Electrajet-inspired build

[Radspin]

How cool is this?! I have two ElectraJets, one with G-90s and one with three "Strat" pickups, and both are exceptional. This is the first "from scratch" EJ build I've ever seen. I think you're going to be extremely happy with the feel and sound of this guitar--the ergonomics of the body shape are excellent.

[flatfive]

Radspin -- must be nice having the real thing! Hope I'm
able to get a little of the feel and sound of a Grosh.

Originally Posted by Radspin

How cool is this?! I have two ElectraJets, one with G-90s and one with three "Strat" pickups, and both are exceptional. This is the first "from scratch" EJ build I've ever seen. I think you're going to be extremely happy with the feel and sound of this guitar--the ergonomics of the body shape are excellent.

[flatfive]

I've had family visiting so things have been a bit stalled,
but got started again today.

First I filled the top with Titebond 5-minute epoxy. The
5-minute stuff seemed fine on my sample, but on the
real thing, with more area to cover, and a less regular
shape, I was running out of time. The color looks pretty
good, though.



Next I wanted to drill holes for the neck, but I'm tired
of figuring out where the holes on each build. So I
decided to build a little template to use as a jig.

I put some double-stick tape on the bottom of the heel
of a Warmoth neck, then stuck the neck to paper. Next
I outlined the neck on the paper, turned the neck over,
and etched the position of the neck holes on the paper.

Then I removed the paper from the neck, sprayed adhesive
on it and some 1/4" MDF, and stuck them together.

I jig-sawed the MDF close to the line, then sanded down
to the line. Checked against the neck to make sure the
size was right, then stuck the 1/4" template to 3/4" MDF and
routed. Here's after routing:



I was probably a time-waster -- should have skipped the
1/4" MDF and just cut and sanded the 3/4" stuff. Anyway,
then I carefully drilled the holes on the pattern.

Would have liked a brad point bit for this step, but don't
have one in 3/16".

Anyway, in the end the holes lined up pretty well.



So then I just plopped the jig into the neck pocket and drilled
four 3/16" into the body using this jig.

Last little task was to figure out the size and shape of the
rear control cavity, and cover. Using Electrajet photos as
a rough guide, I came up with this:



Now I guess I'll make a template to use in routing the body.
I think I'll need two templates, in fact: one for the cavity,
and one for the recessed perimeter for the cover.

I have been playing with the free DraftSight software because
I'd like to be able to make proper plans. But it's taking forever
to try to get competent in using it.

A question: where do you find material for cavity covers?
I'm thinking black plastic, as I expect to use mostly black
hardware, but don't know where to get it.

[4string]

Nice build!

You can get plexiglass in a variety of thicknesses, colors and even type (lexan etc) at Tap Plastics. Or look-up "plastics" in the Yellow Pages.

[flatfive]

I'm not sure yet, but I'm slowly coming to the conclusion
that I'm indecisive.

For example, I keep going back and forth on the question
of whether this body should have a back contour (aka "tummy cut").
I know from a strat body that the contour is a nuisance when
finishing.

Last night I picked up a strat to see if the back contour was
comfortable. While sitting, it definitely was. Then I looked at
a photo of the back of an Electrajet on the Grosh site. The
back contour is so sexy on that guitar!

http://www.groshguitars.com/products...ejet6.htm#port

So I drew pencil lines on the body.



Today I'm going for it. I've never done a body contour, so I'm a
little nervous about it, but I figure as long as I don't overcut
I'm okay. I've read up here on techniques for doing the contour;
I'll probably try different things, including a belt sander, the
Ridgid belt/spindle sander, and a rasp or other hand tool.

[PhilCollins]

Hi flatfive

I remember seeing a video -somewhere- where they were doing strat style bodies. They had made a fixture to hold the body at the right angle and fairly securely so they could bandsaw and sand the tummy cut out at a consistent angle.

Could work pretty well with your Ridgid sander, and seems like it would be pretty easy to tweak the shape once you have the angle figured out.

Looking forward to seeing more of this build

Phil

[flatfive]

Hi Phil. Thanks for the idea.

This is what Ron Kirn does, if I remember correctly.
He has a fixture that holds that body at an angle, that he
uses with the Ridgid sander.

The contour I'm sanding doesn't have such a regular shape
that I'd be able to do it completely this way, though.

Originally Posted by PhilCollins

Hi flatfive

I remember seeing a video -somewhere- where they were doing strat style bodies. They had made a fixture to hold the body at the right angle and fairly securely so they could bandsaw and sand the tummy cut out at a consistent angle.

Could work pretty well with your Ridgid sander, and seems like it would be pretty easy to tweak the shape once you have the angle figured out.

Looking forward to seeing more of this build

Phil

[Ronkirn]

He has a fixture that holds that body at an angle, that he
uses with the Ridgid sander.

