travismoore Posted June 21, 2007 Report Share Posted June 21, 2007 WOW mine? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dude Posted June 22, 2007 Report Share Posted June 22, 2007 I can't get over what an amazing body shape that is. Nice work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz Posted June 30, 2007 Report Share Posted June 30, 2007 Great F holes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick500 Posted June 30, 2007 Report Share Posted June 30, 2007 Just awesome. Great work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geo Posted June 30, 2007 Report Share Posted June 30, 2007 Wow, that's fantastic. The F-holes and lower bouts remind me of an ancient Greek lyre or something. Darn right you're finishing that natural!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gibsonsg26 Posted July 1, 2007 Report Share Posted July 1, 2007 thats looking amazing i cant wait to see it all together. I cant believe how incredible that top looks its amazing that wood could have grain as cool as that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheIRS Posted July 1, 2007 Report Share Posted July 1, 2007 i... wow. thats just freaking amazing. beautiful guitar you have there. can't WAIT to see it done!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAK Guitars Posted July 2, 2007 Report Share Posted July 2, 2007 That looks great! I really like the f-holes. It just all fits together! I think some wooden pickup covers would be really cool especially if you were using p-90s. Kudos! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikevirok Posted July 3, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 3, 2007 (edited) CMCg-I ... almost there.... tomorrow she gets the full fret-job and beginning stages of the oil treatment... Here is a morning shot of all the bodies for my other CMCg's (#'s III, II and IV from left to right) all of which began the process of finishing today... these are in their raw sanded states in this image. Above is CMCg-IV in the spray-shack. I decided to lacquer this one, unlike the others which will be oil finished, since alder is such a soft wood and I want a higher level of protection for it. Besides, I wanted a subtle burst from natural in the center to a slightly darker fade (ala vintage) along the edges... ... and there she is after the slight burst... I am very happy so far! I will add more tone to the edges in the morning (humidity permitting!). Above is the before image of CMCg-II. This one has another Canary-wood top like the semi-hollow pictured first in this post, but this model is a solid body with a pair of Gibson P-90's. The strips running through are birdseye maple and bloodwood. So, I rubbed some oil on aaaaand...... BAM!!! Look at her shine!!! I love the oiled finish so far!!! I did the same oil technique on the CMCg-III which is made of mahogany, wenge and ash... Edited July 3, 2007 by mikevirok Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregP Posted July 3, 2007 Report Share Posted July 3, 2007 So nice! Love the natural with the subtle "vintage" burst. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmrentis Posted July 3, 2007 Report Share Posted July 3, 2007 That looks like one of the hipshot trems, is it? Do you like it? I wanted the hardtail version and will probably go with that next build, I believe they are all made of brass. I was wondering if the actual saddles themselves are all different sizes? From a few pics it looks that way. In the hardtail I also saw they had one with the U shaped saddles and another with rectangle saddles which are all the same size. Anyhow, just wondering what you knew and thought about their bridges. Very nice builds, they all look amazing, the natural with bursted lacquer is nice and the oil one is also just amazing. Good stuff, and good luck with the rest, keep the pics coming. J Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikevirok Posted July 3, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 3, 2007 That looks like one of the hipshot trems, is it? Do you like it? I wanted the hardtail version and will probably go with that next build, I believe they are all made of brass. I was wondering if the actual saddles themselves are all different sizes? From a few pics it looks that way. In the hardtail I also saw they had one with the U shaped saddles and another with rectangle saddles which are all the same size. Anyhow, just wondering what you knew and thought about their bridges. Very nice builds, they all look amazing, the natural with bursted lacquer is nice and the oil one is also just amazing. Good stuff, and good luck with the rest, keep the pics coming. J Thanks for the compliments J. To answer some of your questions about the hardware: yes I am using Hipshot bridges. 2 of my models are using the Fulcrum-style Hipshot trems and 2 are using the hard-tail versions. I think the bridges are mainly made of hardened USA steel and not brass, but I'm not sure. The bushings for the trem-posts are hardened steel and so are the pivot points on the bridge itself. As far as the saddle lengths are concerned, the low E and the G strings have shorter saddles to help with spacing while setting up the guitars since they usually sit far back and sometimes run out of room after drastic intonation adjustments are made. I too have seen the photos and diagrams of the bridges (both trem and hard) that have square saddle-backs as well as the rounded-backs (like I have). I ordered the trem versions from AllParts, and the hard-tails came from Stewart-MacDonald. I was surprised to find that both orders from separate suppliers had the rounded saddles, so you should be in luck with the rounded saddles. The Hipshot bridges are very nice, and everyone who has seen them in my class has been quite impressed with their construction and appearance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmrentis Posted July 3, 2007 Report Share Posted July 3, 2007 (edited) Wow, thank you! You answered everything I wanted to know. From the first time I saw those bridges I liked them, far and above almost any other hardtail out there. Thank you on the information about the U saddles from both suppliers. I just checked