Electric guitar build diary - maybe I'll come up with a name for it eventually

[domi7]

@Mustela

Thanks. The way I see it, if I’m working on the uke body at the same time as the guitar body, there are a number of steps that would just be more efficient for me to work on the two at the same time.

That consideration sounds reasonable!
Maybe then do the steps on the uke right before as it will be a smaller piece of wood and less bad if something went less well than desired - and you always are a learning step ahead tackling your guitar?

For the router, I did only use it a few times yet, but I was until now pretty happy with a Makita clone, a clone of this one: Makita RT0701CX3
Read a lot about it before and then bought some accessories, like for routing circles and made my own look-through base as it feels (for me) a bit more stable to have a taller base. But well, don’t want to influence you too much, you’ll certainly find something suitable!
Now I’ll dig for my (old)designs and see if I can find (or redo) something I really really like!

[Mustela]

@domi7

Maybe then do the steps on the uke right before as it will be a smaller piece of wood and less bad if something went less well than desired - and you always are a learning step ahead tackling your guitar?

Eh, I’m not sure if those particular steps are the ones where it’ll necessarily be a real problem to mess up. Those steps are going to be pretty basic steps. Though I did consider doing the whole uke first as a practice run since it’s smaller and will take less time.

But the problem with that is that I have NO IDEA where I’m going to get a bolt-on uke neck right now. I see some manufacturers use them, but I can’t find anybody who sells one on its own. I have a couple feelers out to see if Joyner (a custom electric uke company out of Oregon who uses bolt-on necks) will sell me just a neck or if Warmoth (where I’ll probably buy my guitar neck) will make one, since they do a good bit of custom work, anyway. If one of those options ends up working (my guess is that it would be cheaper to buy a Joyner neck since they already make them) then that won’t be a big deal. But if neither one winds up working out, then I’m going to have to figure out the neck for the uke before I dive too deep into it.

I’m only going to be able to go so far with this digital design tool. Unfortunately, one of the “fixed” elements in the file is the neck scale length and number of frets. And it has 24 frets on it. The neck I’m planning to buy comes with 22 frets and I think I’m going to get it in a Gibson scale length since that is what I’m most familiar with. So I don’t think I’ll be able to use it to work out bridge location, pickup locations, or controls. But I’ll be able to use it as a starting point, get the general shape down on a paper blueprint, and then put those final details on the paper blueprint.

@domi7

For the router, I did only use it a few times yet, but I was until now pretty happy with a Makita clone, a clone of this one: Makita RT0701CX3

Right now, I just have a plunge router base for my Dremel. Probably a touch small for building a guitar body, but it might come in handy for things like the pickup cavities.

[domi7]

Ah, had forgotten I wanted to ask/write about this…

Is it going to be an electric uke with steel strings?
When I looked for them in recent years, here, often they did assign “electric uke” to one with nylon strings and a piezo pickup (which I didn’t search when looking for an “electric uke”.

The one I had started building once was meant for steel strings and also, once I converted an acoustic one with a really bad bridge location (so it had to be taken off and re-glued anyway) so I could put steel strings.

From that experience I would always recommend anyone (who didn’t try steel strings on a uke before) a uke in tenor size rather than smaller, because the steel strings are so sensitive in these small scale lengths. Although I worked rather precisely, it was difficult to get intonation right, it was so much harder than having a nylon string one. And I ended up with two wound and two plain strings, the C string was not nice in plain form for a concert size. Tenor, I didn’t try yet (though I have a kit here that I wanted to build with steel strings), but wound will certainly behave better than plain.

[Mustela]

It’ll be a steel string one with magnetic pickups. Interesting point about tuning and intonation challenges on a smaller-bodied model.

I do see concert-sized electric ukes like this, however. I’ll have to do a bit more reading to see how much of an issue this is.

[domi7]

@Mustela

I do see concert-sized electric ukes like this, however. I’ll have to do a bit more reading to see how much of an issue this is.

Yes, or maybe if there’s one in some shop you could visit and try to experience yourself?
It’s also becoming a problem when building smaller scale guitars with steel strings which run quicker into problems than nylon stringed ones (with decreasing size). But I found the problem to be more pronounced on a uke.
I have also an electric with 57,5cm scale length and that’s much less forgiving than a standard scale one and I also prefered to put a wound g string, because in combination with the rather high frets on an electric guitar, the slightest over-pressure when fretting is heard and everything is more sensible.

[Mustela]

nope. no electric ukes in any shops around here. the only one I’ve seen in a shop anywhere was a vintage Gibson electric uke I saw hanging up behind the counter at a shop in Hawaii. I’ve only seen one other. A local uke band has a guy who pulls out an electric uke for some songs.

I don’t have any trouble with my Taylor GS Mini with its shorter scale. Maybe it’s not short enough? It’s around 60cm.

