jammy Posted January 31, 2006 Report Share Posted January 31, 2006 Well, I suppose I best post this on here This is my first go at an acoustic guitar, specs are as follows... Martin "OM" style A grade rosewood back and sides. A grade spruce top Flamed Maple neck High grade ebony fretboard Ebony headstock vineer Slotted headstock Pic1 Pic2 Pic3 Pic4 I'll keep y'all posted - onto the soundboard tomorrow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Sorbera Posted January 31, 2006 Report Share Posted January 31, 2006 You really wan't to use a maple neck? Don't you think a mahoany neck would look and sound better on that acoustic? It's looking sweet so far Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammy Posted January 31, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2006 I'm sure about the maple - just fancied something a little different, and I like bright guitars anyway I always found mahogany to be a boring, un-inspiring wood. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattia Posted January 31, 2006 Report Share Posted January 31, 2006 I'm sure about the maple - just fancied something a little different, and I like bright guitars anyway I always found mahogany to be a boring, un-inspiring wood. Cheers Funny, I think mahogany's one of the most beautiful, understated woods out there, and I'm not really a big fan of maple on acoustics ;-) anyway, that guitar's looking sweet! Keep us updated! I like seeing more acoustic builders here, I'll probably document my next build here as well, just to mix things up a little. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calum_Barrow Posted January 31, 2006 Report Share Posted January 31, 2006 Nice guitar. Nice specs too, not too different at all from what specs I'd have if I made an acoustic. I want to make an acoustic, but not quite yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hyunsu Posted February 1, 2006 Report Share Posted February 1, 2006 (edited) wow.. good .. clean work.. amazing work.. i think.. in this year i will make classic guitar.. but i need more tools... so i dont start .. and more difficult than electric gutiar.. ^^ wow.. greate work.. when i start my classic guitar.. i will adviced my teacher.. http://www.almaguitar.com/sales/images/200509/85/85_3b.jpg this pic is my teachers gutiar.. for Chen Shanshan(chinise gutiarist) Edited February 2, 2006 by Maiden69 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Sorbera Posted February 1, 2006 Report Share Posted February 1, 2006 Wow hyunsu! Yout teachers guitar is very very good. What back wood is that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M_A_T_T Posted February 1, 2006 Report Share Posted February 1, 2006 First guess is Brazilian Rosewood, second is Ziricote. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattia Posted February 1, 2006 Report Share Posted February 1, 2006 My guess would be Malaysian Blackwood, actually. Possibly Brazilian. Doesn't look ike any Ziricote I've ever seen. Really nice wood, though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hyunsu Posted February 1, 2006 Report Share Posted February 1, 2006 side & back is brazillian rosewood.. and top is spuruce.. Doble top his guitar is sales in japan japan site 3th line is his gutiar.. i want to make classic guitar .. soon.. i have top wood.. when i find pic.. i will upload my classic guitar top wood.. have nice day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammy Posted February 2, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2006 Certainly an amazing guitar hyunsu! I'll start using posher woods like that when I can be sure that I'm not going to mess things up Bending the sides of a £300 set of brazillian rosewood must be a scary process! Cheers for the kind words guys. A minor update - the top's jointed and thicknessed, and I've routed out for the soundhole purfling. On to bracing next week Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccbryan Posted February 3, 2006 Report Share Posted February 3, 2006 Good heavens Jammy, that thing's clean enough to eat off of! Mighty tidy work. I'm just a bit ahead of where you are with my acoustic, just finished gluing on the linings today, finish gluing top braces tomorrow. Cheers... Chandler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hyunsu Posted February 3, 2006 Report Share Posted February 3, 2006 hi .. this is my top material (sitka spuruce) air drying.. at my home.. my teacher say.. this wood suite at steel string guitart top.. but not matched classic guitar.. yet i dont decide this top use my classic guitar top... i like cedar top sound ^^ accustic guitar making pic is familiar to me.. have nice day.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammy Posted February 9, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2006 This is where the top's up to. To get all the bracing glued on there's 4 seperate glue up stages hence it takes AGES, but I've started to scoop/scallop them now though, so I'm happy The soundhole purfling's also in, but I've not got a picture of that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erikbojerik Posted February 9, 2006 Report Share Posted February 9, 2006 Nice job Jammy! Looks like the mando got your acoustic juices going, it is looking great so far. I know next to nothing about bracing....what's going on with that bit north of the soundhole? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattia Posted February 9, 2006 Report Share Posted February 9, 2006 Sweet! I'm also curious about what's going on north of the soundhole (any reason the upper transverse brace isn't in place yet?). Never seen anything quite like this done before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammy Posted February 9, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2006 The upper transverse brace goes in just before fitting, as it's curvature is pretty critical and measurments need to be taken off the top to ensure it's right. As for the block of manogany with "wings", it's main purpose is to add mass under the fretboard extension, meaning that if you were ever to play that high up over the soundboard the notes wouldn't sound shite. The wings just add a little more support to that pretty in-active bit of soundboard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattia Posted February 9, 2006 Report Share Posted February 9, 2006 The upper transverse brace goes in just before fitting, as it's curvature is pretty critical and measurments need to be taken off the top to ensure it's right. As for the block of manogany with "wings", it's main purpose is to add mass under the fretboard extension, meaning that if you were ever to play that high up over the soundboard the notes wouldn't sound shite. The wings just add a little more support to that pretty in-active bit of soundboard. Interesting...is the rimset radiused (radius dish), or are you gluing the top on flat? Braces arched or not? If you've