Search found 1072 matches

by Mark McLean
Mon May 15, 2023 4:45 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Bridge design
Replies: 6
Views: 15157

Re: Bridge design

BTW, if you want to edit your own posts you will notice three small icons in the top right corner of your post, and one of them looks like a pencil. This is the edit button. Click there and you should be able to change stuff.
by Mark McLean
Mon May 15, 2023 4:40 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Bridge design
Replies: 6
Views: 15157

Re: Bridge design

You probably saw Mike Dawes playing a guitar made by Andreas Cuntz in Germany. He makes a really long and elegant bridge on most of his guitars, a bit reminiscent of the moustache style bridge of the older Selmer Maccaferri guitars in length, but more curvy. I like the interesting shaped sound hole ...
by Mark McLean
Mon May 15, 2023 1:47 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Attention all Lurkers
Replies: 85
Views: 547542

Re: Attention all Lurkers

Hi Insomnomaniac
Sorry, I had not noticed your post until now. I really like your Telecaster style guitar. Great burst shading on the body, neck and headstock. It looks really “hand made” and just makes me want to pick it up and play.
by Mark McLean
Mon May 15, 2023 1:42 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Attention all Lurkers
Replies: 85
Views: 547542

Re: Attention all Lurkers

Hi claman It is great that you are wanting to bring your woodworking chops to guitar making. You will find that it is not too difficult and I am sure every step in building a guitar will be within your competence level. But there are a lot of steps. Don’t obsess to much about jigs - you can get by w...
by Mark McLean
Thu May 11, 2023 10:59 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Nut files
Replies: 10
Views: 14085

Re: Nut files

Hi Robert, you should definitely buy the diamond ones and then tell us all about them. If you need an excuse, Mother's Day is coming up.
by Mark McLean
Mon May 08, 2023 3:25 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Cutaway bending
Replies: 11
Views: 25135

Re: Cutaway bending

I am like Martin and have always just stuck with bending by hand on a hot pipe. I do this because I tend to make a different size or shape instrument each time and I don’t like the idea of making a new bending form for each guitar, and also the space that a Fox style rig would require. I have not ha...
by Mark McLean
Tue Apr 18, 2023 10:08 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Triple 0 in Blackhearted Sassafras and Bunya Pine
Replies: 28
Views: 86393

Re: Triple 0 in Blackhearted Sassafras and Bunya Pine

It sounds like you have humidity issues well managed, so it should all be sweet. Bending sassafras is like folding wet cardboard - no problem at all. Also, no pore filling!
by Mark McLean
Tue Apr 18, 2023 7:52 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Triple 0 in Blackhearted Sassafras and Bunya Pine
Replies: 28
Views: 86393

Re: Triple 0 in Blackhearted Sassafras and Bunya Pine

That is looking great Bob. I did a sassafras L-00 as my number 3 or 4 build. Very pretty wood, also from Tim. One thing to be aware of (Tim warned me at the time) is that it is slab sawn, not quartered. I think this is done to better show off the amazing colours. At that time I was blissfully ignora...
by Mark McLean
Tue Apr 18, 2023 5:47 am
Forum: Jigs & Fixtures
Topic: Guitar hanger for finishing
Replies: 2
Views: 8659

Re: Guitar hanger for finishing

Zenith Sure Hooks from Bunnings happen to have prongs that are perfectly spaced to hang a guitar by the headstock. I don’t know if they will be useful for holding while spraying, but I find them really useful for storage. I have 5 instruments hanging from the walls and rafters in my workshop at the ...
by Mark McLean
Thu Apr 13, 2023 9:42 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Carbatec 400m Drum Sander Problem
Replies: 35
Views: 43234

Re: Carbatec 400m Drum Sander Problem

Throughout the 10 years that I have owned my Carbatec drum sander I have struggled with this issue and assumed that it was because I was a dumb-ass and didn't know what I was doing. Thank you, Comrades, for the feeling of validation that you have given me.............
by Mark McLean
Sun Apr 09, 2023 12:59 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: OM size Nylon String Crossover
Replies: 32
Views: 101714

Re: OM size Nylon String Crossover

Hi David A OM/000 would work OK for a nylon string. I made one using a Gibson L-OO mold and it was fine. That is slightly smaller than a OM, but similar. If you go too big (to D or J size) the nylon strings struggle to drive the big top. Mine was also falcate braced. You can certainly afford to have...
by Mark McLean
Sun Apr 02, 2023 9:01 pm
Forum: The Gallery
Topic: New Guitar Story..
Replies: 5
Views: 10944

Re: New Guitar Story..

