Don't you just love it when a project spirals out of control We need to club together to feed this guy whilst his business stalls for the six months this is going to take. I reckon its worth it. You brilliant man.
In my personal, stupid opinion, that burl wood scratch plate is just totally wrong for this guitar. Just doesn't fit at all. So, cast my vote for changing that out. I think copper hued with blues and purples would be nice, as you said. :)
It's amazing how much the grain in burl wood pops with the right finish. Take some boiled linseed oil and coat it, let sit for 10 minutes. Wipe off and let dry. Finish with a clear lacquer or layers of super glue and polish for a durable finish. Then add inlay or fine pinstripe that blends the body into the plate.
Thank goodness. Such a cool guitar deserves a proper finish, not just a “quick coat of fast drying poly”. I can’t wait to see it properly pore filled and given a proper high gloss finish. As for the holes, pink foil?…Would make a good match to a titanium anodized scratch plate.
I like the idea of a copper scratch plate, especially since it appears you may have routed/drilled away some of the existing screw holes anyway. Rather than patinate it, however, I would recommend flame treating it so the colors are a natural reaction to the heat. So, in effect, yes, burn it!
I would have beveled it with a unibit. For one, it would have been a lot faster. Second with a unibit you know exactly where to stop to keep them uniform. And third it would have made a more rounded cellular appearance. I'm not a big fan of harsh edged geometrics on a flowing shaped medium. I'd like this more if he squared off the edges and made the body and fingerboard more geometric, but with this I think it should have been softened.
Whilst watching this, I thought about fashion shows, and the crazy designs that prompt cries of 'Who on Earth would wear that?" Well, no one would. Or the concept cars that are far too exotic to ever make it into production. But someone somewhere looks at them and thinks 'I hadn't thought of that; if I take a bit of that and apply it this, it will be really cool'. And that's one of the best things about your whackier builds, Ben. Whilst they may never lead to production instruments, they certainly provide food for thought and inspiration. Looking forward to the next parts in this series. ;)
Idea: continue the pattern onto the side of the scratch plate by carving halves of hexagons into the outside edge. This is looking really cool. Can't wait to see where you go with it.
Love the hexagonal transformation of all the holes. Looks almost honeycomb! I’d love to see it sprayed a honey color with a bee motif on the pickguard. Thanks for posting, it’s amazing to see how a common problem of too much weight can be so creatively solved.
Ideas: (1) Add a few of these “Mac Pro” holes to the headstock as well, with smaller diameter, of course, both to prevent risk of neck-dive but mainly for the wholistic design look. (2) Consider placing in the insides of holes reflective material like that used by bicycle users and road-construction people, in pink (if you can find it) or white. Also in the headstock if you follow my 1st recommendation.
I found episode 1 just now and finished watching it. Then this one was released, I can't believe my timing luck. Really enjoying this weight reduction.
I think a see through pick guard would be the way to go on this, since it's basically a see though guitar now. You can get some nearly fully transparent material with a rainbow sheen on it.
Or paint the outline of the hex shapes on that clear pick guard in either blue or purple(whatever matches the final finish) and have the pink underneath it. It would basically look like it didn't have a pick guard at all. He could even lay some burl in the cavity and stain it pink or maybe some kind of mural(crow maybe?)within said cavity.
As your original inspiration for the 3D holes was a computer chassi made of metal, I think the guitar too should have a shiny metallic look. By all means stick with the pink/blue/purple hues, but make those look shiny and metallic.
I love the holes! and if I were to ever make a guitar like that (let alone making a guitar at all (it is a dream though)) then I would go for either a bright pink, or a pastel pink in the holes, with a solid black on the rest of the body. Letting the holes become like cherry blossoms. Love it all so far!
Even if I didn't like watching guitar builds, I would watch this channel just to hear you speak. You are my favorite guitar builder for that reason alone, but add to it your enthusiasm for what you do and your exotic designs and it just sends it into the stratosphere. Love this channel.
Ben you are a mad scientist. No sane person would do this. Sanity is overrated. Keep on trying stuff. This is how things like nebula are born. Nobody at say gibson would have the testicular fortitude to attempt such a thing. Keep it up. P.s. I recently purchased some of your fret files, they instantly became some of my favorite possessions. So thank you very much.
I have a Gibson LP Studio that’s carved on the inside. It’s really nice, weighs a lot less than the classic LP and sounds great. Granted, it’s not full of holes like this, but Gibson does actually experiment a little bit, too :)
Hey Ben, where's ep. 3 of this? :P I can't wait to see the end result, with the electric pink peeking out from behind the blue/purple finish. It's gonna be rad! Guessing you'll add maybe 4oz of weight with the finish?
@@thomasarussellsr Nah, hectic, as in more busy/messy. I like the simplicity/elegance of the round holes better (refer back to the original iMac inpiration picture).
I’ve got a wonderful image in my head of your daughter turning up at school or at a guitar lesson with her one of kind, hand built Crimson Guitar and the tutor just walking out shaking their head 😂 It’s getting better every minute. I can’t presume to advise on colour or finish but copper scratch plate sounds very nice. PS Wood is incredibly strong….. Gibson Les Paul has left the chat…..
I love the way you made this guitar look, then you changed it, then you changed it again, it wasn't my favourite, but on I watched and watched and watched... You sparked my creativity, several times, changed my mind, but I lost sight of the original honeycomb pattern and how in one fell creative swoop, you almost threw the whole guitar world on it's ear. I imagined what a heavy poly finished guitar, with those original 3D circle pattern might have been, how you just changed the look of guitars over the next decade. What people would do with CNC's, how the this would affect all the acrylic based poured guitars out there forever. Then we peaked, plateaued, and maybe fell back a wrung or two. Then I realized, my vision, isn't necessarily your vision, creativity is a burgeoning thing, something to cherish, promote, nurture and what you inspired in me in my mind's eye isn't your vision at all, and it never has to be, that's the beauty of creativity, we build on what others have inspired in us. So we copy another's work, until we find what we see in our heads, then we breath it into life ourselves. So there's that. Thank you for that! I'm excited to see the next episode! Carry on, you inspire us all daily with your love of wood, guitars and life! For that, again, thanks!
This comment made me very happy! Thank you. The next episode should be live on New Year's day all being well.. and I sincerely hope that you will have your socks knocked off!
