MOTORIK II - Final pics on page 21 - new owner!

[AWSchmit]

I like the last mock-up the best so far. What about doing a more "normal" Fender head shape, but tweak it a little. kind of like how you go from a 50's strat shape to the larger Jazzmaster shape. Some evolution of the old shape. Like an alternative universe where Fender made this instead of the Jaguar.

[the older brother]

I think so, too. Though maybe a slightly stubbier version?

Win!

[theworkoffire]

I like the last mock-up the best so far. What about doing a more "normal" Fender head shape, but tweak it a little. kind of like how you go from a 50's strat shape to the larger Jazzmaster shape. Some evolution of the old shape. Like an alternative universe where Fender made this instead of the Jaguar.

I've tried all kinds of things with the stock shape and never really got anywhere...

I think so, too. Though maybe a slightly stubbier version?
Win!

Yup! I got the blank today, so it's a perfectly timed decision

[omarvolta]

[theworkoffire]

Yikes!


So now my dilemma is what kind of truss rod adjustment I should go for. I definitely want something I can adjust without taking the neck off, so the choice is between a bullet at the headstock, which I think looks a bit weird with a rosewwod board, or spoke adjuster at the end of the heel, like on old vox, teiscos, silvertones etc. That's what I'm leaning towards at the moment.

Christophe Huort does those on some of his, though using an overhanging fretboard:

[crazyzeke]

Christophe Huort does those on some of his, though using an overhanging fretboard:

That's a first class idea. I hate taking the neck off to make minor adjustments. What would take thirty minutes on a Strat with an adjustment slot at the headstock can take two or three hours on a Jag. Remove strings, unscrew neck, tweak truss rod, reattach neck, restring, tune to pitch, leave to settle... repeat. I hate that.

I'd go for this idea rather than a vintage design, though personally I think a hole at the headstock is a little less detrimental to the aesthetic value of the guitar. Is it a more accurate means of adjustment though? That would be the deal breaker. I'd go for a little less attractiveness for easier maintenance.

[Ret Samzzaj]

So now my dilemma is what kind of truss rod adjustment I should go for. I definitely want something I can adjust without taking the neck off, so the choice is between a bullet at the headstock, which I think looks a bit weird with a rosewwod board, or spoke adjuster at the end of the heel, like on old vox, teiscos, silvertones etc. That's what I'm leaning towards at the moment.

Musicman is also using this kind of truss rod adjustment for their necks (without the overhang fretboard). I think it looks way better than the rosewood board with the bullet alternative, but you probably have to use your router again on the body (technically speaking no problem for you ).



A rosewood neck and black pickguard (Musicman Silhouette):

[theworkoffire]

Musicman is also using this kind of truss rod adjustment for their necks (without the overhang fretboard). I think it looks way better than the rosewood board with the bullet alternative, but you probably have to use your router again on the body (technically speaking no problem for you ).

Yeah - I don't mind doing a bit more routing. It's still just at the primer stage anyway. You're right, it does look a lot better than the bullet. The only issue I think will be the space between the heel and the neck pickup - I might have to move the pickup in a bit so having the spoke wheel doesn't involve cutting right through the guard there.

I was going to do a vintage-style truss rod but I quite like the idea of using a double rod and having this adjuster sit a little deeper into the body. Certainly easier to rout for it, so I've ordered one of these:

[Slow-Pop]

Musicman is also using this kind of truss rod adjustment for their necks (without the overhang fretboard). I think it looks way better than the rosewood board with the bullet alternative, but you probably have to use your router again on the body (technically speaking no problem for you ).

Yeah - I don't mind doing a bit more routing. It's still just at the primer stage anyway. You're right, it does look a lot better than the bullet. The only issue I think will be the space between the heel and the neck pickup - I might have to move the pickup in a bit so having the spoke wheel doesn't involve cutting right through the guard there.

I was going to do a vintage-style truss rod but I quite like the idea of using a double rod and having this adjuster sit a little deeper into the body. Certainly easier to rout for it, so I've ordered one of these:

That looks pretty cool! is that just a straight channel route?

[theworkoffire]

That looks pretty cool! is that just a straight channel route?

Yeah. The downside is it's heavier than an old-fashioned one, but it's a hell of a lot easier to install. On the first one I used a similar type that just has a thin flat bar along the top instead of another full rod, but it had a shitty rattle at certain rod tightnesses.

I made the neck template this evening. Used a mustang template for the arm, the lower transition curve and the top of the headstock, then screwed on the MOTORIK template at a jaunty angle to do the lower curve...



...then used part of a jag template to do the upsweep at the end. Proper teamwork!:





Just had chance to draw it out on the blank before getting called in for the kids' bedtime.

[Stereordinary]

'Zat quartersawn Maple?

[theworkoffire]

Yup. I didn't have time to go to the supplier and choose it, so I got what I was given, but it looks pretty good so far.

[andrewdoeshair]

I'm gonna be watching this with a pen and paper to take notes. Very very good stuff.

[finboy]

what about the warmoth style side adjustment?

[theworkoffire]

what about the warmoth style side adjustment?

It's a sensible solution, but I'd need to destroy (or commission) a warmoth neck to get the hardware - I don't think the parts are freely available. I'm fond of keeping things within vintage aesthetics, too.

Cut round the outline and routed the shape of the neck today, using my double-bearing bit again to minimise tear-out. Had a tiny kick-back on the top shoulder and had to slightly reposition the template to clean it up, which worked out fine.



Then I thinned it down from 1" to 3/4" with my router on a floating jig over the table in a couple of passes. Had to make sure the bit was always pushing the cut inwards so it didn't pull any wood from the edge - that happened a bit when i did the same on the first MOTORIK, but was cleaned up when I routed the binding, thankfully.



Then I marked a line where the transition will start, and thinned the headstock down to just over 16mm up to that line.



And that's gonna be it for a week or two while I wait for the truss rod and a slotted fingerboard to cross the atlantic. I need to get some thick reconstituted MOP for the neck inlays, too. Apparently the truss adjuster only needs 1/4" routing from the body, so I shouldn't have to move the pickup at all, thankfully.