Shad's 7 string Baritone...

[imported_Anonymous]

I will be carving the top this weekend! Parts are coming for the neck next week (carbon fiber reinforcement rods). Here are the specs, so far!! Some decisions still being made.


Style: Chopper
Top: Quilt
Material: Flamed Black Limba (Korina)
Neck
Material: Brazilian Rosewood (3-piece with carbon fiber reinforcement)
Fretboard: Brazilian Rosewood
Inlays: 12th Fret
Scale: 26.75î
Frets: 22
Fret size: Jumbo
Radius: 16î
Nut: Graphite
Pickups: 2 Humbuckers, Middle Single Coil
Finish
Color: Ocean Blue, natural back
Body Finish: Nitrocellulose
Neck finish: Tung oil

Miscellaneous: Buzz Feiten tuning



http://pic7.picturetrail.com:80/VOL208/995811/7842645/95482804.jpg
http://pic7.picturetrail.com:80/VOL208/995811/7695407/101623007.jpg

[imported_Anonymous]

One more pic of the top...

http://pic7.picturetrail.com:80/VOL208/995811/7047326/94556371.jpg

[imported_Schroeder]

Here are some progress pics of the carving process. The top still needs a lot of refinement but it is an iterative process. I will carve more as the gutiar becomes complete.

Cutting taper to top of body with Safe-T-Planer
http://pic7.picturetrail.com:80/VOL208/995811/7695407/104779704.jpg

Taper cut in top
http://pic7.picturetrail.com:80/VOL208/995811/7695407/104779701.jpg

Even at 80 grit you can see the quilt in the maple. This is going to be a really nice top!
http://pic7.picturetrail.com:80/VOL208/995811/7695407/104779690.jpg

Closeup of body
http://pic7.picturetrail.com:80/VOL208/995811/7695407/104779687.jpg

[imported_vangit]

Very cool maple top

[imported_Bryan]

That body looks great!!
Shad you're gonna be stoked!!! :lol:

[imported_Shadscbr]

WOW...thanks for posting the pics Jason!!

Ok, here is my story: My guitar of choice is a 7 string with an extended scale and wider than normal string spacing. I mostly play fingerstyle and I find the wider spacing is much more comfortable. The downfall to liking something different, is that it makes it nearly impossible to buy a production guitar......so I have to seek out custom builders willing to build me something with these out of the ordinary specs. After watching the threads on the chopper guitar...then Bryan's guitar, I knew that JZS had something that interested me. So I called him up on the phone to see if he was up for doing something a little odd. After talking to Jason on the phone, I was very happy to find out that he was actually excited about building one of his guitars to my specs....he then presented me with a way to get everything I want.... So, I sold my PRS and we are now into the fun part of ironing out the final details, and watching things take shape.

Hats off to Jason for taking on this project!!
thanks
Shad

[imported_Shadscbr]

Bryan and Stu....thanks. It seems we all have some pretty cool JZS projects under way :D

Shad

[imported_DrPCR]

that is one sick guitar. man, now I have gas for a 7 string.

[imported_Schroeder]

Just so you guys know, Will and Shad, your guitars will both be made of the same board of black limba. This guitar is definitely a challenge! But I am so excited about putting it all together. The new dimensions all over this thing are really keeping me on my toes.

[imported_Shadscbr]

I'm all signed up for stainless steel frets......wooohoooo!!!
thanks Jason

Oh yeah, Doc.....it's good to have 7 string GAS!! You should join the club :)

Shad

[imported_Schroeder]

Progress!!! I got most of the work done on Shad's body today. The top is really looking sweet!! Keep in mind there is NO oil or additive to the top. It is merely sanded to 220 and the quilt is really beautiful. The back of this thing is out of this world. Gorgeous flame in the black limba. I will cut the neck cavity after teh neck is built. I need to be sure to fit it perfectly with the neck and it is still in the works.

Here are some pics and more in the picturetrail gallery...

http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?p=999&gid=7695407&uid=995811&members=1

http://pic7.picturetrail.com/VOL208/995811/7695407/107532114.jpg
http://pic7.picturetrail.com/VOL208/995811/7695407/107532116.jpg
http://pic7.picturetrail.com/VOL208/995811/7695407/107532111.jpg
http://pic7.picturetrail.com/VOL208/995811/7695407/107532107.jpg

[imported_WHY_U_TRY]

beautiful top and back on that one...nice choices Shad !!! looks like another perfect JS Creation ! :D

[imported_Bryan]

DAAAYUUUM.... :P

Simply amazing..Great job Jason and congrats to Shad!!!

[imported_Shadscbr]

wow.....it's just like xmas in August!! What a treat to open the mornings email and see that Jason has posted updated pics....THANKS Jason!!

The body is really looking great. I love that limba back! I am very happy with the top too.....she will be smoking with some finish on it! :)

Thanks for all the nice comments guys...man this is fun!

I am sorting out all of my color pics now, I will post some of my favorites soon.

Shad

[imported_JohnnyBoy]

Shad,
Amazing stuff, you are going to have one sweet axe! Xmas in August is right!! Really looking forward to watching this one being completed.

John

[imported_woody]

Shad,
Sweet, the maple is very alive!
On the top, below the bridge, Did anyone spot a "Night Owl" figure?

[imported_Shadscbr]

Did anyone spot a "Night Owl" figure?
LOL
Once you find him....he keeps staring at you!! :)

thanks...Shad

[imported_Schroeder]

Here is the mockup of the neck with the maple strips. I think it looks awesome! Let me know what you think Shad.

http://pic7.picturetrail.com/VOL208/995811/7695407/110868080.jpg

[imported_Bryan]

That laminate looks great!
What are the layers?

[imported_Schroeder]

The layers are dark Braz in the center (that piece is tapered from end to end) then flamed maple on the outside of that (slightly less than 1/4"), then the outer Braz layers (these are a bit lighter in color than the center piece of Braz).

[imported_Shadscbr]

:shock:

Thanks Jason!
That looks sweet!! I really like the layers. :D

I would like the input of the Schroeder community......should we keep the maple strips natural, or have them match the color of the top? (blue/green)......or even dye them a color to match the BRW....let me know what you guys think.

thanks
Shad

[imported_JohnnyBoy]

Wow, that looks sweet!! Jason, you continue to amaze. Shad, I vote for the natural look, in the picture I love how it offsets the other wood shades nicely.

John

[imported_Shadscbr]

thanks John :)
The natural would also match with the edge of the maple top.

I can see the beauty of all 3 options.....I just can't decide, thanks for the help :)

Shad

[imported_WHY_U_TRY]

honestly I think it looks gorgeous just to leave it natural :D

[imported_Shadscbr]

Thanks Tommy :)

Shad

[imported_vangit]

WOW, that looks awsome! I love the natural maple. The idea of matching top color might look real sharp too. I wouldn't try to match the BRW though.

[imported_Shadscbr]

I agree Stu....thanks :D

Shad

[imported_Layne]

I'd say keep the maple natural.

[imported_Schroeder]

Here it is clamped and glued... In order to keep all these pieces aligned, I actually got it at the right orientation then drilled a hole through all the pieces in an area that will be trimmed off in fanal shaping. I then spread teh glue, used a drill bit to go back throught the hole to hold all the pieces in the right place, then made sure everything was flush and clamped it.

http://pic7.picturetrail.com/VOL208/995811/7695407/111001007.jpg

Here is the neck surface planed on the top and the headstock face, awaiting truss rod route and carbon fiber reinforcement rods then the fingerboard. This thing is really pretty!

http://pic7.picturetrail.com/VOL208/995811/7695407/111001011.jpg

[imported_WHY_U_TRY]

wow...that fucking amazing looking.....ALMOST better than a one peice brazilian rosewood neck 8) :wink:

[imported_woody]

I vote for natural maple finish.
Man, the neck is lovely. The taper is done nicelyl, and cool to see the different shade of Brazilian rosewood.

