Starcaster build! (Again) (finished p.6)

Talk about modding or building your own guitar from scratch.
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gishuk
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Starcaster build! (Again) (finished p.6)

Post by gishuk » Sun Mar 25, 2018 10:51 am

Its been a long time since I posted on here, or built anything, but I've had a burst of motivation and started this.

I built a Starcaster a few years back, and while I was quite happy with it, I know I can do better so the plan is to reuse the hardware from that and the solid rosewood neck, but build a new body. I have Curtis Novak WRHBs in regular humbucker size to go in this, but I'm thinking that instead of the hardtail bridge I used last time I'll use a Mustang tremolo, mostly as I had one sitting around ;D

Heres a (very) rough photoshop of what I'm aiming for. I'd like to think I'm a better builder than a image editor, but a maple top blue stain finish on the top, maple back maybe stained darker, solid rosewood neck, thin white binding.

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Body roughcut and the cavitys marked ready for hogging out and routing. Luckily still had the templates from my last build so thats one less thing.

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The top joined and roughly sanded. Should have some interesting figuring in the wood once its finished.

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Last edited by gishuk on Wed Sep 26, 2018 7:45 am, edited 2 times in total.

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gishuk
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Re: Starcaster! (Again)

Post by gishuk » Tue Mar 27, 2018 7:59 am

Not the most exciting update but I've hogged out the back with the drillpress to save routing time later, which I will get done next time I have a chance to work on this.

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After that its time to glue the top on, but I'm still trying to decide what to do about the 'f-holes', which I can't decide if to actually make them the traditional 'F' as on a real Starcaster, or maybe more of a Rickenbacker slash shape, or something else entirely. I've seen some cool split soundholes somewhere on an electric, could also be a possibility. Inspiration welcomed!

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kdanie
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Re: Starcaster! (Again)

Post by kdanie » Tue Mar 27, 2018 8:18 am

I use a slimer/trimmer version of a standard F hole. I suggest printing up some drawings of the starcaster and try out a few ideas on paper. When you find one or two you like make a paper version and try it on the body. It may take a few tries to come up with something you like.

Here's my version of the F hole:


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Image

ken
Last edited by kdanie on Wed Apr 18, 2018 8:39 am, edited 3 times in total.
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gishuk
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Re: Starcaster! (Again)

Post by gishuk » Tue Mar 27, 2018 12:52 pm

Thats a good shout, I'll try doing that for sure.

Love your thinline Jazzmaster there, beautiful.

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Re: Starcaster! (Again)

Post by kdanie » Tue Mar 27, 2018 1:29 pm

I built that body (alder with alder top) years ago for our own member apreswho, he did the finish and final assembly. As I recall it was his main gigging guitar for a while.

ken
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gishuk
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Re: Starcaster! (Again)

Post by gishuk » Wed Apr 04, 2018 5:56 pm

Got some more progress on this build.

Trimmed the outside of the body and routed the cavitys. Need some sanding on the cavitys to tidy them up as the router wobbled a bit in places and hasn't left the most even bottom, but its nothing some sanding cant fix. Mostly wont be see anyway but just because im building a CBS era Fender doesn't mean I want to copy their quality control ;D

You can also see that in the years since my last build my 'workshop' has not improved! And by workshop I mean folding workmate ;)

Quite excited for how the back of this is going to look with stain on, its quite a pretty piece of maple. This won't be a light guitar though thats for sure.

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gishuk
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Re: Starcaster build! (Again)

Post by gishuk » Sat Apr 07, 2018 1:27 pm

Reached a bit of a milestone, the point where it actually starts to look like a guitar! Always exciting.

To be fully honest I didn't quite have enough clamps and the edges in a couple of spots are not perfect. Not that any of it will be seen anyway as the binding will cover the top join, but I really do need to remember to buy more clamps before I make another semi ::)

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Re: Starcaster build! (Again)

Post by gishuk » Tue Apr 24, 2018 11:02 am

Slow progress but some progress at least. Got the neck pocket routed out, had a piece tear out right along the edge of it which was pretty annoying. Brand new router bit as well, just one of those things I guess, but managed to find the piece and glue it back in. Only rough sanded it down but once its final sanded it should be invisible.

Mustang tremolo and pickup cavitys next!

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gishuk
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Re: Starcaster build! (Again)

Post by gishuk » Fri Apr 27, 2018 1:10 pm

Test fitted the neck for the first time. Had to sand a bit of the neck pocket for it to fit, but thats no bad thing as its a super snug fit now. Mocked up the tremolo and worked out pickup cavity placements too, starting to look like something now.

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Re: Starcaster build! (Again)

Post by ludobag1 » Fri Apr 27, 2018 1:54 pm

nice litter clamp ;D for gluing top or fretboard ,the middle is not important you have to concentrate the clamping on side (the middle folow the rest )
i made also my neckpocket tight it help to drill the neck strait for the plate ,after i sand it a little to make room for paint ,also i made it before final neck sanding ,less gap is easyer to center, depend of finish but with true oïl for example the building of coat is very thin and less need for room
usualy i sand the neck Pocket rather than the neck ,but if it force too much the finish break at side of neck Pocket(no the first you mount it ,but if you have to dismantle the break appears >:(

also if i was you i have routed the binding before neck Pocket cause there is a risk of oups i have fall in the neck Pocket ;) (or you could put a faux neck in )

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gishuk
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Re: Starcaster build! (Again)

Post by gishuk » Sat Apr 28, 2018 7:51 am

Cat litter comes in handy sometimes for sure ;D

I get your point about the binding routing before the neck pocket, that probably is a better way to do it for sure. I did it after the neck pocket last time though and it didnt have a problem but I can see the risk of having tearout. Hopefully that doesnt happen!

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Re: Starcaster build! (Again)

Post by Rgand » Sun Apr 29, 2018 4:28 pm

Looking good. I have yet to tackle a hollow body. This is a good one to follow. I also like your kitty litter clamping system. :w00t:

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Re: Starcaster build! (Again)

Post by epizootics » Tue May 01, 2018 6:11 am

:derp: Did Sainsbury's lose the iconic phrase "Does the job" on their home-branded cat litter bags? :)

Looking lovely, I'm keeping an eye on this build...

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gishuk
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Re: Starcaster build! (Again)

Post by gishuk » Fri May 04, 2018 4:22 pm

Cat litter has many uses ;D

Got the tremolo cavitys routed out. Sat the Mustang trem on there for a look, never seen this combo of trem and body shape before, I think it looks pretty good but if anyones seen it done I'd like to see some photos.

Need to decide on the f-hole design soon too really, going to print some designs out on paper and see how they sit with the bridge.

Image

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gishuk
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Re: Starcaster build! (Again)

Post by gishuk » Wed May 09, 2018 8:05 am

Pickup cavitys routed. They are standard size humbuckers but will be having some Curtis Novak WRHBs in that size fitted, so wont quite look the same as a regular starcaster and I will have options to change out later, but will have the tone. These are the cleanest routs I think I've ever done though. Noone will ever see them but im happy!

Still need to decide on soundholes!

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