7-String Headless Multi-Scale Guitar

Designing this 7-string multi-scale headless guitar to get out of the way of the musician. Ergonomically transparent.

Studying how the client plays, we noticed he was constantly forced into adapting his posture to the instruments he has been playing. The awkwardness was particularly noticeable when he plays seated — torso twisted, hunched, to help "clamp" the body of his guitars between his chest and leg.

For him, clamping also became necessary due to his classical hand position, which maintains thumb contact in the center of the neck only. On a typical guitar, during his rapid hand position changes, the unbalanced designs cause the instrument to wiggle and escape.

As we thought about the design, the most important criteria became to create a shape that balanced perfectly, and remained identically oriented to his torso when both seated and standing. Note my leg positions in the photos below.

This client also uses full advantage of the two octave neck, employing extensive tapping technique in upper registers. Patented Intersecting Plane Neck Profile™ transitions into the body via a smooth sweeping cantilever neck-into-body joint cutaway that extends past the fretboard. Even with the multi-scale offset his pinky has unrestricted access to the 24th fret of the low B string.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For more information about the layout of this multi-scale fretboard.

IPNP™ neck profile is super slim under treble strings, similar to Ibanez Wizard. Bass strings have increased thickness for fretting leverage. Very fast neck.

The unusual headstock shape will anchor the patent pending 7-string TOONE & TOWNSEND intonation adjustable nut. This integrated headless hardware system will control all aspects of string tuning and intonation for the instrument.

Comments

[Sam]

This is really exciting! As a 7 string player myself, I'm extremely curious about the end result of this project.

[Rick Toone]

Sam — Some local "test pilots" think the neck feels as small as a 6-string. Kept questioning me to make sure they heard correctly when I handed it to them and said: "Seven string."

Another exciting feature of this design is the multi-scale fretboard, combined with the neck core, should allow for detuning while maintaining a tight low end.

Can't wait to string it...

[Sam]

That's quite an impressive feat! Although I have quite large hands and enjoy the width of my 7 string neck, I can't think of a single 7 string neck that has come to compare with some of the more standard 6 string necks in ease of playability and comfort.

Further still, its usually a compromise of having a sweeter, smoother high end or a tight, punchy low end but with the use of a multi-scale...there is no need to choose.

Judging by the look of the grain, its ash, maple and hickory? I'm sure its going to sound monstrous yet so refined when complete. As I said, I'm very much looking forward to seeing/hearing the end result. Thanks Rick!

[Rick Toone]

Sam — Great eye, regarding woods! Not many would catch hickory, especially in b&w photos.

Curly maple neck with tri-compound hickory fretboard. Walnut position markers. Stainless neck core. Stainless frets. Swamp ash body. We wanted to use all local indigenous species.

Scale length is 26" treble (660mm Classical guitar) combined with 27.5" bass. Nut offset .25" with 1.25" offset at bridge.

[Sam]

I apologize for such a late reply.

Thank you very much for the compliment! I'm a bit of a budding luthier myself (or am trying to be) and have really taken to the holistic luthier artistry of both you and Ola Strandberg. That said a compliment from you is high praise indeed for me!

If I may ask, why the stainless neck core this time as opposed to the aircraft grade aluminum?

That puts your parallel fret around the third fret, correct? I could see that being ergonomically sound considering I find that is about where my finger and wrist go completely straight (while being relaxed and comfortable) when shifting chords.

Either and all ways, I am still exuberant over watching, reading and waiting for this project to reach completion.

[Rick Toone]

Sam — Stainless steel has increased stiffness in comparison to aircraft aluminum, i.e., for a given volume of metal, stainless requires more force to bend.

Because this neck profile is very slim (Ibanez Wizard) additional stiffness is useful to counteract the tension of seven heavy gauge strings. It is also an experiment.

The tradeoff is weight. Stainless is much heavier than aircraft aluminum. Neck weight can affect balance, unless the instrument is designed to take into account this consideration.

Third fret is approximately parallel. There is no need to be concerned with a "parallel fret" somewhere on the neck. Better to just let the maths work out as they must. I'm finding a pretty magical combination given the .25" nut offset with the 1.25" bridge offset (1.5" overall).

Your observations confirm...this fretboard layout mimics the natural ergonomics of the wrist when shifting chords.