next build - DC Special-ish

PeteC

Hi folks.   

Finally getting stuff together for my next build after concentrating on a few amp builds and repairs during lockdown. Now back to some woodwork finally.  

I am planning on making a DC special with a long tenon and an extended heel ( as I like this on my McCarty ).  I’m also going to depart from a gibbo style headstock and may have some slight body contouring too.  I’d also like to have coil split humbuckers in P90 sized routs. 

Body will probably be Idigbo I have left from last couple of builds , with a Mahogany neck from some very old reclaimed public library mahogany 

I’m aware that be the neck pickup weakens the neck joint on original early DC specials and have been looking at the pics in my rather battered copy of Ian Bishop’s Gibson Guitars since 1950.   There is a pic in there of 2 DC specials owned by the guitarist from the Hollies - one with the neck pup close to the body joint and another much further back to strengthen the joint.  Interestingly the control layout is very different between the two guitars (1958 and 1959 I think without the book to hand at the mo ).  

I could do with a bit of advice about optimum placement of the neck pick up - should it be placed to be at a harmonic - or is this overkill?   

Cheers 

PhilKing

Many years ago, I saw a band called Charlie and one of their guitarists had a modded Les Paul Junior.  He's fitted a pair of humbuckers, but had them in the bridge and middle position, with no neck pickup.  I thought it sounded great and it's something I keep wanting to try, but routing a vintage guitar is not something I want to do at this stage.

I have a 1960 Les Paul Special and it has the pickup set back from the neck by about an inch.  it sounds great and I'm not sure that I can hear any difference to one right by the neck (I had a friend with a 1959 which was only about 1/4" from the neck).

PeteC

Thanks Phil.  I am going to try scale from a photo but if you get chance to measure the centre of the pickup from the last fret then I’d be very grateful (or buy you a beer if you’re ever in Yorkshire ! ) 

those dc specials are almost as nice as juniors ! 

PhilKing

Hi Pete, these are a couple of shots for you.  I suppose technically, this is an SG special, as it doesn't have the Les Paul logo.  I'm in the Sates, so the measurements are in inches, but I've used a ruler with 32nds.   I used to be in Yorkshire a lot, being as I was born in Bingley and my mum is in Gomersal, as well as still having a lot of friends there.  I usually call in to see @juansolo and Andy and go for a Black Sheep and pie at the Cherry Tree in Dalton.  At the moment Covid has stopped me visiting at the moment, though I do have tickets for Christmas still and am hoping to get there.  

PeteC

That’s perfect Phil.  Thanks very much.   Let me know if you make it over at. Xmas and I’ll buy you that beer !   Cheers 

PeteC

So after more deliberation I have made a "start" on the new build.  This time I'm putting more time into planning it. 
Sharing some thoughts here so they are open to critique/suggestions etc. 

I love the DC's but want something a little different this time and for it to be a more original build rather than a copy of a classic design. 

I'm a fan of SGs and the bevelled carves on the body, as well as PRS shapes.  The PRS Mira is a combination of the two to some extent with ergonomic carves on a basic body, but without fancy PRS contouring. 

So I have started by taking my existing Junior DC template and shapes profiled from my old McCarty and incorporating a bevelled body shaping inspired by the Mira.   The body outline is really a hybrid of the DC junior, a McCarty and an LP.   The contouring will be similar to the Mira and SG.  Planning to do a 2 degree angle on the body plane between neck join and bridge and then put the rest of the break angle into the heel of the neck.  Also going to have an extended / long heel like the McCarty ( which most people seem to hate about PRS' , but I rather like. ) Plan is for the body/neck join to be between the 21st and 22nd frets. 

Ive ordered a set of Alegree's new PAFs with Alnico 4's in Nickel at 7.5KOhms. 

For switching I am going with a simple 3 way toggle with single volume and single tone.  I like this simple and effective arrangement on my McCarty. 

I still have quite a bit of Idigbo/White Korina left so I will use that for the body - and plenty of thinner old mahogany for the neck.

