Old Hand

The old method of guitar building is inferior to the new ones.Then why do the old ones bring more than the new ones?

All right,Here we go.Mohogany is used for it's tone but the main reason is it doesn't warp.Wood is like a sponge if it gets wet it gets bigger.When it dries it gets smaller.U need a 17% moister content to work it.I have a 72 Les paul deluxe.It has two 3/4"mahogany layers.The inside one is at a 45 degree angle to the one u see on the back.The reason is if they expand or contract they pull against each other to keep them straight.The neck is mahogany for the same reason ,no warping.So just glue one at a45 to the one u see on the back.Its called a glue up.Just make it big enough for the body pattern to be run thru a band saw.Put a 1/2 cap on that because you will router the edges down to 1/4" giving the width of the body.3/4 if u want it thicker.The binding on them cover up the cap edge.Go to a custom cabinet shop and talk to the guys there. Not only can they get the wood u want very cheap but they may have some type of bit in their shaper to help carve the top.Talk to em about doing glue lay ups.Laminated wood is stronger than a solid board.Consider a wood aiplane prop.It's laminated so it want fly apart.Inside secret.We used to use those beechwood slats on the back off those old upright pianos.Youll be surprised how easy one is to get because people dont want to move them. U got tone and stability.Just got to do a lay up .Exel polyurothan glue is the best or any poly glue because it expands as it dries and fills in any gaps.Just my ideas good luck

Thanks Brian

Nitrocellulose lacqer was invented during wwII to speed up aircraft production.Nitro will dry to the touch in less than 1min.Many a nurses uniform was used to patch control surfaces on the fighter aircraft.This was used so the bullets would pass thru rather than rip off.Laquer is a very hot type thinner thus evaporates very fast.Polyurothan is an oil based varnish thus dring takes much longer.Each system has a sanding sealer to be applied first.The sanding sealer dries more brittle and raises the grain of the wood for easy sanding.On raw wood be sure to use sanding sealer first ,for finish coat is very hard to sand and usually won't sand smooth.