[big_mak]

here's a shot of my first crack.

Making them for a customer, First order was for one, then 3 next one for Five

[Kipper]

How cool is that :cheers:

[big_mak]

A couple more pics.

Thanks Kipper.

Finished off with a Carvin neck, EMG pickups(A la Zakk Wylde) and a Hipshot Bridge, and Special Gotoh Tuners for some reason imported from Japan.

[Stepper Monkey]

Now can you do that with an SG-style body? I need a unique body for an EB0 (SG bodied 4-string Bass). That is really unspeakably hip.

Would there be any technical reason you could not have a decent performing neck and headstock made that way too? Probably need a heavier truss rod, but is there a technical reason you couldn't have it play well?

If you could make an all-Aluminum Bass with a carbon composite fingerboard it would be just, pardon the pun, "totally metal"....

PM me if you can do more of this kind of work - I can't hog out that much metal on my equipment!

[mgdesigns]

How does this puppy sound? I have played many types of guitars, but I don't think I've ever played a guitar made of aluminum. Will it resonate well? I did see a guitar made from an african oil can with a bolt-on neck and pickups, and it sort of sounded like an electric dobro.

[harryn]

Hi - I am just curious if you have made some more and how they sound.

[big_mak]

This guitar has gotten some really good reviews. Around Vancouver there are a few in studios, as the engineers really like the clarity, and the natural overtones that are produced.

Look @ www.liquidmetalguitars.com and you will see a new model. I'm also working on a tele design as well.

Cheers guys!

[Kipper]

I was wondering how nice one would look anodised! :cheers: (Just had to take another look)

[big_mak]

I believe that anodizing will bring out the grain structure in the material so it would get duller. Clear powder coat may keeps its lustere.

I've done lots of cosmetic ally stuff, and seen them after the customer specified clear anodize, and it still looks nice, but not as nice as straight off the machine when they were turned with a diamond tool.

[Geof]

I believe that anodizing will bring out the grain structure in the material so it would get duller. Clear powder coat may keeps its lustere.

I've done lots of cosmetic ally stuff, and seen them after the customer specified clear anodize, and it still looks nice, but not as nice as straight off the machine when they were turned with a diamond tool.

Correctly. done anodizing will maintain the luster. Actually with some alloys you can polish to a mirror finish and maintain the gloss through anodizing.

The picture is not very good quality but you can see the reflective highlights on the as-machined part and similar highlights on the black anodized part. This was simply washed after machining then anodized.

[big_mak]

I hear you Geoff, its a matter of the guys locally being able to do it right.

There's a customer of mine, who's gone to a local guy here. The whole run of parts was from the same bar, and there were so many diferences from part to part, that the anodiser was trying to tell this guy, that the parts were cut from different bars.

Some times they are good, and some times they aren't. What can you do with guys like this. Poor Guy was send lots of four parts to his customers, and had to sort through the lot, and match them up the best he could.

Maybe what I saw spent too much time in the etching process??????

[Suzuki]

I like it! What a great idea!

Suzuki

[js11110]

My question is- How heavy is that guitar? I know when I play for awhile my guitar gets HEAVY. I couldn't imagine playing a gig with that.

Jason

[Stepper Monkey]

My question is- How heavy is that guitar? I know when I play for awhile my guitar gets HEAVY. I couldn't imagine playing a gig with that.

Jason

From what I understand the bodies on even large aluminum Basses only start at about 30 oz. if you machine them to around .125". Especially leaving any extra metal in there for internal ribbing that is way sturdy enough to knock down a brick wall and still lighter than most wood bodies.
I can't imagine playing one someone didin't hollow out though!

I found a source for aluminum necks, too. Apparently there are a number of manufacturers of them, they have quite a following. They too are pretty light as they are hollowed out under the fingerboards to varying degrees. They don't need a truss rod, either.

[Stu_M3]

About 30 years ago someone produced an aluminium neck'ed guitar it had a perspex body the neck was a "T" section with wood inlay's no doubt to make it a bit warmer to the touch. It prompted me to make one of my own but cast in one piece. since at that time I did not have access to the software or machines we have now. I spark eroded the fret slots One problem with it it can be very cold and gets condensation on it. I dont know who it was who made the on that I saw I thought it was microfret but I cant find any ref to it on the Net. Anybody know who produced it?

[big_mak]

Thanks for the kind words D!

It's a fun job that we get from time to time. We're working on a telecaster design next. We've got one with F-Holes too that doesn't get chromed. Anodized or translucent automotive colours like hard candy Red and such!

It's cool to see people's reactions to this thing. Producers are loving it because of the pure sound that's coming out of it!!!

[js11110]

About 30 years ago someone produced an aluminium neck'ed guitar it had a perspex body the neck was a "T" section with wood inlay's no doubt to make it a bit warmer to the touch. It prompted me to make one of my own but cast in one piece. since at that time I did not have access to the software or machines we have now. I spark eroded the fret slots One problem with it it can be very cold and gets condensation on it. I dont know who it was who made the on that I saw I thought it was microfret but I cant find any ref to it on the Net. Anybody know who produced it?

I used to have a Kramer that sounds exactly like the one your talking about. I sold it to a friend at work whose father used to work at the Kramer factory when they were made. Very cool Guitar. Check out the link: http://www.vintagekramer.com/alum.htm
I had the DMZ2000

Jason

[big_mak]

Have a look Gents.

Dertsap I don't think this one was at the Skinner Open House

[dertsap]

nice stuff man , lots of machining going on there
no that one wasnt at skinners

i'd love to go snooping thru your scrap bin

[cr2]

Very nice...but for Heavy Metal I would use brass.