Three weekends later....DIY headshell

[Hanslow]

Hi all,

Just thought I'd share my little project with you all. I decided to make use of some very idle powertools and handcrafted a head shell for my DC-3 chassis rather than have it in it's original combo.

I've seen the "professional" looking ones on here which are mighty impressive, and despite knowing that I'd get nowhere near it, thought I'd give it a go all the same Anyway, here's a little pic:

If anyone else is thinking of doing it, I'd say go ahead, it's great fun. Main tools used have been a jigsaw, circular saw and router, but found that I'd have probably made straighter cuts with just the jig saw! Oh, and a drill for pilot holes and stuff. The blue front is clear perspex still with the protective covering on it. Hopefully get the rest of it all sorted over the next couple of weekends if time allows.

Cheers all!

 

[6L6C]

Did you get the plans or measurements or just kind or wing it? It might be me or the photo or even maybe because the headshell has no covering yet, it looks like the chassis is sitting back at bit in the headshell. Does not really matter, it looks great! Don’t forget to post a photo when your done.

 

[Hanslow]

Did you get the plans or measurements or just kind or wing it? It might be me or the photo or even maybe because the headshell has no covering yet, it looks like the chassis is sitting back at bit in the headshell. Does not really matter, it looks great! Don’t forget to post a photo when your done.

I just sort of winged it. Measured up my combo and cut roughly to same sizes (bar the height ). Headshell hasn't been covered yet, that's still to do, this was just a see if it all fits together, then I got excited and took a photo :lol: I've some (cheap unfortunately) tolex to cover it when time is available.

AFAIK the chassis is sat back about as far as it did in the combo, although if anything, it's slightly further forward due to my wonderful DIY cutting

gts, the ones you did were a thing of beauty and what I was referring to in my original post re: "professional". Inspired me to crack on and try one myself though I also stole your idea of recessing the reverb tank as I was wanting to put it in despite never using it, but didn't want to make the headshell too tall.

 

[Hanslow]

Well finally finished today, although still waiting for a friend to deliver some corners to me this week. Everywhere in the UK appears to have sold out of standard ones

Anyway, here it is as it currently stands

Pretty pleased with the results, and it looks right at home where it is

 

[guitardude05]

what kind of wood did you use / how much did it cost?

 

[Hanslow]

It was a sheet of cheap(ish) B&Q external 18mm plywood. It's not the best quality, but I always planned to cover it and it hangs together pretty well The sheet was about £10 (I bought two in case of screwing up, but didn't need the second sheet). Sheet size was about 1.22m x 0.6m.

The perspex was £8 delivered (£4 + £4 P&P) from a chap on ebay. Cut to exact size that I needed.