D extension headstock mod

Long time ago I've designed a headstock with D extension and made a mock with "balsa(!)" wood. I've showed it to some manufactures but no one seemed to be interested.
I think that was more than 10 years ago and now I found the long lost
blueprint in my old computer so I decided to try making it by myself to see if it actually works.

Modding a neck with tiltback headstock would be much easier but
I don't want to custom order a neck for this "it-CAN-fail" experiment/prototype so
I will use my cheap Squier neck as a victim.

I've plugged the tuner holes, cut the headstock and glued a scrap wood.
The scrap wood wasn't thick enough so I had to laminate a thin plywood.
Sloppy works everywhere but I will paint the neck all black so they won't be visible.



Katsumi
KISEKAE Virtual Image Modeler

 

Checking the extension wood fittings. I am not gluing yet, just checking. I thought making this part would be very difficult but it was easy to make a reasonably accurate part. It may not be perfect but I don't see any gap and I think titebond will take care small errors.






Katsumi
KISEKAE Virtual Image Modeler

 

Cut the nut shelf. GAaa! I don't like this fretboard! It is some kind of synthetic material which is very hard to work with.

I made a hole for a tuner's string post. I didn't use a router template and a router for this hole. I just drilled three "eyeballed" forstner bit holes and connected them using a file. Ahhh...another sloppy work..


Katsumi
KISEKAE Virtual Image Modeler

 

Yes, I've read that post 13 times. Very cool headstock and body design!

 

Let's glue the extension base




and ebony finger board



Wait..Oh nooo! I need to drill a tuner hole from the side.
But if I simply drill the hole, the wood of the opening side may tear out.
I should have drilled the side hole first and then drill the oval top hole.

Katsumi
KISEKAE Virtual Image Modeler

 

How can I get a patent and how much will it cost? Problem is I don't have money..
Are there any service which let me get a patent at low cost and somewhat "share" the right? As far as I know my design is not similar to others. If anyone has any idea or suggestion please send me a PM.

 

I've done some research and decided forget about the patent because;

*nobody would want to copy my stupid design anyway.
*D extension market must be very small so I don't think guitar makers want to sell it.
*someone else might be already making similar necks.
*getting an official US patent can cost more than $10K
*even if protected by a patent, China can copy anything and it will be very difficult to fight
*etc, etc...

If you have any idea or suggestion on protecting the right, please contact me via PM and I will focus on the headstock modding process in this thread.

To avoid tear out, I put sacrificial wood pieces in the oval hole and at the side of the wall.


(this sacrificial wood is 4A flame maple!! am i crazy??)



Then drilled a tuner hole. It looks okay to me.




Katsumi

 

Let's put a bevel for string clearance.
I've used a hand file first but of course the bevel didn't look nice so..

Protect both side of the hole.



and use hand drill and slim sanding drum like this



Okay, the bevel cut is clean now but the string is still touching the wood. I need to make a bigger bevel.


BTW, this is why I made a balsa wood prototype 10 years ago. I wanted to make sure if a tuner can be installed in this tight space.



Hmmmm...still not enough.. but wait.. Aghhh!

What am I doing?
My plan was to wind the string this way!!



...too late..i didn't have to put that big bevel......

Katsumi

 

Cut the headstcok to the shape and drilled tuner holes




Put the additional low frets. If the fret at the nut position is called zero fret,
should I call the others -1, and -2 fret?
Slots for the fret and nut were done by this mini milling machine Proxxon MF70.



--> JIO
I saw your new capo on this thread;
Classical drop-D extension focused build

I don't know how it works but that looks very nice and solid!