Design
I almost couldn’t believe it. The body was fully carved out and the reality of finishing this project was within reach. Insaaaaanityy!!!! But I still had some steps ahead of me before the full assembly of all parts.
This should be a good time to shout out creative skateboarding. Check the video collection showcasing insane creative innovation in skating
(see resources below).
Headstock Design
First, I had to design and realise the face of my guitar - the headstock.
To arrive at a concept, I took some time and digitally evaluated some potential shapes and colors. I knew I wanted to carve a silhouette that would resonate well with the wavy flow of the jaguar body, wood grain and smooth edges. Additionally, it was at this point that I first considered sinking a piece of skate wood from my leftovers into the headstock. This would give it a unique touch and provide resonance for the coloring of my guitar. My main idea was: “If the guitar should represent skateboarding and music, then its face should reflect this fusion as well.”
It can be a humbling task to achieve the right design, no matter the vision. But as with any overwhelming challenge you most likely don’t need to face it alone. Plus, several iterations of sketching out ideas will help to narrow in something that’ll work. So after I had a couple ideas sketched out, I sent my favorites around my circle of friends and family for some feedback.
Notice that I intentionally included a version without the added skatewood. I thought this was a nice way to verify my baseline for design, since I wasn’t sure if the added color may overload the appearance of the guitar. Sure, a more traditional Jaguar headstock would’ve worked, too. Then again, why rely solely on tradition if skateboarding is about progression and creativity?
Pickup Color Ways
Apart from evaluating a headstock design I considered several choices for the coloring of my hardware. I decided early on that I wanted to go for mostly black with silver accents. But getting an actual feel for this in your head is hardly possible. So I spent a couple extra bucks and ordered various duplicate parts. Here are some configurations which did not make it into the final selection.
The brown pieces of hardware (humbucker frame and soapbar cover) are made from real wood, while their alternative black version is plastic. I had the toughest time not to go full wood, just because the material is so much nicer. But I am sure most of you would agree that it a bit looks odd colorwise. You should check out Hailwood parts, which is the brand of wooden pickup accessories I got. They do have a variety of great goodies, which may also be interesting if you just want to restyle an existing guitar.
