Westly West Posted October 28, 2014 Author Share Posted October 28, 2014 Did you see his member profile pick? He's a wild man! Nothing wrong with cutting it off. Quit telling him to buy what he wants. Maybe what he wants is to this particular guitar with headstock sawed off. As for telling him to save and putting down his generation? Maybe he's rich 20 year old tech startup guy and has enough cash to toss around, thereby buying whatever he wants and cutting it up. I see tons of people in dallas putting sanders to their guitars and making them "relics" and "vintage." Sure, it's not my thing, but what's so bad about it? I feel some peeps are a little critical of a guy who just asked for help. On another note, a cheap miter saw could make the cut ur probably looking for. Good luck, and post pics. I wanna see this! Adam Excellent post! No, not rich or 20 years old, but your philosophy is still sound and I commend you! Thanks for the help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westly West Posted October 28, 2014 Author Share Posted October 28, 2014 Did you see his member profile pick? He's a wild man! Nothing wrong with cutting it off. Quit telling him to buy what he wants. Maybe what he wants is to this particular guitar with headstock sawed off. As for telling him to save and putting down his generation? Maybe he's rich 20 year old tech startup guy and has enough cash to toss around, thereby buying whatever he wants and cutting it up. I see tons of people in dallas putting sanders to their guitars and making them "relics" and "vintage." Sure, it's not my thing, but what's so bad about it? I feel some peeps are a little critical of a guy who just asked for help. On another note, a cheap miter saw could make the cut ur probably looking for. Good luck, and post pics. I wanna see this! Adam And thanks for the compliment!!! 8-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westly West Posted October 28, 2014 Author Share Posted October 28, 2014 Interesting, that the original poster, hasn't been back! Maybe we "scared him off" (unlikely), or, he just likes to 'stir things up' a bit, with provocative questions? CB Sorry about that,,, I explained above... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westly West Posted October 28, 2014 Author Share Posted October 28, 2014 My take on sustain is that every ounce of wood contributes to increased sustain and a woodier tone. A lighter guitar has reduced mass. It's usually the neck angle that changes sustain. Higher angles = increased sustain from the pressure on the nut. I like the wood tones to be reflected in my output, which is why I generally lower my pickups and crank the amp a little higher. When the wood absorbs the tone, it returns into the strings as it resonates through the body. Heavier guitars sound better to me. I wouldn't remove one ounce of wood from my guitar, FWIW. Not sure about this, but thanks for the constructive input! I did put two wood struts inside the body for added sustain. One under the bridge and one in the space between the pick ups. (I can just hear the purists groaning... As if a used stock 2009 Epi ES -175 was the greatest guitar ever made...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westly West Posted October 28, 2014 Author Share Posted October 28, 2014 BLASPHEMY! HA HA Ha !!! So? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westly West Posted October 28, 2014 Author Share Posted October 28, 2014 You mean.........? Cute!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westly West Posted October 28, 2014 Author Share Posted October 28, 2014 Gonna upset the purists, but i actually did this. I made it look like the Steve Howe 175. Could not afford one of those. Bought a used Epi' cheaply and decided to go the whole hog. Got decals,switch grommet,re wired with used Gibson 57's,changed pick guard and bracket and re finished headstock and neck in nitro.Spent about £600 including guitar and case. Really pleased with the results. The Gibson p'ups are a revelation with the correct wire and caps etc. The Epi p'ups were good, but nowhere near as authentic. Corksniffers will spot a slightly different headstock shape, but they'd have to look hard. I have not changed the orange Epi' label as i dont wanna con anyone - just a bit of an excercise for my own pleasure. Cant tell you enough how the rewire and 57's make to the sound. The body may be ply as opposed to the Gibbo's solid cap and finished in poly, but i guess it wont split like some caps do. I had to do alot of work to get this looking right,if you paid a luthier it probably would not make sense - go buy a real one instead. Not just about cutting/shaping head, to fit correct bell truss cover meant bridging the gap below the nut or you end up with a hole. Then the bridging piece need filling and spraying. Decals were water slide and m.o.p. effect which works well under several coats of nitro. Got a cheap 135 blueburst that i am thinking of doing similar to. Please dont crucify me - just enjoy making improvements for myself! WOW! Great work! I'm not trying to reproduce a guitar... But what you've done here is fantastic! I love modifying, or as I call it, "Hot Rodding" my guitars! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westly West Posted October 28, 2014 Author Share Posted October 28, 2014 Gotta agree with Cougar on this one. I bought my Epi Elitist Casino because that's what I wanted, not a Gibby 330. I bought my Epi Wildkat because Gibby doesn't have anything like it. I bought my Gibson LP Standard and Gibson 339 because that's what I wanted, not the Epi version. So I buy what I want based on why I want it, not because I'm wishing it were something else. I'm really really happy for you! That what you like is stock production models must make your life very easy... :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westly West Posted October 28, 2014 Author Share Posted October 28, 2014 One day, whenever I get around to buying some locking tuners, my dot will probably get a neater, more functional headstock: :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westly West Posted October 28, 2014 Author Share Posted October 28, 2014 Why would anyone want to mess with a Epiphone headstock ? That would not only damage the guitr but also cut down on the tone and sustain as well . Stupid . You're stupid! You should STOP Rocking. Obviously you've become closed minded and abusive in your old age! