Helldunkel

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Hufscmid: Impressive top. I can see that you have achieved exactly what the customer wanted. A top set on fire. Did you use an actual flame to achieve that look?

Thanks man

Its an elaborated blend of natural stains, to give the impression of the charcoal and fire.

And even thou I share Wez view of the head construction I do understand that you have a solid customer base that like you style and that headstock design, so just keep it up. This is my favorite this month

Thanks

Just to clarify: I am not a custom shop and I take pride building one piece necks since the very first day. Adding an angle to the headstock on a one piece neck would be a huge waist of mother nature but also would not be strong enough because of grain runout.

I am also using an exclusive material for the string retainers and nuts which I am the only to be using + a new neck reinforcement system which I invented so its not JUST a regular non angled headstock.

I also cant stand the looks of a scarf joint (which I have built in the past) I also dont approve that building method - and that is also my opinion and the opinion of many other guitar builders who dont like angled headstocks haha

Like you say each their own style

What kind of wood is that??? Looks great..

Thanks:)

Its not wood (nuff said), I dont use wood for the control covers of my instruments which is not stable enough for my taste, the recess is only 3mm deep

Nice. I like the spool clamps... I might try that.

I've built those by myself a couple years ago, a pain in the ***

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Swiss luthier Lukas Brunner, invented a new attachement system for his "outdoor line" but you still must tighten it...

The luthier website with pics of the outdoor guitars:

Brunner Guitars

HA! lucky bastard, I just noticed that Don Alder, my favourite acoustic player is one of his customer!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nomxc5Cb7hA

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Have you seen the new "first ever" Jackson 8 string which was presented at the NAMM show?

The guy placed the truss rod diagonally...

It also has a new design feature that Pablo came up with called the Jackson Asymetrical Neck/ Offset Trussrod. Basically the neck profile is fatter near the lower strings and gradually tapers as it gets to the high E string. The Trussrod is also offset and runs through the thicker portion of the neck.

This is a killer. It is Jackson's first ever 8 String Guitar. It is built by Master Builder Pablo Santana. Here he is with his monster of a creation. Hand built baby!!! It has alder body with a quarter sawn maple center blank. It also has a new design feature that Pablo came up with called the Jackson Asymetrical Neck/ Offset Trussrod. Basically the neck profile is fatter near the lower strings and gradually tapers as it gets to the high E string. The Trussrod is also offset and runs through the thicker portion of the neck. It is awesome. This is going for $4200. It is a piece of Jackson History....the very first Jackson 8 String Guitar.

I cant stand that headstock...

Ok decision made. Since this is a prototype and relatively short scale I am doing one trussrod...

The fear of string tension is unfounded, myself and blackmachine have proved this many many many times already by exclusively using one single truss rod

That is good to know. I am not sold on the whole dual trussrod thing... Most guys claim they use it to correct twists. The only place I think using 2 trussrods is needed is on a 6 string 34 - 35" scale bass neck.

Oh the marketing guys... They forget that a twist can not be corrected vertially, a twist is horizontal... Dual truss rods sound more commercial you know?

I've invented a new reinforcement system using an exclusive material which I am currently using for building nuts and string retainers, the neck cant twist anymore, more to come....

Quick consensus 8 string builders...

On an 8 string neck (28.5" scale or 27.5" haven't decided yet) do you use 2 trussrods or 1?

I am trying to decide which way I am going to go on my first 8 string neck. I am positive that 1 will be fine... just want to know what everyone else is doing.

Since I primarily build 8 string baritone guitars I can reply to your question:

I only use one 18'' truss rod and it works great up to 30'' scales so no worries

i dont know about the pine as tonewood but i think its toooooo soft to keep screws in...

It certainley is strong enough to hold screws...

I've built a pine guitar just for fun a couple years ago using two bords of some construction grade pine for the body which I bought for less then 10$ and which I laminated together. The neck (sapelli mahogany + west african ebony) was in my workshop for months, I could not use it because of an imperfection so it was perfect really to use for this experiment.

I also fit some Benedetto B-series Humbuckers on the guitar...

The body was very acoustic sounding! I stained the pine, then oil finished it.