Plan is to have a 22 fret unbound (maybe) neck with a Panga Panga board and Dunlop 6105 frets.  I've ordered a couple of the new SSS pots for controls. 

Not sure what finish to go for yet given that the Idigbo doesn't take stain very consistently.  Open to suggestions on that!
Especially because I have yet stained and sprayed the two other juniors yet - I just keep playing em instead ! 

Also unsure whether to go with a TOM or wraparound on this one.  Again open to suggestions.

Early days (!) but basic hybrid body shape in black below .....narrower waist than the DC junior, more open lower horn than a DC junior, and shorter upper horn than a PRS. Off to murder some MDF for templates now....

PeteC

Back from the garden shed with a body template and a neck blank rough cut from the old public library mahogany. ( surprisingly light weight ) 

Still looks like a Junior quite a bit ! 
finally got started at least. 

davros

Looking good, familiar but not a direct copy. Looking forward to seeing this come together.

I'd be tempted to beef up the treble horn as it looks a little unbalanced with the bass side. Or perhaps moving the bass side waist up a little higher than the treble side?

WezV

I agreebl its a bit unbalanced.... but not enough to make it look intentional.


I think I would thicker the bass side and shrink the treble side to make the difference look intentional.

I would draw it out in detail from that template to see if it works

PeteC

cheers - I know what you mean.   I might do a second template and try both - I've got a longish Idigbo plank left , so plenty of timber to use.  

PeteC

ooh - quick question...Tuners...I am thinking of Kluson Vintage Locking tuners ( to speed things up when initially doing the nut and the fretwork ) 

Anyone used them - I like vintage tuners and am hoping there wont be much extra weight with the locking ones ? 

greggreg66

Nice. +1 re treble horn, needs a bit more beef on that I think. Looking forward to this develop Pete, going to be a good one

PeteC

Yep.  Think I am sold on that idea - I compared it to my McCarty and there’s a lot more width to the treble horn on that.   

PeteC

early start before work, and some mdf found its destiny....

better shape i think - thanks for the advice gents.   Some smoothing to do yet and then sealing , but more balanced I think. 

Now thinking about a good way to do the break angle on the body plane and wondering if I should go for a maple cap on the idigbo. Or is there another wood which would be good to use as a cap,  to learn with ? 

cheers

PeteC

for anyone who likes a few wood shots.....

had a power outage for the whole day yesterday so just enough light in the garden shed to do some hand planing of the set of neck blanks I am working on.  One is the old mahogany - and the other two are - well I'm not 100% sure - it feels a little like mahogany and is lighter in shade but denser in grain and takes a very smooth (almost like a rosewood neck) surface easily - any ideas what it is ??   I used it on my second junior build and its a really stiff neck. 

All of these three have scarf joints - one with the joint in the headstock , the other two with the join well below the headstock break angle.  I used Fletchers sanding jig idea again, but tidied the surfaces up with scrapers and spot sanding to ensure nice joints. 

Very satisfying using the old Bailey No.7 jointer plane after a bit of sharpening. 

Building the table saw jointing sled, and a router jointing set up next. 

SteveRobinson

Lovely work Pete

PeteC

Table saw sled and router fence almost complete.  Just need to get some low friction plastic for the faces of the fence or something very thin for the outfeed and I should have a working “planer” for neck laminates and body and cap jointing.    I should be able to do up to about 45mm thickness with this.   The table saw sled should be good for quick dimensioning and then finishing on the router table (fingers crossed).   

Nice wealden bit gives lovely fine shavings. 

greggreg66

Nice. Will the wood miss the bearings so they register off the fence?

I've been on Wealden a bit recently. Got to buy a 35mm radius cutter to make a cove for a drinks cabinet I'm making at work.... but also because I'm looking for the right bit to make a German carve for the next guitar build, which is far more exciting : )

PeteC

Yep.  The bit is long enough for the top and bottom bearings to be able to miss the workpieces.   So long as I stick to certain thicknesses      

German crave sound good.   Sounds like a serious bit    Spindle moulders scare the wits out of me ! 

PeteC

Carve - bloody spell checker ! 

PeteC

It lives !!