After finishing a Budget Junior-Brown style Guitsteel, I decided to embark on a next challenge.
The idea is to build a very basic 50's style Maphis Doubleneck-special-guitar that can grow, be customized in it's later life.
Reason for not going for the whole bells and whistles recreation is that I don't have much money at the moment, and I don't have a workshop, so I depend on good weather (scarce in the Netherlands these days) so I can work outside, or the workspace friends provide me with.
In a later phase, if wanted, parts can be changed, pickups can be wound, pickupcovers can be milled, inlays can be routed...if maybe I get the use of a workshop I could try my hand at making my own necks etc. etc...
Body:
Thin semi hollow body, swamp ash, double bound.
German carve front, initially a flat back (could be upgraded later to a carved back)
Maybe thinline/ES type construction, maybe a Plywood back, or felt covered aluminum like Larry Collins' Larico.
Stained sunburst, then finished with Danish Oil or Tung oil.
Since I'm planning on two fullsize necks, the body might have to be a bit bigger than the originals, more like the Mythical "Bill Bartlett" one.
Necks:
Two standard Bound Eden T- type Paddlenecks off Ebay, fixed with screws. Pearloid fretmarker and headstock decoration.
One neck in standard tuning, one tuned down to Baritone or up to nashville tuning DADGAD or whatever.
Since I'm not much of a virtuoso on the strings, I think the Octave neck is not for me, I have no need for a 12 string either,
I thought about maybe a mandolin, but I'm not a good mandolin player either;)
For some songs I play, a baritone or Drop D would be great.
If I stumble upon a cheap source of octave or electric mandolin necks I might change my mind though.
Electronics and other parts:
4 cheap Dog ear P90's off eBay, I used those for an ES-175 copy I customized, and I kind of like the sound.
If I'm going for a design with Black pickup covers, I'm going to try to square off the dog ears. If I'm going for white I'm going to try to customize some Jazzmaster Pickup covers or make "Elaine Frizzell style" wooden surrounds with "Pickguard tops".
Not sure if I'm going for white or black pickguard/sweatguard yet (Terry of TNM-Guitars is giving me some info on those)
2 Budget Roller-bridge knockoffs off Ebay.
DIY wooden/Aluminium stop piece for the upper neck, DIY stainless cover.
Bigsby B5 (the only part I already have.... ) or some Japanese chrome sixties thing I have lying around (like the GFS vintage tremelo), maybe make something out of aluminum myself, DIY stainless cover or Violin tailpiece.
Grover imperial knockoffs off Ebay.
Good idea, or not?
Tips (both kinds
warnings and clever questions are more than welcome.Grtz
Dennis