Does the lamination of maple into the Brazilian has effect on tone?

[imported_Shadscbr]

Thanks for the comments guys...after seeing this last batch of pics, I think the strips will stay natural....I love the contrast.
Thanks for the pics Jason! The neck looks great!! :D

Shad

[imported_vangit]

Nice choice Shad. It's beautiful.

[imported_Bryan]

The neck turned out great.
How cool would it be to have a matching laminated fretboard?.. :lol:

[imported_Shadscbr]

LOL Bryan.....I thought of that too, but I didn't know if that would look too busy :)

Shad

[imported_Schroeder]

Here is Shad's guitar with truss rod in its slot. Headstock veneer and carbon fiber rods are ready to be installed. Michael's guitar is on the right. Stu's is on the left.

http://pic7.picturetrail.com/VOL208/995811/7695407/112507712.jpg

Here is another shot with the headstock design for the 7 string. Shad decided on a flamed maple fingerboard which I will be working on soon! Here Michael's guitar is on the left.

http://pic7.picturetrail.com/VOL208/995811/8047942/112507702.jpg

[imported_vangit]

Very cool seeing a coupl of Schroeders in a pic.

[imported_JohnnyBoy]

Looks great Shad!

John

[imported_vangit]

That is one unique guitar! Looks incredible

[imported_Shadscbr]

WOW, that is really coming together nicely! Thanks Jason! :D

I agree Stu, it's cool to see a couple Schroeder's in this batch of pics.

Shad

[imported_Schroeder]

Here is a series of pics of me cutting the fret slots on the 7 string baritone... You can see the glorified miter box that has depth stops so I achieve a uniform depth of slots throughout. The scale length on this guitar is 26.75". It is also has Buzz Feiten compensation at the nut. The neck will be 2" wide at the nut and 2.65" wide at the 22nd fret. Shad must have HUGE hands!! The width allows room for the 7th string.

http://pic7.picturetrail.com/VOL208/995811/7695407/112672396.jpg
http://pic7.picturetrail.com/VOL208/995811/7695407/112672395.jpg

And completed. Ready for the taper and then to be glued to the neck.

http://pic7.picturetrail.com/VOL208/995811/7695407/112672393.jpg

Here is a mockup of the neck.
http://pic7.picturetrail.com/VOL208/995811/7695407/112672391.jpg

[imported_WHY_U_TRY]

wow that neck is one of the most amazing pieces of art I've ever seen...going to be very impressive when it's done !

[imported_vangit]

Holy crap! Insane piece of maple.

[imported_Shadscbr]

Hey guys...thanks for the kind words, and THANKS to Jason!! The fretboard looks better than I expected. I am so glad we decided to go with the maple board. Once again, Jason came to bat with some killer wood!!

Stu- I guess most of our guitars will be classified as insane. Because you were the first one to reach the insane status, you should be the president of the "Insane Schroeder Outlaws".....then we could ban Dan until he gets one :D

I'm stoked!!

Shad

[imported_vangit]

. Because you were the first one to reach the insane status, you should be the president of the "Insane Schroeder Outlaws".....then we could ban Dan until he gets one :D

I'm stoked!!

Shad

I thought Dan was already Banned :wink:

[imported_Shadscbr]

. Because you were the first one to reach the insane status, you should be the president of the "Insane Schroeder Outlaws".....then we could ban Dan until he gets one :D

I'm stoked!!

Shad

I thought Dan was already Banned :wink:

He is....but now with the SC's back in production, Dan is no longer an outlaw, I thought he might try to sneak in over here ;)

c'mon Dan...you know you want to be part of the ISO's :D

Shad

[imported_Schroeder]

Here are the latest pics... Headstock plate is glued and headstock shape is roughed in. Reinforcement rods are in and fit as tight as a drum. Truss rod is in. I am ready to glue the fingerboard.

I am loving the tip of the headstock with the maple strips showing. You can see it still needs final shaping. The back of the headstock still needs to be brought to the correct thickness so it is uneven right due to variances in the thickness of the wings.

http://pic7.picturetrail.com/VOL208/995811/7695407/113085293.jpg

Here is a detail of the body end of the neck with truss rod and reinforcement rods in place.

http://pic7.picturetrail.com/VOL208/995811/7695407/113085289.jpg

Here is an "under the hood" shot.

http://pic7.picturetrail.com/VOL208/995811/7695407/113085286.jpg

[imported_Shadscbr]

Yowza!! You are kicking some serious butt on this baby, thanks Jason!! I get a giant goofball smile on my face everytime new pics are posted :D

Shad

[imported_Schroeder]

Right on Shad! I am really happy with how it is turning out! By the way, that Heatley you posted on TGP is just SICK man!! I had better kick butt on this one!! :D

[imported_JohnnyBoy]

ZOINKS!!!!!! Looks incredible guys!!!

John

[imported_Schroeder]

Shad, your guitar is officially caught up with Will and Stu. Fingerboard is glued! Time to start dimensioning the backs of necks/headstocks. I am really looking forward to smoothing out the back of the neck to see how your racing stripes look!!

[imported_Schroeder]

ZOINKS!!!!!! Looks incredible guys!!!

John

I was trying to think of a way to type Scooby laughing but the letters apparently don't exist on my keyboard!!

[imported_Shadscbr]

Shad, your guitar is officially caught up with Will and Stu. Fingerboard is glued! Time to start dimensioning the backs of necks/headstocks. I am really looking forward to smoothing out the back of the neck to see how your racing stripes look!!

Sweet!! I can't wait to see a pic of this first batch of necks together :D

Thanks Jason!!
Shad

[imported_Schroeder]

Some updates on Shad's neck. I am working with Shad to come up with the inlay design but I got the chance to thin the headstock and see what the racing stripes will look like!! I with dimension the back of the neck once the inlay is done, fretboard is radiused, and the neck is fretted. Here is the Braz/Maple/Braz/Maple/Braz headstock!! With the quilted maple headplate.... I REALLY dig that end of the headstock. So cool. Good call on the flame maple stripes Shad!!

http://www.schroederguitars.com/p/images/Shad/headstock-refined.gif

http://www.schroederguitars.com/p/images/Shad/headstock-refined2.gif

http://www.schroederguitars.com/p/images/Shad/headstock-refined3.gif

http://www.schroederguitars.com/p/images/Shad/headstock-refined4.gif

[imported_Shadscbr]

It's looking great Jason, Thanks!

I think the racing stripes and the different shades of BRW look really cool laid out that way :)

Shad

[imported_WHY_U_TRY]

everything about that neck is pefect...great work Jason and good choices Shad !!

[imported_Schroeder]

Some news on Shad's 7 string bari. First off, this is my first 7 string and the body just didn't look/feel right to me once the neck was completed so I recommended to Shad that we re-analyze the body design. We both wanted to make sure that it balanced well - that was the main issue. So we lengthened the upper horn a bit and stretched the butt slightly as well. Then I opened up the horns just slightly to accomodate the wider neck and leave the cutaways the same size as a 6 string. We also took the opportunity to put in a tone chamber and put a quilted maple back on it!! I feel SO much better about it. That is the reality of prototypes I suppose, you sometimes have to make design changes.

I tried to make the changes subtle so that it would still look like a doublecut but if you measure it you can see the difference in geometry.

