Explorer / Strat hybrid

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MBG
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Explorer / Strat hybrid

Post by MBG »

Since my last project was a strat/tele hybrid which came out pretty well in my opinion, I am now getting a bit more adventurous and hoping to blend strat and explorer designs together. I've started with the CAD sketches (see below), and although I like how the lines flow, it'll likely need some wood in place of "upper horn" in order to prevent it from neck dives. How'd you people rate it - yay or nay? Any advices on how to increase the amount of wood above the neck joint but still make it flow nicely?

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Re: Explorer / Strat hybrid

Post by Jay »

Some suggestions for balancing...
Use a denser wood for body
Shorter scale
Shorter headstock with tuners 4 by 2 or 3 by 3
Open tuners
Rout for steel insert in body tail to support post build balancing
Carbon truss rod instead of steel
Build a prototype first
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Re: Explorer / Strat hybrid

Post by jimi »

Take some inspiration from these shapes on how to get more wood in the top horn?

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Re: Explorer / Strat hybrid

Post by JHorner »

I'm no physicist but wouldn't a very small change to the angle of the rear bout create a lot more leverage than adding mass to the upper horn?

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Re: Explorer / Strat hybrid

Post by JHorner »

Oh and the reverse hockey puck headstock is way cooler than the Ibanez one.

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Re: Explorer / Strat hybrid

Post by MBG »

jimi wrote: Sun Dec 18, 2022 3:21 pm Take some inspiration from these shapes on how to get more wood in the top horn?

Image

Image
Most likely I'll do something similar to the upper one. I got a suggestion to do something like this, think I'm liking it!
Image[/url]
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Re: Explorer / Strat hybrid

Post by MBG »

JHorner wrote: Sun Dec 18, 2022 3:54 pm I'm no physicist but wouldn't a very small change to the angle of the rear bout create a lot more leverage than adding mass to the upper horn?

Image
Hmmmm, I guess I could try something like that. :think: thanks for the suggestion! :thumbup:
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Re: Explorer / Strat hybrid

Post by jeremyb »

Cool project! I'd be surprised with an explorer style body you get neck dive, I'd be more expecting it to lift too high, but some careful selection of strap button position might be enough to counter that :-)
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Re: Explorer / Strat hybrid

Post by MBG »

jeremyb wrote: Tue Dec 20, 2022 7:59 am Cool project! I'd be surprised with an explorer style body you get neck dive, I'd be more expecting it to lift too high, but some careful selection of strap button position might be enough to counter that :-)
The sketch is a bit deceiving, Explorer has these large bodies whereas this one is much smaller. Once you overlie a strat or tele body contours over this, then you realize how small it actually is.

Very soon I'll try and mod my workbench into jigsaw/bandsaw platform, and then record the progress of this project in this topic.
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Re: Explorer / Strat hybrid

Post by Optical »

MBG wrote: Mon Dec 19, 2022 9:28 pm
JHorner wrote: Sun Dec 18, 2022 3:54 pm I'm no physicist but wouldn't a very small change to the angle of the rear bout create a lot more leverage than adding mass to the upper horn?

Image
Hmmmm, I guess I could try something like that. :think: thanks for the suggestion! :thumbup:
The issue with that is the rear strap lock also moves back, shifting the CG back and making the issue worse. Would need to be more rear weight and the strap point moved forward or same.

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Re: Explorer / Strat hybrid

Post by JHorner »

Optical wrote: Wed Dec 21, 2022 10:10 am
MBG wrote: Mon Dec 19, 2022 9:28 pm
JHorner wrote: Sun Dec 18, 2022 3:54 pm I'm no physicist but wouldn't a very small change to the angle of the rear bout create a lot more leverage than adding mass to the upper horn?

Image
Hmmmm, I guess I could try something like that. :think: thanks for the suggestion! :thumbup:
The issue with that is the rear strap lock also moves back, shifting the CG back and making the issue worse. Would need to be more rear weight and the strap point moved forward or same.
If the strap button is at the center line, isn't the leverage of the bout still massively increased?

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/I have never owned an explorer

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Re: Explorer / Strat hybrid

Post by Optical »

Not really, the CG of the guitar moves - see the LTD snakebite for example of one approach to figuring this out by shaping the back edge to move the button toward the bridge. Explorers are dicks with where the weight is centered. They'll dive or tip if you get it wrong

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