how to modify your guitar

DIY fretboard scalloping

DIY fret scalloping

This is a step-by-step guide to scalloping your fretboard. Scalloping is the removal of wood between the frets (usually from fret 14 upwards). Some players, like Yngwie Malmsteen, favour a scalloped fretboard as it is supposed to make it easier to play fast.

The tools needed are: a round file and sandpaper for wood removal and a Dremel for polishing.

Make a folding guitar

Hinged guitar neck

This instructable shows how to make a folding guitar. The technique of folding the neck using a hinge to the body end of the neck is not new, but this guide shows a DIY version. This guide has some interesting ideas, but I would say its still in the development stage: I can't see a mechanism to lock the unfolded neck in place.

Design a spaghetti headstock logo

spaghetti-logo.jpg

We featured an article a while back about making your own headstock decal . Andreas Folvell produced another guide about designing a Fender style spaghetti logo to customise your parts-o-caster. The method uses the excellent (and free) Inkscape graphics program.

Rescue a guitar from the trash

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This abused Peavey Predator strat copy was found on the curb, buried in snow. It had no electrics or pick guard and the paint was all stripped off. The body was also cracked in the bridge area.

This guide shows how this basket case was brought back form the brink, with a new paint job and electronics. It is a good lesson in recycling rather than throwing stuff away.

Make a cutaway in an acoustic guitar

cutaway.jpg

This project shows you how to make a cut-away in an acoustic guitar that doesn't already have one. Cut-aways help you to reach the upper frets.

CAUTION: this project is not for beginners, and it goes without saying that you shouldn't do this to a valuable guitar!

Make your own headstock logo decal

decal.jpg

Here are a couple of links that show you how to make your own Fender style headstock logo.

Essentially you need to design your logo on your computer, and then print a mirror image of it on transparency film. You then cut it out and glue the film to your headstock. When the headstock is varnished you should not see the join.

 

Convert your guitar to Drop B tuning

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Gary Shutt shows how to get the low 7 string sound on a normal 6 string. What you need to do is get yourself some really thick and heavy gage string like 13 through 56 or a 7 string set and just not use the 9. Once you have your strings on, you tune everything down to perfect fourths. Going from the lowest (bass) to highest strings you will have: B-E-A-D-G-B.

Vox V847 Wah: modifications

vox v87 wah

If you like tinkering with electronics this page on home-wrecker.com describes some modifications to the vox v87 wah wah pedal. By changing some of the components, you can tweak the range and limits of the wah effect.

Change a cheap guitar into a Steinberger style travel guitar

chopped up guitar

This project shows how a guy modified a cheap yard-sale guitar into a travel guitar. He sawed off most of the body and the head-stock and put the machine heads behind the bridge. Unfortunately the finished product does not balance properly like a Steinberger , the neck falls down if you let go of it.