Hi Ben, Just saw the first two videos on this modification on your daughter's guitar, and it looks spectacular! The bright pink really stands out, and as you were going through the staining process; I couldn't help thinking that with all those lovely holes: Internal LED lighting set up from the massively routed out area. Something to highlight and showcase that wicked 3D effect. I have seen some people use vibration sensitive lighting under their pickups that react to when the instrument is played, some even have that light effect on individual strings. But with your build even a solid (or a 3-LED color changing set up) glowing outward within the holes, would brighten the hot pink you have there now making this a one-of-a-kind body. This wouldn't add hardly any weight (a small battery depending on the device needs), but it could add a LOT of visual attention to it. Good luck with your build-mod in any event, you are an artist with vision!
I personally wouldn't have removed the wood from the trem cavity. There's now no "direct" wood path for the vibrations to travel from nut to bridge. I wonder what effect this will have on the sustain.
@@502deth Yes, and there will be much less wood between those screw points and the nut. I would opt for maximum "connection" (i.e. wood) between nut and bridge, and this removes a large part of that.
The outside can be the purple still, it is a nice color, with the wood veins as well. But the inside of the holes I'd go for something metalic, for more accent maybe. Don't know if just silver or gold, maybe some color with a metalic shade.
Awesome work! Can't wait for the final installment of this one! On a side note, it's very refreshing to see someone who's not afraid to get their Speedmaster dirty and actually wear the darn thing!
You don't necessarily need longer screws for the trem system, you could make a longer claw (and put holes in it for minimal weight) for the space between the springs and the screws. A copper scratch plate would probably add a bit of weight back to the instrument, so that might be counterproductive even if it is pretty. The cavity needs shielding too, although that won't be affected by your choice of scratch plate. The main problem I can see is that some of the screws that are supposed to hold the existing scratch plate on now have nothing to bite into, so that's a pretty good reason to make a new one. Personally I'd be tempted to hide an Arduino or Raspberry Pi under the scratch plate, and then add RGB lighting to all the holes, but I know you don't like wiring and this would involve quite a lot of it.
Honestly the finish looked blootchie before and even more now I'm not a fan the bee hive look, but it is definitely an interesting experiment I have great faith in you Ben, more than once you turned your projects from a point where they were not convincing to something incredibly beautiful I'm pumped to see what's next :) PS: more episodes? why would it ever be a bad thing?🤔🤣
I love the hexagonal look you created from the bores. I love the idea of mixing a purple to blue ombrae idea with the pink in the bores. Move the purple over more of the blue sections and highlight the hexagonal detail with black while keeping the pink bore color would help the hex motif pop.
And here I went into this video half expecting Ben to copper leaf all of the internals. A huge amount of work to be sure, but it would look pretty impressive inside of a color shifting pink/purple/blue body, sort of like a honey comb in an oil slick.
If you started with a solid-body, you could have used a large ball-drill bit to make the guitar dimpled like a golf ball to save weight and make it more aerodynamic for tossing it around her body when she plays a packed concert at Wembley. I am worried for the top horn if that is where the strap connection is. Better fortified horns have broken in the past. Just my thoughts.
Ben: "I'm a preteen girl, who knew?" Also Ben: "I wouldn't assume the sex of... anything." Ben from the future: "My new pronouns are: they/them." Me: "Oh well congrats on coming out, but I seriously hope they're going to finish this amazing 16 part series."
i think youve made the right call on the finish. if you were doing stain on a guitar that didnt have all the hexagonal features it would work a lot better, but you just cant appreciate the fade between the 2 colours the way it is. Can't wait to see how it looks when you are finished.
Dear Ben, I just love your way of developing instruments and especially this one - it is already so unique and you definitely will be hugged by your daughter for it! Please never stop harvesting every creative thought into your builds! I admire you and look forward for the upcoming episode...take you good time - wine takes its aging time and therefore is developing its unique flavor. Have you ever thought of building a guitar out of old wine barrel wood? Have a happy weekend and as well all you readers and awesome guitar builders, cheers Beat
@@CrimsonCustomGuitars I will keep my eyes open for you - finding a barrel. Alternatively, you might put wood into a full wine barrel for a few years or at least a few month:-) Have a wonderful day and I try my best - BF
You are sooo inspiring, thank you! I'm going to do the same work on a Harley Benton Telecaster kit. Before watching your videos my plan was to bore plain holes in lines. Your "Mac design" is far more brilliant and it keeps the body even stronger, IMHO. Moreover, I'm sure that due to its design, the resonance and elasticity of this body will increase. I can't wait to watch the third video and hear what your masterpiece sounds like. As soon as I finish my "LighTelly" I will publish a video of its making of and I will let you know.
thank you, and glad I could help send you in an interesting direction.. if there is enough space between the holes I wouldn't worry about the strength, I managed to drop this one by being stupid and there was no effect whatsoever :)
I know you won't/can't do it on camera, but a design consultation with your daughter about the colors and finish seems like a good idea. Does she like or want pink? If you are going to paint the inside pink, does she want it sparkly or not? Trying to make aesthetic choices for a thirteen year old girl seems like venturing out onto very thin ice.
My vote is for the copper scratch plate. The colors would go much better with copper than burl. I love this project. Genious can't be rushed. It's an evolutionary process. Thanks for sharing this labor of love.
This is a super cool project. I posted this reply to a comment about the burl scratch plate, but I wanted you to see it directly. Boot the burl. Do a transparent acrylic with a similar hex-hole pattern cut into the back of it then put a very thin piece of anodized aluminum (light orange or yellow - complementary colors to the body) to hide the massive hole and highlight the hex depressions. You might even be able to 3D print such a thing if y'all have a printer.
very very cool idea, thank you. As it stands I'm well on the path to making a carbon fibre one but this wold be my second choice! And yes.. the burl has been booted, it doesn't fit the rest of the guitar.
A fade chameleon colour could be quite radical... starting with maybe red to blue at the bridge end fading into green/gold flip on the horns (other colour combos most welcomed!) On the lacquer weight question I guess it depends on how many coats will be going on. I wouldn't be surprised if 250-300g is added... maybe even more?
probably a bit more I think, which fills me with sadness :( I like the idea of adding extra colours over a chameleon finish though, I've never considered that!
Keep going with the colors. For the scratch plate, use clear perspex. Put an inset gold border around the front, and paint the back of it sparkle-laden pink.
