Tiger Inspired Guitar (on a budget)

[KWRummie]

I didn’t give him a template, though his website indicates you need to. Not wanting to make an exact copy of someone else’s headstock, I told him that I liked the Les Paul shape but wanted a slight curve across the top similar to an Irwin. He had a template for the Les Paul and knew what I was looking for with the top and referred to it as “the Garcia curve.”

Though I’m happy with it, if I had to do it again I would probably take the same shape but make it a little larger.

[paulinnc]

I didn’t give him a template, though his website indicates you need to. Not wanting to make an exact copy of someone else’s headstock, I told him that I liked the Les Paul shape but wanted a slight curve across the top similar to an Irwin. He had a template for the Les Paul and knew what I was looking for with the top and referred to it as “the Garcia curve.”

Though I’m happy with it, if I had to do it again I would probably take the same shape but make it a little larger.

That's what I did too. I sent him the best picture I could find and told him to start with a Les Paul shape and go from there. Speaking of Les Paul, I just read that he passed away.

[Counterstriker]

I have a question to anyone who knows - Did the brass pickup ring act as a Pickup mounting plate like a pickguard is to a Stratocaster?

[drewfx]

Question - what did you do about finishing the neck?
Also, does anyone know if a Soulmate 25" scale will work on a Warmoth?

I'm toying with the idea of building one of these, but there's so many options to think about...


drewfx

[KWRummie]

The Warmoth WGD body is 25-1/2” scale length and the neck pocket is built to Strat specs. I just let Doug know that and it was no problem. He shipped it with a coat of Behlen vinyl sealer on it. I sprayed about a dozen coats of nitrocellulose. Those Warmoth necks are pretty nice too. I have one on a Strat and I really like the 10-16” compound radius. There are a million options, that’s kind of the fun of it because you can make it your own.

The brass rings have holes for mounting to the guitar and sets of holes for mounting the pickups to it.

[drewfx]

Thanks for the info.

Yeah, I'd probably just go for a Warmoth neck (I built a Warmoth bass a couple of months ago and it came out great), but I'm thinking I might like fancier inlays on a guitar like this, and Warmoth doesn't offer too many options (and what they do offer is too pricey for what it is, IMHO).

As far as the neck, Warmoth offers 24 5/8" "conversion necks" that work with their 25.5" bridge placements, but I don't know if a 3rd party, non 25.5" neck would need different bridge placement. I could be perfectly happy with 25.5" in any case, so it doesn't really matter.


I'm not really complaining about the number of options (that's one of the big reasons for doing it yourself), but it is a lot too think about, particularly when there are so many really good options to choose from.

Your's came out beautiful, by the way.

drewfx

[Counterstriker]

What I mean is it like a strat where The pickups aren't mounted to the wood, they are to the actual pickup ring.

[KWRummie]

Yes, the pups mount right to the ring.

Drewfx, thanks for the kind comments. Glad to hear your Warmoth bass came out great. That may be my next project.

[DeadHeadFred]

I been thinkin' so long about building a budget Tiger that I play with the idea in my head daily. I think I've gathered enough to just order the hardware from JoR, grab an unfinished WGD, wire and finish her up and wait on my neck, maybe a Doug, looks great!

I wish I had the cash to get a nice Resurrection or have something built, but I really like having the option to build it piece by piece as I can afford it. Can always steal a Tele neck or somethin too while I wait...

So thanks for all the help, everybody!