verhoevenc Posted April 30, 2009 Report Share Posted April 30, 2009 So, ya'll have seen my veneered carve top work... but I'm going a little balls to the wall on this current build. I carved a top into a solid swamp ash body, veneered the top with flamed maple, the back with santos rosewood... and here's the kicker... I even veneered the SIDES with santos rosewood using a method I've been working on. To my knowledge this is the first electric to have its sides veneered! As you can see in the pictures, the veneer on the sides doesn't go all the way to the top/back... but fear not, it will be getting bound soon and those gaps will disappear! It looks like rosewood... but what is this gorgeous swamp ash sound doing there?!?!??! Chris PS: This is the same guitar I used in my carving video... so you KNOW it's swamp ash under there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dylanwad Posted April 30, 2009 Report Share Posted April 30, 2009 Cool! Care to share the veneering technique? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ae3 Posted April 30, 2009 Report Share Posted April 30, 2009 Wowza's! Nice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verhoevenc Posted April 30, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 30, 2009 Sure, it's just like any other veneering in a vacuum bag except that you DON'T wanna use a platen, but instead just put the guitar in and everything closes around it, with the bag meeting in the center of the sides. With a platen the bag isn't flexible enough and you don't get a good glue-up at the bottom of the sides. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xanthus Posted April 30, 2009 Report Share Posted April 30, 2009 With some paua binding this thing will be STUNNING. Well, more than it already is. Natural light pics, please! The body itself looks a bit thin. Is that 1-1/2" thick? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Metalhead28 Posted April 30, 2009 Report Share Posted April 30, 2009 Looks pretty awesome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verhoevenc Posted April 30, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 30, 2009 It's getting a cari-burst, and has fish (moorish idols) swimming up the fretboard... a very tropical theme... so no paua needed to bring out some blues and greens, the stain should do just fine As for the thickness, yes, it is 1.5" at the side of the body, but also have a 9/16" carve. So overall the body is a little over 2" thick in the center. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xanthus Posted April 30, 2009 Report Share Posted April 30, 2009 ooooh that sounds fantastic! Hopefully the back and sides are going to be clear... Now lemme get this.. You got side-grain veneer? Do they even make that? Or is that part of your secret method....? It's going to look great, Chris, can't wait to see it done. Any other specs that are a definite? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verhoevenc Posted April 30, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 30, 2009 (edited) Side grain veneer? I don't follow you? There's only one type of veneer as far as grain goes... since making end-grain veneer would be pointless and would fall apart. But no, nothing hidden or fancy about my technique, just normal old veneer. I didn't however mention that when vacuum clamping, you need some sort of "caul" to distribute pressure or else where the bag meets you'll have no pressure and get bubbles... I use cork and a sheet of foil between the cork and the body so the cork doesn't get glued on too. I just routed the binding channels so I thought this would be a great photo op again. Someone requested pictures in Natural Light... I didn't think the college freshman's beer of choice was a good solvent to pop the grain for pictures... but I did take some pics outside And here is the fish fretboard I was referring to: Chris PS: That's just water marking on the top and back from when I was bending the veneer for the sides, it will go away easily. PPS: Yes, I know that the binding channel on the top is deeper than that on the back. The top is 1/4" and the bottom is 3/16", strange, I know, but I wanted the top binding to be larger. Edited April 30, 2009 by verhoevenc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CainMD Posted April 30, 2009 Report Share Posted April 30, 2009 wowza. nice wood. really diggin the shape Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattharris75 Posted April 30, 2009 Report Share Posted April 30, 2009 This is just awesome. I love everything about this build. Great concept and execution. Can't wait to see it finished! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verhoevenc Posted May 1, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 1, 2009 Only bad part about me and building... my shop is at my parents'... so I have periods of building followed by long periods of not building so it's always a mystery when things are going to get finished. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ae3 Posted May 2, 2009 Report Share Posted May 2, 2009 Very tropical indeed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterbrown Posted May 3, 2009 Report Share Posted May 3, 2009 I realy dig your inlay. Great idea, and very delicately executed. Cheers, Peter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted May 3, 2009 Report Share Posted May 3, 2009 Drak veneered the sides of a few,If I recall correctly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verhoevenc Posted May 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 3, 2009 Damnit! Drak... can you confirm this? Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted May 3, 2009 Report Share Posted May 3, 2009 I know he did an offset v with veneer on all sides.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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