The Black-Pink-Purple layup looked great. The straight Blue is what threw it off. If the blue had been Black/Grey I think it’d have been a winner. If you’re painting it, I reckon it needs the copper scratchplate. What about 3 layers of 1 mm copper, cut the top and bottom with holes like the body pattern, and the middle layer just a frame around the edges? With the patina and a coat of clear that could look fantastic. Also, entirely unrelated, but if that Burl Scratchplate needs a new home after this, I’d be interested in “helping out”. 😂
purple base, a splash/drip/dust of the same bright pink coming from the top to give it balance. turmeric yellow in the holes (the yellow will show all the shadows from the angles you cut in and it kinda looks honeycomb...ish) also its the perfect complementary colour
Sir, you are a true master luthier AND artist; I've seen enough video's on your channel to know that the end result will be nothing less than awesome. Thank you!
I think a transparent scratch plate with the inside stained in a shocking pink, like the guitar that showed up in one of the WOTB episodes would look great, as long as you wire it tidily. The addition of a white LED or two inside the cavity would be great too, could be easily hidden under the pickup or near the controls, just don't use flashing ones. Flip flop pink to purple on the outside sounds good... but what does your daughter think? It is her guitar after all.
High gloss black finish with gold metal mesh to fit the hexagons? Gold hardware to match. Maybe gold trimmed pick guard to complement. Might look pretty snazzy.
1-I would be concerned about routing or so much weird under the center block/strings area. Which might destabilize the instrument under fully strung tension. 2-Def go for the optically etched and enhanced copper scratchplate.
Ben, I think of you did the holes neon pink and then did a deep purple to blue fade along with some white splots to make it look like a galaxy would be amazing! Love what you do with guitars. Can’t wait to see the finale.
I refuse to make any negative comment until I see the final result. What I've seen so far is geometrically interesting. I would probably smooth the transition from hex to circle a bit more. It's really cool. I'd probably stare at it for a while, trying fit get more holes in that make sense to the eye. I love the hex-circle transition. I love the whole damn milk-crate look. Pretty snazzy. I can't wait to see it finished.
Thank you, and thank you :) This comment was the first I have looked at this evening and frankly I am going to turn of the computer and it on a good note. Have a great evening! Ps.. I came SOOOOO close to adding more holes in different sizes just because I could!
Brilliant and entertaining as always! I think if the hexes were cut all the way through the front half rather than feathered into the circle it would amplify the design, but I don't know if that would bugger the stability. Looking forward the paint job - something solid would look great I think.
I think more holes/hexagons and a clear scratch plate over the final finish would look stellar but who am I kidding, it’s gonna end up looking stellar no matter what direction you go with it! That’s just the nature of your work
As you were staining the holes I was thinking it would look so much better with a glossy paint in the holes. If you could do an ultra bright pink or even a metalic pink with the colour changing finish on top, I think you'd have a real stunner.
+1 for chemically treated copper pick guard. paint suggestion: powder Blue to dark purple fade, same angle. interior should be metallic white pink blend. very nice mod.
Yeah, the stain isn't working. I'm normally not a fan of solid finishes, but I think a sparkly pink with a complementary blue or turquoise for the hexagons would look great. Match that to a white pickguard, it'll look great!
Your creativity and imaginative way of seeing things is astounding. If I can ever afford it, I need a guitar built by you, sir. Can't wait to see part 3... 👍✌🤘
Ventilated Strat Yes custom scratch plate. Ventilate the headstock too. A variable size ventilation hole version could be very interesting. I don't care what color you make it, /shrug. But I'm having fun watching you work on it. I think you could get more weight out around the input jack area. Maybe get to that 2kg removed mark.
This is a fascinating insight into 3D visualisation. The possibilities this conjures up... when you consider the realestate between the outer skins or silhouette of the body. Of course, it's important not just to consider that you lightened the body, but what about the neck? Last thng you want is a head-heavy instrument! 😉
Ran across this guitar build video and ended up loving the way you interacted with your audience and viewers. the overall experience of being made to feel not just a observer but part of the team prompted me to subscribe. Great content. 😁
I’ve literally just discovered this channel and started watching a 1 parter which became a 2 parter and is now going to be a 3 parter (or more) Where is my instant gratification that RUclips provides??? I’ve had to subscribe now just I see what the end result is!!!
1. you will see the inside of the rout through the holes, make it pink!!! 2. change the pickguard. 3. my only criticism, not fond of teh hex carving on the holes. 4. keep the staining as is, mix some blue/pink color shifting powder in the poly and spray it.
Brass hex-pattern inlays on the scratchplate, but only on the bottom and forward parts of it, would provide an interesting sense of balance, I think. Because brass is on the brownish yellow side, it would also be suggestive of a honeycomb. Agree with the poster below who suggested a bee inlay in the peghead. It looks great!
I usually prefer less radical design however this blows my mind. I think you are truly on to something here. I think the copper scratch plate would be in line with the rest of the design.
Definitely a copper scratchplate with some beautiful patina... but then would the other hardware match, or would we need antique copper trem, pot knobs and machines?
With the holes that vivid pink colour, it would look fantastic with the body being white with some form of colour change within the white. Then you have more flexibility to have a bold colour on the scratch plate without it all clashing
Love the holes, love what you have done thus far, Ben. My thought for how to finish this guitar for your daughter...What about a bright, bright pink for the holes, lavender for the guitar body, and a titanium scratch plate that has been flamed? Might be too much, but I don't think so.
I feel like that pattern of weight relief would be FANTASTIC on an explorer type guitar. lots of surface area, no carving on the top, relatively boxy shape. It's a good match imo.
I’m hoping for paint, not stain for this particular build. The design itself is so unique and bold. Show that off with a simple paint job that lets the design stand out and speak for itself. No color fade or color change or anything flashy. One solid dark blue or purple on the outside that shows off the bright pink inside the holes. That’s what I would do
Tips&tricks Bright colours attract the eye! Dark do not! Bright colours also pop out. Dark deceives the eye to be a surface further back. Colour scheme to enhance the 3-D-effect of the holes: A) Bottom of holes very bright. (0-5 units of black in the colour mix.) Seems contradictory but they will be invisible in the shadow otherwise (unless you install light inside). B)Side of holes darker than the bottom and also darker than the top surface. C)Top face a nuance in between the other colours. All colours are one and the same just 5 units more black on the top face and 10 units more black on the side walls of the holes compared to the bottom nuance. Design “rules”: When one has many different colours and types of wood they all compete for the attention. I would let the 3-D holes be the main attraction. That is easy to achieve with only one colour yet in three different shades of brightness/darkness. ..and lastly...... as one of our great contemporary composers said: “When you create, you have to be prepared to “kill your darlings!....” I guess you’d like the wood to be visible. And that might have become a darling?... 🧐😇 The wood grains would be competing for attention on the expense of the hexagon holes. So one colour only but with different shades of grey will do the trick. A hit I would say.. humbly 😁 Kind rgds Anders Sweden
I like the stain job. Just touch it up with translucent colors. Then use a pearly top coat. I want to know how one can get a level spray inside all the holes…
How does anodized Aluminium sound for an Scratchplate? Lightweight, Metal, any Colour that you might want... and a some layers of clearcoat should keep it nice for a while... For the Coloursceme i would sugest : Frontholes: Bright Pink, Backholes: Candy Red Outer Body. Deep Purple Scratchplate: Dark Green or also bright Pink That Project of yours is absolute awsome to be honest.
