ElRay

ALL: Thanks for the responses.

I received clarification, they meant "The truss rod is as loose as it will go and the neck still has a back bow", so this is a can of worms that I don't think I'll open at this time.

1 hour ago, mistermikev said:

... it's not clear reading your post if this is a two way rod or perhaps a one way that just only loosens so far …

As best as I can tell (at this point) is that it's a one-way truss-rod that can be tightened, but something is preventing it from being loosened.

I'm waiting on clarification to see if the owner really means, "The Truss rod is as loose as it can be, but the neck still has a back-bow" -- That would be a different fish to fry.

I have an opportunity to buy a Classical Guitar that has been on my "Wish List" for a while for nearly free.  The issue is that the truss-rod will only tighten and the neck has a slight back-bow. I had a steel-string acoustic that had the same problem, and that just took some patience, penetrating oil and a tight fitting Allen Key.

If the truss rod truly needs replacing, how involved is replacing it?

Thanks! ...for the update ...the site ...and the site updates!

OK.  Brain fart.  Gotta lean to double-think a post I write between compiles.

The String Tension App at BangZero is still there, it just hasn't been updated and depending on your Java settings, you may have troubles with it.

The FretFind2D web app at Ekips still exists.

We now return to your regally scheduled content.

Whoa!?!?! Is the old BangZero site gone?  Is ProjectGuitar the new home?  Or is ProjectGuitar hosting a new fork?

Ray

I haven't posted much because my own build has been on a serious hiatus.  I'm starting to restart, and picked-up some pick-ups.  I have two X-Bars, but I want an X-Bar/Deathbar "set". So, I'd like to make one of the following trades:

• One 4" Chrome X-Bar for a 4" Chrome Deathbar
• Two 4" Chrome X-Bars for a 4" X-Bar/Deathbar set in Black
• Two 4" Chrome X-Bars for a 3.5" X-Bar/Deathbar set in Black or Chrome (maybe)

Ray

Show me a double-blind study where the listeners can hear identical guitars, through identical equipment and identify the body, neck, fretboard, whether it's a drop-top (and if so, what woods are used), etc. then I'll give the myth some credence.

Then, we'll get the same folks to listen to differently made guitars, through different gear, and see if they can identify the woods.

Then, we'll test the "cut under a full moon" myth.

I was torn between killemall8's "Bubinga EXP custom" and Technology4Musicians's "H851". Being a sucker for headless guitars, I voted for T4M's -- Good thing, I tied it up. The only critique I have is the read strap pin looks like it would interfere playing seated in a Classical position. Switch to a recessed strap lock, and you've got a totally winner.

Ray

Regarding Bob's comment below (Oddly, the editor won't let me put the insertion point after the quote.):

You won't get a "truly one piece" look. First, saw cuts are not infinitely thin and grain lines are not perfectly straight. You will have offset on either side of the cut. Second, you plan to flip on of the pieces. There's no way you'll get the grain on the flipped side to match. Third, glue is not invisible. It's possible to hide the glue line well, but that often relies on a geometrical feature of the piece (a corner, an edge, etc.).

There are reasons why binding, purfling, rosettes, and inlay stripes were added to guitars.

Ray

For "Why?", simply to have a truly "one peice neck" No fretboard, very clean look imo, particularly thinking about flamed maple necks, or other interesting figures.

The tough trick is getting the bolts to apply sufficient force over a large enough area to cinch in the shoulders tight securely over the longer term. Big is best I think. Barrels going through the front stretchers front to back and big 3/4" bolts with fat washers to spread the load.

I haven't thought about this since last summer when I realized that the bench was not going to be built that season. Now that I'm thinking about it again, drawboring very well may be the way to go. I'll deal with moving the bench when that time comes.

Ray

If you drawbore your joints you shouldn't need any threaded rod. The point is that the dowels are flexible enough to snake through the offset holes yet strong enough to pull in the tenon tighter.

Through bolts with barrel nuts is a good idea....you could drill a bunch of slugs out of 3/4" steel or aluminium, tap them and use coach bolts from the hardware store.

Ray

I've been collecting very much the same articles for very similar reasons. The current plans I have rough-sketched use standard dimensional lumber build-up in layers to create "virtual" mortises and tenons. The other key parts of making the base sturdy enough is to use offset holes/draw-bolts and run threaded rod through grooves in the cross pieces.

