mx5apex Posted June 10, 2012 Report Share Posted June 10, 2012 I started building this a year or so ago and hit a road block. Now it's back on the work bench. I used Jim Olson's SJ numbers for the body. Top - sitka spruce Back and Sides - bocote wood 3 Piece Neck - mahogany, maple, cocobolo Fingerboard - cocobolo Bracing - spruce, mahogany Binding - cocobolo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verhoevenc Posted June 10, 2012 Report Share Posted June 10, 2012 Did you put those braces on flat? Or did you use a radius dish/radius the braces? Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mx5apex Posted June 10, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2012 They are flat but the back is curved along its length. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mx5apex Posted June 10, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2012 The guitar is mostly done, I'm just uploading pic now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mx5apex Posted June 10, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2012 Fun way of glueing up binding Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mx5apex Posted June 10, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2012 Some neck work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mx5apex Posted June 10, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2012 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mx5apex Posted June 10, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2012 This is the last of the photos until I start making the bridge which will be next weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verhoevenc Posted June 10, 2012 Report Share Posted June 10, 2012 The length is not where you should be concerned about having a dome. Wood shrinks laterally, not along it's length, with changes in humidity. Having a dome, laterally, in the back is useful because if the guitar gets less humid than the environment that you built it in, it has some le-way for shrinking. As once it gets drier than when it was glued it, and it has no dome to flatten out, it starts then pulling at the sides to try and shrink. Sides are very rigid and the back will give way first. What humidity were you at when you glued on the braces? I'm hoping quite dry (or at least drier than the environment the guitar will ever live in) or you will most likely have issues down the road with back splits/cracks. Same goes for the top if it has no lateral doming. Best choice in the future is to look into radius dishes for sanding the sides and gluing braces. This gives you both your lateral and longitudinal doming in one go. It looks great though. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted June 11, 2012 Report Share Posted June 11, 2012 Wow! SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mx5apex Posted June 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 11, 2012 (edited) The length is not where you should be concerned about having a dome. Wood shrinks laterally, not along it's length, with changes in humidity. Having a dome, laterally, in the back is useful because if the guitar gets less humid than the environment that you built it in, it has some le-way for shrinking. As once it gets drier than when it was glued it, and it has no dome to flatten out, it starts then pulling at the sides to try and shrink. Sides are very rigid and the back will give way first. What humidity were you at when you glued on the braces? I'm hoping quite dry (or at least drier than the environment the guitar will ever live in) or you will most likely have issues down the road with back splits/cracks. Same goes for the top if it has no lateral doming. Best choice in the future is to look into radius dishes for sanding the sides and gluing braces. This gives you both your lateral and longitudinal doming in one go. It looks great though. Chris I know what you're talking about with the doming, it's my first and I just wanted to see if I could do it. I was reading about Charles Hoffman and Jim Olson and they both build using flat tops but with an angle for the neck. Their backs are built with a slight dome though. I routed a 2˚ angle for the neck, did the same for the back. I also shellacked the inside to help with moisture. I'll do a dome on the next one. Thanks for the info. Edited June 11, 2012 by mx5apex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verhoevenc Posted June 11, 2012 Report Share Posted June 11, 2012 That's true, some folks do do that with the tops, but try are statistically more probe to cracks. Also, tops behave a little differently than backs. A lot more at play there. Those guys also probably have meticulously controlled shop humidities. Not criticizing, just trying to help you put for round 2. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mx5apex Posted June 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 11, 2012 All insights are welcome, it's my first time dealing with what is a complex sound box. At least it's not just saw dust sitting on the floor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted June 11, 2012 Report Share Posted June 11, 2012 I love your timber choices at least from a pure asthetic point of view. It's beautiful, I hope it sounds as nice as it looks. SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mx5apex Posted June 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 12, 2012 Thanks ScottR, I hope it sounds good too. I haven't seen too many acoustics with bocote, thought I would try it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattharris75 Posted June 12, 2012 Report Share Posted June 12, 2012 Beautiful choice of woods and great looking workmanship. Hope it turns out well for you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwcarl Posted June 12, 2012 Report Share Posted June 12, 2012 I love watching acoustic builds, eventually I'll give one a go. For your build, that bocote is beautiful, a infinitely nicer than the bocote I've seen before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mx5apex Posted June 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 13, 2012 Thanks for all the kind words everybody! I hope not to disappoint. Been thinking about using an epoxy for gain filler. What do you all think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted June 13, 2012 Report Share Posted June 13, 2012 I used Z-Poxy on my current build....worked fine for me--I'd do it again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.