Does beg the question: what would a scratch build out of balsawood look like? Do you rout out a Descendant, put in a balsawood plug, and carve out anthing that comes to mind from geodesic patterns to organic tendons to support the pickups? I'll be the first to admit I don't trust balsawood with a neck pocket of any kind. My notion is to treat it like a sculpting medium with a whiff of structural support. I don't believe anyone has called it a tone wood. Still, spray booth and VIVID colors are the order of the day. And wasn't this the 100 minute build some years ago?
since the guitar is kinda tech-y with the mac hexagons id imagine some laser-engraved black linework on the wooden plate or in a copper plate would look nice. Something akin to the voyager record
Great Video! I know you seem to be set on pink as a colour BUT You could also do a yellow wax finish and call it the "Queen Bee", now that you have the hexagonal/flower holes.
It will be a large pain in the butt, but LEDs inside the body is a must in my humble opinion. By the way shielding would be a next huge arsepain. With that much wood removed guitar can be microphonic as hell. And yeah - opportunities is limitless, just change loaded pickguards: 3 humbuckers, 3 singles, literally any pickguard mounted pickups combos and that's really great! Killswitches, boosters, preamps, piezos there is space for everything now! Great work Ben!
Ok. Some good and bad points were made. Personally I love the idea of the patterned holes continuing in the fret. To keep the strength, fill the holes with clear epoxy resin. The pattern can continue like the rest of the rebuild or just be between the frets. Pink chrome paint or inserts for the holes, something that will catch the light. Less flashy iridescent on the body that starts as purple at the arm rest and feathers into blue farther out. If your daughter is into hard/acid rock, hidden glow-in-the-dark or florescent highlights that don't show in normal lighting to complete the ensemble. The guitar name... if I remember correct, Slushious was the name of the modified car from the movie Home. All told, I really enjoy that you capture your creativity process on camera. It shows a level of thinking that many people forget even professionals contend with.
thank you :) yes.. Slushious is from the movie 'Home', which I really enjoyed tbh. Resin with a pattern going onto the fretboard/scracthplate would be great but would add more to the weight.. that being said, I think I am going to have to use that idea in a future scratch build! Thank you for watching!
You should do a really thin, light neck-through guitar then vacuum bag carbon fibre over the whole body/neck. Parker style. It’d be a cool to watch you recreate their techniques. I’m guessing they vacuum bagged them, then trimmed the excess carbon off before they glued the fretboards on.
The hexagon holes are awesome, think you should have done the same to the back! Definitely add some to the head of the neck! Paint is entirely up to you bro! Thanks for sharing.
For the new, solid colour finish, you could go with a rose beetle flip-flop metallic green and purple (or gold) outer coat, and make the inside geometry a fiery neon orange.
Ben: this is becoming a 3-parter.
Me: nice, a 6-part series
Can't wait for the second season
You are not supposed to count all the penultimate episodes XD
Me: damn have to wait another month! Arrgh
This season ended in a cliff-hanger
Part 2 of 3 of 2.
Don't you just love it when a project spirals out of control We need to club together to feed this guy whilst his business stalls for the six months this is going to take. I reckon its worth it. You brilliant man.
well.. I love you too! Thank you for this, made me smile :)
@@CrimsonCustomGuitars ...I'm rewatching episode 2 on 12/30/21...You haven't made an episode 3 yet, right bro??
What's happened to Episode 3???
@@sohosteveuk there is a teeny weeny peek on the 300K livestream part one. You even get to see the daughter concerned.
In my personal, stupid opinion, that burl wood scratch plate is just totally wrong for this guitar. Just doesn't fit at all. So, cast my vote for changing that out. I think copper hued with blues and purples would be nice, as you said. :)
It might look better in person, but in screen it looks like an old piece of Masonite to me.
copper is bad, he should make a custom maple one
Agree with that..
Im not liking the looks of the burl either but the copper is going to be heavy unless its so thin that it will bend.
It's amazing how much the grain in burl wood pops with the right finish. Take some boiled linseed oil and coat it, let sit for 10 minutes. Wipe off and let dry. Finish with a clear lacquer or layers of super glue and polish for a durable finish. Then add inlay or fine pinstripe that blends the body into the plate.
Thank goodness. Such a cool guitar deserves a proper finish, not just a “quick coat of fast drying poly”. I can’t wait to see it properly pore filled and given a proper high gloss finish. As for the holes, pink foil?…Would make a good match to a titanium anodized scratch plate.
I like the idea of a copper scratch plate, especially since it appears you may have routed/drilled away some of the existing screw holes anyway. Rather than patinate it, however, I would recommend flame treating it so the colors are a natural reaction to the heat. So, in effect, yes, burn it!
nah, copper scratch plates are ass, they just scratch and scratch. he should do the crow but maybe not with the burl
The great thing about this guitar is that between sets, you and the band, can play connect 4 :)
The second you said this was a two-part series I chuckled to myself....no way, there's always another one lol.
Yeah you can never have too much fun! I tell the wife the equation for the number of guitars you need = number of guitars you currently own + 1
Preferred the Circles myself. simplicity but then again Ben is rocking it his way =)
I would have beveled it with a unibit. For one, it would have been a lot faster. Second with a unibit you know exactly where to stop to keep them uniform. And third it would have made a more rounded cellular appearance. I'm not a big fan of harsh edged geometrics on a flowing shaped medium. I'd like this more if he squared off the edges and made the body and fingerboard more geometric, but with this I think it should have been softened.