I'll have to remember this thread when I get the plans into digital form.

Ray

For those that missed-out the last time: They've got 17 more in stock.

Ray

and the next question we hear is "what kind of tone does fiberglass have"

Depends on:

• What tonewood dust you mix into the resin
  
• What color mesh you use
  
• Whether you buy big containers of resin and pump-out what you need, or the pre-portioned packets
  
• Whether you add resin to hardner, or hardner to resin
  
• Whether you cut your cloth on the night of the full-moon ore not.
  

Do I even need a

Ray

I feel bad not voting for the SwedishLuthier's Electric Cello, but I've got a major soft-spot for headless, ergo guitars.

Ray

To me, a neck-through seems much less problematic than a bolt-on or a set-neck. This is new territory for me, so I'm likely leaning on "conventional wisdom" more than I need to.

Ray

I know from a purely logical perspective, for a first build, a bolt-on is best because it will allow for neck shimming, the ability to rebuild the neck or the body if one is messed-up, etc. So, the plan is/was to use non-pretty "left overs" from other furniture, etc. projects. One of these left-overs is a can of DupliColor MetalCast Red Chrome. The idea was to go with the red chrome finish and black hardware and I've already bought the hardware.

The conundrum comes in because I love natural finish guitars and it looks like I'll have left-over cherry that's wide enough for the body, but only if I do a neck-through. And the black hardware will still work with a natural cherry guitar.

Is a bolt-on that much "safer" for a first build? I've done enough wood-working that I'm not too worried about the mechanics of milling the wood to size, glueing, routing, template building, etc., but I'm still concerned about the unexpected "gotchas", because I've never built a guitar before.

Ray

The Die/Dye has been cast. I found the Wilkinson Waverly open back tuners that (I thought) somebody here pointed out in black. They're not 6-in-line, but since they're open-back, I'll likely go with a more Classical Guitar styled headstock.

I also may have more Cherry left-over from a home furnishings project than expected, so I might actually go with a natural finish. :woohoo:

Ray

Thanks all!

I'm keeping the multi-scale design and the ergo body shape, but other that that, I've dropped all the "wish list" items (headless, Lace X-Bar pick-ups, stainless steel frets, "pretty wood" for a natural finish, more than six strings, etc.). I'm looking at using the GFS Lil' Puncher XL Tele Bridge pick-ups (Vintage in the neck and Modern in the bridge) -- just over $60 shipped and I bought six of the Rondo single string bridge/saddle combos for about $40 shipped. So I feel like spending more on tuners than pick-ups or bridge hardware is a bit like putting a spoiler on the station wagon (mini-van for you young-ins). I may just have to come to terms with buying "real" tuning machines for my "compromise Realistically Thought-Out" build.

Ray

I know this has been touched on before, but things change.

I'm finally sourcing parts for a super (somewhat?) simplified version of the build I've been planning for years. Since this is a first build, and not (by far) my dream build, I'm not looking to spend a tremendous amount on parts, but I'm not wanting to go "I'll regret it sooner than later." cheap.

So, does anybody have experience with decent, but inexpensive tuning machines? I know folks have gotten good buys on eBay, but there's no guarantee that the current crop of items is as good as the previous ones recommended.

I'm hoping for:

• Black
  
• 6 In-Line (not reverse) -- I'd love 4+2, but the only inexpensive ones I've seen are from GuitarFetish, but they're chrome and not 18:1
  
• High Ratio (18:1 or better, but I know I can't be too picky)
  
• Locking (again, I know I can't be too picky)
  

There are some open-back, 18:1 Waverley Tuners that look pretty decent; however I'm not finding them in 6 in-line and black.

Ray

Grizzly had some really nice re-saw bandsaws. They took wide blades and the maximum re-saw width were 12" - 14". IIRC, one could even take blades somewhere around 3/16" (or was that 3/8"?). I remember drooling over them before the kids came.

Ray

Oh, we have those fitted! The wood was so tense that it closed up before it even got as far as the splitter

Regarding riving knives and kick-back:

Anyway, back on topic:

Ray

Every board closed up around the back end of the table saw during cutting which kicked them back crazily.

Ray

The Bridge/Saddle combos I received were all new.

Ray