Plexiglass body????

D

Doc Holiday

New member
I work at a hockey rink and have access to sheets of plexiglass. Would it be possible to use it for a body with a pancake type construction? I know it would be heavy and have a different tone. Ultimately the point of a lucite guitar (I realize plexi isn't the same as the lucite in like the Dan Armstrong) is that you can see through it. If I used plexiglass with pancake construction would the glue between layers basically make it opaque or non see through? That would defeat the purpose. It just popped into my head recently and I haven't given a lot of thought to it so poke holes in this if you see fit. Thanks
 
Re: Plexiglass body????

I have no experience working with plexiglass, but logically, I think anything that is itself opaque, will make the plexiglass opaque. But perhaps you could do something clever with patterns, or colors, or whatever, like Ibanez did:

JEM20TH.png
 
Re: Plexiglass body????

3th3r said:
I have no experience working with plexiglass, but logically, I think anything that is itself opaque, will make the plexiglass opaque. But perhaps you could do something clever with patterns, or colors, or whatever, like Ibanez did:

JEM20TH.png
Click to expand...

That is one of the most hideous things I have ever seen. I assume that's a Steve Vai model some sort, I think those are some of the worst looking guitars on the face of the earth.

A clear guitar would be cool, but I doubt a bunch of layers of plexi would have much of that see thru effect.
 
Re: Plexiglass body????

mediumpimpin said:
That is one of the most hideous things I have ever seen. I assume that's a Steve Vai model some sort, I think those are some of the worst looking guitars on the face of the earth.

A clear guitar would be cool, but I doubt a bunch of layers of plexi would have much of that see thru effect.
Click to expand...

If you saw it on stage with the lights hitting all the different layers of the colors, you wouldn't think it was hideous.

The picture doesn't do it justice at all.
 
Re: Plexiglass body????

We used to manufacture Glass and resin camera filters by bonding them together with CR39. I don't know for sure, but I'd guess that it will probably bond Plexi too.

Incidentally the transmission factor of light is effected by the number of layers it passes through, due to refraction. CR39 essentially created an imperceptable join in the sandwich and reduced the number of layers affecting transmission. as simply as I can put it.
 
Re: Plexiglass body????

Optical superglue is what I was going to recommend, it may be similar to "CR39" (assuming the nomenclature is similar to that of WD-40 in origin)

I think there´s a company called "wonderbond" that markets it as the next best thing since sliced bread, but it´s really only superglue that dries clear as glass when accelerated. I´ve fixed a few glass items with it after they´ve gone "bong", and you´d never notice if I didn´t tell you ;)
 
Re: Plexiglass body????

I would take advantage of the "disadvantage" of having to do it with layers. Get glue that is clear as possible - but put things between the layer. That Ibanez looks like it's layered with silly string. Other ideas would metal flakes, paint spatters - whatever. But the effect would be really 3D and look awesome in my opinion.
 
Re: Plexiglass body????

wow I hadn't thought of putting stuff in between layers. Seems so obvious but I missed it. So many things that could be done with that I'm going to have to do some thinking about it. Any other ideas to go do with that? I like that idea
 
Re: Plexiglass body????

It would probably sound ok. Put some EMGs in man and you are set....look at the bright side though...you would never need to worry about humidity hurting your guitar's body :D
 
Re: Plexiglass body????

ive played those old dan armstrong plexi bodies, and they were heavy! just make sure you check the weight when building.
 
Re: Plexiglass body????

Doc Holiday said:
wow I hadn't thought of putting stuff in between layers. Seems so obvious but I missed it. So many things that could be done with that I'm going to have to do some thinking about it. Any other ideas to go do with that? I like that idea
Click to expand...

If you're into nature, dried leaves would look awesome. If you dry them then seal them in there they'll pretty much last forever.

I hope you actually do this - you'll be able to tell people you own a "plexi". :D
 
Re: Plexiglass body????

Doc Holiday said:
wow I hadn't thought of putting stuff in between layers. Seems so obvious but I missed it. So many things that could be done with that I'm going to have to do some thinking about it. Any other ideas to go do with that? I like that idea
Click to expand...

You could put most anything in there... depending on what you use your guitar for, of course. For emo or pop-punk, a good bet would be something like pages from a journal. For jazz, 2-dimensional artwork of some sort would be good, like a painting someone did for you, or even a Dali print or something. Of course, you could also go with something semi-ironic, like a sheet of veneer, or CD inserts, or even an old shirt. What's your style?
 
Re: Plexiglass body????

Interior flame graphics would look really cool. From a distance it would look like you playing flames because the rest of the guitar would be clear.
 
Re: Plexiglass body????

PaulReedSmith said:
Why dont you make it hollow and stick some small fish in there. jk
Click to expand...

I was about to suggest this, exept for the fish part ;-). But do a hollowbody, its not going to be heavy you could fill it with someth8ing of your liking.

This is of course if you can bend plexi, I belive it shatters if you stress it even pretty lightly. Am I right? If that is the case how do you feel about pointy guitars?
 
Re: Plexiglass body????

I just finished reading an article in one of my old guitar magazine about a dude (in las Vegas?) who makes guitars out of scrap metal. He says he puts out around 200 hand made guitars a year.

So if there's interest in metal, then obviously it has to sound somewhat good. I'm sure plexi would be a plausible material as well.
 
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