So the body is gluing up right now and will be cut out in the next couple days. Here are some pics of the new top and the "7" tone chamber... This was just something kind of fun that honestly worked well with the things I had to work around!!! So no one will ever see it unless they X-ray it but I though it might add to the mojo.

http://www.schroederguitars.com/p/images/Shad/7-chamber.gif
http://www.schroederguitars.com/p/images/Shad/7-chamber2.gif
http://www.schroederguitars.com/p/images/Shad/Body2-DC.gif
http://www.schroederguitars.com/p/images/Shad/Body2-DC_a.gif

[imported_WHY_U_TRY]

dig the 7 sound chamber and also I like the extended horn and is a good feature for the 7-string guitars IMO :)

[imported_Shadscbr]

A couple weeks ago I got a call from Jason concerning some design changes he wanted to make to my 7 string Schroeder. We talked on the phone for quite a while, and had a nice little brainstorming session. In the end, as Jason has already stated, we made a few changes. I am thrilled with the outcome!! The "7- shaped" tone chamber is really cool, thanks for posting the pics :D

I think this shows the motivation and attention to detail that Jason incorporates into all of his work. He took it upon himself to re-evaluate a design, consult with the customer, and make the appropriate revisions. If itís possible, I am even happier than before!! It also shows that he is willing to step up to the plate and make sure that both he, and the client, are 100% satisfied with all aspects of his creations. This is customer service at it's best folks....it's no wonder that Mr. Schroeder is rubbing elbows with some of the industries finest luthiers right off the bat. I am certainly excited and honored to be a part of this first batch of Schroeder guitars.

Iím totally stoked, and so is Jason...that is what really matters!

I can't thank Jason enough for everything he has done for me and our 7 string project. :D

Thanks Jason!

Shad

[imported_vangit]

Well said Shad.

[imported_Schroeder]

Here are pics of the new body glued and ready to cut out... ALSO, check out the new belt sander!! Finally here. Very excited about that as my other one took a dump on my a couple weeks ago.

Here you go, a black limba sandwich on quilted maple bread! ;) The quilt is hard to see really well in these pics but check out the "live edge" of teh wood on the right side of the top where you can see how wavy that grain is!! Very cool.

http://www.schroederguitars.com/p/images/Shad/newbody-glued2.gif

And the back... ALMOST as nice as the front! This is a 1/4" back and teh main limba portion of the body is 1" thick.

http://www.schroederguitars.com/p/images/Shad/newbody-glued.gif

[imported_kev]

Yummy! A reverse Oreo cookie!! :lol:

Nice!


Kev

[imported_Schroeder]

The new body is coming together quickly with the help of some new tools!!

http://www.schroederguitars.com/p/images/Shad/newbody-cutout1.gif
http://www.schroederguitars.com/p/images/Shad/newbody-cutout2.gif
http://www.schroederguitars.com/p/images/Shad/newbody-cutout3.gif
http://www.schroederguitars.com/p/images/Shad/newbody-cutout4.gif

[imported_Shadscbr]

It's looking great Jason! You certainly move quickly :)

yeah Kev, it does look like a big cookie.....I luvs me a good cookie :D

Shad

[imported_Schroeder]

Spent the morning with Shad's body. Looking good! I really like the stretched out body! It still needs a bit of TLC around the edges etc. but it is ready for neck slot, pickup routes, control cavity.

Here is the development of the horns after I finished the main portion of the carve. This is the fun part for me (and the greatest challenge of the carve, IMO). It is sort of a connect the dots after I draw in the lines. :) You can see I had Stu's guitar on the bench for reference! I liked the way the horns came out on his so I was modeling them.

http://www.schroederguitars.com/p/images/Shad/body-carve-horns2.gif

And here I have roughed in the contours.
http://www.schroederguitars.com/p/images/Shad/body-carve-horns.gif


Here it is as it is right now. NICE piece of quilt on this one.

http://www.schroederguitars.com/p/images/Shad/body-carved3.gif

http://www.schroederguitars.com/p/images/Shad/body-carved1.gif
http://www.schroederguitars.com/p/images/Shad/body-carved2.gif

Here is the belly carve that cuts into the limba. I think this just looks killer.

http://www.schroederguitars.com/p/images/Shad/body-carved4.gif

One more to show the "sandwich"
http://www.schroederguitars.com/p/images/Shad/body-carved5.gif

[imported_Shadscbr]

:shock: The way the belly carve blends the limba and maple is a work of art...I love it! :D

Thanks Jason, you continue to impress.
Shad

[imported_JohnnyBoy]

Wow. Unbelieveably beautiful!! :o

[imported_Shadscbr]

Oh Yeah...Stu--your body looks killer in the background :D

Shad

[imported_WHY_U_TRY]

yeah I'm digging the contrast of the contour as well !! great job on the new body !

[imported_vangit]

The limba at the belly carve looks awsome Jason!

[imported_Schroeder]

Thanks guys! I really dig it. I like that you can't really tell that it is stretched unless you know what to look for. It would make a cool bass body too!

[imported_Bryan]

That new body is just crazy nice!!!
Much kudos to Jason for his incredible work ethic.
It's this kind of service and attention that will go further than any marketing.
Congrats to both you guys!!!

[imported_woody]

Does the tone chambers go from "1..2...3......7"? :twisted:
Amazing work Jason! I dig every design aspect of this guitar.

[imported_sleepingtiger]

Wow! they both look great! It's well worth waiting my turn!

[imported_Schroeder]

I have been sucking pearl dust all day! It was cool, today Shad and I were online at the same time and I had the opportunity to show him the inla designs and have tehm approved before I cut them. So here was the general design for the 12th fret inlay as well as the pieces of paua shell and rippled abalone.



http://www.schroederguitars.com/p/images/Shad/inlay-process1.gif

Here I am using a jeweler's saw to cut the abalone. Note how fine the blade is so you can make very tight turns. Problem is they break fairly easily!!

http://www.schroederguitars.com/p/images/Shad/inlay-process2.gif

And here it is cut out and ready to inlay. There is some minor trimming i will do near teh fret slots so that the frets will touch wood and not the shell (this will prevent the shell from snapping when I press the frets in).

http://www.schroederguitars.com/p/images/Shad/inlay-process4.gif

And here is one more with the guitar in the case. I wanted to verify that there is enough room in the case for the baritone!!! No problem at all. Not the shell is also cut for the S inlay on the headstock too. That one will have a paua dot in the aluminum ring and gold pearl wings. The heastock will be color keyed to teh body so the lighter wings will stand out.

http://www.schroederguitars.com/p/images/Shad/case.gif

The next step will be radiusing the fretboard, then inlaying the neck, installing frets, trimming the neck and carving the neck back. Then I can fit it to the body and finish the body routes. More to come...

[imported_sleepingtiger]

DAMN, you do beautiful work! Are we lucky guys, or what?

[imported_Shadscbr]

DAMN, you do beautiful work! Are we lucky guys, or what?

Very lucky indeed!! :)

I am very happy with the inlay ideas that Jason has designed......beautiful work Jason!!

Thanks for all of the great comments guys, this continues to be a great experience :D

Shad

[imported_Schroeder]

Shad,
I got the inlay done on your headstock. I am going to radius your fingerboard before I inlay your fingerboard. Can't WAIT to carve that neck!!
Jason

[imported_Shadscbr]

Shad,
I got the inlay done on your headstock. I am going to radius your fingerboard before I inlay your fingerboard. Can't WAIT to carve that neck!!
Jason

That's awesome Jason...after seeing Doc's pics all stained up, I must admit, I'm getting quite excited.

