Doomsday XII
Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
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Fig. 5
Fig. 6
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(concept)
Fig. 7
Stats
| Tuners (fig. 1) |
Chrome Grover mini Rotomatic tuning machines ( $60 |
| Neck (fig. 2) |
Created by USA Custom Guitars |
| Pickups (fig. 3) |
Two GFS Retrotron Memphis humbuckers $76.95 |
| Controls (fig. 4) |
Six-way rotary pickup selector ($10.48); master volume ($4.69); in/out phase mini-toggle ($5.61) |
| Bridge/Tailpiece (Fig. 5) |
Chrome Les Paul-style Tune-O-Matic bridge and stopbar tailpiece made for 12 strings $24.99 |
| Pickguard: (Fig. 6) |
A polished aluminum full-body pickguard is planned, with scenes from the Apocalypse etched into it. |
| Body (Fig. 7) |
Hollow SG shape created by Dave Bauer of Unorthodox Guitar Labor for pickup, bridge, tailpiece, and neck pocket routs: $300 |
So I've got this 12-string project started, and just like The Omnicaster, I have big ideas that may or may not make it into production.
The oddest (and therefore coolest) thing about this guitar is the body. It's essentially a hollow SG body with f-holes. The depth of the body is about twice that of a normal SG.
Because of the f-holes, I don't have a whole lot of room for controls, so I'm just going to use a single master volume pot with a Q Parts abalone inlayed knob to match the inlays on the neck. I don't see any sense in muffling the tone of a 12-string, so there will be no tone controls. Pickup switching will be accommodated by a six-way rotary switch, also with a Q Parts abalone knob. The settings will be 1) neck; 2) neck tapped; 3) neck/bridge; 4) neck/bridge tapped; 5. bridge; 6) bridge tapped. A two-way mini toggle switch will control in/out phase switching.
I plan to dye and/or stain the wood as dark a shade of red as I possibly can, with the intention of achieving something approaching an oxblood color. The layers of maple sandwiched between the cherry will probably stand out with a brighter color. A hand-rubbed tung oil finish will give it a good shine.
Cost so far: $439.72
March 14, 2008
The routing is finished. The bill came out to $320. Bye bye, money.
I have to pay in installments, so no pics yet. I'm a little ticked, because the luthier didn't do quite what I asked. I told him to ignore the stopbar tailpiece and mark where the ferrules should go for a string-thru setup, and then I'd drill the holes myself. Instead...he installed the posts for the stopbar.
In the meantime, I've acquired the red stain, the tung oil, square drive neck screws, and Schaller locking strap buttons (also with after market square drive screws).
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August 25, 2008
The rear cavity and output jack are now both routed; I pre-drilled the spots for the strap buttons; and the tuner holes in the headstock have been bored out to fit the Grover tuners, which have been installed.
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December 1, 2008
I applied the first coat of red stain to the body. The grain came out looking very nice, and I considered abandoning any further coats. As I was hanging it up to dry, it slipped out of my hands and onto the concrete floor of my father's workshop. Three cracks developed: two on the inside edge of the right f-hole and one that wrapped around the bottom edge of the body. My father did his best to glue some of the cracked wood back together, and he believes it may still be salvaged and turned into a working guitar, but I'm not so sure. At the very least, I'll have to scratch my plans to finish it in tung oil. A polyurethane clear coat is the only way to go now. The cracks must be sealed up.
April 1, 2010
The guitar has been in the hands of Rick Land for a while now, to fix, finish, and complete it. He sent some photos today and it looks freaking awesome. No foolin'.
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