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Guitar Discussions -> Klein body kit guitars?
There are 17 messages in this thread.
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Klein body kit guitars? - Joey Goldstein - 16:13 27-11-05
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<http://www.kleinelectricguitars.com/Klein/index.html>;
Anybody know of a company like Warmoth or a luthier that has made or
could make a kit guitar body with the same or similar dimensions as
those of a Klein guitar?
The characteristic of the Klein that I am most interested in is the
angle that the neck is positioned at when the guitar is played while
sitting down. Supposedly the neck winds up on an angle similar to that
of a classical guitar played in classic posture, i.e with a footstool
under the left foot. This seems to be accomplished in the Klien mostly
by the angle and position of the curve on the bottom of the body. This
should be a pretty simple thing to build into a more conventional
solid-body guitar body.
The rest of the guitar (neck pocket, bridge dimernsions, etc.) would all
be Fender-ish style stuff. All I want in the end is a guitar that tilts
the neck up properly for seated playing.
Any info, thoughts, tips, etc., appreciated.
--
Joey Goldstein
http://www.joeygoldstein.com
joegold AT sympatico DOT ca
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Re: Klein body kit guitars? -
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There was a Klein at 12thFret a month or so ago!
Bg
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Re: Klein body kit guitars? - tombrown@jhu.edu - 17:09 27-11-05
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Any competent woodworker with a table saw, router, and jigsaw should be
able to make one for you. I don't think you need a luthier just for
this one part.
Here's one low-low-budget, low woodworking skill idea. Buy a Saga Tele
body on ebay for $35. Take a hand saw and cut wood off the body-- make
it look like a Steinberger, except with straight edges, parallel to the
neck line instead of angled. Like Bo Diddley's box-shaped guitar, exept
narrower. Then glue some more wood to each flat side, enough to build
the body size back out to the dimensions you want. Then take a
hand-held jig saw and cut out the body shape you need.
This way you bypass the difficult part, which is cutting out the neck
pocket. The only woodworking that you would have to accomplish yourself
is the easy part--shaping the body.
The existing pickup and bridge holes should still be in the right
place, and so wouldn't need much customizing. The existing control
holes might need to be filled in and then painted over, or covered over
with a large pickguard. But you could minimize the need for filling by
chopping away as much as possible and replacing it with the new wood.
On a stock Saga tele body you could probably chop the control hole all
the way off, and not need to fill in anything at all.
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Re: Klein body kit guitars? - tombrown@jhu.edu - 17:17 27-11-05
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Hell, why not just cut a hole for your knee into the lower bout of a
stock tele body, so that it sits up at the right angle? Is there any
cheaper, easier way to try this out than that? All you'd need is a
little jig saw. I think it could be done, as long as you don't cut into
the control hole.
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Re: Klein body kit guitars? - Joey Goldstein - 17:29 27-11-05
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Well, actually, the more I think about it, the Klein design is reputedly
well balanced too and I think this is where his years of R&D were
probably focused. I don't think any of your suggestions, as of yet
(thanks btw), would really account for the balance issue. Neither would
just getting a Klein shaped body from a place like Warmoth.
I think that the heavy Steinberger trem he uses and the headless neck
probably are mainly for balancing purposes.
But I'm not normally fond of the sound of those types of bridges or
headless necks.
Plus I'm not wild about his pickup choices or his prices. I guess he'll
do what you ask for pickup-wise if you order one of his guitars though,
but he'll probably charge even more for it. In short, it looks like a
good design but IMO it's *way* overpriced. Of course if that's what you
want and he's the only guy who can give it to you then you have to pay
him what he wants.
"tombrown@jhu.edu" wrote:
>
> Hell, why not just cut a hole for your knee into the lower bout of a
> stock tele body, so that it sits up at the right angle? Is there any
> cheaper, easier way to try this out than that? All you'd need is a
> little jig saw. I think it could be done, as long as you don't cut into
> the control hole.
--
Joey Goldstein
http://www.joeygoldstein.com
joegold AT sympatico DOT ca
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Re: Klein body kit guitars? - oasysco - 17:44 27-11-05
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>Is there any cheaper, easier way to try this out than that?
Why not just buy a foot stool?
Greg
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Re: Klein body kit guitars? Funny you should ask... -
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Hi Joey,
I have been doing a lot of digging in this area lately. I'm very
interested in Kleins but don't have the $6000 (I think that's the going
rate these days) and am also concerned about the guy who now makes them
(Lorenzo German - worked for Steve Klein then bought the electric side
of the business from him). There are lots of stories of people who gave
him 25% deposit (hence the latest price of $6000) and 2.5 years or more
later still have no guitar and are having problems contacting him - he
seems to have some health problems etc. Anyway, it's not a good
situation.