Whilst watching this, I thought about fashion shows, and the crazy designs that prompt cries of 'Who on Earth would wear that?" Well, no one would. Or the concept cars that are far too exotic to ever make it into production. But someone somewhere looks at them and thinks 'I hadn't thought of that; if I take a bit of that and apply it this, it will be really cool'. And that's one of the best things about your whackier builds, Ben. Whilst they may never lead to production instruments, they certainly provide food for thought and inspiration. Looking forward to the next parts in this series. ;)
Idea: continue the pattern onto the side of the scratch plate by carving halves of hexagons into the outside edge.
This is looking really cool. Can't wait to see where you go with it.
Without making the pick guard a splatter shield, ofc
Love the hexagonal transformation of all the holes. Looks almost honeycomb! I’d love to see it sprayed a honey color with a bee motif on the pickguard. Thanks for posting, it’s amazing to see how a common problem of too much weight can be so creatively solved.
Thank you, I'm really enjoying this project.. at the very least I think the holes are going to be golden.. literally, gold leaf :)
Ideas: (1) Add a few of these “Mac Pro” holes to the headstock as well, with smaller diameter, of course, both to prevent risk of neck-dive but mainly for the wholistic design look. (2) Consider placing in the insides of holes reflective material like that used by bicycle users and road-construction people, in pink (if you can find it) or white. Also in the headstock if you follow my 1st recommendation.
Like that one. Would look good on stage with spotlights.
I found episode 1 just now and finished watching it. Then this one was released, I can't believe my timing luck. Really enjoying this weight reduction.
same !
I think a see through pick guard would be the way to go on this, since it's basically a see though guitar now. You can get some nearly fully transparent material with a rainbow sheen on it.
Or paint the outline of the hex shapes on that clear pick guard
in either blue or purple(whatever matches the final finish) and
have the pink underneath it. It would basically look like it didn't
have a pick guard at all. He could even lay some burl in the cavity
and stain it pink or maybe some kind of mural(crow maybe?)within
said cavity.
"I'm a preteen girl, who knew.....?"
**all the guys at Crimson biting their tongues **
As your original inspiration for the 3D holes was a computer chassi made of metal, I think the guitar too should have a shiny metallic look. By all means stick with the pink/blue/purple hues, but make those look shiny and metallic.
Stainless scratch plate too.
I hope this ends up so brightly pink and purple that it hurts your eyes. With a golden glitter scratchplate. Would be perfect for a 10 year old girl 🙂
And leds on the inside? 🤣
@@AboutTheCloud yes, rainbow leds 🙂
@@jeroen9637 hell yeah...🤣
The wiring would be murder, not to mention the shielding
k like im a 28 year old woman.....i would hella rock this hahaha
I love the holes! and if I were to ever make a guitar like that (let alone making a guitar at all (it is a dream though)) then I would go for either a bright pink, or a pastel pink in the holes, with a solid black on the rest of the body. Letting the holes become like cherry blossoms. Love it all so far!
Humble opinion: To my eye the rectilinear pattern of the holes fights with the curvilinear shape of the guitar.
Even if I didn't like watching guitar builds, I would watch this channel just to hear you speak. You are my favorite guitar builder for that reason alone, but add to it your enthusiasm for what you do and your exotic designs and it just sends it into the stratosphere. Love this channel.
thank you so much, this made my day!
Ben you are a mad scientist. No sane person would do this. Sanity is overrated. Keep on trying stuff. This is how things like nebula are born. Nobody at say gibson would have the testicular fortitude to attempt such a thing. Keep it up. P.s. I recently purchased some of your fret files, they instantly became some of my favorite possessions. So thank you very much.
I have a Gibson LP Studio that’s carved on the inside. It’s really nice, weighs a lot less than the classic LP and sounds great. Granted, it’s not full of holes like this, but Gibson does actually experiment a little bit, too :)
@@pekkapulli Gibson LP weight relieved sound bad no low end thump. I tried soo many models with that .. get an SG if you want all mids haha
@@davidbeauvais1364 To each their own! I like how mine sounds, and I get my low end from synths anyway :)
Hey Ben, where's ep. 3 of this? :P I can't wait to see the end result, with the electric pink peeking out from behind the blue/purple finish. It's gonna be rad! Guessing you'll add maybe 4oz of weight with the finish?
I preferred it with just the round holes. Adding the hexes just made it more hectic. Anyways, great build.
I'm not a fan of it, either, but what's done is done
Hectic, as in more "punk rock"?
@@thomasarussellsr Nah, hectic, as in more busy/messy. I like the simplicity/elegance of the round holes better (refer back to the original iMac inpiration picture).
I’ve got a wonderful image in my head of your daughter turning up at school or at a guitar lesson with her one of kind, hand built Crimson Guitar and the tutor just walking out shaking their head 😂
It’s getting better every minute. I can’t presume to advise on colour or finish but copper scratch plate sounds very nice.
PS Wood is incredibly strong….. Gibson Les Paul has left the chat…..
Ben: "I'm a 13 year old girl!"
Ben is officially the prettiest princess.
#WhyWouldntSheLetYou #BurnIt
Until he puts on the full breathing protection mask and becomes Bane.
I love the way you made this guitar look, then you changed it, then you changed it again, it wasn't my favourite, but on I watched and watched and watched...
You sparked my creativity, several times, changed my mind, but I lost sight of the original honeycomb pattern and how in one fell creative swoop, you almost threw the whole guitar world on it's ear. I imagined what a heavy poly finished guitar, with those original 3D circle pattern might have been, how you just changed the look of guitars over the next decade. What people would do with CNC's, how the this would affect all the acrylic based poured guitars out there forever. Then we peaked, plateaued, and maybe fell back a wrung or two.
Then I realized, my vision, isn't necessarily your vision, creativity is a burgeoning thing, something to cherish, promote, nurture and what you inspired in me in my mind's eye isn't your vision at all, and it never has to be, that's the beauty of creativity, we build on what others have inspired in us.
So we copy another's work, until we find what we see in our heads, then we breath it into life ourselves.
So there's that.
Thank you for that!
I'm excited to see the next episode!
Carry on, you inspire us all daily with your love of wood, guitars and life!
For that, again, thanks!
This comment made me very happy! Thank you. The next episode should be live on New Year's day all being well.. and I sincerely hope that you will have your socks knocked off!
@@CrimsonCustomGuitars Eagerly awaiting the next episode!
