taxtelle Posted October 12, 2005 Report Share Posted October 12, 2005 (edited) In my first post to this forum, I would like to show off my maple jumbo: Other pics: here here here and here. Edited October 12, 2005 by taxtelle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balooka Posted October 12, 2005 Report Share Posted October 12, 2005 hi looking sweet - but i also must mention im not into acoustics alot. Still, looks sweet. Is the soundhole offcenter for a purpose? psst, the forumrules say you may only post one pic per post (and link the others). jP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxtelle Posted October 12, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 12, 2005 hi looking sweet - but i also must mention im not into acoustics alot. Still, looks sweet. Is the soundhole offcenter for a purpose? psst, the forumrules say you may only post one pic per post (and link the others). jP ← Thanks for the ettiquette lesson. The soundhole isn't off-center, it just looks that way in the picture(s) for some reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Sorbera Posted October 12, 2005 Report Share Posted October 12, 2005 Can you take a head on shot of the whole front? I would like to see a pic like that. Looks prety sweet. we don't get to many acoustics around here. Much more difficult than a solid body electric. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gorecki Posted October 12, 2005 Report Share Posted October 12, 2005 Sweet maple, the back of the neck looks great, the pic near the sound hole looks as the the finishing could have been a bit more intensive but none the less pretty guitar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ledzendrix1128 Posted October 12, 2005 Report Share Posted October 12, 2005 nice work, very nice work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxtelle Posted October 12, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 12, 2005 Can you take a head on shot of the whole front? I would like to see a pic like that. Looks prety sweet. we don't get to many acoustics around here. Much more difficult than a solid body electric. ← Thank-you for the kind remarks. The picture you requested is here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AlexVDL Posted October 12, 2005 Report Share Posted October 12, 2005 Very nice guitar.. good work But still I think the sound hole is off center. Or the neck is rotated and the bridge off center.. I dunno, but the sound hole does not allign with the neck But for a first it's a very nice one... I don't think I could build an acoustic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Sorbera Posted October 12, 2005 Report Share Posted October 12, 2005 (edited) Either the sound hole isisnt in the center of the guitar correctly or the neck is set in at an angle. If you take a strait edge from the center of the nut to the back of the guitar is the neck strait on the center line? If so than is the sound hole exatly on the center line? One of those two things is off. Not that it's a real bad problem. Just looks off and I'm not sure if it would effect the sound or not. BTW how does it sound? See if you can compare it to some guitars you've heard. Does it have that martin sound? More Taylor like mabye? Edited October 12, 2005 by Godin SD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluespresence Posted October 12, 2005 Report Share Posted October 12, 2005 Nice maple! I love a good flamed acoustic From my inaccurate guesstimation using my monitor and measuring from the waist to the brace line the hole is centered BUT the fingerboard at the top is not centered which is pretty clear in your close up. I thought at first it was the angle (I take a LOT of guitar pics and cameras DO play funny tricks) but your close up appears to be straight on and the fingerboard is definitely favoring one side of the rosette. Anyhoo.....it's a killer looking guitar and if it plays as nice as it looks then you should be proud of it regardless of what we say! Welcome to the forum and let us know what you have cooking next. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmrentis Posted October 12, 2005 Report Share Posted October 12, 2005 Nice! I too love flamed maple acoustics. And that is very nice flame. How does it sound?, I bet it's great! I know it said #1, so does that mean it's your first ever acoustic or just the first of that design or what? Either was I think it's a great guitar. Well welcome to the forum and thanks for sharing, those are some good pics. Later. J Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hitone Posted October 12, 2005 Report Share Posted October 12, 2005 Very Nice. I'm planning on building a jumbo for my next guitar. I have a million questions: Do you have any build pics? What scale did you use? Did you make the rosette? It's very nice! Great Job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxtelle Posted October 12, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 12, 2005 Very Nice. I'm planning on building a jumbo for my next guitar. I have a million questions: Do you have any build pics? What scale did you use? Did you make the rosette? It's very nice! Great Job. ← Sorry, I didn't do any build pics. I like a Gibson scale, so that's what I used. The rosette is made from curved abalam strips purchased from LMI and strips of ebony that I cut from leftover bindings and bent to fit. To address the comments about the soundhole -- I finished this thing (my first) about 1 year ago. I have never noticed an off-center soundhole or fingerboard; nobody else has mentioned it to me until now. However, one look at the picture and it sure does look off-kilter. In any case, I had it professionally set-up by a very highly respected luthier in Seattle who told me that it had a more accurate scale and fret placement than any guitar in his shop -- so I'll be happy with that. It sounds fantastic -- much better than I had hoped. A lot of the maple J-200's that I have played sound a little muddy in the low end, but this one does not. It has crisper highs and mids than my Larrivee dread; though the Larrivee has a sweeter low end. Thank-you for your comments and questions and good luck to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erikbojerik Posted October 13, 2005 Report Share Posted October 13, 2005 So much flame, it must be on fire! What's the finish? Welcome to the forum, nice job! I love jumbo acoustics...my first acoustic will be a jumbo, no question. What do you use for a side bender? I was this-><-close to making one from pipes and one of those electric charcoal lighters....but couldn't find one anywhere! