avengers63 Posted April 7, 2015 Report Share Posted April 7, 2015 Someone gave me some cherry they've had for years. It's about as quartersawn as you can expect. So....... here's the beginnings of acoustic #3. The cutoff piece is likely to be bracing material and/or kerfing. But y'all know how fluid I keep things. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted April 8, 2015 Report Share Posted April 8, 2015 Nice cherry. Does this mean you've finished #1 and #2? And didn't even share any glamour shots with us? SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted April 8, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 8, 2015 I saw yer other post..... This one is in the "mill the pieces" stage. Gonna get all the bits together first this time before starting the actual construction. Lumber prep takes so much longer with an acoustic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted April 11, 2015 Report Share Posted April 11, 2015 I'm betting lumber prep is much more critical with an acoustic as well. SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted April 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 16, 2015 I got distracted with my new toy and was basically playing with it instead of doing any prep for #3. I upgraded the underpowered and undersized cordless Ryobi circular saw with a good Rigid model. Good Lord but that thing powers through wood. I'm not surprised, but still.... So I now have a number of sets and tops in reserve: bloodwood back & sides white limba full box white limba back & sides spanish cedar full box spanish cedar top cherry back & sides There is enough white limba scrap left to do all of the bracing/kerfing on at least the bull box. The bracing/kerfing on the cherry box will be cherry as well. My youngest daughter (13) has been wanting to make an acoustic with me since I started learning how. The bloodwood set is hers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwedishLuthier Posted April 16, 2015 Report Share Posted April 16, 2015 I have cracked more bloodwood sides than i have successfully bent sides regardless of type of wood... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted April 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 16, 2015 Thanks for the head's-up. Maybe I'll make them thinner than normal. Prolly bend them myself and let her bend some others just for the experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dean Posted April 17, 2015 Report Share Posted April 17, 2015 Good to see you doing acoustic builds .. I think they help the learning curve , an improve the skill sets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwedishLuthier Posted April 19, 2015 Report Share Posted April 19, 2015 BTW, were did you get the bloodwood set from? I have search high and low for bloodwood backs and sides but haven't been able to find any at the usual suppliers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted April 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2015 I bought a good sized board from Woodcraft last year and milled the set myself. I have a neck blank sitting and waiting as well, and a healthy amount left over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted April 21, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 21, 2015 I got all of the bracing & kerfing milled. To try and balance the brightness of the cherry, the neck and top bracing are mahogany. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted April 24, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2015 The back is nearly all glued up. The final two braces are in the clamps. Meanwhile, the neck is scarfed, t/r routed, and headstock wings glued on. So I was planing the sides to thickness.... ...and of COURSE I had a chipout. I'll have to see if I can repair it later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juntunen Guitars Posted April 29, 2015 Report Share Posted April 29, 2015 I'm curious how a hard wood will work for bracing. Larson Brothers used laminated braces with a thin hardwood center and spruce on the outside but I've never heard of full on hardwood braces with a full hardwood box. I did get a chance to play an early 1900's Martin parlor guitar that was all koa except for the spruce braces. That was probably the best sounding guitar I've ever played. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted April 29, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 29, 2015 When I started on the prototype, I asked (pleaded) for any reason, not voodoo as to why I should or shouldn't use any given type of wood for the bracing & kerfing. To date, nobody has offered anything. Having personally dispelled, in my mind at least, the "wood voodoo" surrounding electrics, I'm working with the notion that similar voodoo is prevalent in acoustic lutherie as well. So.... I'm using what I feel like using until some legitimate reason is presented not to. It's easy to think outside the box when you don't care about the box in the first place. Just wait until I use other timbers for the soundboard. As I see it, they're ALL tonally viable so long as they're strong enough to bear the tension. