Search found 887 matches
- Fri Mar 27, 2020 11:10 am
- Forum: Jigs & Fixtures
- Topic: Fret Clamping Pliers
- Replies: 2
- Views: 2107
Re: Fret Clamping Pliers
Interesting idea - thanks for passing it on. My guess is that is is designed for fretting or refretting on the neck because the lower jaw has that curved block to fit the neck shape. But my neck profile changes along the length of the neck so maybe the wood block on the bottom jaw would need to be c...
- Fri Mar 27, 2020 9:32 am
- Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
- Topic: Bellied up top
- Replies: 28
- Views: 9566
Re: Bellied up top
My first build (a cedar top OM) did the same thing, and for the same reason that you have diagnosed. I definitely over-did the scalloping on the diagonal tone bars, and probably on the X-braces in the area between the X and the bridge plate. Like yours, it sounded great (an under-braced top is reall...
- Thu Mar 26, 2020 6:09 am
- Forum: The Gallery
- Topic: What happened to the post on the Gibson Super 400
- Replies: 5
- Views: 2753
Re: What happened to the post on the Gibson Super 400
It disappeared from the OLF too. Presumably Martin Taylor was asked to remove it, either by the film producers or by Gibson?
- Tue Mar 10, 2020 6:53 pm
- Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
- Topic: Somogyi bridge
- Replies: 5
- Views: 5380
Re: Somogyi bridge
Yes, I had noticed that too. And just for the sake of any potential customers - I am happy to offer a custom made guitar, with pointy bits if desired, at about a 90% discount against Mr Somogyi’s prices. But I will admit that my guitars are probably only 10% as good. Good luck to him.
- Mon Mar 09, 2020 7:13 am
- Forum: The Gallery
- Topic: 17 inch jazz commish
- Replies: 11
- Views: 8230
Re: 17 inch jazz commish
Beautiful work Rod. It reminds me of Scott Chinery’s Blue Guitars project, which I saw at the Smithsonian Institute a few years ago.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uadXz7Nsmqk
Your guitar would fit right into that company (D’Aquisto, Benedetto, Manzer, Monteleone)
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uadXz7Nsmqk
Your guitar would fit right into that company (D’Aquisto, Benedetto, Manzer, Monteleone)
- Mon Mar 09, 2020 6:21 am
- Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
- Topic: Somogyi bridge
- Replies: 5
- Views: 5380
Re: Somogyi bridge
Hi Dave. I have noticed them too, and James Olson guitars have a similar bridge shape ( not quite as pointed). I had assumed it was just Ervin’s visual signature. He does pointy things on the headstock too. I can’t think of a physical reason why a wavy line on the back of the bridge wound give bette...
- Mon Mar 02, 2020 6:16 am
- Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
- Topic: Bolt-on neck and Upper Transverse Brace
- Replies: 6
- Views: 4908
Re: Bolt-on neck and Upper Transverse Brace
The patent (US9520108) shows a number of variations on the invention. It looks like they went with the one labelled Figure 2, which has the full width transverse brace below the soundhole.
Yes, some field research at your local dealer is definitely in order.
Yes, some field research at your local dealer is definitely in order.
- Sun Mar 01, 2020 10:01 pm
- Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
- Topic: Bolt-on neck and Upper Transverse Brace
- Replies: 6
- Views: 4908
Re: Bolt-on neck and Upper Transverse Brace
OK, it seems that the V-class Taylors do have a UTB, but they just left it out of the publicity photos. I am saying this without having actually seen one, so correct me if you have physical evidence that I am wrong. But here are some diagrams from the patent application. DB63887E-0304-480F-8EF0-C0AB...
- Sun Mar 01, 2020 9:30 pm
- Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
- Topic: Case and Amp hardware
- Replies: 4
- Views: 4358
- Sun Mar 01, 2020 4:38 pm
- Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
- Topic: Bolt-on neck and Upper Transverse Brace
- Replies: 6
- Views: 4908
Re: Bolt-on neck and Upper Transverse Brace
It has often been said that the upper bout area is structurally vulnerable in a steel string guitar. The string tension is trying to fold the instrument in half. The neck is thick, and has the truss rod rod to help resist the pressure. But the upper part of the box is weaker, and made more so by the...
- Sat Feb 29, 2020 10:23 pm
- Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
- Topic: Heel grain orientation
- Replies: 2
- Views: 3965
Re: Heel grain orientation
Ross - I presume you are talking about a stacked heel? So, if you have a couple of offcuts from the neck blank and you are stacking them up to make a heel which will then be carved - you are asking which way to orientate them? Interesting question! (And apologies if I have completely misinterpreted)...
- Fri Feb 28, 2020 10:23 pm
- Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
- Topic: Why a neck volute?
- Replies: 7
- Views: 5133
Re: Why a neck volute?
But getting back to Greg’s original question - why? It has sometimes been suggested that it strengthens the neck at a point of weakness. I have been sceptical of this, especially with regard to the Martin dart. Is it in the right place, or substantial enough to make much of a difference? But if you ...