I couldn’t really find anything about tuning and intonation being troublesome, but I did find discussion about string gauges.

Ukuklele Frequently Asked Questions from Riverbend Instruments

They break down string gauge choices by uke size and they have recommendations for light and medium gauges to use. I suspect string gauge and tension will be factors here given how different steel vs. nylon can be on the same instrument. She’s never played anything with steel strings before.

[domi7]

Yes, I have a 60cm acoustiic too. And me too, barely notice any difference to the 63cm one i also have.

I think on my 57,5cm electric it’s the combination of the 1) still a bit shorter scale length, 2) higher frets - 1.3mm high (or was it even 1.4mm? vs. 1mm on the acoustic) and 3) unwound (vs. wound on the acoustic) G string (which I replaced with a wound one and now the G string is much more manageable). It’s the thickest strings that cause the problems. So lowest wound string - low E (but mostly not so much of a problem) and much more the thickest unwound string, the G string. You can also see it on the bridge… those two strings have to be compensated the most. (In comparison, nylon string guitars have a straight or nearly staight bridge inlay)
On that unwound G string with short scale length and high frets, if you press a tiny little bit too hard, it’s so quickly out of tune and there’s a big difference to an acoustic or a standard scale length electric. It’s worse on a small scale length uke, in these small sizes, every mm too much or too few or too much pressure on your fretting finger is noticed more easily. ( I mean a uke with steel strings, but you can also see it comparing a tenor to a soprano or even a classical guitar to a uke)

Wow - nice ukes on the site you linked! On my acoustic concert conversion, I started with pretty much the same string gauges they recommended for that size, but went a bit thinner when I ran into problems and this helped (in my case). Also, on that concert (which when I bought it was intended for using nylon strings) in respect to the the scale length the build is easily solid enough to work without a truss rod, but then on a tenor one, everything is a bit longer + tension a bit higher, I’m not sure if that would work as nicely too over the years.
Ah yes, and they use special pickups on their Joyner ukes. For simplicity, I bought those blade pickups for my planned elctric uke in order to not have to worry about where magnets and strings are.

Oh, I’ll shut up and leave this place to your electric guitar build
And maybe your wife wished for a tenor (or baritone?) electric anyway and I wouldn’t have needed to harass you with all of this
Before I forget: +1 for high gear ratio tuners on the electric uke for the same reasons.

[Mustela]

I’ve been blade pickup-curious. I’m going to have to try some guitars with different pickup styles so I can decide what I want to put in my guitar build. And also figure out how I want the controls. So many choices. It’s easier for me to choose the structural stuff like the woods. Lol.

There’s a handful of folks who make pickups for electric ukes so the decisions won’t be quite so complex there. But that’s a decision my wife will need to make so shrug.
I also read some commentary from someone on reddit who said just about any pickup company will sell you something made for a uke and said they had DiMarzio pickups in their uke.

Wife’s definitely not interested in a baritone, but she does have acoustic ukes in sizes from tenor to sopranissimo.

I was reading about uke tuners and was looking at the Ratio uke tuners because I am probably putting Ratio tuners on my guitar build. Don’t think I’ll be using the Ratio uke tuners as they look like they’re specifically made for nylon strings.

[domi7]

Oh, what I meant regarding the tuners was “high gear ratio” (hope that this is the correct english wording) as in 1:21 opposed to 1:14 for example.

PS. Now I found what you probably refered to: Graph Tech Ratio tuners? They seem to use different gear ratios depending on the string. Unusual, but for those more sensible strings I refered to it’s maybe not a bad idea to use a higher gear ratio only on these strings which need it. They even go over 1:30 on the G and low E string. I was quite happy with 1:21 compared to the most often used 1:14 already.

[Mustela]

The uke tuners are different than the guitar ones.

RATIO® Tune-a-Lele Ukelele Tuner PRU-4004 | Graph Tech

6:1 for those. I don’t think they’ll work very well for an electric with steel strings. If you watch the video they put out announcing these, you’ll see their explanation for the logic behind them and steel strings don’t enter the equation at all.

[Mustela]

well lovely. this book recommends drawing up a paper blueprint in full 1:1 size. Recommends buying a few sheets of ANSI E size or ISO A0 size paper. I think this might be an out-of-date recommendation. Can’t find sheets of paper in these sizes ANYWHERE. What I am finding are rolls for plotters. Buying a whole roll for this is wildly impractical. I wonder if I could go to staples and have them spool me out a few sheets in the neighborhood of those paper sizes?

Maybe I should just say screw it on drawing my guitar design idea on paper at 1:1 scale.

I’ll have better luck buying big cardboard moving boxes to draw on and then cut up into models. Maybe that’s where I need to go. I was going to make test models that way, anyway. I’m just going to have to draw everything up from scratch every time I make a cardboard model.