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwedishLuthier Posted April 29, 2015 Report Share Posted April 29, 2015 Schneider used carbon fiber reinforcement for the braces (some/all of them???) and maple for the center traverse brace. The biggest difference will probably be the weight. Hardwood add weight to the top and that will change the way the top vibrates compared to using lighter bracing wood, not necessary in a bad way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted April 29, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 29, 2015 What I'm thinking about is tonal combinations. For an electric, a mahogany body/maple neck (or the reverse) results in a well balanced tone. They're on opposite ends of the tonal spectrum, so they compliment each other. Logically, if you use a really "warm" top with "bright" bracing (or the reverse), a similar balance should be achieved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted April 29, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 29, 2015 Also, I decided what special bling I'm gonna do to this one. Cherry B&S, spruce top, mahogany neck. But the top..... I'm gonna inlay the top with a woven lattice pattern of 1/16" thick yellowheart & granadillo strips. If possible, the f/b & bridge might end up granadillo as well. I don't think a rosette is in order here; just binding the soundhole will suffice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted April 29, 2015 Report Share Posted April 29, 2015 How thick is your top typically? This should be interesting to see done. SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted April 29, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 29, 2015 The books I've read have all said around 1/8", so that's what I've been doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juntunen Guitars Posted May 1, 2015 Report Share Posted May 1, 2015 I think my tops end up thinner than an 1/8th usually but I don't thickness them to a set thickness. I thickness them until the flex with and across the grain feels right. I'm curious to see how the inlay goes as well with the radius in the top. Are you going to inlay it before or after glueing on the top? If I can ever get pictures to post to this site again I will post a picture of a baroque I saw once that the entire back and sides were inlayed in a chevron pattern on every square inch of it... Impressive stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted May 22, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 22, 2015 SWMBO is in NY/NY for 10 days, and she has the camera, so I can't give y'all any progress pics. When I bent the sides, they cupped just a bit. I re-enforced them with 1/8" cherry strips in (what I feel to be) strategic locations. After that, I got the kerfing in and the back is being glued on right now. I'm really looking forward to getting started inlaying the top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted May 28, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 28, 2015 I for all the kerfing on and the back glued on. That cherry is gonna look sweet when it's all done. I got the top all inlaid. Good gawd that looks fantastic! It took all day Tuesday, but it's so worth it. I'm currently filling in all of the minor gaps with T-88 epoxy. It might take two applications. I used a piece of scrap to squeegee it all over and force it into the gaps. I'm considering using granadillo w/ yellowheart accents for just about everything left - headplate, heel cap, the plate at the very bottom of the body, binding, etc. I'm absolutely using it for the bridge & fretboard. The fret markers will almost certainly be yellowheart. But.... it might be a good idea to make the headplate cherry just to tie the whole thing together. SWMBO gets back fro NY/NY on Friday, so I can't post any pics until then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted June 1, 2015 Report Share Posted June 1, 2015 I for all the kerfing on and the back glued on. That cherry is gonna look sweet when it's all done. I got the top all inlaid. Good gawd that looks fantastic! It took all day Tuesday, but it's so worth it. I'm currently filling in all of the minor gaps with T-88 epoxy. It might take two applications. I used a piece of scrap to squeegee it all over and force it into the gaps. I'm considering using granadillo w/ yellowheart accents for just about everything left - headplate, heel cap, the plate at the very bottom of the body, binding, etc. I'm absolutely using it for the bridge & fretboard. The fret markers will almost certainly be yellowheart. But.... it might be a good idea to make the headplate cherry just to tie the whole thing together. SWMBO gets back fro NY/NY on Friday, so I can't post any pics until then. Have you given her a sufficient welcome back to get use of the camera yet, or are you dragging it out and getting the most out of the situation you can? SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted June 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2015 Have you given her a sufficient welcome back to get use of the camera yet, or are you dragging it out and getting the most out of the situation you can? SR I sincerely wish, my friend. She came back and told me she wanted a divorce. Maybe now I can convince Geordi to finally remove my emotion chip and destroy it once and for all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted June 1, 2015 Report Share Posted June 1, 2015 Yikes! I went through a very similar scenario with my son's mother about 29 years ago, only she had just returned from St. Louis instead of NY. The last 27+ years with his step mom have been very happy indeed though. Be strong, my friend. SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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