Here is a picture:

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Has anyone tried making an acoustic with Padauk sids, back and neck? Other woods I am looking to try an acoustic with is Birch and Bloodwood. Has anyone used those?

I have experience with bloodwood (refering to Brosimum rubescens ) and padauk (refering to Pterocarpus soyauxii) since both species come in a multitude of varieties. I've built an acoustic using padauk and I've been using bloodwood extensively for fingerboards in the past years.

There are two major differences between both tonewoods to consider:

- padauk has big pores as oposed to bloodwood which is very similar to west african ebony when it comes to pores.

- unlike padauk which changes colour to braun, bloodwood does not oxidize overtime, stays red and beautiful forever as long as you take care of it, reason why its been used extensively for inlay work.

Bloodwood is a remarkably dense wood (about as dense as the harder Honduran/Brazilian Rosewoods) = it will give you a very bright tap tone.

Also both woods are not easy to bend but both species are pretty much the most stable woods for building guitars, reason why they have been used extensively to reinforce necks...

bloodwood

padauk

Don't try, don't bother, don't investigate, don't take your own experiences into account, don't take anyone elses experiences into account (except for his, of course), and jsut admit that nobody will ever have even an educated guess about the likely tonal result.

OF course, we have the accumulated knowledge of hundreds of years of acoustic lutherie and 60 years of electric lutherie to argue with him, but it doesn't matter because they're all wrong.

As usual thank you for you wonderfull constructive and provocative comments, I'm glad that you enjoy making fun anytime I post something...

Laugh as much as you wish, the fact is that at this point you still dont know how to open a wood encyclopedia and read, because at this point you still think that "mahogany" is a specific wood and not a generic term... and your speaking about experience

What I've found is that there seems to be a direct correlation between the density of the wood and the tone. The more harder the wood, the brighter it seems to be. Likewise with softer woods being more warm. Smoothness of grain seems to be a good indicator as well, but it's not as good an indicator.

Funny that you then have to confirm what I write in my article....

The Specific modulus is the property of a material (in this case, wood) and consists of the elastic modulus per mass density.

It is also known as the stiffness to weight ratio or specific stiffness.

The more harder the wood the brighter it seems to be, I'm actually confirming this in the article, again learn how to read...

Don't try, don't bother, don't investigate, don't take your own experiences into account, don't take anyone elses experiences into account (except for his, of course), and jsut admit that nobody will ever have even an educated guess about the likely tonal result.

I've written an informative article on the subject a couple weeks ago, maybe you will find this to be interesting..

Usually this means that an intelligent person may be interested and may go and check this out, maybe he wont agree since its an informative article. Somebody like you who has sooo much experience will naturally feel completely offended, I understand your frustration mate, dont worry

Your trolling mate

damn now watch mister einstein avatar start a flame war as he always does.......

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Building a semi hollow guitar. I have the body routed out and the neck angle glued. I was wondering how to route out the control cavities so the cover fits flush with the surface of the body. There is a small step around the main cavity allow the cover to sit lower that the body.I bought the StewMac template but is the routing done freehand or is there a router attachment to help make it easier. I'm not comfortable routing freehand.

I use a binding bit to cut the recess

I use the smallest ball bearing:

Binding Router Bit Set

This way I'm hitting the cavity and the result will be a nice and even recess all arround that cavity

I've written an informative article on the subject a couple weeks ago, maybe you will find this to be interesting...

Sound and Species

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and for the record, I hate hotrod bits from stewmac.

Here's why.......

http://projectguitar.ibforums.com/index.php?showtopic=44646

Again its all about money...

Those bits are probably casted and not machined to high standards...

However I've never had that happen to me and believe me I use those bits like crazy every day.

Over here if you want to buy a very high quality bit you are going to at least pay 150$ for one of them....

20$ for a router bit is a joke, a very cheap price, that should already be a good hint...

Always ask yourself the basic questions, which material are they made out from because steel is made from various quality grades which are all used in the manufacturing of routing bits.

Just compare to a router bit from freud you will see what I'm talking about (and their prices are also pretty cheap):

Freud State-of-the-Art Router Bit Technology

Router Bit Material

There are 3 different materials from which Router Bits are made: High Speed Steel, Carbide Tipped, and Solid Carbide. Choosing a carbide Router Bit over a high steel router bit is usually your best bet to get the most for your money.

