Multiscale Mosrite Baritone

Going to try a pretty improvised build, dunno if it's going to work out, but it might be fun to watch!

Last summer I made a Mosrite styled baritone for a friend which turned out quite nicely. The thread on it here has been destroyed by Photobucket, so I decided to post a new build thread for this one with new pics as I go. Plus, I might need some advice/opinions on the fanned fret aspect of it... The plan is a 28.625 - 30.33" scale, 9th fret straight. And somehow (!) a trem. Don't ask how that's going to work with a slanted multiscale bridge, but hopefully something will work out (I have some ideas to try).

So far: a mockup, and a body blank (poplar) glued up, cut and sanded roughly to shape (curves pretty exaggerated on the bottom to look better with the slanted bridge it's going to end up with).

 

Yes - I have a B5 sitting around that could work. I also like those Teisco style trems, which take up a pretty small footprint, which lets me carve the top a little more aggressively. (The JM strem is just too big for this project I think).

My concern with the bridge is that it will be an extreme angle, compared to regular angling for compensation.... the string paths won't be anywhere close to straight through the grooves in the saddles. So I'm thinking either:
a) a tuneomatic, but i cut slanted grooves in the saddle to make up for the angle...
b) use a rosewood bridge, again carving it a bit to make up for the angle
c) individual top-loading bass bridges, with a big enough pass through for the string
d) get something specifically designed for a multiscale trem

(d) is probably going to be a nonstarter

I'm going to make the neck first so I can get a sense for how extreme the bridge angle will be and think about it from there.

 

Committed to the body shape today - cut the binding channel, then did a 1/2" cove rout all the way round. Installed 3 plys of binding (WBW) and started working on the carve for the arm countour... Not sure if I'm done there -- I don't want to go too far and not have a level base for whatever trem I'll end up with.

Pictured with the Bigsby B5 -- doesn't quite suit the Mosrite to my eye, but maybe!