got a more idiot-proof way of setting the neck so that it all works out, that'd be great; how exactly are you taking these measurements? I'd appreciate it if you documented that well, with pictures and explanations. It's something I'm still not sure on, as far as the 'best' system is concerned. Right now I'm arching all the bracing spherically (25'), gluing to a domed top, and leaving the top thick under the fingerboard extension allowing me to 'level' the area once the top's together. The 25' radius arch puts the neck angle pretty close to where it needs to be. Others brace flat above the soundhole, and sand a small dropoff (less than 1/8", IIRC) from the soundhole to the head on otherwise arched/radiussed rims. The 'L' headblock extension I used on mine does pretty much the same thing your glued on bit does, I guess. Looks like this without the top or the notches in it: http://www.xs4all.nl/~mvalente/guitarpics/Body_GAB1_01.jpg With top in place (different guitar, though): http://www.xs4all.nl/~mvalente/guitarpics/body_gc1_13.jpg Shamelessly stole the idea and design from Al Carruth, so no points for originality there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammy Posted February 9, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2006 I will indeed be doccumenting it, yeah. I'm still a little unsure on it too, but as i learn about it I'll pass it on Those acoustic's you've made are beautiful, alot more like what I would like to do if I were left to my own devices, but with learning this stuff in a course I've got to stick to what I'm told to do really Reverse cut kerfed linings look ace, I think I may be doing those on my next instrument! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattia Posted February 9, 2006 Report Share Posted February 9, 2006 I will indeed be doccumenting it, yeah. I'm still a little unsure on it too, but as i learn about it I'll pass it on Those acoustic's you've made are beautiful, alot more like what I would like to do if I were left to my own devices, but with learning this stuff in a course I've got to stick to what I'm told to do really Reverse cut kerfed linings look ace, I think I may be doing those on my next instrument! Good. Probably only be Yet Another Way That Works (lots of those!), but who knows, might be one that makes me go 'oooo' Thanks for the kind words on the guitars! Half the fun is doing my own shapes/following my own aesthetic sensibilities. Reverse linings are all I've used, but I like the look of 'em, and they leave me nice, stiff sides. Downside: you break one, the broken bit's very, very visible so you want to get it all done in one piece, no gaps. Besides, I figured it'd be easier to make than standard triangular lining. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fryovanni Posted February 10, 2006 Report Share Posted February 10, 2006 Great to see an acoustic build. I gotta say you have my attension. Looking at your soundboard bracing, I have never done it quite like that. I kinda think I have a picture as to how it will work out, but I will be watching for you to fill in the blanks. I was also curious as to whether the top is flat or radiused(Mattia asked earlyier). Also you mentioned a course. Is this a local instructor or class that you are taking? Keep up the good work!!! Peace,Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammy Posted February 15, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2006 Right - a couple of answers first... Yup, the top's radiused; 3mm curvature on the x braces and tone bars. As for leaving off the main top brace the reasonig behind it is to ensure that that area of the soundboard ends up at the right height and angle, allowing a smooth, seamless transition between it and the neck - it's a compicated procedure to get the curvature, and I'm having a hard time putting it into words - but I'll get back to you on that one. The reason it's left untill just before the top's in place is that the bracing must be notched into the sides to allow some of the required measurments to be taken Either way, the top's on! Heres a couple of shots of the shaped up bracing... http://www.solar.myby.co.uk/misc/andy/acoustic/8.jpg And everything glued into place http://www.solar.myby.co.uk/misc/andy/acoustic/9.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattia Posted February 15, 2006 Report Share Posted February 15, 2006 (edited) Rockin'. 3mm...that equates to, um, about a 25' radius arch? No dishes in construction, I take it, so I assume you're gluing an arched top on flat, unradiused rims. Still want you to try and put the complicated stuff in words, because inquiring minds certainly want to know ;-) Do you sand a slight slant in the rims from the soundhole up, or, essentially, are you using the arch of the upper transverse to determine the rise from the edge of the guitar (where the neck meets it) to where the end of the fingerboard would be, to prevent any fingerboard 'hump'. Also, I have camp clamp envy. I want more cam clamps, dammit! 4 is not enough! On the other hand, it's not like I'd use them for tops. I likes my go-bar deck :-D Edited February 15, 2006 by mattia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammy Posted February 28, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2006 That's exactly is Mattia, The curve on that brace brings the soundboard to just the right place to take the fingerboard without any humps or dips It's the way of determining that curve that's difficult.... First the neck block is planed to the correct angle: The top is dropped into place and pushed down so it's sitting on the block (as It will be when glued up) A straight edge is placed on the soundboard at the neck block end...The striaghtedge will be slightly off the soundboard where the bridge will eventually sit. The block is planed untill the gap between the straightedge and soundboard at the bridge position is about 1.5-2mm. We then know the block angle is correct. the straightedge is left in the position, with the soundboard held down. A piece of MDF with a notch cut in it (to bridge the straight edge) is then placed over at the position of the top transverse brace. The soundboard is then pushed flat using this piece of MDF and a gap appears under the straightedge at this point - this gap is measured and then provides the curve for the brace. In my particular case it was 1mm. Well, the picture's a load of shite but here's the first shot of the body... As you may notice I've done the first pass of routing (that's for the purfling), and I'll be doing the binding routes tomorrow. It *should* be all bound by the end of tomorrow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammy Posted March 2, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2006 It's fully bound I'll plane it all level today and a take a photo or two Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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