I'm posting this in Mods & Projects, because I'm just a guy with a tiny basement workshop and this isn't a commercial enterprise (yet?). I intend to use this thread mostly to show some of the initial builds that I do with these shapes.
Artemis and Apollo area a dynamic new duo of guitar designs build around the offset vibrato. Not just another Fender knockoff, Artemis and Apollo were designed from scratch, with bold, simple geometry inspired by vintage pointy guitars, but with a highly ergonomic offset waist. Created to be universal build platforms, they are adaptable enough to take just about any pickup combination you could want. With dozens of control combinations, multiple pickguard styles, and custom hardware, Artemis is intended for "F" scale builds. With premium woods, multiple edge style options, and rear mounted controls, Apollo is for "G" scale builds.
Apollo (L) Artemis (C,R)
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/UQLGMmt.jpg)
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/vcTqy2v.jpg)
It's been around a year and a half of drafts, revisions, mockups, and prototypes, arriving at these. The prototypes above are pretty close to the final version, with some minor changes made to the neck contours and control cavities. I also have a number of proper builds in progress at the moment that I am really excited about.
I guess first off, as a designer, I like to set parameters when I'm beginning a design. The start of this design was the idea to take the general "formula" that an Explorer uses and make it work as an offset. I had previously experimented with the restrictions of an offset Bo Diddley, by switching the lines to arcs.
For my purposes, the formula for an Explorer is 6 lines and one arc, designated as L1-6 (lines) and A1(arc)
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/gQ8viRS.jpg)
So I limited myself to 6 lines and one arc and made the waist offset by 15 degrees. (For any Gibson lawyers reading, I didn't reference the Explorer's particular angles, nor their relationships with each, nor any other elements unique to the Explorer or Gibson in my design.)
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/oMXorf5.jpg)
Also, it's not directly based on the Jazzmaster any more than it was the Explorer. But I did want it to feel very much like a Jazzmaster, but with a bolder look. I also had some general goals of "improving on" the classic offset design in some key area of player interaction. One of the biggest, was to have far less material present in the area of belly and forearm interaction (L3). Another was to move the lead controls back a bit. One of my biggest complaints about the Jazzmaster is that the volume knob is too far forward. I also made sure to have ample room for wiring options and have mapped out dozens of variations for each possible control location.
Here is an overlay of the Jazzmaster in red and the Artemis in green:
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/q1F2jMX.png)
Here's a shot of one of the first versions:
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/f4n4xpT.jpg)
Here's the first proto body:
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/dX8FT61.jpg)
At this time, this was just one body style, combining elements that would become separated into different models later. As I kept working on revisions, at some point, I decided to split my efforts into two different, but related shapes, suited to different types of builds, based largely on scale length and pickups. One of my goals for these was to have my own unique build platform that could accommodate lots of types of pickups. I don't mean just Fender or Gibson formats either. There are all sorts of cool pickups out there, either currently made, or vintage examples, that don't fit into standard cutouts. I have plans to bring some of these to my offset platform.
First up is Artemis. Artemis is the "F" variant. 25.5" scale, rocking bridge, brighter pickups, top mounted controls.
G&L Jumbo MFD:
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/YO768ks.jpg)
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/PShjt4a.jpg)
Tele w/ custom bridge pickup mounting plate and its own control plate, not just a damned telecaster control plate stuck on some other body.
This has been my #1 for the last 6 months or so.
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/j77iiye.jpg)
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/94wEadl.jpg)
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/VbtlOwo.jpg)
Vintage Univox UC pickups:
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/jfajh2A.jpg)
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/TCioxzo.jpg)
Blaster:
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/h2fJrnr.jpg)
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/eMzie3b.jpg)
Jaguar:
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/EKt0vRz.jpg)
THUNDERBIRD:
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/5fGnbpX.jpg)
XII:
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/AszUe9X.jpg)
Strat:
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/CKPEKHU.jpg)
cheapo low-wind-P90ish Firebird sized things:
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/UGH56oP.jpg)
It can even take Jazzmaster pickups, although you should really have a Jazzmaster in your collection first.
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/GBoFzO1.jpg)
Shortscale Bass:
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/fSnw0Qr.jpg)
Simetra (Artemis reverse)
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/T2n68l1.jpg)
Whew! That's a whole lot of stuff.
But that's just Artemis
Apollo is the "G" variant. It is slightly narrower in the hips. 24.5 - 25" scale necks, rolling bridge, warmer pickups, "nicer" woods, rear mounted controls. The edges can be rounded over and contoured, beveled front and rear, or given a bevel-carve bound top with contoured back.
PAF w/ PTB controls and bevels
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/7bGRFvb.jpg)
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/vayhJif.jpg)
PAF:
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/dIDv36M.jpg)
Zebra HB:
This also shows the special offset 3X3 headstock I came up with.
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/Eca4Rn4.jpg)
Filtertron w/ bevel-carve bound top
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/Ctd5jPh.jpg)
A90/P90 Coronet inspired w/ roundovers.
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/m7jaes8.jpg)
Gold Foils:
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/WssqnbB.jpg)
P90
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/c7iD4s5.jpg)
Gold Top (really old version)
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/mt3TCwU.jpg)
Jr. (no idea what the switch is for):
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/KD80C0W.jpg)
"Old Black" pickups with full bevels:
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/kl7YB7B.jpg)
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/tihiV8E.jpg)
Work in progress in a proto chambered maple/walnut Apollo:
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/RUdqoGi.jpg)
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/IaTivfx.jpg)
Then there will be hybrids of the two, like this cab inspired thing and lots of other stuff I won't bother posting at the moment.
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/dS2okJM.jpg)
Lastly, I am working on a proper 24" short scale using the same design language, but closer in size to a Mustang. That's still in pretty rough stages right now though.