It's so cool to see you working in your own shop...that my friend, is a dream come true :)

Shad

[imported_Schroeder]

A couple quick pics of cutting the inlay cavity.... The second pic is not too impressive but that is because the headstock will be stained darker to match the top so the gold pearl will really pop on a darker background.

http://www.schroederguitars.com/p/images/Shad/headstock%20inlay.jpg
http://www.schroederguitars.com/p/images/Shad/headstock%20inlay%202.jpg

[imported_Shadscbr]

Thanks for the pics Jason...you're right, the inlay will look great swimming in the ocean :D

Shad

[Schroeder]

In the foreground you will see I finished the 12th fret inlay, just need to sand it flat. You can see the glue sitting all around the inlays in this shot.

http://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/7%20inlay%20tommy%20fingerboard.jpg

[Shadscbr]

Thanks for the pic Jason! The inlay looks great. I can't wait to see what color you come up with :)

Shad

[guitarnyc]

wow you are letting Jason just pick a color for you ? seems like fun I guess lol
________
Zx14 vs hayabusa (http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Which_bike_is_quicker_kawasaki_zx_-14_or_suzuki_hayabusa)

[Shadscbr]

wow you are letting Jason just pick a color for you ? seems like fun I guess lol

Well, I should have clarified that a bit more. Jason will not totally pick a color...but ultimately, he will be the color "mix master" :D

Shad

[Schroeder]

Hey Shad,
Got the template made for the 7 string pickups. Look forward to seeing some color samples for your top/back/headstock!!!
Jason

[Shadscbr]

Hey Jason, did you get the email with the color sample I sent you a couple weeks ago? If not, I will re-send :)
thanks
Shad

[Schroeder]

7 string is fretted (even added the 23rd and 24th frets per your request Shad!!).
http://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/Shad%20neck.jpg

http://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad%20inlay.jpg

[Shadscbr]

WOW...that's fantastic Jason! She is really coming along now. Thanks for the extra frets :)

Shad

[vangit]

Soooo cool. 24 fret 7 string bariton. Looks great.

[DrPCR]

love the neck, sweet.

[Will]

That baritone is going to be a wild beast! 7 Strings 24 frets, very cool!

[Shadscbr]

That baritone is going to be a wild beast! 7 Strings 24 frets, very cool!

It'll have some killer pickups too ;) :D

Shad

[Will]

you know it! ;)

[sleepingtiger]

Looks great, but you must have some big paws on you!

[Shadscbr]

Looks great, but you must have some big paws on you!

Nah...I just love nice comfortable string spacing. :)

it's kind of like genetically engineering a classical guitar and a Private Stock :eek: :D

Shad

[Bryan]

Looks like she'll be fun to play.

[JohnnyBoy]

That inlay is awesome!

[Schroeder]

Here are some in progress shots of a Shad's Braz/Flamed Maple/Braz neck...

First a very glamerous shot of yours truly rough carving the shape with one of my favorite tools, the bastard file.

http://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad%20neck%20carve%20B.jpg

Here it is after the rough shape is cut into the heel. Note the file marks that I will remove in the next step. Also note the pencil line that tells me where to stop!!

http://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad%20neck%20carve%20A.jpg

[Schroeder]

And here is the carve, a nice round wide carve. http://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad%20neck%20carve%203.jpg

[Schroeder]

A couple more shots of the neck carve...

http://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad%20neck%20carve%204.jpg

http://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad%20neck%20carve%205.jpg

[Schroeder]

Here is a pic of the back cavity.

http://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad%20back%20cavity.jpg

[Shadscbr]

WOW...what a cool Saturday night treat!! That looks fantastic Jason...I love the different shades of BRW mixed with the flamed maple. Luckily the neck is wide enough to show the grain pattern of each piece :D

nothing gets the blood going quite like progress pics :)

thanks Jason

Shad

[vangit]

wow that looks awsome. Also love the pics watching you do it. Congrats guys

[woody]

Jason,
Beautiful hand work on the neck!

[Schroeder]

Shad,
Here is your guitar with neck pocket and pickup holes cut... I have a bit of refining to do on your horns and body contours but getting ready to stain!

http://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/brazilian/shad%20pickup%20routes.jpg

[Shadscbr]

It's looking great Jason!
thanks
Shad

[vangit]

Cool Shad. Another getting ready for the booth!

[guitarnyc]

that guitar is going to look so cool when it's done...so many unique things going into it !
________
MERCEDES-BENZ R171 HISTORY (http://www.mercedes-wiki.com/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_R171)

[Bryan]

Here's a couple of single coils I will be sending to Jason to use as a middle pup for Shad's guitar. One is wound to my vintage 60s spec and the other is wound to my Phatty spec.
http://www.norcalguitars.com/images/7string-sc.jpg
http://www.norcalguitars.com/image/7string-sc.jpg

[Bryan]

This is Shad's bridge pup.
It's wound using my BG Bucker Dark setup. This pickup is similar too what I made for my Schroeder. Though this pup for Shad is a little hotter than the bridge in my guitar, but not much. This one reads right around 10.5k
http://www.norcalguitars.com/images/7string-bridge.jpg

[Schroeder]

Can't wait Bryan!

[Bryan]

Shad, your PMs are full.

Your neck pickup is ready too ship too Jason.
I'll send it on monday.
Your other pups have already been sent too Jason.

[Shadscbr]

Thanks Bryan!!

I cleared out my inbox and sent you a message. :)

Shad

[Schroeder]

Got the middle PUPs and the bridge PUP yesterday afternoon. Everything fits PERFECTLY in the routes! Whew!! These whacky 7 strings!! The only mod I have to make is routing for the small tab on the middle pickup. I will hopefully get that squared away in the next couple days and get on to the 5-way swith route and I can wrap up the last little details before I can stain and spray the guitar.

[Shadscbr]

Sounds great Jason...bring on the color :D

Thanks!
Shad

[guitarnyc]

so cool...our first 7-string ! :D
________
American Bicycle Company (http://www.dodge-wiki.com/wiki/American_Bicycle_Company)

[Schroeder]

OOOOHHHHH SO CLOSE!!!!!!

Got a bit done on Shad's guitar today. Should hit the paint booth early next week! Shad and I talked today about the layout of the string through holes and I think we nailed it!! It was inspired by the layout of a Benedetto tailpiece. Here is how it turned out. If ou squint you can still see the tailpiece! ;)

http://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad%20final%20sand%20small.jpg

Here is a slightly different angle...

http://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad%20sand%20small.jpg

And one more of the headstock back. RACING STRIPES!!

http://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad%20head%20back.jpg

[vangit]

Oh that is too cool!

[Bryan]

Lookin Great!!

[Schroeder]

Lookin Great!!

Can't wait to hear those pickups Bryan!!

[JohnnyBoy]

Holy crap!! Those string through holes look PERFECT!! I'm blown away by just how much that adds to the look of the overall piece. I can't wait to see this come down the home stretch.

John

[Shadscbr]

SWEET!! Thanks for the nice comments guys :)

Jason...those thru holes definately came out great! I'm quite excited about seeing the color and last few details all come together.

Thanks Jason! :D

Shad

[Schroeder]

Here are a couple of final shots before I glued the neck...

First, here is a pic of me routing the inset for the 5-way switch in the control cavity using a Dremel tool. Notice the Inlaid Braz RW plate that will hold the ball-end of the strings.

http://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad%205way.jpg

And here is a closeup of the completed installation. I angled the ends of the slot since the blade is at an angle in the 1 and 5 positions. You can see the 6" ruler with sandpaper that I used to clean up the slot.

http://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad%205way2.jpg

The neck is now glued and ready for a last sanding then stain.

[Shadscbr]

That's awesome Jason, I love the inlaid plate...thanks :)

Shad

[Schroeder]

So the neck is glued and the guitar is final sanded so it was time to stain and seal the mighty 7 string!!! Here she is right before the stain.

http://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad%20ready%20for%20stain.jpg

And after the stain and sealcoat have been applied... AMAZING what a difference a little bit of lacquer makes!!

http://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad%20front%20sealcoat%202%20small.jpg

Here is a slightly different angle...

http://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad%20front%20stain%20small.jpg

[Schroeder]

And here is a shot of the back. Wow, it looks nice with the blue contrasting with the black limba. The Braziliian rosewood string plate on the back looks nearly black under the finish!

http://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad%20back%20sealcoat%20small.jpg

And one more to show the tonewood sandwhich.

http://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad%20side%20sealcoat%20small.jpg

[Paulpuck]

I don't know that I have ever seen anything quite like Shad's guitar. I really like the contours of the back. The contrast of the natural wood with the blue is very striking. I can see it being difficult for tradionists to like but I find it very appealing.