The Ridgid only has 4" spindles.. they are too short..... I use either a Grizzly Oscillating spindle sander http://www.grizzly.com/products/Osci...e-Sander/G1071

Or a Jet a Jet Oscillating edge sander... http://www.cpojettools.com/jet-70844...id=jet-sanders

Either is far more effective is producing a nice smooth, even contour...

rk

[flatfive]

Thanks, Ron. You saved me from building a fixture only
to find that it wouldn't work.

Originally Posted by Ronkirn

The Ridgid only has 4" spindles.. they are too short..... I use either a Grizzly Oscillating spindle sander http://www.grizzly.com/products/Osci...e-Sander/G1071

Or a Jet a Jet Oscillating edge sander... http://www.cpojettools.com/jet-70844...id=jet-sanders

Either is far more effective is producing a nice smooth, even contour...

rk

[flatfive]

Itching to work on the back body contour, but decided to
rout the binding channel and round over first.

For the binding channel, I used the StewMac bit and bearing.



For the round over, used a 3/16" Milwaukee round over bit --
these were being sold for peanuts on Amazon a couple of months
ago. Made in Italy!? Thanks to Jack Wells for the tip.



Decided to try to body contour by hand, to limit the speed at
which I could do damage. Bought this rasp at Home Despot:



It's slightly convex on the rough side; flat on the finer side.



I just dug in -- it took material off quickly.



In about 40 minutes I got to the point where I wanted to
switch to sandpaper.



Hard to say why it was fun rasping out the shape of the contour.
It was just so satisfyingly 3-dimensional.

[flatfive]

Originally Posted by 4string

Nice build!

You can get plexiglass in a variety of thicknesses, colors and even type (lexan etc) at Tap Plastics. Or look-up "plastics" in the Yellow Pages.

Thanks Marty. Wish we had Tap Plastics stores here in Illinois.

[Reverend D]

You can get pickguard material for your covers at http://www.guitarfetish.com/Uncut-Pi...ds-_c_224.html for one, Stewmac I believe has sheets of pickguard material as well. Just a thought.

Regards,

Don

[4string]

Originally Posted by flatfive

Thanks Marty. Wish we had Tap Plastics stores here in Illinois.

No Tap Plastics???????

Ok, you will have somebody...

In the AT&T Yellow Pages, look under "Plastic Rods, Tubes, Sheets, Etc. Supply Centers".

I bought a piece of scrap 1/8" thick black plexiglass big enough to make a couple rear covers for $1.00 from my local supplier in Modesto (not Tap Plastics)...

http://www.plastics2000.net/

[flatfive]

Don, thanks for the suggestion of using pickguard material
from GFS or another supplier. I may do that.

Marty -- I have yet to find a plastics retailer near me. Thanks
for the AT&T yellow pages search idea. I tried it and came up
with nothing.

I'm also going to try to some local hobby stores.

[4string]

You could get clear and paint the backside black. Lots of places to get clear plastic sheet including Home Depot and Orchard Supply Hardware. Not sure if Lowes carries it.

[flatfive]

I got some Tonerider vintage soapbar p-90s for this guitar.
I bought them new from eBay seller krazybytes, who I
can recommend. He was really nice to try to get the pickups
to me as quickly as possible when I told him I couldn't rout
the body without them.

I've got a problem, though. When I made my master template
for the body, I was expecting to use a pickguard. So one of
the template screws is in a spot that would be covered by
the pickguard.



Since then I've decided the veneer's so nice that I don't
want it covered with a pickguard.

I could move the neck pickup rout closer to the neck. Any
problem with doing this?

I can see two possible problems:

1. sonically, could it be bad for the pickup to be too close
to the neck?

2. structurally, could it be bad for the pickup rout to be to
close to the edge of the body?

By the way, I use necks that have truss rod adjustment at
the headstock.

Here's the Grosh Turbojet, which is a variant of the Electrajet
but with humbuckers and no pickguard:

http://www.groshguitars.com/products.../tjet.htm#port

[xbearxau]

Id give plugging the hole a try. With all the figuring on the veneer you wont even see it. Id plug the hole just shy of the surface and then cut a small dot out of any left over veneer you have with some scissors and glue it in place. If you didnt know it was there, Id bet no one will see it once finished.

[flatfive]

Thanks -- I think you're right. I'm going to try it.

Originally Posted by xbearxau

Id give plugging the hole a try.

[jkingma]

Originally Posted by flatfive

Hard to say why it was fun rasping out the shape of the contour.
It was just so satisfyingly 3-dimensional.

There's nothing better than shaping wood with a good rasp.

[jkingma]

Originally Posted by flatfive

I got some Tonerider vintage soapbar p-90s for this guitar.
I bought them new from eBay seller krazybytes, who I
can recommend. He was really nice to try to get the pickups
to me as quickly as possible when I told him I couldn't rout
the body without them.

I've got a problem, though. When I made my master template
for the body, I was expecting to use a pickguard. So one of
the template screws is in a spot that would be covered by
the pickguard.

My P90 template allows me to screw into the neck pocket and the area of the bridge. And I can flip it to put a P90 rout in the bridge location as well.