Michael's project

[Spaghetti]

Hi there, my name is Michael and I play the tap-guitar.
Therefore, since it has the word "guitar" in its name, I can't help but desire to build a better one...
Since I'm no luthier and I don't own any woodworking/metalworking hardware, I think I'll figure out exactly how I want it, then hand it to a trusted luthier for the actual building...
Since most of you know better than me what it means to build a touchstyle instrument, I hope you'll give me all the
advice you can!

First of all, I play uncrossed, mirror 4ths, bass in the middle and it suits me fine;

On my Krappy, string spacing is quite tight: 8mm between the strings, which means a total string spacing of 42,5mm
on the melody side and 43,5mm on the bass side (I play with quite a light gauge); 12mm between the instrument
sides... While I'm quite happy with the melody side, I'd like to have a bit more spacing between the bass strings,
to be comfortable for slap and fingerpicking: what spacing do you advise?

Pickups: I've had a looooooooooong mail exchange with Erno at www.q-tuner.com and I must say I'm leaning towards his pups, but I'd still like to hear what you people have to say. I'm more into a Megatar style sound than a Sticklike one, especially on the bass end... Big question: HOW MANY? One or two per side?

Bridge: here I must heavily rely on your experience, since I don't know anything about it...

Neck: tapered or straight? Is there any serious difference?

Fretboard: Erno suggested, for maximum sustain and harmonic content, quartersawn snakewood: any alternatives?

Neck: which wood/s? how many laminates?

Nut, frets: what materials?

Body: which wood/s? I'll leave the design for last, but it will surely be built keeping weight, balance and playability in mind, before aesthetics...

Tuning pegs: Schaller or Sperzel or what?

Electronics: I'm leaning towards passive, but anyway, any advice as to active circuitry? 9V or 18V? I wouldn't want
to have tone controls on-board, just independent volume controls per pickup and a stereo/mono switch... did I forget
anything?

Of course, dual truss-rods...

Well, that seems to be all, please forgive me for the long post and now... fire away!

[rjgoos]

My only advice, is this: unless you have extensive woodworking skills and equipment, take the pressure off of yourself....realize that it might take several tries to get the instrument you want. Even consider making a non-playable prototype or two, to learn the shop skills necessary.

A few years ago, when I started building, I started with shop skills that hadn't been used in 25 years, and a pitiful assortment of tools. I am now finishing instrument #6, and I have high hopes that this is the the one I can finally go out and gig with. The journey itself is a lot of fun.


Jay

[Spaghetti]

Thanks, rj, but I think you misread the introduction to my post... I don't have the skills, and I don't have the money nor the space (I live in a small flat) to buy tools...
Anyway, the luthier I'm leaning to (Vassilevsky, from Belgium) builds wonderful guitars, and has already built a few touchstyle instruments (some budget ones that sound REALLY good, for Daniel Schell's school in Brussels; some small scale "travel" ones; at least a gorgeous tapper for a guy here in Brussels)...

[GaryOpenhill]

Hey Michael. Maybe consider pickups with adjustable pole pieces under each string? I have those on my megatar, the gold once, and i really like the oportunity to balance each string with them. They also sound real good in itself, but i don't know what brand those are. Well, it's just a a thought.

Btw, do you know what this luthier would take for a 12 string tapper, and are there photos on the net somewhere?

[Spaghetti]

Gary: concerning pickups, the q-tuner neodymium pickups I'm considering actually have 3 rows of 11 pole pieces each, allowing to fine tune output and tone itself for each string...

I'll open a post about this luthier, he's a hardcore artisan who doesn't have an internet access, so the best way to contact him is to PM me: I'll give you his cellphone number. His website is on the way...