https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/my-guitar-build-building-the-ergonomic-guitar/ Guitar Noise Discussion Board en-US Thu, 04 Jun 2026 10:16:03 +0000 wpForo 60 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/my-guitar-build-building-the-ergonomic-guitar/paged/2/#post-215777 Thu, 21 Dec 2006 05:11:52 +0000
Regards,

Rob]]> Guitar Repair and Maintenance ririzarry https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/my-guitar-build-building-the-ergonomic-guitar/paged/2/#post-215777 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/my-guitar-build-building-the-ergonomic-guitar/paged/2/#post-215728 Wed, 20 Dec 2006 23:56:42 +0000 Guitar Repair and Maintenance Bish https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/my-guitar-build-building-the-ergonomic-guitar/paged/2/#post-215728 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/my-guitar-build-building-the-ergonomic-guitar/#post-215711 Wed, 20 Dec 2006 21:51:15 +0000
It's getting close - my first build is almost complete. There are only a couple of things left to do (shielding, wiring, basic setup, and a control cavity cover). I assembled the guitar and loaded the volume knob, switch and output jack to show how it will look in its end state.



The electronics have been kept simple - Gold Lace Sensors in the neck and bridge with a 3 position Gibson style switch, a volume control and a surface mounted output jack. BTW - There are a couple of full view images on the blog.


Regards,

Rob]]> Guitar Repair and Maintenance ririzarry https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/my-guitar-build-building-the-ergonomic-guitar/#post-215711 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/my-guitar-build-building-the-ergonomic-guitar/#post-214685 Fri, 15 Dec 2006 03:56:10 +0000
I have drawings for a Kaminski version of the same technology but I stopped building 4 or 5 years ago. Now the only lutherie I do is repairs of one collector's colections of Martins.

Here is a picture of the Klein Bass, (The blue bass on the right.) Note the strap button is actually behind the neck by about 2 or so inches:

Colin - Thank you so much for your input! It is truly exciting to hear from a luthier involved with the Klein Electric while Steve Klein was at the reins.

I've thought about the Klein bass guitar shape as well because of comments by one owner regarding the upper strap pin location being a bit uncomfortable due to the way the strap pulls on him. The upper horn would certainly fix that.

With regards to the guitar Steve Miller picked up, do you recall if the overall width of the guitar was about the same as the Klein Electric? Just based on the image of the bass model, I'm guessing it was a bit narrower(?)

I'm also wondering if you might have some knowledge of the Klein Electric harp guitar. Was it actually wider than the standard Klein or was it just a Klein with the harp strings added? I've heard comments claiming that it was wider but I haven't been able to substantiate any of it.

And, thanks again for joining the conversation!

Regards,

Rob]]> Guitar Repair and Maintenance ririzarry https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/my-guitar-build-building-the-ergonomic-guitar/#post-214685 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/my-guitar-build-building-the-ergonomic-guitar/#post-214632 Fri, 15 Dec 2006 00:18:44 +0000
Interesting stuff!

Best regards.]]> Guitar Repair and Maintenance DemoEtc https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/my-guitar-build-building-the-ergonomic-guitar/#post-214632 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/my-guitar-build-building-the-ergonomic-guitar/#post-214596 Thu, 14 Dec 2006 21:56:54 +0000
I have drawings for a Kaminski version of the same technology but I stopped building 4 or 5 years ago. Now the only lutherie I do is repairs of one collector's colections of Martins.

Here is a picture of the Klein Bass, (The blue bass on the right.) Note the strap button is actually behind the neck by about 2 or so inches:

