Australian/New Zealand Luthiers Forum

I would think that if you want to play with an unconventional neck joint for an archtop it would be good to look at something adjustable like the Doolin design or Smallman, or what Trevor Gore has been doing, or even Ken Parker. This is because archtops, with their more extreme soundboard profile, a...

Joel's list is very eclectic! I like the range from Dame Joan to metal. For me, if I am doing concentrated work there can't be any spoken stuff like a podcast or the Goons. Even vocal music can be distracting so I tend to quieted ambient instrumental. Sometimes jazz - Miles Davis, Keith Jarret, Alic...

Thanks for that comparison information Taffy. I use mostly Makita power tools and have had a bit of a snobbish attitude to Ryobi but without any real justification for my bias. It is interesting that the fittings are interchangable, and it makes a lot of sense to go with the cheaper option for a ded...

That photo, and your description, explains it well. The great thing about that neck joint design is the ability to easily adjust the angle with shims. I have a Taylor Big Baby which is exactly like that (except uglier because the joint is held together by two Phillips head screws straight through th...

It is looking great David. I like the neck joint. It looks very elegant with the bolts all internal, and the absence of the heel plus the elevated fingerboard should make for good playability up the neck. Did you taper the body width at the neck end when you decided to elevate the fb?

Very interesting. Thanks.

A lovely guitar Steve. I really like the balance of colours and detail, but still remaining simple and elegant. 7mm height of the strings off the soundboard? That is surprisingly low (12-13 would be typical for a steel string). Is that a characteristic feature of the flamenco style (my ignorance), a...

I just read the news that Frank has passed away. I am sure that many of you have used his website Frets.com over the years. Frank was a visionary teacher and communicator, a phenomenally knowledgeable luthier, and just a lovely guy. When you look at the quality and quantity of stuff on frets.com, an...

That is lovely Peter. The King Billy has a very interesting and distinctive look to it - very different to any kind of spruce. Good to know that it sounds good as well as looking so nice.

That should work well. Graham McDonald's bouzouki designs include one with a bolts-through-the-back set-up like that and it is very solid, and nicely adjustable for neck angle. I like the idea of the elevated fingerboard too. This is a very interesting build!

Clean as a whistle, and very individual!
Nice job

It looks fantastic Steve. Lovely combinations for a really elegant overall result. The rosewood is especially tasty.

They both look lovely Bob. What are your thoughts about the two different bridge styles that you have used on them? One adjustable with thumb wheels. The other fixed height and looks lighter. I am quite a novice in mandolin style instruments and don't know the pros and cons of each type.

That is a clever way to set the depth of cut.

Looking good Bob. I also like to build with a zero fret, but it is not very commonly seen. Either ebony or maple bindings would be nice on that one. Difficult decision!

Ahh, I can see that you don’t really need any advice from the rest of us to pull off a great result. Pore filling and then shellac? Will look great, but lots of work. I thought you had become a convert to hard wax oil finishes (and I see that bottle of TruOil on your shelf)? BTW, it looks like you d...

That is a lovely looking instrument Bob. I did one like that from GM’s book a few years ago and really enjoyed it ( my first build that wasn’t a guitar). That stripy walnut is pretty stunning. With black bindings it would look very smart. That shape does not require as much tight bending as a guitar...

I need one of those!. I usually install a soundhole binding - just for aesthetic reasons. I can see that it is likely to be a better method than I have been using.

Not tacky - just beautifully decorated. The rosewood looks sensational.

Bob's result looks pretty good! I have also used Osmo hard wax oils on a couple of instruments. Method was much the same as Bob. Initial sanding through the grits to 400. I was using it on Blackwood and I did not pore-fill. I applied by hand with a pad (I use Swisspers brand makeup removal pads that...

Nice job on the mandolin Taffy. At first glance I thought “no way he can glue that break line back together”, so that grafted in piece was a clever idea. And “beefy” but also artistic.

As I said earlier, for my first build I bought pre-bent sides from LMI because I didn’t yet have a bending iron. When I started number 2 I went to Gerard Gilet’s workshop where he also sold wood and tools. I bought an Ibex bending iron and got a few words of advice from Gerard about how to use it. I...

Hi Amir I can add my recommendation for buying from Tim at Australian Tonewoods. He has a good reputation on this forum and I have got some good stuff from him in the past. That kit, incorporating something like a blackwood B&S set would be a good project. Other kit sellers like LMI, StewMac or Blue...

I love the whole concept, and that you have engaged so many other people with it also. Your 50 years is a nice thing to reflect on also. The world is quite a different place now and it is amazing to think that you knew each other way back then, and endured all that lies in between. A lovely instrume...