Search found 1080 matches

by matthew
Wed Oct 17, 2007 10:56 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Talk about Jeff Babicz?
Replies: 51
Views: 66091

So what's different about the way Somogyi makes his guitars? On his website, they look just like ... guitars. Why so special?
by matthew
Wed Oct 17, 2007 9:18 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Where to get black vulcanized paper?
Replies: 30
Views: 35440

"vulcanised" paper?

That sounds like it has rubber in it. That so?
by matthew
Tue Oct 16, 2007 11:48 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Talk about Jeff Babicz?
Replies: 51
Views: 66091

Talk about Jeff Babicz?

Has anyone here played one of these? His string anchoring looks ungainly to me, but to my mind makes sense structurally.

http://www.babiczguitars.com/
by matthew
Sun Oct 14, 2007 5:20 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: veneers between laminates
Replies: 4
Views: 7374

veneers between laminates

I've seen a bunch of laminated guitar necks and usually, the main wood strips are separated by a thin dark veneer strip.

Is this purely to hide the epoxy glue line? Or are there functional reasons?
by matthew
Sat Oct 13, 2007 12:15 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Show Us Your Joint
Replies: 51
Views: 49233

Normally, no. The bridge height and saddle are more easily adjustable. My bass neck is removable to allow easier travel! Sometime a glued neck is reset to a lower angle if the top gets choked by too much pressure or if the top is inherently weak. And sometimes, another lutjier will look at this shal...
by matthew
Fri Oct 12, 2007 12:19 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Gee that's a big guitar
Replies: 108
Views: 90913

I tend to eschew power tools because I don't like the noise or the dust. But this means I need some big gouges and a solid worktable ... http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2156/1532546069_353c3a3043.jpg The small gouge is a pfeil 30mm #9 on a converted table-leg. http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2135/1532...
by matthew
Fri Oct 12, 2007 12:05 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Show Us Your Joint
Replies: 51
Views: 49233

A double bass has no frets, and the scoop is planed into the fingerboard. No truss rod at all. String height is typically adjusted with screw adjusters set into the feet of the bridge. Some makers make necks with adjustable rake, but most basses are set up as above. Each string has about 70lbs tensi...
by matthew
Thu Oct 11, 2007 6:35 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Tiger Myrtle from Steve Kinnaird at the OLF
Replies: 25
Views: 28165

Yum!
by matthew
Thu Oct 11, 2007 6:34 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Show Us Your Joint
Replies: 51
Views: 49233

Does this replace the traditional adjustable truss rod then?

what is the advantage of this adjustment?
by matthew
Thu Oct 11, 2007 5:49 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Show Us Your Joint
Replies: 51
Views: 49233

What's adjustable in that neck joint? Height, or angle?
by matthew
Thu Oct 11, 2007 5:45 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Tiger Myrtle from Steve Kinnaird at the OLF
Replies: 25
Views: 28165

Lovely. the headstock is pretty extraordinary. That dark streaks in the wood look like quite deep crevices in the wood. Is it actually like this, and if so, how is the surface filled?
by matthew
Thu Oct 11, 2007 1:48 pm
Forum: Anything Goes
Topic: New kids on the block!
Replies: 12
Views: 14001

OK so what's image #3?? Are you trying to tell me that's double bass size?
by matthew
Thu Oct 11, 2007 10:01 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: The humble Tasmanian Oak
Replies: 7
Views: 15629

Been kicking myself ever since for not buying it, would have been perfect for guitar necks. Yeah I;ve had that. You can get some nice wood a bunnies and Mitre Ten, you just have to check the racks. in any cut there is usually one that is close to quarter sawn. Mitre ten in canterbury still has some...
by matthew
Thu Oct 11, 2007 6:52 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: The humble Tasmanian Oak
Replies: 7
Views: 15629

We could give it a new name I suppose.

"Tasmanian satin ash" sounds better or

"streaky maple" ... no not as good.

"white walnut" ???
by matthew
Wed Oct 10, 2007 11:59 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: The humble Tasmanian Oak
Replies: 7
Views: 15629

The humble Tasmanian Oak

Here's my back wood. I found this lovely long 300 x 20 plank of quartersawn Tassie Oak at Mitre Ten. I went back three weekends in a row before I bought it but I'm glad I did. http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2304/1533411332_ed04aab8f8.jpg The boys at Gerard Gilet's shop resawed and thicknessed it for...
by matthew
Wed Oct 10, 2007 12:31 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Blackbean or Sassafrass Anyone?
Replies: 17
Views: 20203

I am going to try sassafras as a neck wood for my #2 double bass. my only experience carving it so far is that it seems a bit splintery at end-grain so I'll have to be really careful with the gouges. I'll be starting soon so I'll keep you posted if anything interesting happens. http://farm3.static.f...
by matthew
Wed Oct 10, 2007 7:45 am
Forum: The Gallery
Topic: 12 string finished
Replies: 48
Views: 49269

good idea
by matthew
Tue Oct 09, 2007 11:19 pm
Forum: The Gallery
Topic: 12 string finished
Replies: 48
Views: 49269

I suppose that's the tradeoff for using a flat soundboard with no inherent strength. I didn't think of that before. I had assumed that the whole of the soundboard on a guitar is free to vibrate, not just the lower part. Hmmm. What would happen if you increased the width of the neck block substantial...
by matthew
Tue Oct 09, 2007 10:03 pm
Forum: The Gallery
Topic: 12 string finished
Replies: 48
Views: 49269

I don't get guitars yet. why is the top transverse brace let into the kerfing?
by matthew
Tue Oct 09, 2007 12:32 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Gee that's a big guitar
Replies: 108
Views: 90913

Nicely figured Tassy oak ribs (from mitre 10!) bent with a combination of heat blanket and supersize bending iron to touch up the curves. They are about 2.8mm thick and 220 wide. http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2179/1505441724_dbb7dcfd03_o.jpg Above, I'm using the heat blanket when clamping to the ne...
by matthew
Tue Oct 09, 2007 11:07 am
Forum: Jigs & Fixtures
Topic: Hygrometer a hair better
Replies: 19
Views: 31041

I discovered the humidity (and temperature!) cycling effect when I was building my first bass under an open car-port.

There. Has that taken care of the pallet? YES!
by matthew
Tue Oct 09, 2007 9:53 am
Forum: Jigs & Fixtures
Topic: Hygrometer a hair better
Replies: 19
Views: 31041

Problem with a controlled environment is that when the instrument gets "out there" the environment becomes totally uncontrolled. The idea with the humidity cycling is to get all the extremes of warping and twisting over and done with while in the shop. This allows the maker to adjust and "tune" the ...
by matthew
Tue Oct 09, 2007 8:30 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Gee that's a big guitar
Replies: 108
Views: 90913

number two

Image
by matthew
Tue Oct 09, 2007 7:03 am
Forum: Jigs & Fixtures
Topic: Hygrometer a hair better
Replies: 19
Views: 31041

I wonder if horse hair is as sensitive and accurate? Have you seen this article about humidity cycling? The guy uses salt solutions to standardise humid environments to put instruments through a cycle of humidity changes to relieve stresses. http://www.scoraig.com/arts/abeavitt/humiditycycling.htm I...
by matthew
Mon Oct 08, 2007 10:59 pm
Forum: Jigs & Fixtures
Topic: Guitar Troji
Replies: 33
Views: 40495

Where does the word Troji come from?