Some years ago Steve Klein produced a set of plans for the Klein that
he built for Michael Hedges (the one with the extra neck with bass
strings). It is easy to ignore the extra neck bit - the rest of the
dimensions being the standard six string dimensions. The body shape and
design is not complex by any means. I am assuming that seeing as how
the plans are available to buy then there is no copyright/patent
problem with producing a replica body.
You mentioned about using standard Fender hardware and some other
posteers mentioned about chopping and glueing other bodies etc. I think
these ideas are missing the point. I read an interview with Steve Klein
where states the original prototype had a standard nech with headstock
but this was not a great solution as it overbalances the guitar
therefore the neck will not tend to stay in the ideal position that you
are looking for.
My solution? I have thought about buying one of the cheap Steinberger
GU (I think) guitars which are $299.99 and robbing the neck and
hardware from this, to add to a body which I would make myself. Using
this approach I reckon cost of materials would be in the region of $400
- $500. Of course, somebody now needs to take the time to make the
body.
I am seriously considering this route. It would be a project which
might take up to 12 months as I have to balance work and family, but I
think it would be worth it. I am looking for a guitar with good
ergonomics and also one which is very portable, takes up minimal space
etc.
I have some web addresses for the plans, another guys site who made his
own body etc. I don't have them to hand, but if you are interested send
me an email and I'll get back to you.
cheers,
Francis
Joey Goldstein wrote:
> <http://www.kleinelectricguitars.com/Klein/index.html>;
>
> Anybody know of a company like Warmoth or a luthier that has made or
> could make a kit guitar body with the same or similar dimensions as
> those of a Klein guitar?
>
> The characteristic of the Klein that I am most interested in is the
> angle that the neck is positioned at when the guitar is played while
> sitting down. Supposedly the neck winds up on an angle similar to that
> of a classical guitar played in classic posture, i.e with a footstool
> under the left foot. This seems to be accomplished in the Klien mostly
> by the angle and position of the curve on the bottom of the body. This
> should be a pretty simple thing to build into a more conventional
> solid-body guitar body.
>
> The rest of the guitar (neck pocket, bridge dimernsions, etc.) would all
> be Fender-ish style stuff. All I want in the end is a guitar that tilts
> the neck up properly for seated playing.
>
> Any info, thoughts, tips, etc., appreciated.
>
> --
> Joey Goldstein
> http://www.joeygoldstein.com
> joegold AT sympatico DOT ca
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Re: Klein body kit guitars? - tombrown@jhu.edu - 18:27 27-11-05
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Joey Goldstein wrote:
> Well, actually, the more I think about it, the Klein design is reputedly
> well balanced too and I think this is where his years of R&D were
> probably focused. I don't think any of your suggestions, as of yet
> (thanks btw), would really account for the balance issue. Neither would
> just getting a Klein shaped body from a place like Warmoth.
The heavy neck problem mainly plagues people who play standing up. The
whole point of this exercise is a guitar that lies right when resting
on your knee, correct? I don't think that neck balance is quite so
critical in this application, as long as it's not too crazily out of
whack. But hey, if you build a Franken-Klein (the name alone is reason
enough to build one), and the neck droops excessively, it's easy enough
to fix. Just saw the ass end flat and glue on another hunk of wood down
there to counterbalance the neck. This isn't rocket science, and the
tolerances aren't that precise.
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Re: Klein body kit guitars? - Joey Goldstein - 18:38 27-11-05
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oasysco wrote:
>
> >Is there any cheaper, easier way to try this out than that?
>
> Why not just buy a foot stool?
They ruin your back.
--
Joey Goldstein
http://www.joeygoldstein.com
joegold AT sympatico DOT ca
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Re: Klein body kit guitars? - Joey Goldstein - 18:42 27-11-05
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"tombrown@jhu.edu" wrote:
>
> Joey Goldstein wrote:
> > Well, actually, the more I think about it, the Klein design is reputedly
> > well balanced too and I think this is where his years of R&D were
> > probably focused. I don't think any of your suggestions, as of yet
> > (thanks btw), would really account for the balance issue. Neither would
> > just getting a Klein shaped body from a place like Warmoth.
>
> The heavy neck problem mainly plagues people who play standing up. The
> whole point of this exercise is a guitar that lies right when resting
> on your knee, correct? I don't think that neck balance is quite so
> critical in this application,
For me it is. I do not balance the guitar with my fretting hand.
> as long as it's not too crazily out of
> whack.
Right.
> But hey, if you build a Franken-Klein (the name alone is reason
> enough to build one),
n'yuk
> and the neck droops excessively, it's easy enough
> to fix. Just saw the ass end flat and glue on another hunk of wood down
> there to counterbalance the neck. This isn't rocket science,
It is to me. Plus I don't have the time to do all that crap.
> and the
> tolerances aren't that precise.
--
Joey Goldstein
http://www.joeygoldstein.com
joegold AT sympatico DOT ca
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