Gibson '57 Futura Build

[Perry]

Thank you ForcedFire for your efforts on the headstock. I appreciate it very much. I don't think I have ever seen a straight-on photo of the Futura headstock, and seeing one did get me to thinking.

I think your last statement says something important, however. That it kind of loses the V shape. To me it kind of looks less like a split headstock and more like a big headstock with a V cut in the top.

For some reason, I see the original Futura headstock as a little homely. To me, it just doesn't have much about it that is futuristic. The Robin version seems to be much more updated and graceful, and this is why I'm trying to achieve something like it.

In fact, today I worked on yet another mock-up, but this time I installed the tuners. These are not the exact tuners I plan to use. They are from Guitarfetish and have the green keys. The ones I want to use are the same style but have creme keys.

I installed the tuners at slightly different distances from the outisde of the headstock edge. This made the first and sixth tuners sit-in more and the third and fourth to set-in less from the edge. You can see that this worked quite well on the treble side where there should be enough space for the strings not to foul one another. The bass side, however, will require more work, and I think I know what is needed.

Here's a photo. The shadow makes it look as though the sixth tuner does not clear the headstock, but it does.



The two forks are not at the same angle from the center line. The treble fork is at a different angle than the bass fork. I think if I make the bass fork the same angle or even a slightly greater angle everything will be good. The reason why the bass fork is at different angle is because I ran out of wood. So if I want to change this, I will need to remove the small piece of wood at the right of the headstock in the photo and add another piece that is longer. It's not too much work.

The piece of wood I would need to remove is on the right side of this photo. I would need to put a longer piece in.



I know I'm spending a lot of time on the headstock, but I know that I may have just one attempt to get this right.

[ForcedFire]

That's cool. I didn't realize how much it would close the V. I kind of like my design though if I ever make another guitar (not any time soon!).

That one looks pretty good, definitely from the future . Sorry I forgot what scale you're using, I guess the low E string length isn't a problem?

[Perry]

Well, I disregarded what I wrote about removing one piece of wood from the headstock and adding a longer strip of wood. I revisited an idea I had some time ago and drew it out this morning. I mentioned earlier about using a string tree similar to what Robin used but only for the fifth through second strings. I drew it out on paper today and it seemed to work fine. Therefore, I started cutting and sanding.

This is where I left off today.



It's still very rough and will need a lot more work.

ForcedFire, I also thought about the length of the sixth string. If I use my new plan, the strings will be strung up normally. I'll try to post a good drawing of it on Tuesday. Thanks again for your help.

[Perry]

I haven't posted anything in a few days because of computer problems. Now I'm trying to learn Windows 7.

I mentioned that I had another idea about how to place the strings so they wouldn't foul one another. This photo shows that idea. It is based on the string tree that Robin Guitars used on their split headstock.



I'm unsure whether to use it. It looks a little clumsy, but I believe it will look better once done.

I was very frustrated to recently learn that MOP and abalone material can not be shipped overseas from the States. I had planned to order position markers for the fretboard. I still want to use dots, but now I need to try to find them in Taiwan. I asked someone here who owns a music store to help me.

Not being able to install position markers is holding up leveling the fretboard and fretting it, and also practically everything else that needs to be done with the neck. About all I can do now is work on adding the headstock cap.

I clamped the neck in its rough form to the body to get an idea how the two will look. Not bad.



And here's another photo showing the headstock better.



By the way, I plan on putting dots on the fretboard not blocks. What may appear to be blocks on the fretboard is masking tape showing the center line.

[ForcedFire]

Whoa that's cool.

There has got to be a way. A lot of the stuff on ebay says it ships internationally. I don't know how they do it. I know one place the shells are all in Vietnam then sent to the USA so I don't know if they ship through Vietnam or what.

I've never used them but I've heard of a lot of people who do (but they're in USA so not sure).
http://www.luthiersupply.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[ZacWhitey]

Whoah, how much have you spent, and how much are/were you planning to spend?

[serial]

Here's my korina Futura project from a few years ago. A friend built the neck for me-I like the look a lot.

NOT my car, unfortunately!!

[Perry]

Whoa that's cool.

There has got to be a way. A lot of the stuff on ebay says it ships internationally. I don't know how they do it. I know one place the shells are all in Vietnam then sent to the USA so I don't know if they ship through Vietnam or what.

I've never used them but I've heard of a lot of people who do (but they're in USA so not sure).
http://www.luthiersupply.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thank you, and thanks for the link. I believe I've heard of them. I checked a couple companies in the States and they all had the same policy. I can check a few more. MOP and abalone are considered wildlife material and shipping them outside of the US is restricted and/or cost prohibitive.

Here's my korina Futura project from a few years ago. A friend built the neck for me-I like the look a lot.

NOT my car, unfortunately!!

That is great! and the car, too.

[cmatthes]

I've been playing electric 12s for over 25 years, and Serial's Futura 12 is the nicest one I've ever played.

It's REALLY good.

That is a surprisingly comfortable body shape, and it balances well. I hated it until a little over 10 years ago when I actually played one.

[ForcedFire]

Ok Perry we're (I'm) waiting for updates

[tavishcrowe]

Yeah!! More more more!!

[Perry]

Sorry, guys. I wish I had more to add. I did find a company in the States that would ship MOP dots overseas to me, and I'm waiting on the shipment. It should arrive in a week or so. This company understood the restriction to apply to abalone and not MOP. I also ordered pickups for the guitar. There is other guitar hardware on its way, too.

I did prepare the headstock veneer, but gluing it to the headstock has to wait for one of my shipments to arrive. I use a guitar nut as a spacer between the fretboard and the start of the veneer, and I don't have any more to use. I've yet to place an order with Stew-Mac, but that will happen soon. I can get faster shipping with them, so I know there won't be too much wait after I place the order.

So, I've done a few things but there unfortuantely isn't much to report. I'll route the body for the pickups and install the tailpiece and bridge after the neck is on, and I want to have the neck basically completed before that happens. The restriction on shipping MOP caught me by surprise.

I also had to work on my drum sander. I've been putting bubinga through it and that wood has really taken a toll on the machine. I have it up and running now but I need to add a potentiometer to adjust the speed of the feed.

[ohm-men]

This is verry impressive work Perry!
I really like how you aproached the headstock, really neat and well thought of.
Looking forward to the follow up on this guitar.

[Jan Deal]

Excellent stuff! I'm always impressed by the creativity shown by builders who post on here.

[ForcedFire]

Sounds cool. I know what it's like ordering stuff from the US. I'm in Canada and it really kills you on customs and shipping for every little bit.

Have you thought of a finish yet?