Double-Cut/Variax #2
Well, here's the start of the last Variax from scratch project I'm doing for a while.
I have one other guitar that I'm putting together at the same time as do this one,
but it's not a Variax. I want to get these last couple done and take the summer off. I'll be
using the Ibanez piezo floyd on this
Variax transplant. It will also
include the Fernandes sustainer system.
UPDATE 3/12/06
Got the neck set done. Next comes the neck pickup rout and then the top carving.
UPDATE 3/17/06
Got the
neck pickup, bridge and bridge recess routs done. This is my first floyd
install, not to mention sinking the dang thing into the body, so I've really had to take it
extra slow and careful during this part.
UPDATE 3/18/06
Got the
rear pickup rout done and the carving roughed in.
UPDATE 3/18/06
Carving complete.
UPDATE 6/03/06
Got all the neck work finished. Inlaid the abalone in the top. Got the new piezo
floyd
in yesterday so I'll be able to finish up the body shaping and glue in the neck. I'm going
to try to get this project completed this month.
Yeah, I know. It's a copy of a Santana. This project is for personal study and
I'm
not into mass producing copies. I just want to see if I can make it look something like
a Santana and include the vax circuit as in the first two PRS
guitars I did.
Decided to go with an original Floyd with graphtech ghost saddles instead of the
Edge piezo bridge.
Neck profile and
heel shaping done.
UPDATE 6/11/06
Got the
neck glued in and the top glued on the back. It's all one piece forever now.
I just have to do the variax rout and finish the trem rout in the back. I'll be ready
for final clean
up sanding after that.
UPDATE 6/15/06
Okay. I
finished the rear trem rout. Hmmm.... Now I gotta make all this stuff
fit! I had to make yet another variax rear cavity template and "super size" it for just 39 cents.
Let's see, we have a floyd rose, a variax, a fernandes sustainer and passive pickups.
I'd say that's
plenty to fiddle with on a guitar.
UPDATE 7/11/06
Well, I thought this day would never get here. I finally got this Santana transplant ready
for finish sanding. I figured I'd post a couple new pics. I've never seen a Santana in person.
I can't afford those things. I kinda just eyeballed everything and looked at pics of Santana's
on eBay. I
think it looks pretty close.
I'm sure you guys are probably pretty bored with the transplant stuff by now. I
know I am!
Anywho, here she is. The next time you see it, it should be blue and hopefully have strings
on it! It took quite a few holes to get everything in there. Passive stuff, sustainer etc...
It has
more holes in it than my favorite underwear!
UPDATE 7/13/06
Got a
whole lot of sanding done and did the blue stain job.
UPDATE 7/15/06
Got a
sealer coat on the top. This pic is pretty close to the actual color. It's
difficult
to get
these digital cameras to capture what the color really looks like.
A good
pic that shows the contours.
UPDATE 7/28/06
Just
about done with the clear. She's starting to shine. The neck will get tung oil
and will be a separate process.
UPDATE 9/16/06
Howdy
all,
Been a while... If anyone is still interested in this stuff, I finally finished
this
Santana project. It's been a challenge. Everything is working! I was worried to death it
wouldn't work right. I'll try and do some sound clips or maybe a vid with the crappy
cam in the
next few days. I hope everyone is well!
Take care!
Here's a vid of the Variax/DC2... Just going through a few sounds and trying out the sustainer and stuff.
http://www.guitaristjeffmiller.com/videos/jeff_miller_variax_dc2.wmv