[vangit]

Holy crap! That is just insane from all angles. Awsome guys

[Shadscbr]

Sweet!! It looks fantastic Jason! It was great talking to you today...check your mail :)

I love the contrasts between the different woods and the color.
thanks! :D

Shad

[JohnnyBoy]

Looks amazing guys!! That guitar just says "class"!!

John

[guitarnyc]

that guitar is absolutely beautiful ! I'm so glad that I might be able to see it in person out here when it's done :D
________
NASH-HEALEY (http://www.dodge-wiki.com/wiki/Nash-Healey)

[Shadscbr]

that guitar is absolutely beautiful ! I'm so glad that I might be able to see it in person out here when it's done :D

You bet Tommy!! I'm looking forward to it...I can't wait to see yours also :)

Shad

[Schroeder]

Here is the final color for Shad's guitar. Shad was looking for an aqua color that looked like he was looking at the ocean. So after the blue stain was applied I went back over it with a green-blue to create the water effect!! The beautiful quilt din't hurt!! It was very cool being able to communicate with Shad real-time!! I was on the phone with him, running back and forth to the paint booth, sending him emails with photos until we got the shade just right. Technology at its best!!!

Here is the final color in a couple of different lighting situations. Here it is in full sun...

http://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad%20aqua.jpg

And here it is in darker lighting (the reflections are distracting but the deep aqua looks really cool in this pic plus you can see the contrst with the binding and the limba)...

http://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad%20aqua3.jpg

Here is the back too...

http://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad%20aqua%20back.jpg

[JohnnyBoy]

That is sweeeet!! I love the final shade and the contrast with the limba is perfect. Can't wait to see the neck as well now that the stain is complete. I think I've gotta throw on some Zep....

"Singing to an ocean, I can hear the ocean's roar. Play for free and play for me, play a whole lot more, more!!"

[vangit]

Looks amazing. You must be so stoked Shad.
We need the Schroeder web cam set up so we can all see you at work!!!! :)

[Schroeder]

That is sweeeet!! I love the final shade and the contrast with the limba is perfect. Can't wait to see the neck as well now that the stain is complete. I think I've gotta throw on some Zep....

"Singing to an ocean, I can hear the ocean's roar. Play for free and play for me, play a whole lot more, more!!"

That is so funny, I was singing the "Oooh ooh!" background part in my head before I finish the second line!!

I should take some video of the finish process. It is a very gratifying part of the build.

[Shadscbr]

Cell phones and email were things of beauty on friday afternoon. Jason and I were at the right place at the right time, and as a result, we were able to go through a few iterations of color changes until it was perfect. A little communication can go a long way. It was such a cool way to start the weekend! :)

It looks great Jason, I can't thank you enough for taking the time to go back to the paint booth for fine tuning...you really helped me get the color I had in my head onto the guitar. They say it's the last few horsepower that are always the most difficult to get...and we got it :D

Now that I can see the home stretch...I have a feeling that time is going to slow waaayyyyy down ;) :)
thanks again for everything Jason

Shad

[Shadscbr]

That is sweeeet!! I love the final shade and the contrast with the limba is perfect. Can't wait to see the neck as well now that the stain is complete. I think I've gotta throw on some Zep....

"Singing to an ocean, I can hear the ocean's roar. Play for free and play for me, play a whole lot more, more!!"

Thanks JohnnyBoy, now that you have the ocean stuck in my head...i'm going up into the attic to dig out some old zep cd's :)

The video idea would be really sweet :)

Shad

[sxracer193]

That is an incredible looking Guitar. Excellent work.

[Shadscbr]

If you look closely, you can see that mother nature contributed by giving us some water droplets.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y192/shadscbr/shad20aqua_drops.jpg

pretty cool :D

Shad

[Bryan]

JEEEEEZZZZZZZZZZZZZ......That guitar needs a glass display case with a rotating stand.......For when it's not being played of course.:D
Incredible!!!

[Schroeder]

It oughta sound GREAT with your pickups in it too BRYAN!!

[Schroeder]

Shad check your email!! Wet sand/buff and final assembly are coming soon!!!

http://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad%20finish%20sun.jpg

http://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad%20finish%20sun4.jpg

[Shadscbr]

Great pics Jason, thanks!!

The maple board is the sand on my beach :D

I love the pic of the back. That is exactly the color i was looking for.

I can't wait to hear this baby. The tonal recipe of BRW, limba and maple...stirred up just right...should be killer :)

thanks again
Shad

[Schroeder]

The longboard is BUFFED!!

http://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad%20buffed.jpg


The rosewood looks a bit dull in this photo. It has buffing compound on the neck and it has not been oiled. It will darken significantly with a bit of final sanding and oil.
http://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad%20buffed2.jpg
Here it is with some BRW knobs in place.
http://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad%20buffed3.jpg

[sxracer193]

The color and finish look fantastic. That is the same look and finish (quilt front, back and headstock) we are going for with Ryan's SC. Man is that thing going to be killer looking. Its going to be blood red instead of the blue and its going to have some crazy inlays but you'll be able to tell its related to this beautiful guitar. Congradulations

[Shadscbr]

Thanks for the pics showing the excellent buffage :D

Shad

[tequilaboy85]

I love it!!
Great woods,great color,great builder!!

[Schroeder]

Hey Shad,
Been thinking about our conversation since we spoke about those last final details... I think I will give it a go. Plan A full speed ahead. Who needs a CNC anyway!!! Worst that can happen is I blow through some scrap rosewood and maple and we go to plan B!!! May take a bit longer but I will figure it out.
Jason

[Shadscbr]

The color and finish look fantastic. That is the same look and finish (quilt front, back and headstock) we are going for with Ryan's SC. Man is that thing going to be killer looking. Its going to be blood red instead of the blue and its going to have some crazy inlays but you'll be able to tell its related to this beautiful guitar. Congradulations

That's going to be sweet...red is definately the fastest color ;) :D

Shad

[Shadscbr]

Great woods,great color,great builder!!

Thanks, i agree!!

your redwood should be shipping soon...i must say, i'm excited for you :D

Shad

[DrPCR]

Shad, that is one beautiful guitar, the color and neck look perfect! congrats

[Shadscbr]

Thanks Doc!! Jason has really applied his mojo :D

Your's is looking pretty sweet too :)

Shad

[Schroeder]

So I got over another hurdle yesterday on Shad's guitar. Hand-fabricated the flamed maple PUP rings for the mighty 7 string! Also go the bridge studs in and surface mounted string guides with only minor difficulty! Still have some refinement to do but well on its way to completion!

http://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad%20mockup.jpg
http://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad%20mockup2.jpg

[DrPCR]

that is the best top I've seen on a schroeder. I should have listened to you Jason for the blue color, cause that one is just beautiful. I will have to go with this color on my next one.

[vangit]

That is gorgeous!

[Shadscbr]

The pickup rings look great Jason! The details are definately coming together nicely.

Thanks for having the desire to continually evolve the mighty 7...we really appreciate it :D

Shad

[bsic]

Shad n Jason, looking great. Loove that blue also. Ill be going with something very close to that on mine!!

[Chun13]

Duhhhhhhhhhhhh ! That's a wonderful looking guitar !

[Schroeder]

Shad's guitar is in final assembly stages. Here is a shot of Danno digging around in the control cavity! Pretty sure he found his keys! ;)

I fit the Sperzel tuners (see workbench) this afternoon and roughed in a nut. So close...


http://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/Shad%20Danno.jpg

[guitarnyc]

that is looking aaaamazing ! I can't wait to see the final pictures of this guitar :D
________
BOX VAPORIZER REVIEWS (http://vaporizer.org)

[Shadscbr]

Looks great Jason...thanks! :)

Shad

[vangit]

Shad's guitar is in final assembly stages. Here is a shot of Danno digging around in the control cavity! Pretty sure he found his keys! ;)

I fit the Sperzel tuners (see workbench) this afternoon and roughed in a nut. So close...


http://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/Shad%20Danno.jpg

J, let's see a shop tour via pics or video! I love looking at the work benches.