stewmac because I had in my head they were brass and their site is where I got that from Hipshot Bridge(StewMac). Says they are machined from solid brass and then plated, which from what I have heard is a good bridge material, which makes me like them even more, the saddles are steel it says. They just look so much more simple and classy compared to most bridges and on a nice natural looking build like yours they really add to the look. Anyhow, thanks again and keep up the excellent work and pictures coming. J Edited July 3, 2007 by jmrentis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikevirok Posted July 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 9, 2007 Well everyone; I am officially a certified luthier!!! I graduated on Saturday evening from Atlanta Guitar Works and I am excited to say that my finished products earned me the award for "Best Of Class"!!! These things are awesome, they play like a dream & are only the tips of the iceberg... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Posted July 9, 2007 Report Share Posted July 9, 2007 Congratulations on becoming a certified luthier, that's one hell of an accomplishment! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gibsonsg26 Posted July 9, 2007 Report Share Posted July 9, 2007 congrats you did a really good job building your guitar thats one of the best canarywood tops ive ever seen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted July 9, 2007 Report Share Posted July 9, 2007 Those are great looking! You should upload some sound clips. Oh, and what happened to that real nice alder one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikevirok Posted July 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 9, 2007 Those are great looking! You should upload some sound clips. Oh, and what happened to that real nice alder one? ... well, that's why even though I graduated two days ago and everyone else has gone home, I am remaining a few extra days at the school to finish (literally) her up. The alder turned out to be a little risky just to oil since it's so soft, so I decided to lacquer finish her. I took this one out of the spray shack yesterday and it is nearing completion as I type this. I should be done with it tomorrow & I will post finished photos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted July 10, 2007 Report Share Posted July 10, 2007 Man, that finish looks great dude. Amazing job! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikevirok Posted July 11, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 11, 2007 Alright fellow forum members; here are the last few images from my stay at Atlanta Guitar Works. This is the fourth CMCg model that I produced while down here many miles away from home. I never touched a power tool in my life before coming to this facility, yet I was able to create (on my own) 4 high-end electric guitars each with the careful attention of a new yet well trained eye of a certified luthier. I am beginning my drive home tonight to reach New Jersey by Thursday evening. This has been the greatest accomplishment of my life so far and I cannot wait to begin building and repairing in my home state. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Posted July 11, 2007 Report Share Posted July 11, 2007 Awesome! I love all 4! What you did with the tuner mounting is cool too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gibsonsg26 Posted July 11, 2007 Report Share Posted July 11, 2007 wich one do you think sounds best they all must have such different tone. There all extremely cool looking. Especialy the first one you did that canary wood looks awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Posted July 11, 2007 Report Share Posted July 11, 2007 Hey- is the bridge p-90 in the one with 2 of them the same as in the alder one? if so, is the scale length the same? Pots? If so, then how different do they sound? I know one has a trem and one is hardtail, and theres a few other differences, but I'm thinking this could help determine how significant wood choice is on tone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikevirok Posted July 12, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 12, 2007 wich one do you think sounds best they all must have such different tone. There all extremely cool looking. Especialy the first one you did that canary wood looks awesome. As far as which one "sounds best", I have been favoring the second one (2 P-90's & trem). Each of the guitars do have a very different tone. For the time being, all we had at the guitar workshop were little practice amps with really terrible Eq's and components. The real test will be after I return home and plug in to my rig and jam with my pals. Hey- is the bridge p-90 in the one with 2 of them the same as in the alder one? if so, is the scale length the same? Pots? If so, then how different do they sound? I know one has a trem and one is hardtail, and theres a few other differences, but I'm thinking this could help determine how significant wood choice is on tone. Both the CMCg-II and the CMCg-IV have Gibson Vintage P-90's. So, yes both models have the same bridge pickups. I even used the same capacitor for the tone circuits. The potentiometers are the same as well (at least I think so, I'll have to double check that - although the values are each 500k audio tapers). The scale lengths on all of my models are 25.5 (just like a Fender), so that makes them similar in that respect as well. As far as tonality and differences in sound go I need to get these plugged into a better rig to better judge that. I'll post some type of clips as soon as I get them recorded. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Motorbreath Posted July 12, 2007 Report Share Posted July 12, 2007 Congrats. Simply amazing work. I have no past experience in building these things but I've been playing them for more than 20 years and I just love guitars which have an artistic quality in their stature, which by the way, these four beauties definitely have. Just inspiring. Please, please upload soundclips recorded with a decent amp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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