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fryovanni Posted October 13, 2005 Report Share Posted October 13, 2005 Nice Job! So lets have some details. Was the guitar 100% from scratch. Did you use some pre-fabbed or partially fabricated parts. Maybe some details on what style neck joint you used. Maybe some highlights on your bracing. You know just some highlights and maybe tips on what worked good for you and what you may do a little different next time. It is REALLY great to see an acoustic project. I have a feeling a lot of guys would love to hear your thoughts, especially because it was your first. It would also be nice to know what reference material you used to help you though, and maybe what information was most helpful and maybe not so helpful. Peace,Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topper Posted October 13, 2005 Report Share Posted October 13, 2005 Yeah i like that guitar taxtelle, its very nice to see an accoustic here ! Looks to me that u have done a great job. Im just starting a classical guitar if u have any tips would be great if you can share them. anyway welldone ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wigglez Posted October 13, 2005 Report Share Posted October 13, 2005 nice looking acoustic i really like the flame maple that is nice stuff Where do you get your maple? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxtelle Posted October 13, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2005 (edited) The details -- Materials -- Master grade maple back and side sets purchased from LMI, neck stock purchased from a local lumber outfit that I don't remember -- perhaps Bow River Craft Woods. Sitka spruce top from LMI. Abalam rosette pieces from LMI, MOP for headstock from Stew Mac. Braces were riven from a sitka billet from LMI. I bought the fingerboard preslotted to a Gibson scale from StewMac. Reference -- "Guitarmaking Tradition and Technology", Cumpiano and Natelson. I didn't follow their plans exactly, but it was extremely helpful. Method -- Sides were soaked in H2O and bent over a short section of aluminum pipe heated with a propane torch (THICK gloves) and then clamped into a mold until needed. I split the end of one side during this process (very easy to do with curly maple). It glued back together nicely with no visible seam. Neck was carved using primarily edge tools ala Cumpiano. Curly maple isn't the easiest wood to carve -- nevertheless this was very satisfying. The headstock was scarf jointed. Braces were made from sticks of Sitka riven from a billet. The bottom of the braces were arched using a homemade 25' radius dish and clamped using a gobar deck. The bracing pattern I used was kind of a combination of those used by Martin (non-scalloped) and Tacoma. They were shaped after they were glued to the soundboard using sharp chisels and a finger plane. Kerfed linings were made from Sitka strips using a tablesaw. The binding ledge was cut using a full-sized router and a bearing bit. To avoid angling the ledge due to the arch in the top and back I fastened a popsicle stick to the router base. As the stick was only 1/2 in. wide, it wasn't significantly angled by the arch in the top or back plates. Frets were installed using a homemade jig and a drill press. I purchased a radiused fret caul from StewMac and inset it into a small block of oak. I fastened a bolt to the other side of the oak block using a threaded insert and lopped off the head of the bolt. I simply chucked the bolt shaft into my drill press and used it to press in the frets. It was unbelievably easy. I cut the fret ends with a Xuron tool used to cut model railroad track. It cuts fret ends perfectly without crimping them. Buy it here. The neck joint is mortise and tenon. The tenon was fitted with barrel inserts inserted perpendicular to the length of the tenon. I bought these at Rockler. This seemed to make much more sense to me than using threading inserts into end grain. The finish is a wash coat of 2 lb shellac to pop the figure followed by multiple coats of Target Coatings waterbase premium spray lacquer. This worked wonderfully on the back and sides. Unfortunately, I had to refinish the top a number of times due to grain-raising issues after leveling. I am very happy with the end result on the maple pieces, but the top could be better. I keep thinking that I should buff out the top more and perhaps I will if I can stop myself from playing it. The electric instruments posted on this board are very impressive. If y'all can make such beautiful electrics, you shouldn't be intimidated by the acoustic process. I found it easier, but more time-consuming than I expected. Best of luck to all and let me know if you have any more questions. This was my first guitar project. My next is through-neck carved top electric with either a Les Paul or Turner Model One body shape, a Gibson scale and either Burstbuckers or P-90's. I'll be looking for your advice on carving the top and making the neck angle. Any suggestions on the shape? Edited October 13, 2005 by taxtelle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegarehanman Posted October 13, 2005 Report Share Posted October 13, 2005 Look in the tutorials section for a tutorial on carving tops and calculating neck angle. peace, russ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattia Posted October 13, 2005 Report Share Posted October 13, 2005 Nice guitar! Really cool to see more acoustic builders on this board. I completed my first just under a year ago, my second has been sitting here almost finished for far, far too long, and my next three (yeah, three. Addictive busienss) are a Parlour, a Jumbo and a Grand A. I too would like to see some inside/bracing shots. Always fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fryovanni Posted October 14, 2005 Report Share Posted October 14, 2005 Perfect details mister. I have to say great guitar and great info. Sounds like you took on a lot of parts yourself. I prefer to make all my own parts also. Nice tip on the fret cutting tool. I have a pipe with a heating element, but I made a side bending machine just like the ones you can get from LMI (cost me about $50). I tell you it is pretty slick. When I set up my wood to bend in the machine. I make a sandwich out of the wood top an bottom sheet of metal and then it gets wrapped in foil and sealed. This lets me spritz the wood with just enough water to gets the steam going (but not oversoak the wood). It really makes for even heat and I don't have to re-wet the wood. I can give you some details on how I built it if youare interested (shoot me a PM). Again nice job! Peace,Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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