[DrPCR]

looks good, and that guitar just looks great at all angles. Man I wished I ordered something like that, the neck, the color, its sweet!

[bsic]

J, let's see a shop tour via pics or video! I love looking at the work benches.

+1 !!!!!!

-bill

[danno_eleven]

nope, no keys, just a bunch of wires. Shad I have to say, your's is one of my favorites in the shop. Love the blue.

[Shadscbr]

Thanks for the nice comments everyone...these progress pics are great!

Well, the final payment for the mighty 7 has been unleashed into the frantic unknown of the USPS priority mail service...may the "schwartz" be with us ;) :D

Shad

[bsic]

Thanks for the nice comments everyone...these progress pics are great!

Well, the final payment for the mighty 7 has been unleashed into the frantic unknown of the USPS priority mail service...may the "schwartz" be with us ;) :D

Shad


Shad,

This may be in the dozens of pages earlier in this thread-- but what is that neck made out of? That is a sweet look...

[Shadscbr]

Shad,

This may be in the dozens of pages earlier in this thread-- but what is that neck made out of? That is a sweet look...

Thanks bsic,
it's BRW with maple racing stripes :)

because the neck is 2" wide at the nut and the scale length is 26.75", it's a pretty big neck. At that size, a one piece neck would be very difficult to keep stable, so Jason chose some nice contrasting pieces of BRW to laminate together. Then, when the fretboard changed from BRW to flamed maple, Jason had the idea of adding two thin strips of maple to seperate the BRW pieces and the result is what we see today. :D

BTW Jason, are any of the BRW pieces in my neck from the same blank of any other necks you've built? Does my neck have any relatives here? :)

Shad

[Schroeder]

Thanks bsic,
it's BRW with maple racing stripes :)

because the neck is 2" wide at the nut and the scale length is 26.75", it's a pretty big neck. At that size, a one piece neck would be very difficult to keep stable, so Jason chose some nice contrasting pieces of BRW to laminate together. Then, when the fretboard changed from BRW to flamed maple, Jason had the idea of adding two thin strips of maple to seperate the BRW pieces and the result is what we see today. :D

BTW Jason, are any of the BRW pieces in my neck from the same blank of any other necks you've built? Does my neck have any relatives here? :)

Shad

Yes sir!! The two pieces of Braz on the outside are from the same board as the Chopper! That was an old growth board that was in a local lumber yard for years according to the owner. The middle piece was from an old luthier back east who was retiring and thinning out his wood stash. It was funny, the center piece was already in a wedge shape so I had to do very little dimensioning to prep it for the glueup. you can see that the middle piece of Braz follows the fingerboard edges and is wider at the body. It worked out perfectly.

J

[Schroeder]

The first two pics are the Chopper guitar's neck. You can see that it is the same piece.
http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1620/995811/3593976/91749079.jpg

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1620/995811/3593976/47522735.jpg

http://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad%20neck%20carve%204.jpg

[Shadscbr]

Sweet! Thanks for the explanation jason :)

oh yeah, whoever got the quilt that the chopper is resting on in the above pic is very lucky...that is a beautiful piece of wood :)

Shad

[Schroeder]

Hey Shad,
The last of your parts has arrived! That seventh tuner is fairly important! I will be working out the kinks over the next few days. I have to learn something cool to play on the video for this thing too!
J

[goof1073]

I have to learn something cool to play on the video for this thing too! Hmmm...how about some KoRn?

[vangit]

Hey Shad,
The last of your parts has arrived! That seventh tuner is fairly important! I will be working out the kinks over the next few days. I have to learn something cool to play on the video for this thing too!
J
I'm sure if you send it to Jeresy Tommy wouldn't mind doing some 7 string Vai for the camera :)

[Schroeder]

We both know Shad would never see it again if I sent it to Tommy!! :)

I get the sense that Shad is one of those modest guys that absolutely rips!!! "Ya, I play a little..." Then he just shreds!! Fess up Shad!

[guitarnyc]

I'm sure if you send it to Jeresy Tommy wouldn't mind doing some 7 string Vai for the camera :)

Yeah I could learn a vai 7 string song to do the video for...any requests ? :D
________
COACH PURSES (http://icoachhandbags.com/)

[vangit]

We both know Shad would never see it again if I sent it to Tommy!! :) !
Shad would never see it again if it went allot of guys. I know Doc loves that one too.

[Schroeder]

I think I will borrow my bass player's cabinet and play some Drop L tuning. That's REALLY LOW!!

[guitarnyc]

I think I will borrow my bass player's cabinet and play some Drop L tuning. That's REALLY LOW!!

haha drop "L" tuning...nice
________
Land Rover Series History (http://www.ford-wiki.com/wiki/Land_Rover_Series)

[Shadscbr]

Hey Shad,
The last of your parts has arrived! That seventh tuner is fairly important! I will be working out the kinks over the next few days. I have to learn something cool to play on the video for this thing too!
J

i can't wait until you get to string her up and witness the real beauty :D

Shad

[Shadscbr]

Hmmm...how about some KoRn?

oddly enough, i don't know a single korn or limp song...but a little godsmack never hurt anyone :)

Shad

[Shadscbr]

I'm sure if you send it to Jeresy Tommy wouldn't mind doing some 7 string Vai for the camera :)

good thinking...i've been considering working out a 7 string version of Sisters...what a beautiful song.

i'd love to hear Tommy rip it up on the 7...anytime my friend :)


Shad

[Shadscbr]

I get the sense that Shad is one of those modest guys that absolutely rips!!! "Ya, I play a little..." Then he just shreds!! Fess up Shad!

i soooo wish that were true, but the reality is i'm just a hack with a sprinkling of fingerstyle technique from my classical days. even though i'm not very good, and don't have much time to play these days...i absolutely love playing my weirdo fingerstyle 7 string ramblings.

thanks for thinking that could be true :D

Shad

[Shadscbr]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Schroeder
I think I will borrow my bass player's cabinet and play some Drop L tuning. That's REALLY LOW!!


haha drop "L" tuning...nice

L minor is definately the saddest of all keys :)

Shad

[guitarnyc]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Schroeder
I think I will borrow my bass player's cabinet and play some Drop L tuning. That's REALLY LOW!!




L minor is definately the saddest of all keys :)

Shad
Do you by any chance know a song call "Lick My Love Pump" ? ;)
________
Cr-z (http://www.honda-wiki.org/wiki/Honda_CR-Z)

[bsic]

HA! Tommy you beat me to the punch. Was gonna write that but i was like...nah... there IS a gal that reads these... :-D

[Shadscbr]

Do you by any chance know a song call "Lick My Love Pump" ? ;)

oh yeah, it makes people weep instantly :)

Shad

[Schroeder]

The 7 string is STRUNG!!!! And Elizabeth left with the camera... I just was so excited I had to post this! Still needs final setup but this is a huge mental/moral victory to have this done! Pics coming in the next hour or two.