'I'm a pre teen girl, who knew' that should be a T-Shirt with Ben's scetched face behind it! :D
Many trans women have experienced exactly this
Head tattoos and all...🤔
Hi Ben, Just saw the first two videos on this modification on your daughter's guitar, and it looks spectacular! The bright pink really stands out, and as you were going through the staining process; I couldn't help thinking that with all those lovely holes: Internal LED lighting set up from the massively routed out area. Something to highlight and showcase that wicked 3D effect. I have seen some people use vibration sensitive lighting under their pickups that react to when the instrument is played, some even have that light effect on individual strings. But with your build even a solid (or a 3-LED color changing set up) glowing outward within the holes, would brighten the hot pink you have there now making this a one-of-a-kind body. This wouldn't add hardly any weight (a small battery depending on the device needs), but it could add a LOT of visual attention to it. Good luck with your build-mod in any event, you are an artist with vision!
I personally wouldn't have removed the wood from the trem cavity. There's now no "direct" wood path for the vibrations to travel from nut to bridge. I wonder what effect this will have on the sustain.
the trem is still going to be screwed into the wood.
@@502deth Yes, and there will be much less wood between those screw points and the nut. I would opt for maximum "connection" (i.e. wood) between nut and bridge, and this removes a large part of that.
I super excited to see the end result, whatever you choose. I think some pearl essence in the paint to make it sparkle would make it really pop!
sparkleiscious baby!
I'd love to see a galactic paintjob with all the iridescent, ethereal color shifting and some stars. Think Hubble Telescope, Lanchen Mihalic
Take a look at his nebula series, it’s basically what you want
The outside can be the purple still, it is a nice color, with the wood veins as well. But the inside of the holes I'd go for something metalic, for more accent maybe. Don't know if just silver or gold, maybe some color with a metalic shade.
Interesting take on the hexagon alignment. My natural inclination would have been to honeycomb it. Leave it to you to go against the grain.
Awesome work! Can't wait for the final installment of this one! On a side note, it's very refreshing to see someone who's not afraid to get their Speedmaster dirty and actually wear the darn thing!
Can't wait to see what you're gonna do about the crazy neck dive, which is almost unavoidable at this point
He deals with this in episode five . No stone unturned and such .
Cuts off the headstock and puts in a headless bridge.
Attaches the rotor off a drone to the end of the headstock to pull the neck up. Obviously.
You don't necessarily need longer screws for the trem system, you could make a longer claw (and put holes in it for minimal weight) for the space between the springs and the screws.
A copper scratch plate would probably add a bit of weight back to the instrument, so that might be counterproductive even if it is pretty. The cavity needs shielding too, although that won't be affected by your choice of scratch plate. The main problem I can see is that some of the screws that are supposed to hold the existing scratch plate on now have nothing to bite into, so that's a pretty good reason to make a new one.
Personally I'd be tempted to hide an Arduino or Raspberry Pi under the scratch plate, and then add RGB lighting to all the holes, but I know you don't like wiring and this would involve quite a lot of it.
Honestly the finish looked blootchie before and even more now
I'm not a fan the bee hive look, but it is definitely an interesting experiment
I have great faith in you Ben, more than once you turned your projects from a point where they were not convincing to something incredibly beautiful
I'm pumped to see what's next :)
PS: more episodes? why would it ever be a bad thing?🤔🤣
Yeah, the circles looked better than the hexagons.
I love the hexagonal look you created from the bores. I love the idea of mixing a purple to blue ombrae idea with the pink in the bores. Move the purple over more of the blue sections and highlight the hexagonal detail with black while keeping the pink bore color would help the hex motif pop.
"This is going to be fairly subtle when we get to the end". Brings out a bottle of shocking red ink.
And here I went into this video half expecting Ben to copper leaf all of the internals. A huge amount of work to be sure, but it would look pretty impressive inside of a color shifting pink/purple/blue body, sort of like a honey comb in an oil slick.
Honeycomb effect. Marvellous. Have a wee bumblebee on the headstock.
Yes: Bees!
If you started with a solid-body, you could have used a large ball-drill bit to make the guitar dimpled like a golf ball to save weight and make it more aerodynamic for tossing it around her body when she plays a packed concert at Wembley. I am worried for the top horn if that is where the strap connection is. Better fortified horns have broken in the past. Just my thoughts.
Ben: "I'm a preteen girl, who knew?"
Also Ben: "I wouldn't assume the sex of... anything."
Ben from the future: "My new pronouns are: they/them."
Me: "Oh well congrats on coming out, but I seriously hope they're going to finish this amazing 16 part series."
i think youve made the right call on the finish. if you were doing stain on a guitar that didnt have all the hexagonal features it would work a lot better, but you just cant appreciate the fade between the 2 colours the way it is. Can't wait to see how it looks when you are finished.
Your instincts are good. Blue to purple with hot pink. Just make sure those transitions from surface to cavity are CRISP! Love your work!
thank you!
Dear Ben, I just love your way of developing instruments and especially this one - it is already so unique and you definitely will be hugged by your daughter for it! Please never stop harvesting every creative thought into your builds! I admire you and look forward for the upcoming episode...take you good time - wine takes its aging time and therefore is developing its unique flavor. Have you ever thought of building a guitar out of old wine barrel wood? Have a happy weekend and as well all you readers and awesome guitar builders, cheers Beat
Waiting for someone to send the barrel! DC
@@CrimsonCustomGuitars I will keep my eyes open for you - finding a barrel. Alternatively, you might put wood into a full wine barrel for a few years or at least a few month:-) Have a wonderful day and I try my best - BF
You are sooo inspiring, thank you! I'm going to do the same work on a Harley Benton Telecaster kit. Before watching your videos my plan was to bore plain holes in lines.
Your "Mac design" is far more brilliant and it keeps the body even stronger, IMHO. Moreover, I'm sure that due to its design, the resonance and elasticity of this body will increase.
I can't wait to watch the third video and hear what your masterpiece sounds like.
As soon as I finish my "LighTelly" I will publish a video of its making of and I will let you know.
thank you, and glad I could help send you in an interesting direction.. if there is enough space between the holes I wouldn't worry about the strength, I managed to drop this one by being stupid and there was no effect whatsoever :)
I know you won't/can't do it on camera, but a design consultation with your daughter about the colors and finish seems like a good idea. Does she like or want pink? If you are going to paint the inside pink, does she want it sparkly or not? Trying to make aesthetic choices for a thirteen year old girl seems like venturing out onto very thin ice.
I love what happens when the holes sort of intersect each other. Nice work, Ben!
Major Dad points!