[Mustela]

I just remembered last night that I have some foam board insulation in the crawlspace left over from insulating my crawlspace access door last year. I think I have enough left that I can make a few body blank tests when I’m ready to make some 3D models. The Lospennato book recommends clay for this purpose and sure, clay is reusable and lets you “add back” if you take too much off in a spot. But there’s no way I’m buying enough modeling clay to build a guitar body.

The second book arrived last night and I read through it. Lots of duplication, sure, but it does cover some things in more detail and it does put some work into covering some of the woodworking topics that are relevant, especially with regards to finishing.

I have a big ruler on the way so I can make long straight edges and I’ll probably buy a few big moving boxes that I can cut up for some 2d models. I think what I’ll do is make just one neck model and cut it out so I can put it on different bodies to check proportions. Maybe carve one out of foam board when I do the 3d models.

Also was scoping out what hardware I want to use.

I’m not diving into any trem stuff because I want to keep things simple-ish. I’m liking this Schaller bridge:

Schaller Non-Tremolo Roller Bridge - StewMac

I am starting to wonder if I should use black hardware since I’m using a light-colored wood (maple).

One issue I’ve encountered is with the stupid tariffs. I want to use GraphTech’s Ratio tuning machines

Graph Tech Ratio Electric Locking 3+3 Tuned Machine Heads - StewMac

If I want chrome, that’s fine and I may be able to avoid any tariff issues if I order from StewMac? But GraphTech’s website has a big notice about possible tariffs for US customers.

RATIO® 3+3 Locking Tuners - PRL-8311/ 8322/ 8331/ 8341 | Graph Tech

I am still working out what sort of pickups I want to use, but I think I want to go with a simpler control situation. I’m thinking a toggle switch with a single tone knob and a single volume knob. Speaking of the knobs, I think I want to make them out of wood - something like walnut. I’m thinking strongly about getting the neck with turquoise dot inlay, and it’d be super rad to get turquoise chips/dust and make little epoxy pour tops for those knobs.

And the pickup/wiring question sorta lead into whether I want to use a pickguard or not. And if so, what style. If I go strat-type, then that’s a totally different routing arrangement than if I go with no pickguard (or a clear pickguard so I can still feature that wood). Questions, questions.

[Mustela]

Ah-hah!

My searching has paid off! I found someone willing to sell bolt-on ukulele necks! A custom electric uke builder called Sparrow responded to me and said they’d do it. Now that that’s taken care of, I’m definitely going to make a uke. Last night my wife told me to just make whatever I want. She doesn’t want to bother with deciding on a body shape or pickup types or control arrangements or any of that. LOL.

My 1m stainless ruler is out for delivery and I am going to buy some big cardboard boxes for 2d models today. So looks like this evening I’ll be making up some blanks.

Also, I had bought some supplies so I would work with a remnant slab of beli wood from a previous project. We bought a HUGE slab of wood for some built-in cabinets/shelves and a new mantle some years back and there was a piece left over. We’ve considered a few projects for it over the years. My wife briefly considered handing it over to the luthier down the street to build her an acoustic uke (turns out, beli actually is used as a tonewood, though it’s pretty uncommon). I had considered making it into a shelf above the desk in the office/music room. But now I think I’m going to make a console table out of it to put near the front door. It has some cracks that need filled/stabilized and I bought some stone chips and CA glue for that. A couple spots might need something more robust like epoxy, but I think most of them will be fine for CA glue. especially if filling space with the turquoise chips. I could definitely use those turquoise chips for the knob tops like I mentioned above to match the turquoise dot inlays on the Warmoth neck.

[Mustela]

Drew up a 2d model on some cardboard yesterday. Instead of buying moving boxes, I ended up grabbing a few apple boxes when I did a grocery run at Sam’s Club (warehouse store for folks outside the US and don’t know of it). The bottoms are the perfect size for guitar bodies.

The box that the long ruler came in is the perfect size for the neck. And to redo it a couple times if I need to. Going to work on drawing that one up today.

So I’m going with a general strat-ish shape. More generally rounded on the lower bout. I don’t care for the flattish base of the strat’s design. A couple little tweaks to the way the horns on the upper bout join with the neck pocket. But general proportions pretty similar.

I like the beveling that PRS uses on this one, so I think I’ll be borrowing a bit of this.

PRS Guitars | S2 Custom 24-08 - 2025

I think I’m getting close to the pickup and electronics arrangement that I want. I’m liking the sound samples I’m hearing for the Seymour Duncan P-rails. I’ve been single coil-curious, as well as p-90 curious, because I like ALL the tones.