[Schroeder]

http://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad%20complete16a.jpghttp://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad%20complete6a.jpg
http://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad%20complete7a.jpghttp://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad%20complete9a.jpg

[Schroeder]

http://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad%20complete10a.jpghttp://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad%20complete14a.jpg

http://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad%20complete15a.jpghttp://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad%20complete17a.jpg

[Schroeder]

http://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad%20complete18a.jpghttp://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad%20complete5a.jpg

[Schroeder]

http://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad%20complete8a.jpghttp://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad%20complete11a.jpg
http://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad%20complete2a.jpghttp://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad%20complete3a.jpg

[Schroeder]

http://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad%20complete4a.jpghttp://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad%20complete17a.jpg

[Schroeder]

Some of the Schroeder "firsts" that were associated with this build:

First 7 string
First Longboard (26.75" scale length)
First String Through
First maple board (other than an EARLY Schroeder, built in about 1993!!!)
Elongated body to balance the 7 string neck
First laminated neck (5-piece - Brazilian Rosewood and maple)
First Carbon Fiber reinforced neck
First maple rings built from scratch (Bryan G's blue guitar had rosewood PUP rings that I laminated flamed maple to)
First time I abandoned a mostly-built body because I didn't think it would work with the guitar!!!! This guitar started its life as a Chopper. Shad and I decided to change it up after I expressed concerns with balance)Other notable features:

Quilted back with roundover
Black Limba center core (this is often confused as walnut)
5 Way blade switch
Individual push/pull pots for splitting the humbuckers (volume pot controls neck, tone pot controls bridge)
Brazilian Rosewood S plate on back to hold ball end of strings
Brazilian Rosewood backplate, knobs, and truss rod cover (TRC is laminated with flamed maple on bottom)
S/7 inlay at 12th fret
Semi-hollow with "7" shaped chamber!!
Aqua blue/green stain
Bryan Gunsher Handwound PickupsOff to James Russell so he can work his magic! Should be ready to record some clips by early next week!

Jason

[vangit]

I guess I can't say anything that everyone is already thinking. This guitar is just simply stunning. Congrats to you J, the build team, and Shad

[JohnnyBoy]

Ditto what Stu said, just stunning guys. Congrats to all, Shad you've got to be a happy man! Is the headstock signature under the clear? That's also a first.

John

[bsic]

really nice job J, you are a lucky guy shad.

I also like the sig on the headstock, professional looking.

[Schroeder]

Ditto what Stu said, just stunning guys. Congrats to all, Shad you've got to be a happy man! Is the headstock signature under the clear? That's also a first.

John

Good eye John! Yes, it is. Forgot that one! I worry a bit about the lacquer running off of rosewood. I want to start doing more of this if the guitar permits. The Tour Guitar's signature on the back of the headstock is all but gone!

And thanks for the comments! I really hope Shad likes it!

[Schroeder]

really nice job J, you are a lucky guy shad.

I also like the sig on the headstock, professional looking.

I only had to do it twice!!! ;) :D

[guitarnyc]

wow now that is a sexy looking guitar ! I can't wait to see this thing in person sometime Shad !
________
OUTDOOR BONDAGE (http://www.fucktube.com/categories/797/bondage/videos/1)

[Bryan]

Where'd the "I just crapped my pants" smiley go?:p

Unreal!!!!

[Shadscbr]

Sorry my reply is so late. I talked to Jason Friday afternoon and he said he was finishing a few things up, and that there might be updates later this weekend…sweet!. After that call, my wife and I decided to take a quick weekend trip to the beach with our son and dog. So Jason must have posted the pics while we were on the road from PA to Virginia Beach. Eventually, i used the hotels wireless internet to check my email…and low & behold…tons of pics! I spent so much time looking at the pics, that i fell asleep before i could reply. I typed a reply in on Sat morning between the pool and the beach, but it took me so long to type it in, by the time I hit submit…it crashed, and I lost my message…DOH! So I finally have a few minutes here on Sunday after lunch to try again.

WOW…I’m so thrilled right now, i don’t even know what to say. That’s a serious group of progress pics right there. Thanks for taking the time to both take and post the photos. The timing for seeing the pics was just perfect…even though i couldn’t reply right away, i’ve spent the weekend being able to visualize it after final assembly…how cool is that! That’s just one more detail that is greatly appreciated.

I’ve been looking over all of these new pics, and i can’t believe we’ve come this far. This guitar has truly evolved into something very special. Jason took on some real challenges with these specs, and with his fantastic communication and vision, we worked through everything that came up. This whole process from start to finish has been a great experience, coupled with a great result. The original chopper body is slated to be built for my son…but old dad might need another one first…6 yr old hands need time to grow, right?

If we had a way for Jason to see this guitar the way it is now…back before he started building it…I think even his eyes would pop out. :eek:

A gut feeling--. in order to get the down payment for my Schroeder, I sold a PRS CU22 10 top that I had just purchased mere days before Jason and I talked about this new guitar venture of his. Long story short, I sold the guitar, and sent Jason the money. So I guess, at the time, I took a bit of a leap of faith, and I have to say that Jason flat-out delivered. For some reason, in my gut, i just knew things would work out perfect…and as you can see, this has fully surpassed my original expectations…sometimes it’s good to trust a gut feeling, I’m certainly glad I did. Now if I could just fine tune these visions with the roulette wheel in Vegas or Atlantic City…I‘d be golden. ;)

Thanks again to everyone involved for crafting what has turned out to be a visually stunning combination of all the guitars I own…thanks! :D

Shad

[Shadscbr]

oh yeah, i love the sig on the headstock...very cool touch :)

Shad

[Shadscbr]

Hello everyone, here is a quick update.

As both Jason and I have mentioned before, this guitar has evolved quite a bit from the beginning. Some of the changes are from me, some directly from Mr. Schroeder, and some as a result of the now legendary telephonic brainstorming sessions that took place during the design. Most importantly, all of the changes have been made for the greater good of the guitar (and its’ ultimate owner, of course). Well, I’m happy to announce, that the mighty seven evolves again. As it turns out, there were a couple final details that came to light as the guitar progressed. So, in response to these evolutionary requests, Jason has once again answered the call, and went completely out of his way to perform the final mojo needed to supply me with the perfect instrumental tool necessary to produce the sonic visions I hear in my head. And after all, that’s what this custom guitar quest is all about, right? :)

I would like to thank Jason for his willing desire to evolve both his guitar designs, and his craft. I must say, it’s certainly fun to watch, and it’s great that Jason shares so much of the process with pics and descriptions. It adds another whole dimension to the custom guitar experience. Being involved and updated makes all the difference in the world.

At the end of the day, it all comes down to this: Through open minds come great ideas. :D

Thanks Jason!!

Shad

[vangit]

Very cool Shad. Can't wait to see what you guys came up with.

[bsic]

Hello everyone, here is a quick update.

As both Jason and I have mentioned before, this guitar has evolved quite a bit from the beginning. Some of the changes are from me, some directly from Mr. Schroeder, and some as a result of the now legendary telephonic brainstorming sessions that took place during the design. Most importantly, all of the changes have been made for the greater good of the guitar (and its’ ultimate owner, of course). Well, I’m happy to announce, that the mighty seven evolves again. As it turns out, there were a couple final details that came to light as the guitar progressed. So, in response to these evolutionary requests, Jason has once again answered the call, and went completely out of his way to perform the final mojo needed to supply me with the perfect instrumental tool necessary to produce the sonic visions I hear in my head. And after all, that’s what this custom guitar quest is all about, right? :)

I would like to thank Jason for his willing desire to evolve both his guitar designs, and his craft. I must say, it’s certainly fun to watch, and it’s great that Jason shares so much of the process with pics and descriptions. It adds another whole dimension to the custom guitar experience. Being involved and updated makes all the difference in the world.

At the end of the day, it all comes down to this: Through open minds come great ideas. :D

Thanks Jason!!

Shad

Hey Shad! Out of curiousity, what kind of things did these "final details" consist of? What did you change after receiving it initially?

Agreed its good to know J stands behind stuff like this. I doubt PRS would pull thru in this manner with private stock- ive heard some bad stories there (and the $$ premium they charge for the build itself on top of that...)