My vote is for the copper scratch plate. The colors would go much better with copper than burl. I love this project. Genious can't be rushed. It's an evolutionary process. Thanks for sharing this labor of love.
my pleasure, thanks for watching :)
This is a super cool project. I posted this reply to a comment about the burl scratch plate, but I wanted you to see it directly. Boot the burl. Do a transparent acrylic with a similar hex-hole pattern cut into the back of it then put a very thin piece of anodized aluminum (light orange or yellow - complementary colors to the body) to hide the massive hole and highlight the hex depressions. You might even be able to 3D print such a thing if y'all have a printer.
very very cool idea, thank you. As it stands I'm well on the path to making a carbon fibre one but this wold be my second choice! And yes.. the burl has been booted, it doesn't fit the rest of the guitar.
Definitely copper or if you are doing pinks in the inlays a very dark wood scratch maybe ebony something to offset the bright colours
A fade chameleon colour could be quite radical... starting with maybe red to blue at the bridge end fading into green/gold flip on the horns (other colour combos most welcomed!) On the lacquer weight question I guess it depends on how many coats will be going on. I wouldn't be surprised if 250-300g is added... maybe even more?
probably a bit more I think, which fills me with sadness :( I like the idea of adding extra colours over a chameleon finish though, I've never considered that!
Keep going with the colors.
For the scratch plate, use clear perspex. Put an inset gold border around the front, and paint the back of it sparkle-laden pink.
The Black-Pink-Purple layup looked great. The straight Blue is what threw it off. If the blue had been Black/Grey I think it’d have been a winner.
If you’re painting it, I reckon it needs the copper scratchplate. What about 3 layers of 1 mm copper, cut the top and bottom with holes like the body pattern, and the middle layer just a frame around the edges? With the patina and a coat of clear that could look fantastic.
Also, entirely unrelated, but if that Burl Scratchplate needs a new home after this, I’d be interested in “helping out”. 😂
purple base, a splash/drip/dust of the same bright pink coming from the top to give it balance. turmeric yellow in the holes (the yellow will show all the shadows from the angles you cut in and it kinda looks honeycomb...ish) also its the perfect complementary colour
Sir, you are a true master luthier AND artist; I've seen enough video's on your channel to know that the end result will be nothing less than awesome. Thank you!
your faith makes me happy.. fingers crossed I don't disappoint this time :)
I think a transparent scratch plate with the inside stained in a shocking pink, like the guitar that showed up in one of the WOTB episodes would look great, as long as you wire it tidily. The addition of a white LED or two inside the cavity would be great too, could be easily hidden under the pickup or near the controls, just don't use flashing ones.
Flip flop pink to purple on the outside sounds good... but what does your daughter think? It is her guitar after all.
sounds great! she is set on the path now and has been consulted at every turn.. even made me drop a really really coo idea I had :(
High gloss black finish with gold metal mesh to fit the hexagons? Gold hardware to match. Maybe gold trimmed pick guard to complement. Might look pretty snazzy.
Yes... try and fill in the splotches with more pink... and if you can deepen the blue "grain" more purple... it would look killer!
1-I would be concerned about routing or so much weird under the center block/strings area. Which might destabilize the instrument under fully strung tension.
2-Def go for the optically etched and enhanced copper scratchplate.
Ben, I think of you did the holes neon pink and then did a deep purple to blue fade along with some white splots to make it look like a galaxy would be amazing! Love what you do with guitars. Can’t wait to see the finale.
I refuse to make any negative comment until I see the final result. What I've seen so far is geometrically interesting. I would probably smooth the transition from hex to circle a bit more. It's really cool. I'd probably stare at it for a while, trying fit get more holes in that make sense to the eye. I love the hex-circle transition. I love the whole damn milk-crate look. Pretty snazzy. I can't wait to see it finished.
Thank you, and thank you :) This comment was the first I have looked at this evening and frankly I am going to turn of the computer and it on a good note. Have a great evening! Ps.. I came SOOOOO close to adding more holes in different sizes just because I could!
Brilliant and entertaining as always! I think if the hexes were cut all the way through the front half rather than feathered into the circle it would amplify the design, but I don't know if that would bugger the stability. Looking forward the paint job - something solid would look great I think.
I think more holes/hexagons and a clear scratch plate over the final finish would look stellar but who am I kidding, it’s gonna end up looking stellar no matter what direction you go with it! That’s just the nature of your work
As you were staining the holes I was thinking it would look so much better with a glossy paint in the holes. If you could do an ultra bright pink or even a metalic pink with the colour changing finish on top, I think you'd have a real stunner.
I watched the video last night and kept dreaming about how cool it'd look with a pearlescent paint job and a burnt titanium pick guard.
+1 for chemically treated copper pick guard.
paint suggestion: powder Blue to dark purple fade, same angle. interior should be metallic white pink blend.
very nice mod.
Yeah, the stain isn't working. I'm normally not a fan of solid finishes, but I think a sparkly pink with a complementary blue or turquoise for the hexagons would look great. Match that to a white pickguard, it'll look great!
Your creativity and imaginative way of seeing things is astounding. If I can ever afford it, I need a guitar built by you, sir. Can't wait to see part 3... 👍✌🤘
Ventilated Strat
Yes custom scratch plate.
Ventilate the headstock too.
A variable size ventilation hole version could be very interesting.
I don't care what color you make it, /shrug. But I'm having fun watching you work on it.
I think you could get more weight out around the input jack area. Maybe get to that 2kg removed mark.
This is a fascinating insight into 3D visualisation. The possibilities this conjures up... when you consider the realestate between the outer skins or silhouette of the body. Of course, it's important not just to consider that you lightened the body, but what about the neck? Last thng you want is a head-heavy instrument! 😉
Ran across this guitar build video and ended up loving the way you interacted with your audience and viewers. the overall experience of being made to feel not just a observer but part of the team prompted me to subscribe. Great content. 😁
Thank you and welcome. DC
I’ve literally just discovered this channel and started watching a 1 parter which became a 2 parter and is now going to be a 3 parter (or more)
Where is my instant gratification that RUclips provides???
I’ve had to subscribe now just I see what the end result is!!!
1. you will see the inside of the rout through the holes, make it pink!!!
2. change the pickguard.
3. my only criticism, not fond of teh hex carving on the holes.
4. keep the staining as is, mix some blue/pink color shifting powder in the poly and spray it.
oh yes, and you MUST drill the headstock to match!
I use the masking tape and super glue method the majority of the time when attaching stock to my spoilboard on my CNC router. Works incredibly well!