Carbide bits are less likely to crack than those that do not utilize carbide, and they are less likely to wear down and need to be replaced. The leading manufacturers of bits make use of carbide in the production of their products specifically because their customers demand a high-quality bit. While some bits do not use carbide or include carbide caps, the more expensive, high-end examples of this product nearly always do. One example is the industry leader in router bits, Amana.

$300.00 - Are you serious or joking?

What's expensive about that price? I would be interested to hear some constructive arguments

You can also find this tutorial directly at stewmac

Hot Rod Adjustable Truss Rods

Our Hot Rod® truss rod is an anchorless neck adjusting system that can correct a neck having either upbow or backbow. It does so uniformly throughout the length of the rod. Installation is simple, and compared to other truss rods, relatively fewer turns of the adjusting nut are required for neck correction. Follow these steps to install the rod:

1. Saw or rout a slot down the centerline of the neck, 7/32" (0.218") wide and 7/16" (0.437") deep. Provide an access for the adjusting nut: For the Fender style nut, you’ll need a 3/8"-diameter recess, about an inch deep on line with the active rod, to accommodate the adjusting nut; for the 4mm allen nut, use a 1/4" recess, about 1/2" deep; for the 1/4" hex nut, use a 7/16" recess, about 1/2" deep. The recess can be made with a piloted drill bit, or by clamping a hardwood filler strip into the slot, and drilling as though there is no slot.

The acoustic guitar version can be installed for adjustment at the peghead or the neck heel. For heel-adjustable installation, the neck block must be notched or drilled to access the adjustment nut. The truss rod is not designed to extend into the neck block or beyond the neck. This allows neck removal as per a normal dovetail neck reset.

To install the “spoke nut” truss rod, counterbore a -3/8"-diameter hole 3/4" deep to accept the shank of the adjustment nut. Allow at least 1/16" clearance between both flat sides of the spoke nut and the guitar’s neck heel and neck/body cutout. This will prevent the nut from binding on these surfaces as it is adjusted. A 1/4" x 5/8" access rout in the instrument’s pickguard/top and the neck/body cutout is required.

2. Set the truss rod into the slot. Although the rods are cushioned with PVC tubing, we recommend extra cushioning at the nuts to eliminate the possibility of rod rattle. Apply a small amount of silicone bathtub sealer in the slot at the double nuts, then press the rod as deeply into the slot as possible. Use only enough silicone for minimal squeeze-out. A spot or two along the double rods can also be cushioned by a little sealer.

3. The absence of glue in the neck slot will ensure that the truss rod can be removed without “hanging up.” Therefore, it’s essential to avoid excess glue while installing the fingerboard. We suggest placing 3/4"-wide masking tape down the centerline of the neck, over the installed truss rod. Spread the glue over the neck with a notched glue spreader. Remove the tape and clamp the fingerboard in place. You’ll notice a small area on each side of the truss rod that has no glue, but if done properly, the glue will spread just to the edges of the slot and not beyond.

Adjustment

After the glue has dried thoroughly, the rod can be tested and used with care. Turn the nut clockwise to correct an upbow, and counterclockwise to correct backbow. As with any truss rod, if you encounter excessive resistance, the neck should first be eased into a corrective bend with clamps. The rod can then be adjusted.

1) Never spread silicone or glue on the lenght of the rod you are going to totally mess up the way it works and make it become mighty stiff (dont forget that the passive rod on the bottom IS functional since its there to counter backbow so if you add silicone there you will mess it all up)

2) These rods do not rattle they are also designed to be removed (try removing them when you spread silicone everywhere....

3) A dip of silicone at the very end of the rod (not the adjustement end)

4) Place some tape above the rod to prevent the glue from entering the channel, spread the glue, then remove the tape! (otherwise you will get a high spot) but if you enjoy sanding down high spots then I wont argue, simply leave the tape...

5) stewmac also sells the perfect bit for the job Router Bit For Hot Rod Truss Rods

6) route several passes until you reach precisely the right depth...

These are the rods I've been extensively using for the past 15 years, I also like the LMI rods, they are thinner but you must custom order if you wish a spoke nut (which is the adjustement system I'm using)