That is a gorgeous guitar - to be sure. Classic design and great execution, with some nice personalized touches.
by Mark McLean
Sat Feb 25, 2023 10:01 pm
Forum: The Gallery
Topic: GS Mini / Mandolin
Replies: 9
Views: 15738

Re: GS Mini / Mandolin

Both look great Bob. I really love the look of the timber combination in the mandolin. The camphor B&S are lovely, but the headstock veneer is the real star. I also like a zero fret.
by Mark McLean
Sat Feb 11, 2023 1:12 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Building a harp guitar
Replies: 3
Views: 1741

Re: Building a harp guitar

Yes please. I want to know about that!
by Mark McLean
Thu Feb 09, 2023 8:30 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Benedetto archtop double ring endpin Jack for sarconi strap
Replies: 2
Views: 3019

Re: Benedetto archtop double ring endpin Jack for sarconi strap

Hi Frank I am way behind you, and about to build my first Benedetto-style arch top. I wish such an elegant end plug/jack was available which was designed to carry the tailpiece and the strap as well. I found this at StewMac - doesn’t it do the job? https://www.stewmac.com/video-and-ideas/online-reso...
by Mark McLean
Mon Feb 06, 2023 9:57 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Wipe-on finish for acoustic guitar
Replies: 61
Views: 81059

Re: Wipe-on finish for acoustic guitar

The view that oil finishes dampen tone may have come from use of traditional oils (like linseed or tung oil) that soak into the timber, possibly affecting weight or resonant qualities. Even then you would wonder how people determine such things. Tru Oil is a different entity, it is not really absorb...
by Mark McLean
Thu Feb 02, 2023 6:06 am
Forum: Anything Goes
Topic: Greetings from Bendigo
Replies: 2
Views: 8107

Re: Greetings from Bendigo

Hi Mark and welcome. I still have a day job and lots of other things competing for my time, so I often go for weeks without getting into the workshop. One of the good things about instrument building is that you can do it intermittently. Building a guitar is a task with a few hundred steps but none ...
by Mark McLean
Sat Jan 28, 2023 9:36 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Short scale steel string - 2nd guitar
Replies: 11
Views: 7053

Re: Short scale steel string - 2nd guitar

I am also interested to know what you thought of the Taylor style V-bracing. I think this is the first build I have seen where someone tried it.
by Mark McLean
Sat Jan 28, 2023 9:30 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Short scale steel string - 2nd guitar
Replies: 11
Views: 7053

Re: Short scale steel string - 2nd guitar

Nice work Bob. Your second guitar, but I see that you have wood stacked up there for quite a few more! You and Martin are the SA wood hoarders. That mini looks very sweet. What is the fingerboard timber?
by Mark McLean
Mon Jan 16, 2023 9:08 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Bridge length on WRC OM build
Replies: 7
Views: 10619

Re: Bridge length on WRC OM build

You are concerned about the bridge peeling off with a cedar top. There are anecdotes about this - and perhaps cedar sheds bridges a bit more often than spruce does - but it is certainly not the norm. There are a lot of cedar-top guitars out there with bridges that have stayed stuck for decades. If y...
by Mark McLean
Sun Jan 15, 2023 8:47 am
Forum: The Gallery
Topic: Custom LMX - Crossover Nylon in Ovangkol / Red Cedar
Replies: 3
Views: 9643

Re: Custom LMX - Crossover Nylon in Ovangkol / Red Cedar

That timber combination looks great, and obviously sounds pretty good too! I don’t know anything about totara, but it looks nice under finish. Another great package.
by Mark McLean
Sat Jan 14, 2023 10:08 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Multiscale bridge over uncompensated bracing
Replies: 8
Views: 3868

Re: Multiscale bridge over uncompensated bracing

Lots of great builders make fan fret designs with X-bracing. Bruce Sextauer, Michael Bashkin, Simon Fay to name a few. Bruce S discusses his building quite openly on various forums like UMGF and Acoustic guitar forum. I think all of them rotate the standard X-brace layout to fit the slanted bridge. ...
by Mark McLean
Sat Jan 14, 2023 11:27 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Multiscale bridge over uncompensated bracing
Replies: 8
Views: 3868

Re: Multiscale bridge over uncompensated bracing

I like your design lot. It is difficult to design a bridge that can accommodate a steeply sloping saddle but not look too strangely asymmetrical, and not be too massive. For example, I dislike the size of the Lowden multiscale bridge (even though I generally love their guitars). lowden multiscale.jp...
by Mark McLean
Fri Dec 23, 2022 9:24 am
Forum: Anything Goes
Topic: Hello from Bavaria
Replies: 14
Views: 14701

Re: Hello from Bavaria

Hi Edi. Thanks for showing that picture of the cutaway design from the back. It helps to understand what is going on. What sort of neck joint did you use? I am guessing it is a glued dovetail, with the back covering the end of the heel. Very interesting. I use bolt-on neck joints most of the time bu...
by Mark McLean
Fri Dec 23, 2022 9:11 am
Forum: The Gallery
Topic: Tiger Myrtle OM
Replies: 5
Views: 14486

Re: Tiger Myrtle OM

Yep, that is a really sweet package!