[Shadscbr]

Stu- only time will tell my friend :)

bsic- The guitar never shipped, the changes came about the last time Jason had to remove the hardware...while he was doing that, he made the final changes :D

Shad

[Shadscbr]

Oh yeah, just to be clear, these final changes were all me. i couldn't help it, i just had had to have more "S" inlays :D

Shad

[Bryan]

Cant wait to see it..And for you Shad to be playing it!!!

[Schroeder]

The satin conversion...

http://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad%20satin.jpg

http://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad%20satin%20back.jpg

http://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad%20satin%20side.jpg

http://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad%20satin%20head.jpg

[Paulpuck]

I vote to switch it back to gloss. Just doesn't have that zing factor for me in satin. Then again since it isn't my guitar.........

[guitarnyc]

I lke Satin cause it shows how much your play it...glosses up as you play it...I should know...Jason got to see my guitar after about 3 months of playing it and it was pretty glossy already :D
________
Host And Design (http://hostndesign.com)

[buickrob]

Killer guitar Shad!

[Shadscbr]

Thanks Jason!! It looks fantastic...i can't wait to see the back of the headstock :D

Shad

[vangit]

Cool finish conversion guys.

[goof1073]

Definately different looking with the Satin finish...not my thing, but it's not my guitar. Enjoy her...I'm sure it's gonna be a tone monster.

Still can't wait to see J's demo videos on this one.

[bsic]

Same here- satin does look great on this guitar. A matter of personal taste. The demo videos are going to be very cool for sure!

[bazguitarman]

Wow, this thread is like a great mystery movie. You read all the way through, seeing all the little details. Then when you think you know who did it...Bam, you get hit with a suprise twist right at the end.

Going back satin on the finish was a stunner. I didn`t see it coming. I was thinking you had Jason pull the pup rings off to stain. To bring the figuring out more. Fooled me for sure.

That`s a gutsy move.

Eric

[Schroeder]

So, as discussed previously we had some changes on Shad's guitar. Unfortunately, I have learned the hard way that simply spraying satin nitro over a gloss finish can cause some problems. In the process of changing Shad's finish over to satin, we developed some finish cracks in a couple of places on the guitar. I am convinced it was the result of the satin finish drying differentially over the gloss and causing the cracks. So the long and short of it was that I had to strip the finish and start over! We decided to go with a slightly different shade. Why not it was down to bare wood again anyway!! So here is the guitar after tweaking the color as well to Shad's liking. It is about to re-enter finish.

http://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad_refin.jpg

[Shadscbr]

It looks great Jason, thanks!

I have the check ready for this final round of changes, you should have it early next week.

Thanks a million for everything :)
Shad

[Schroeder]

Here is Shad's guitar after the first couple of coats of satin over the revised aqua. Not too shabby!!

http://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad_refin_satin.jpg

[Shadscbr]

Thanks Jason...it looks great! :)

Shad

[lookslikemeband]

Absolutely my favorite color on anything.

This right here is the reason I went the route I went with my choices - because this guitar already pretty much had all of my #1 choices on it and it is stellar.

I dug it when it was still gloss, but the satin is still pulling that aqua off. love it.

[Schroeder]

A little before and after... i actually think the stain came out better the second time and ultimately if Shad is happy, I am happy!!

http://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad%20front%20sealcoat%202%20small.jpghttp://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad_refin_satin.jpg

[Schroeder]

http://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad_cure.jpg

http://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad_cure_back.jpg

[guitarnyc]

I love the new color...hope Shad is happy with it....all the new touches look great !
________
PENNY STOCK PICK (http://pennystockpicks.net/)

[Shadscbr]

It looks great J...thanks! :)

Shad

[paintguy]

OMG!!!

That looks amazing!

[guitarnyc]

What is the status with this 7 string ? was it finished ?
________
Nexium Attorney (http://www.classactionsettlements.org/lawsuit/nexium/)

[Shadscbr]

Hey Tommy,
The mighty seven has been in the shop as the official kitchen table mojo ambassador :)

I believe that my guitar has been able to meet every Schroeder out there, even the baby! :) However, i'm not sure if it met Bryan's Tahoe Blue? Every day, my guitar hangs out in the shop spreading the old kitchen table goodness to all the new guitars. I get the sense that the new shop has reached the point of perfect mojo equilibrium, so she may be comming home to me soon :D

Shad

[Schroeder]

That is a fact Shad! And I was looking at it yesterday and I think you did the right thing with the finish. It looks so beautiful. I had all of these brown, warm colored guitars sitting next to yours in a stand and that blue just looked strikingly gorgeous. It made me miss Cabo!! The body looks like the ocean and the fingerboard looks like sand... Pics to come tonight.

[Schroeder]

I had a strange thing happen with one of the Sperzel tuners today that prevented me from getting strings on it! Check this out. The whole center post dropped out and had trouble staying in place. So I have another set on the way that should be here Friday. Major letdown after making so much progress on this guitar this week.

http://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad_tuner.jpg

But I absolutely love the color.

http://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad_reassembly.jpg

http://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad_reassembly2.jpg

http://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad_reassemblyback.jpg

[Shadscbr]

Looking great J, thanks!!

I'm ready to jump in the water :)

Shad

[r9player]

that is a killer looking neck too!

[Schroeder]

Tada!!!!
http://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad_top_complete.jpg

http://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad_front.jpg

http://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad_back.jpg

http://www.schroederguitars.com/photos/Shad%207%20string/shad_headstock.jpg

[Shadscbr]

Thanks for posting the pics J!
Until seeing that 1st pic, i couldn't tell the exact shade of blue/aqua you picked...well, i wanted water, and you gave me water. That color is IT!!! You nailed it my friend, Thank You! :D

Shad- smiling big tonight :)

[sxracer193]

WOW. That is amazing. Great job Jason and congrats Shad.

Dave

[WinstaBull]

Look at that NECK! I'm pretty sure that thing would be playing me instead of the opposite. Awesome guitar man.

[goof1073]

What a beast...

...can't wait to see the videos for this one!!

[Shadscbr]

It’s here, it’s here!!

Wow, I don’t know where to start.
First off, FedEx was a day early. What a cool little surprise! I took the case out of the box, and I have to say, the case is really cool. I opened it, and saw this:
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y192/shadscbr/SchroederOpen2.jpg

Aesthetically speaking, it’s a total home run. The woods are beautiful, and the workmanship is top notch.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y192/shadscbr/SchroederTop2.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y192/shadscbr/P1310611.jpg

[Shadscbr]

Then I touched the neck…OMG the neck…it’s the most glorious neck I have in my possession. Perfect shape, fit, and feel. I have to admit I’ve been touching the neck a little too much…it feels so smooth!

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y192/shadscbr/SchroederNeck3.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y192/shadscbr/SchroederNeck1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y192/shadscbr/SchroederNeck2.jpg

[Shadscbr]

mmmmm,rosewood :)
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y192/shadscbr/P1310613.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y192/shadscbr/P1310614.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y192/shadscbr/SchroederBack.jpg

[Shadscbr]

Sound and playability:
For starters, all my amps are still packed away, and will be for a couple more days, so these initial impressions are unplugged/acoustic. Quite impressive-I was playing it while we were watching some tv, and my son asked me to turn it down, how cool! The whole guitar really vibrates. I can’t wait to plug in! The frets are silky smooth, and playing this beauty has been a complete joy so far. I will update again after I plug in and get a chance to know 007 a little better. The honeymoon sure is fun!

I would like to thank the entire Schroeder team for building my perfect desert island guitar:
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y192/shadscbr/SchroederCloseMiddle.jpg


http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y192/shadscbr/SchroederCloseLower.jpg

This has been a fantastic experience, and I can’t wait to start the next build!
Thanks! :D
Shad

[r9player]

Looks so sweet can't wait to hear your tone report!

[vangit]

Congrats Shad. Gorgeous!

[sxracer193]

That is incredible. Congrats Shad. Your guitar is my favorite Schroeder bar none.

Dave