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Re-bodied Warwick Corvette $$


Jacqueslemac
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My Nirvana black Corvette is the one I've had the longest and I bought it mainly because I couldn't find a natural-finished one.



To cut a long story short, I came across a young luthier who is just starting out and, although he is building acoustic guitars, he does quite a few replacement bodies.

An example:





I've decided to bite the bullet and commission him to build a couple of replacement bodies for me.

The first one will be a straight replica in olive rippled ash:


But... I've also decided to let him loose on something slightly different.

It'll be the same Corvette body shape, because it's my favourite of all the Warwick body shapes.

However, it'll be a constructional veneer (i.e. layers) of Mexican rosewood, zebrano and brown oak. The layers will be sanded to create a "burst" effect and the control knobs and strap buttons will be recessed, also revealing the different layers.

He's also going to experiment to see whether a German carve (a la PRS) will look good.

I've asked him to take plenty of photos as it develops.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Alex has started on the CNC machine to make up the jig from which he'll make the new body:






And here is the jig starting to take shape on the bench:




The best bit is that the wood has also arrived:

Edited by Jacqueslemac
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  • 2 weeks later...

More progress.

The (I think he said 27) layers of wood have been glued and topped with a layer of rosewood:


The layers have been rough-sawn into shape:






He's started sanding through the different layers on the back:








...and routing the front for the pickups, bridge and neck:

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To be honest, I did mention it last year, but hadn't done so since.

I had suggested him having a go at a German carve (like PRS does) on the front to show off the layers of the laminate.

For the multi-layered one, I just told him to push the boat out and see what he came up with, so if he's done a rear carve, that's fine by me!

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

The bass arrived at the weekend, so here it is in all its glory:



A close-up of the multi-layered body:

You can see the slightly-recessed control knobs (mainly to show off the layers).

A view from the back:


The back is slightly contoured to show off the different layers. The new neck looks good, although I will invest in a Warwick Just-a-nut as the one currently fitted is too low.

I now have the makings of four Corvettes - two already built up, one needing a fair bit of hardware and the final one needing everything except the body!

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I have yet to run it through my amp, but will do so at tonight's band rehearsal (first gig with my new band is the week after next, but I'll probably stay with my other Corvette for that one).

Through the headphones it sounds just like a Corvette should. It's a bit heavier than the others, but as it's an exact clone (including the neck profile) if I close my eyes it feels exactly like the others.

I had a fretless Corvette but didn't get on with it and sold it to finance this project...

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  • 2 weeks later...

It is, isn't it?

I used it for rehearsals earlier this week and compared it back-to-back with my ash-bodied Warwick version. It has considerably more growl, a much darker voice all round. The verdict of the band was that I should use it from now on because there's no way the guitarist can encroach on my sonic territory!

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  • 1 month later...

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