Seymour Duncan P Rail | Seymour Duncan

I want a more intuitive control layout, so I think I’m going to go with this wiring setup (1 vol, 1 tone, and 2x 3-way switches):

2PRail_3G_mt_1V_1T.pdf

I’m tempted by the triple-shot pickup rings (MOAR TONES!). but holy complicated!

This guide makes sense, so I think once I cut the body blank out of the slab and plane it down, I’ll start on the routing.

How (and why) to use templates to rout control cavities - StewMac

This one makes me think I ought to have the neck in hand before I do the neck pocket. Even though my neck pocket design might be a little more flexible, this guide for routing the neck pocket makes me think I still ought to have my actual neck in hand.

Make a neck pocket template

Looks like the neck I want for my guitar has a 4-5 week-ish lead time. So I think I ought to get that order submitted so Warmoth can get it going.

[Mustela]

This is the “representation” of the Warmoth neck that I just ordered.

Meadowhawk headstock shape
birdseye maple neck
ziricote fingerboard (I like seeing a bit of grain)
jumbo nickel frets
turquoise fret inlay (will go with the turquoise bits I’ll be putting on the knobs)
white side dots
no nut (looks like I can get the same graph tech tusq pre-slotted nut for half as much from stewmac)
no binding
no finish (I will be using an oiled finish, which Warmoth does not offer)

Surprisingly, the total cost between the guitar neck and the uke neck won’t be terribly much different. Guitar neck is $395.96 OTD (tax and shipping included) whereas I was quoted $400 for the uke neck (with free shipping). In the end, the guitar neck will still be more expensive (it should be, being larger) since it does not come with tuning machines like the uke neck and I’m getting it without the nut to save a few bucks by buying the nut elsewhere and filing/sanding it down myself.

[Mustela]

Finally made my way all the way through your build thread. That’s some great documentation. And your guitar turned out gorgeous. Still happy with it a few years later?

Also, someone asked for it in the thread and I didn’t see you oblige with a response, but do you have a sound sample of this guitar?

Your discussion about moisture levels makes me want to check to see what the moisture level is in the slab that I bought. I have absolutely no idea how long that slab had been hanging out. The place where I bought it had been completely trashed in a flood a year ago. It was one of those places with a whole bunch of vendors in one building and none of the vendors are actually present. So there was nobody to ask for details on that.

[Mustela]

I’ve been sitting on my sketches and tweaking them over the past few days. Last night I got to a point where I wanted to see it cut out and mocked up. So here we are.

The headstock proportions aren’t quite right. I took measurements from a screenshot and scaled them up to full size. I think something must have been off on the perspective of the screenshot. No matter. The neck is the right dimensions.

Aside from the guide lines, I drew the body freehand, though. And I’m actually really impressed with myself that the radii of the curves for the cutaways are pretty much the same. Done so just by eyeballing.

The full 3D shape is going to have a lot of beveling. My vision is that it’ll almost look like a carved top. With my slab at a generous 2" thick (it’s a tiny bit thicker), I think I’ll have plenty of wood to work with. I don’t think planing is going to take 1/4" off to get a smooth, flat surfaces. The slab appears to be pretty flat already.

Next on to the 3d model to work out those bevels and to get a better idea of balance.

[barker7]

@Mustela

Finally made my way all the way through your build thread. That’s some great documentation. And your guitar turned out gorgeous. Still happy with it a few years later?

Also, someone asked for it in the thread and I didn’t see you oblige with a response, but do you have a sound sample of this guitar?

Yes, very happy. Play it more now than ever. I think on the next one I will use taller frets though because sometimes when doing bends my finger touches the fretboard putting a drag on the bend. Especially if I my finger is not real close to the fret.

This is my first electric and it takes a lot of experimentation to figure out how to get the sound you want. I have a Katana 50 modeling amp so there are lots of knobs to experiment with.

Ultimately though the sound is in the fingers. If I really wanted to make it sound amazing I’d put it in Justin’s hands. In other words, a sound sample of me playing would not be very helpful - except to indicate I should practice more!

The overall body shape looks good. I share your opinion on the look of the flattened rear of a strat. The bevelling is a nice look too. It’s not clear if you were going to leave the body at 2”. That could be very heavy. Since you are not installing a trem, you can make the body much thinner. What type of wood is it?

If you’ve had the wood for a year, and it has been stored indoors with room around it for air to flow, it should probably be at equilibrium with the air in you house, and the slab won’t dry or absorb any more moisture. Don’t bother with a moisture meter, it only measures the moisture content of the top 1/4” of so.

Regardless of the method you use to cut the neck pocket, practice on a piece of scrap wood. I think the standard depth for a bolt-on is 5/8”, so you could get a few practice runs with a short piece of 2x6” lumber. BTW, all the neck to body strength comes from the neck bolts. You still want a neat fit on the sides, but that’s cosmetic.

Good luck. You’re off to a great start.