]]> Guitar Repair and Maintenance Colin Kaminski https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/my-guitar-build-building-the-ergonomic-guitar/#post-214596 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/my-guitar-build-building-the-ergonomic-guitar/#post-212821 Wed, 06 Dec 2006 02:53:24 +0000 Thank you! I'm very happy with the way things are coming along. There are a few small aesthetic nits with the work but considering this is my first build and my first experience with woodworking, things are turning out well. :D Its nothing a solid color wouldn't hide (I imagine there are quite a few factory guitars out there hiding a secret or two under their heavy solid colored paint jobs.) More importantly, the neck and bridge alignment is spot on and the pickup routing came out quite nicely (haven't posted about this just yet.)
There's so many things you can do with a shape like that. I read you used Alder and that it has to be 1 1/2" thick due to the use fo the bridge you have, but it's so light anyhow! And then if you used a lighter wood (basswood is lighter, no?), and maybe did that chambering stuff like you see in some aftermarket Strat bodies (Warmoth), it would be like a feather. More resonant too I'd guess.
As you noted, the guitar is 1.5" thick and that was to allow some material under the lower bridge route. The guitar is remarkably light and by the time I'm done with the control cavity the assembled guitar will come in under 6 lb! Basswood is indeed lighter but it does have different tonal qualities than alder. Basswood is also not a very nice wood bare and is so soft it dents rather easily. It would need a hard finish of some sort. Chambering, however, is not out of the question. I considered it for this build but decided to save that for a future build. Maybe it will make it into the next build when I go with a fixed bridge and piezo pickups. :D
How're you going to finish it - natural or paint? Either way it would look sweet, especially with all that frontal area. Doing a burst type finish would be cool (rather than a solid color if that's where you were going), but it would take some planning out beforehand to get a nice burst shape to match the outline of the body.

Yah, probably natural or solid color - leaning more toward natural.

Can't wait to see it progress! I've been testing out Danish oil as a finish and it imparts a nice amber tone to the alder. It isn't a straight oil but a type of polymerized oil which soaks into the surface, dries and protects from within.

Regards,

Rob]]> Guitar Repair and Maintenance ririzarry https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/my-guitar-build-building-the-ergonomic-guitar/#post-212821 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/my-guitar-build-building-the-ergonomic-guitar/#post-212737 Tue, 05 Dec 2006 19:57:46 +0000
There's so many things you can do with a shape like that. I read you used Alder and that it has to be 1 1/2" thick due to the use fo the bridge you have, but it's so light anyhow! And then if you used a lighter wood (basswood is lighter, no?), and maybe did that chambering stuff like you see in some aftermarket Strat bodies (Warmoth), it would be like a feather. More resonant too I'd guess.

How're you going to finish it - natural or paint? Either way it would look sweet, especially with all that frontal area. Doing a burst type finish would be cool (rather than a solid color if that's where you were going), but it would take some planning out beforehand to get a nice burst shape to match the outline of the body.

Yah, probably natural or solid color - leaning more toward natural.

Can't wait to see it progress!]]> Guitar Repair and Maintenance DemoEtc https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/my-guitar-build-building-the-ergonomic-guitar/#post-212737 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/my-guitar-build-building-the-ergonomic-guitar/#post-212454 Mon, 04 Dec 2006 19:43:10 +0000


I'm hoping to finish the pickup and control cavity routing over the next couple of days.

Regards,

Rob]]> Guitar Repair and Maintenance ririzarry https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/my-guitar-build-building-the-ergonomic-guitar/#post-212454 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/my-guitar-build-building-the-ergonomic-guitar/#post-212148 Sun, 03 Dec 2006 06:32:30 +0000 Anyhow, I also had a look at the template.

And was just wondering what that rectangular device is to the left of the bridge. Or is that part of the Steinberger bridge? I know it probably isn't another bridge, but it made me think that you could almost have a set of drone strings heading off in that direction.

Also, is that another knob below it? The template was made from a drawing available from The Guild of American Luthiers as drawn by Steve Klein. The drawing is actually of Klein's harp guitar which is essentially the Klein Electric with the addition of four drone strings - thus the additional bridge you see and the related knob.

I read a little bit of what you said about the original pickguard; you gonna have it rear-routed then? That would look awesome; real clean look to it.

Oh and by the way I really like where the pickup selector is too. It's right in the arc of where your arm would normally go for easy pickup selection. You'll probably use one of those Superswitches or something to get all the pup combos, I'm assuming?

Great job man. I'm still debating the pickguard. I have a shape I worked out earlier today but I may go either way. I'll see what strikes me tomorrow when I continue. :D

I love the position of the pickup selector as well. It makes a lot of sense there especially when you sit down with the guitar and see where your picking hand tends to fall so I'm retaining that. As far as the pickups, I'm going with just a neck and bridge so I'll be using a 3 position toggle. A later build will focus on greater tonal diversity and will probably include humbuckers with coil splitting as well as piezo pickups. For now, I intend to keep it simple.

Thanks! Its been a great time and I appreciate the interest.

Regards,

Rob]]> Guitar Repair and Maintenance ririzarry https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/my-guitar-build-building-the-ergonomic-guitar/#post-212148