JAK

That’s awesome! Very nice balance.

Thanks for the welcome and insight @Bizman62. Did you experience much movement, especially on the final planks that went in the attic? Total time between felling and starting to build was about 6-7 years? Sounds like my wood has spent enough time in log form and I should at least get it into intermediate pieces and stickered while I wait to be able to start building. I really enjoy reading the build threads here so I will go find your latest and catch up! I'm thinking the longer chunk I will do most all quarter-sawn and use it for necks, and the fatter piece will be a mix to see what I get. Last night I was toying with a couple ideas on how to get longer bodies out of blanks only 15-inch long (minus whatever end checking and cracks need to be dealt with.)

Really appreciate seeing the breakdown of the process and finishing steps, Scott. There's a number of different methods/processes/techniques everyone uses and it's all fascinating to me to see each approach. The test piece looks slick. Since black inks/dyes/pigments are usually mixtures, I think it's really cool that you are doing the mixing yourself to help control the lustre/dynamics. My understanding is TransTint can be mixed with different mediums to help it sink in better, etc. Are you using them straight from the bottle or thinning with something like water, alcohol, or acetone? - James

Incidentally I was thinking a few days ago about how to make a V shape that worked while sitting down, and was envisioning something similar (but not quite as subtle) on the lower edge. In the drawing it just looks flat then curves out towards the butt end. In the photo where it's rough cut out looks like it has a bit of a curve back outwards near the forward point (where the lower horn would be) so it will help sit on the leg better; is this the case? (Does what I'm describing make sense?) Also thought that maybe the longer-scale neck might help balance the large back end for the same sitting ergonomics. Can't wait to see how this one will turn out; looks pretty cool already. Also that Queensland Maple looks so dark and red next to the other maple it seems more like a mahogany/sapele, even with the grain. (And then a quick Google tells me it's technically not a "maple", also called "red beech", and has been used as a mahogany substitute, so I guess that makes sense.)

Thanks for the welcome and input! Building from a log is definitely an exercise in patience (and maybe flexibility if wood doesn't turn out as expected.) I too like the rawness of starting from the beginning - errr... felling of the tree: not like I'm going out to plant a seed with the plan to build a guitar from it in 40 years! I read back in the day that drying out with the bark still on was a more stable (though longer) way to get even moisture in the wood when naturally drying. I do plan to cut into chunks then let it dry for a while more before I make something of it (still likely a bit before the guitar-making part happens). Drying as much as possible before milling was expected to minimize warping and twisting but you might be right that it may not dry in the middle well enough before cutting. I guess that's really my biggest indecisiveness and made me wonder what others found/preferred when carving, working & finishing (especially wide & open grain like ash).

Well, that sent me down a YouTube rabbit hole... It's trying to achieve the opposite of what I (and many others) are usually looking for from a guitar; great sustain, rich harmonics, etc. But it does have its own sound/place, even if it does sound kinda similar to the plastic toy guitars I had as a toddler. Goes to show music can be made from all kinds of items. I'm not in any rush to make a rubber saddle muted guitar, however it's given me some ideas of where it could add to a mix/tune. Actually, it might be an interesting application in a bass design.

Les Paul style guitars sit near the top of my list, and, in correlation, prefer guitars with carves over flat/slab bodies. Since you like the burst but maybe find it a bit daunting, it might be an argument why you should build the Aria. Get better at finishing and bursts by doing more finishes and bursts, right? That said, my initial reaction even before seeing the breakdown of each was "ooh, Mockingbird - don't see those as often, that would be interesting." Then adding in the Firebird-esque raised section, I would like to see what that turns out like. So personally/technically my vote is to see the Mockingbird build, but logic(?) points a little more towards the Aria. (Though of course, could also apply finish/burst to other designs...)

Those who wish to cut down on some of my long-windedness, feel free to skip the introduction section. INTRO: Hello Project Guitar community! Today I move on from "lurker" status. I answer to many names but I suppose you can call me James. I've been wanting to build guitars for like 20 years now but haven't had tools/resources/space to do so yet. Parents even got me the great Guitarmaking: Tradition and Technology book by Cumpiano and Natelson and a bunch of catalogues for Lee Valley Tools when I was younger. Getting closer now but a lot of renovations to do on the house before guitar building, and the only tools I have so far are typical screwdrivers, hammer, hacksaw, hand drill, a multi-meter, a table saw, and of course my own two hands. (My DeWalt table saw is still new in the box waiting for somewhere to set up). Well I guess I could build a guitar with just those, it might not be the greatest experience so I probably should get some clamps, chisels, planes, scrapers, etc., as well. The guitar building bug has hit me really hard again, so for now I am living vicariously through the awesome build threads here! I love wood (and trees and forests) and like sustainability/responsibility with acquiring tone woods. What's more responsible than using wood that was destined for refuse/chipper/fire? About 10 years ago my parents had to get some trees taken down on their property, and when I found out I tried to hold on to some to use towards guitar making eventually. Even had the ends brushed with latex paint to try and even out the drying process (though didn't get to them as quickly as I wanted so some checking already started). My dad and I believe this was the ash tree - not sure if white or green, but it's northern/hard ash (from central Ontario), not light swamp ash. Have a few branches (maybe could get some neck/laminates? Likely used for other artistic/practice carving). The main pieces are a 15-inch diameter by 32-inch long log and a wide 29x33-inch "diameter" by 15-inch deep log (wish it was deeper but that just means I can play with unconventional designs). The 30-inch diameter does have a nice big crack but I will work around it and/or do some resin [river table] stuff. Haven't seen them in person in a while (live 2 hours away from my parents' place) so not sure what/if any other cracks are like, but can play with CA/resin/epoxy filling too. Got my sister to take some quick pics and measurements for me today (photos below). Figure this free wood would be better to practice carving and building with before buying expensive/exotic "dream" woods. So all that said, onto the reason I am posting.... TOPIC: Was interested in some input from the community regarding quarter-sawn or flat-sawn wood for body blanks. I know quarter-sawn has better stability (and what I would be looking at for necks), but as far as bodies go, what are your thoughts? I like wood grain and would be finishing natural and/or dying so the grain still shows (and maybe even accentuated), thus flat-sawn might be more interesting. Of course, you never really know what you're going to get until you cut into it and see what surprise awaits. Here's the 2 logs I'm looking to cut up, and trying to pre-plan what to do with them so I get the most out of them for crafting. (Not worried about the bit of waste if it was most/all rift-sawn & quarter-sawn) Again, we believe this to be northern/hard ash, about 10 years since cutting. The 15-inch diameter by 32-inch length piece. The 15-inch deep 29x33-inch "diameter" (not quite round...) Thanks! ~ James