- Fri Feb 28, 2020 10:10 pm
- Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
- Topic: Why a neck volute?
- Replies: 7
- Views: 5133
Re: Why a neck volute?
Rod, you made me look it up and I discovered that I have been following an incorrect usage of the word volute. Martin refer to their diamond (or dart) shaped prominence on the back of the neck transition as a volute. 0E891BD9-EAB4-446C-9FE1-F2593C6AD083.jpeg I have always accepted that as the correc...
- Thu Feb 27, 2020 8:11 pm
- Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
- Topic: Why a neck volute?
- Replies: 7
- Views: 5133
Re: Why a neck volute?
I believe that it originated with the use of a V-joint, aka Bridle Joint, or Bird's Beak joint. This is a complex form of angled mortise and tenon joint that originated with spanish guitar makers, but was also used by CF Martin in the 19th century. It looks like a huge PITA to execute, but very eleg...
- Wed Feb 19, 2020 6:07 am
- Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
- Topic: Neck Carving
- Replies: 6
- Views: 4854
Re: Neck Carving
You are probably already doing this - but here is what helps me. Take a guitar whose neck you like and make multiple measurements along the neck - so you can replicate these on the new one. I always start to get nervous that I am taking too much off, and I need those hard target measurements to reas...
- Sun Feb 16, 2020 6:59 pm
- Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
- Topic: Semihollow fifteen inch
- Replies: 21
- Views: 13631
- Wed Feb 12, 2020 8:57 am
- Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
- Topic: Semihollow fifteen inch
- Replies: 21
- Views: 13631
Re: Semihollow fifteen inch
Rod, that looks sensational. Many individual classy touches, like the timber covered pickups and the timber knobs (did you turn those yourself?). I also like the way that you incorporated the “heel” of the neck into the curved body. That is very clever and elegant. Does the laundry look as good as t...
- Sat Jan 18, 2020 10:39 pm
- Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
- Topic: Spotted Gum fingerboard
- Replies: 4
- Views: 3532
Re: Spotted Gum fingerboard
Regarding hardness, spotted gum has a Janka hardness score of 11kN, which is not as hard as ebony (14), but it is harder than rosewood (8) and maple (6.4), so it could probably do the job. Among Australian natives, gidgee is harder (16) and so is ironbark (14). Of all of them gidgee is my favourite ...
- Mon Dec 23, 2019 8:26 pm
- Forum: Anything Goes
- Topic: The News Tonight
- Replies: 9
- Views: 5595
Re: The News Tonight
Lillian Please send anything that you can. It is incredibly hot and dry here. The city of Sydney has such low water reserves that we just instituted severe water use restrictions to spare the dams. We haven’t seen significant rain in months, and everyones garden and lawn is getting crispy. You are o...
- Mon Dec 23, 2019 1:24 pm
- Forum: Anything Goes
- Topic: The News Tonight
- Replies: 9
- Views: 5595
Re: The News Tonight
I am glad that your place is OK at present Martin. I would hate for all of that nice tonewood to be torrified! It is going to be a long and worrying summer. Smoke everywhere across Sydney for the last few weeks. I think the climate change truth bomb might have finally dropped - although our PM doesn...
- Mon Dec 09, 2019 5:23 pm
- Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
- Topic: Alternative use for stainless steel clothes pegs
- Replies: 2
- Views: 2136
Re: Alternative use for stainless steel clothes pegs
Hi Ross. Where do you buy those ones?
- Sun Dec 08, 2019 9:05 am
- Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
- Topic: Double cutaway acoustic
- Replies: 15
- Views: 7978
Re: Double cutaway acoustic
I love the pale and stripy look of the camphor laurel. I bet it smells great too! What colour are you planning for bindings? The double cutaway shape is cool. Have you checked out Mike Doolin’s designs? I cant wait to see it finished.
- Mon Dec 02, 2019 6:04 am
- Forum: The Gallery
- Topic: The 3 tenors - First ukuleles build
- Replies: 4
- Views: 4135
Re: The 3 tenors - First ukuleles build
A great looking set. Those two ladies are lucky recipients - and will the third be a keeper?
- Sun Nov 17, 2019 10:49 am
- Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
- Topic: Amateur mess up, do I start over or make raised fretboard...
- Replies: 6
- Views: 3171
Re: Amateur mess up, do I start over or make raised fretboard...
I think you are going to be OK with that. It might need some compensations built in later like a taller-than-usual bridge, or the fingerboard wedge that Steve suggested. It also looks like a fairly thick soundboard (or maybe I am deceived in the photo, what does it measure?), so you might be able to...
- Sun Nov 10, 2019 9:56 am
- Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
- Topic: Acoustic Bridge Types ...
- Replies: 9
- Views: 3734
Re: Acoustic Bridge Types ...
The physical forces are different to some degree (at least in my imagination). In the string through method the strings are pulling up on the soundboard, while pushing down on the bridge (which could improve their coupling). In the tie-down method the strings are putting a rotational force on the br...