ScottR

Is this a new shape for you, CP? (How does one ask if this is new for you to someone named NotYou)? I really really like the proportions and the subtlety of what you've done to both horns and cuts and that goes for that nice little curve on the headstock as well. Your artistic talents and eye for balance are in evidence. I'm not sure the distressed and charcoal aspects are up my alley....but I get it. Your discription of the sound is very much to my taste, I'd love to hear it. SR

I don't know about the water based lacquer, but I expect it will be a little grabby. I have sanded nitro off of a couple necks after they were determined to be too sticky and it's no big deal to do. So you can always spray it and try it that way and sand it back to a matte finish, or take it back down to the wood and oil it later if you don't like the feel of the finished neck. SR

That's ihocky2, I do believe. Looking forward to seeing yours John. SR

This sounds like a good candidate for bleach. SR

By a show of hands, how many has this happened to? It might just be easier to count how many have never done it. SR

Quit worrying about that neck joint, you're starting to sound like an old woman. When you get the top on, you are going to have many more square inches of glue surface than your normal set necks. SR

I am really loving this RAD. The pix still make me think of ice cream sandwiches and oreo cookies. Very tasty stuff. SR

It's really really hard to beat a coco fretboard. Looking sweet RAD. SR

At this point, I think I would take off a little more edge. Haonestly, I liked the crispness of the shot with the knobs in place best for this build, because while your curves and carves are nice and flowing, your edges, laminations and lines are all crisp. And I still say your truss rod access looks better now than it would with any cover..... .....okay if you come up with a really cool cover, I might back down and say it looks as good without the cover as it does with the cover....but that cover would have to be really good. SR

I remember that thread. What type of experiments did you do, and what happened that made you think 8 degrees might be too low? My last HS was at 11, and the high E string is at least a couple of degrees less....I never measured how many less....but that string has never lost the break point on the nut that I ever noticed. SR

Well, yes and no. That is not literally what I was attempting to describe, but it is another way (probably better way) of accurately illustrating the same principal. In fact it likely has less chance of error if one was to use this to mark out fret placements on a new scale length. Mine would show lines from the fret placements converging on a vanishing point, like a drawing lesson for rendering a building in perspective. The point of the layout is one can mark fret locations without taking 24 measurements....however precision in making the layout is everybit as important as the precision required to make those individual measurements. SR

Not a template but on a slight tangeant.... I've got a theory for you guys to shoot holes in: Using a square, draw a right angle on a rather large sheet of paper. The horizontal should be at the top of the sheet and the vertical 5 or 6 inches in from the edge. Now using the horizontal line as the nut location, mark the vertical line for fret locations based on any scale length you choose. A StewMac tmplate would be very handy for this step. At the bottom of the horizontal line make a mark for that scale length. On the horizontal line at the top of the page, make a mark as far away as you can-4 feet should be a good distance for this I would think. Now draw a line from each mark you made on the vertical line to that point on the horizontal line. Extend those lines through the other side of your horizontal some few inches as well. Now again using a square, you can measure between the top horizontal line (nut) and the bottom line (bridge-scale length) and sliding left or right of the vertical you made, and mark out any new scale length you want. Still using your square draw another vertical line from that point. Every point it crosses the lines you made (from your original fret locations and the vanishing point) will mark the locations for your frets on this new scale length. Of course, an accurate angle and precise markings and lines are required for the most accurate locations, but If what I remember about geometry and drafting is true this should work. I'm sorry I don't have the resources to illustrate an example at hand. Now can anywone find errors in this theory? SR

Hey I resemble that remark. +1 I love voting on stuff. Me too. Both points. SR

I agree, plus to get those long regular mostly uniform grooves, you're going to want a wood that likes to be carved. SR

Ummm....what he said! SR

Ouch! Indeed! Patch it up a swear it is road wear. SR

Oh lordy, I should have known! I feel so thoroughly enriched now. SR

SR

I have no idea if that is a reference to something that exists or a construct of your lively imagination, but the turn of phrase and mental image certainly gave me a giggle. SR

Congrats from Texas as well. The bairn looks just like you.....er at least while I'm visualizing him with facial hair. That's got to be your best work to date. SR

Tru dat. I'm a believer. I built a git with a similar shape although the curves were balanced to my taste....and it came in second in GOTM to a Hoog built git. When all is said and done he makes beautiful instruments. I really like the designs of Henri's guitars that he has shown so far. They are well balanced and flow nicely. And I've seen a number of AF's guitars on here over the years and they've all been stunning. There's no accounting for taste, there are innumerable concepts of beauty....and ain't that a wonderful thing! SR

Mike, if you are very patient with your clean up work on this, you have a shot at making this one of your most balanced, visually successful designs yet. Artistically, you've got a nicely flowing body shape going. You need to work on the treble side bevel, elongate it down towards the lower point and it will complement the beveled curve on the bass side better. This is getting interesting. Keep it up. SR

It could happen. If the wood tells me that Coop's in there, I'll have to let him out. SR

I like the way you're leaning. Ash dyed black with even blacker pores might look cool. SR

Good color combo, methinks. Too bad you don't have any scrap from that fretboard--pup rings out of that would go nicely as well. SR Idea never even crossed my mind. But then the whole idea with these versions is that they are fairly plain to look at. Sedate in appearance, but a tonal monster. I do another one with a similar shape that has a figured maple top, set neck, Binding bla bla. built like a les paul . The rosewood might be an option there. But then with all the crap with customs I dont think id be risking it. Im OK with the boards I have as they are all purchased as finished products & I have all the paperwork I need to get them into the USA sorted. But Rosewood as a "raw material" is something I want to dodge for the moment. BTW, anything comin up from you in the near future ? Guitar builds ? Bears ? Yeah, I've got an idea brewing in my brain for a guitar that I think I'll get started on in the next few weeks and then maybe it's time for another carving. Probably something other than a bear......but I don't know just what yet. I reckon I'll have to pick the piece of wood and stare at it for a while, 'til it tells me what it wants to be. SR