Brass hex-pattern inlays on the scratchplate, but only on the bottom and forward parts of it, would provide an interesting sense of balance, I think. Because brass is on the brownish yellow side, it would also be suggestive of a honeycomb. Agree with the poster below who suggested a bee inlay in the peghead. It looks great!
Routing through the back and putting the extractor on his face!!! Next level craziness this episode haha, BEN HAS GONE CRAZY(ER) HE MUST BE STOPPED!
don't stop me... I'm having fun :(
I usually prefer less radical design however this blows my mind. I think you are truly on to something here. I think the copper scratch plate would be in line with the rest of the design.
I absolutely think you should do a Crow into the scratch plate. It would make it totally unique and be stunning.
Definitely a copper scratchplate with some beautiful patina... but then would the other hardware match, or would we need antique copper trem, pot knobs and machines?
With the holes that vivid pink colour, it would look fantastic with the body being white with some form of colour change within the white. Then you have more flexibility to have a bold colour on the scratch plate without it all clashing
Love the holes, love what you have done thus far, Ben. My thought for how to finish this guitar for your daughter...What about a bright, bright pink for the holes, lavender for the guitar body, and a titanium scratch plate that has been flamed? Might be too much, but I don't think so.
love you doing those details around the holes. hope your daughter is happy, you are a good dad!
I feel like that pattern of weight relief would be FANTASTIC on an explorer type guitar. lots of surface area, no carving on the top, relatively boxy shape. It's a good match imo.
I’m hoping for paint, not stain for this particular build. The design itself is so unique and bold. Show that off with a simple paint job that lets the design stand out and speak for itself. No color fade or color change or anything flashy. One solid dark blue or purple on the outside that shows off the bright pink inside the holes. That’s what I would do
Tips&tricks
Bright colours attract the eye! Dark do not!
Bright colours also pop out. Dark deceives the eye to be a surface further back.
Colour scheme to enhance the 3-D-effect of the holes:
A) Bottom of holes very bright. (0-5 units of black in the colour mix.) Seems contradictory but they will be invisible in the shadow otherwise (unless you install light inside).
B)Side of holes darker than the bottom and also darker than the top surface.
C)Top face a nuance in between the other colours.
All colours are one and the same just 5 units more black on the top face and 10 units more black on the side walls of the holes compared to the bottom nuance.
Design “rules”: When one has many different colours and types of wood they all compete for the attention. I would let the 3-D holes be the main attraction. That is easy to achieve with only one colour yet in three different shades of brightness/darkness.
..and lastly...... as one of our great contemporary composers said: “When you create, you have to be prepared to “kill your darlings!....”
I guess you’d like the wood to be visible. And that might have become a darling?... 🧐😇 The wood grains would be competing for attention on the expense of the hexagon holes. So one colour only but with different shades of grey will do the trick. A hit I would say.. humbly 😁
Kind rgds
Anders
Sweden
I like the stain job. Just touch it up with translucent colors. Then use a pearly top coat. I want to know how one can get a level spray inside all the holes…
How does anodized Aluminium sound for an Scratchplate?
Lightweight, Metal, any Colour that you might want... and a some layers of clearcoat should keep it nice for a while...
For the Coloursceme i would sugest :
Frontholes: Bright Pink,
Backholes: Candy Red
Outer Body. Deep Purple
Scratchplate: Dark Green or also bright Pink
That Project of yours is absolute awsome to be honest.
that sounds incredible! I have used aluminium in the past and agree, it would be a lovely finish to offset the rest of the craziness.
Does beg the question: what would a scratch build out of balsawood look like? Do you rout out a Descendant, put in a balsawood plug, and carve out anthing that comes to mind from geodesic patterns to organic tendons to support the pickups? I'll be the first to admit I don't trust balsawood with a neck pocket of any kind. My notion is to treat it like a sculpting medium with a whiff of structural support. I don't believe anyone has called it a tone wood.
Still, spray booth and VIVID colors are the order of the day. And wasn't this the 100 minute build some years ago?
since the guitar is kinda tech-y with the mac hexagons id imagine some laser-engraved black linework on the wooden plate or in a copper plate would look nice. Something akin to the voyager record
Great Video!
I know you seem to be set on pink as a colour BUT
You could also do a yellow wax finish and call it the "Queen Bee", now that you have the hexagonal/flower holes.
Hi Ben, you will get a better result with paint. Now with the hexagons and the colours, it’s already very a simple scratch plate might work better.
I really enjoy the courage you have in your willingness to just try things. If it doesn't work, try again.
It will be a large pain in the butt, but LEDs inside the body is a must in my humble opinion. By the way shielding would be a next huge arsepain. With that much wood removed guitar can be microphonic as hell. And yeah - opportunities is limitless, just change loaded pickguards: 3 humbuckers, 3 singles, literally any pickguard mounted pickups combos and that's really great! Killswitches, boosters, preamps, piezos there is space for everything now! Great work Ben!
Ok. Some good and bad points were made. Personally I love the idea of the patterned holes continuing in the fret. To keep the strength, fill the holes with clear epoxy resin. The pattern can continue like the rest of the rebuild or just be between the frets. Pink chrome paint or inserts for the holes, something that will catch the light. Less flashy iridescent on the body that starts as purple at the arm rest and feathers into blue farther out. If your daughter is into hard/acid rock, hidden glow-in-the-dark or florescent highlights that don't show in normal lighting to complete the ensemble. The guitar name... if I remember correct, Slushious was the name of the modified car from the movie Home. All told, I really enjoy that you capture your creativity process on camera. It shows a level of thinking that many people forget even professionals contend with.
thank you :) yes.. Slushious is from the movie 'Home', which I really enjoyed tbh. Resin with a pattern going onto the fretboard/scracthplate would be great but would add more to the weight.. that being said, I think I am going to have to use that idea in a future scratch build! Thank you for watching!
You should do a really thin, light neck-through guitar then vacuum bag carbon fibre over the whole body/neck. Parker style. It’d be a cool to watch you recreate their techniques. I’m guessing they vacuum bagged them, then trimmed the excess carbon off before they glued the fretboards on.
The hexagon holes are awesome, think you should have done the same to the back! Definitely add some to the head of the neck! Paint is entirely up to you bro! Thanks for sharing.
copper scratch plate will be amazing on this one! definitely do it!
For the new, solid colour finish, you could go with a rose beetle flip-flop metallic green and purple (or gold) outer coat, and make the inside geometry a fiery neon orange.