefty for Shadoweclipse13:
Image
Absolutely beautiful!!

I love everything you've got going on with this project, especially how easily customizable it is! SO cool!!
Pickup Switching Mad Scientist
http://www.offsetguitars.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=104282&p=1438384#p1438384

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Re: My New Offset Designs: Artemis & Apollo - Builds Coming

Post by JVG » Sat Sep 10, 2022 10:57 pm

ThePearDream wrote:
Sat Sep 10, 2022 6:29 pm
Thanks again folks!

Here's a lefty for Shadoweclipse13:
…and thanks from another lefty :-*

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Re: My New Offset Designs: Artemis & Apollo - Builds Coming

Post by Shadoweclipse13 » Sat Sep 10, 2022 11:14 pm

JVG wrote:
Sat Sep 10, 2022 10:57 pm
ThePearDream wrote:
Sat Sep 10, 2022 6:29 pm
Thanks again folks!

Here's a lefty for Shadoweclipse13:
…and thanks from another lefty :-*
You know what's weird though? My lusting after guitars is almost exclusively looking at righty guitars. Lefties feel right to PLAY, but usually look a bit strange to see :D
Pickup Switching Mad Scientist
http://www.offsetguitars.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=104282&p=1438384#p1438384

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Re: My New Offset Designs: Artemis & Apollo - Builds Coming

Post by epizootics » Sun Sep 11, 2022 12:23 am

Thank you for posting this, especially the insight into your design process - you've outdone yourself! They all look great and slick as hell.
I use many straight lines in my designs too and on top of the aesthetics, they also speed up the building process by allowing you to sand most of the sides with an orbital sander, which is always welcome (who likes to sand the insides of the horns on a Strat?)

Looking forward to seeing more of those! :)

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Re: My New Offset Designs: Artemis & Apollo - Builds Coming

Post by ThePearDream » Sun Sep 11, 2022 3:54 pm

Thanks Epizootics! I find that establishing parameters at the beginning of my process can help narrow my focus creatively.

Sanding these is a joy compared to every other model. Speaking of which...

Artemis #1 Alder
A few small tasks left to do, but it's close.
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Apollo #1 Limba
Also a few small things left to do.
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Re: My New Offset Designs: Artemis & Apollo - Builds Coming

Post by Shadoweclipse13 » Mon Sep 12, 2022 9:58 pm

ThePearDream wrote:
Sun Sep 11, 2022 3:54 pm
Artemis #1 Alder
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Money shot!! It's beautiful all the way around, but this angle is friggin gorgeous :? And honestly? As lovely as those routes are, if this one was mine, I'd put a clear/translucent-colored pickguard on it.

ThePearDream wrote:
Sun Sep 11, 2022 3:54 pm
Apollo #1 Limba
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The bevels (as opposed to roundovers) here look SO good!!!
Pickup Switching Mad Scientist
http://www.offsetguitars.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=104282&p=1438384#p1438384

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Re: My New Offset Designs: Artemis & Apollo - Builds Coming

Post by ThePearDream » Tue Sep 13, 2022 6:48 am

Shadoweclipse13 wrote:
Mon Sep 12, 2022 9:58 pm
...As lovely as those routes are, if this one was mine, I'd put a clear/translucent-colored pickguard on it.
Opal acrylic pickguard ready to go! 8)
I used the same material for the oversized 12th fret inlay (shown earlier).
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I'm thinking that I might go for a dark metallic blue for the body. I had to replace the leads on the Univox pups, so I used shielded wire, knowing that I wasn't going to shield the back of the pickguard. It could also be cool to integrate an led into the onboard boost circuit (in the "rhythm control" area).

Since I'm discussing the wiring, the bank of three way switches is an extended version of Jaguar wiring. But the first two are also how I wire Mustangs now. Just turned 90 degrees. First switch is neck, from bottom to top it goes: OFF-ON-ON(REVERSED PHASE). Next is bridge: OFF-ON-ON(IN SERIES WITH NECK). It's pretty easy to get that rare (in series out of phase) tone here. The last switch is a two stage bass cut: OFF-ON-ON+

Wild thought: Does anyone know if you can use a dual gang pot to control the brightness of an led, in conjunction with the boost level? So as you turn up the boost, the light gets brighter?
Doug
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