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westly West Posted October 28, 2014 Author Share Posted October 28, 2014 Actually, I think it should improve sustain because there's less wood vibrating, and hence taking energy out the strings. Perhaps not by much though. Removing mass in such a way that the nut is less well-supported and so less rigid could reduce sustain but that's not an issue because if you took off that much wood the headstock would snap off. I think that so long as there's a good break angle over the nut, good contact with the neck, and a good nut material, tone won't be affected. True! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westly West Posted October 28, 2014 Author Share Posted October 28, 2014 From information I have seen a lighter guitar will resonate more since greater mass means more energy to move it. To me it is simple physics. From what I have read regarding vintage guitars the lighter models were considered "better". In my opinion removing a few grams of wood from beyond the point of string contact would have a neglible effect on sustain. Like p!ssing in the ocean. That being said I still wouldn't do it. It is his guitar to do what he wants with it. That a heavier guitar has better sustain in every case is a myth. Thats not to say all heavy guitars sustain poorly, just it can vary from guitar to guitar. True! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westly West Posted October 28, 2014 Author Share Posted October 28, 2014 Here ya go, I cut the top of the HS off in Photoshop, just straight across above the tuners like you said. This will give an idea of what you'll have. HI Sledge57. I too mocked it up in Photoshop before I did it to see what it would look like, Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westly West Posted October 28, 2014 Author Share Posted October 28, 2014 I've thought about doing this to an epi SG. I like the headstock on the Semi's but the headstock on the les Paul's and SG's are awful on epiphones in my opinion. I 'd still have epi on the headstock tho. Anyone got anymore pics to show how they did this to the headstock? The paint job after would be the main issue I'd have thought. Anyone show how they did this? Right! The challenge is that It might never look PERFECT! But you can get it to look real good. Especially if viewed from off stage. You really need to get right up on it to see the cut! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPS1976 Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 this thread is a lot better than the one with a bunch of dudes waiting on an ugly Sheraton... can't wait for the pics! Comic Sans rules! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L8_4thesh0w Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 After thinking about it... wouldn't adding or removing wood just change the most resonant frequency of the sustain? More wood = lower freq and less wood = higher? Now I'm really curious. Σß Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westly West Posted October 28, 2014 Author Share Posted October 28, 2014 this thread is a lot better than the one with a bunch of dudes waiting on an ugly Sheraton... can't wait for the pics! Comic Sans rules! Thanks! It's almost finished! Will post! And yes! Like that Beatles song: Comic Sans Forever! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westly West Posted October 28, 2014 Author Share Posted October 28, 2014 After thinking about it... wouldn't adding or removing wood just change the most resonant frequency of the sustain? More wood = lower freq and less wood = higher? Now I'm really curious. Σß If you figure it out, let me know! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westly West Posted October 28, 2014 Author Share Posted October 28, 2014 After thinking about it... wouldn't adding or removing wood just change the most resonant frequency of the sustain? More wood = lower freq and less wood = higher? Now I'm really curious. Σß BTW, Is that a Black 1976 L6S in your profile picture/ I have that exact guitar!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L8_4thesh0w Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 BTW, Is that a Black 1976 L6S in your profile picture/ I have that exact guitar!!! No... sorry... its a 1975. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westly West Posted October 28, 2014 Author Share Posted October 28, 2014 No... sorry... its a 1975. Wow! Close enough! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crust Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 Where's the link for the "kits" that are made to reattach the "cut corners" of Epiphone's, in order to make them look more like Gibson head stocks ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L8_4thesh0w Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 Where's the link for the "kits" that are made to reattach the "cut corners" of Epiphone's, in order to make them look more like Gibson head stocks ? Prolly the same place as the instructions for making your Epi look like a Steinweiner! What's the story there crust? No offense intended. Σß Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crust Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 Prolly the same place as the instructions for making your Epi look like a Steinweiner! What's the story there crust? Σß I got that and the case for $125.00 from a "distraught friend", fixed it and sold it for close to what a new "blem" with a case would cost. It was a clean break and a pretty easy fix. The fix was barely discernible, just a tiny "witness mark" and the refinish made it better than new, stronger... Again, sold to a friend of my youngest son, another "jazz" player, the friend being a great guitar player, and I gave him the "right price" for a brand new, perfectly fixed Casino...saved him a few bucks. I fixed/sold that 7-8 or more years ago. I do believe he still has it. I'm more than happy to sell a rig to a "kid", as long as they are serious players. My kids let me know who they may be and have helped me obtain several nice guitars too. fix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crust Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 I have a brand new Natural Casino on order from Zzounds...a "blem", so I will soon have a natural Casino.. A "blemish" may add character. I hope it has a couple of "knots" I could live with that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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