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Inside the Shop
Page 2
This is where you'll see MCS guitars in progress.

This guitar is being built for Michael Vangerov. He plays guitar for the world renowned band "Liquid Blue". This guitar was designed by Michael and will be the Michael Vangerov signature model. Check out the Liquid Blue web site. Click here.

                                                  

You want me to build WHAT?
That's Mikes original bolt on body sitting next to the neck, sides and headplate for the new guitar.

                                                  

Gluing the top together.
After the design was routed in the top the excess wood needs to be cut away. I use a routing machine called a Marlin to do this process.

                                                  

The Marlin router is one of the most versitile machines I've ever used.
Another view of the Marlin.

                                                  

Another view of the Marlin.
The relief cut is done and the body has been cut out and it's time to use the oscillating drum sander to take her down to the line.

                                                

This is a Grizzly drum sander. I like it.
A view from another angle.

                                                

The headstock is down to the line now, but it's going to have a flame Maple cap on it, so it's got a long way to go.
The neck is just rough cut for now. As soon as Mike comes over we'll get it down to where he wants it.

                                                

Dots & dots, works for me.
As you can see, the necks not even close to being finished

                                                                                 

Everyone that has seen this guitar in person has liked it. I have some other construction ideas for this shape that I'm going to try out after this one's finished.
Mike stopped by to check out the progress and finalize some of the finishing ideas. We're both very happy with the progress.

                                                 

Cutting the neck heel - before
And after. It's not finished yet, the whole neck is still rough shaped and not to specs, but close.

                                                

The neck is still a long way from the correct specs.

                                                

The back of the headstock is 98% finished now.
I cut that design in the back of the headstock to give it more strength in the area where they are the weakest.

                                                

The heel is 98% finished and the neck has been shaped to specs.
Matching Maple cap

                                                          

I left the area where the high E and the low E machine head will go just a little thicker. This will strengthen the headstock and also lower the point that the string leaves the machine head to go over the nut. This will increase the down pressure just a bit for the two strings that are closest to the nut. By tapering the headstock just a bit it will also raise the point where the other strings come off the machine heads which will lessen the amount of down pressure at the nut, therefore maintaining better tune. This neck is just about finished.
  

                                                                                

I haven't had time to work on this guitar for a while,
but I'm slowly but surely getting it ready for paint.
I just finished the headstock and laid the frets.
Pickup routs and electronic cavity routs are next.

                                                  

This is going to be a really nice and interesting guitar.
I routed the pickup cavities today. I had to do it free hand with the Marlin Routing machine because a template won't work on the raised top.

                                                 

I also had to inlay the Pickup bezel into the raised part of the guitar by the neck. Again, that's done free hand with a Dremel router. There are pictures of the Marlin routing machine and the Dremel router in my "Tools" link.

                                                 

These pickups are not screwed down. I just set them in the routs to get a feel of what it's going to look like. These pickups will have chrome covers on them as well. I had to inlay the bezel with enough tolerance to account for the Polyester finish. There's one little blemish in this flame Maple top. You can see it really well in the right hand picture. Mother nature likes to put things like that inside a piece of wood so you can't see it until you cut it open. Frankly, I don't mind small blems like that. They give a guitar "character".
Next step, routing out the electronics cavity. Tomorrow I hope.

                                                                                   

Mmmmmmm................nice flame. It's going to have a flame Maple truss rod cover as well.
This is going to be the last sequence of pictures of this guitar until she comes back from paint.

                                                 

The raised portion of this guitar is very interesting and unusual.
That hole just behind the bridge pickup is the passage way for the Piezo pickup wires.

                                                  

                                                  

                                                   

                                             

This Michael Vangerov Model will be painted "trans blue" on the face of the Maple and "natural" on all the vertical Maple sides. The Mahogany will be painted black. It will have chrome hard ware.
This guitar will be offered as an MCS model and will come in many variations.
I want to thank Mike for letting MCS offer this unique design.
Mike's guitar is now back from paint. I haven't done anything to it since it came back except take pictures. Mike is on tour right now and can't pick it up until April.
I hope you enjoy the pictures.

                                                    

                                                    

                                                     

                                                     

                                                     

                                                     

                                                     

                                                     

The Michael Vangerov Signature Model is now finished. 4-23-04

                                                                                       

                                                                                       

                                                                                       

The MV logo and signature were hand crafted by Dan Lawrence. The paint job is another GMW triumph.
Thanks Lee.

                                                      

The electronics layout is interesting on this guitar. The large knobs are the volume and tone. The 5 way is wired bridge, bridge tapped, both, neck tapped and neck. The black knob on the mini switch is a push button switch and activates the bridge pickup from any other position. The other mini switch is an L.R. Baggs piezo system. It activates the piezo in one direction and the pickups in the other. Center is both systems and the small knob blends between them.

                                                     

There's a DiMarzio Super 2 in the bridge position and a DiMarzio PAF in the neck position.

                                                     

                                                    

That's the look I like to see when someone is playing one of my guitars. :-)

                                                   

The Michael Vangerov Signature Model is available at the Moser Custom Shop.
Buy yours today, at $3500 they are a steal. :-)
We do build less expensive versions of this model, call us for a quote. 818-834-6616
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