Search found 452 matches

by Dave White
Tue Jul 19, 2011 3:52 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Fish Glue?
Replies: 24
Views: 27169

Re: Fish Glue?

Sorry - just noticed this. Waddy is correct, my daughter's double necked acoustic lap slide "unglued" itself at the fish glue joints. That was in a basement flat where mold was growing out of the walls after being in there for four months. Extreme conditions to say the least, If you want to be a gla...
by Dave White
Sun May 15, 2011 7:05 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: A different take on the Weissenborn neck joint
Replies: 3
Views: 4057

Re: A different take on the Weissenborn neck joint

I used cf bars in the last one I made (similar in principle to the flying buttress braces I use in my guitars):

Image

I use this system in hollow arm harp guitars too:

Image
by Dave White
Tue Apr 12, 2011 6:41 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Luthier Ron Sharp talks about Red Spruce
Replies: 8
Views: 8752

Re: Luthier Ron Sharp talks about Red Spruce

Thanks Morgan - that was fascinating.


That's the most plausible theory I've heard yet for the pre-war Martin sound - that they were built by German craftsmen that knew all about wood and what to do with it.
by Dave White
Tue Apr 05, 2011 7:05 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Making a Baritone Harp Guitar
Replies: 69
Views: 64586

Re: Making a Baritone Harp Guitar

Well I've finally got round to doing the three recordings. The first is with the sub-bass strings off and four micro-fibre cloths stuffed into the hollow arm to block it off: ”Clip1” Then with the cloths taken out: ”Clip2” And finalyy with the sub-bass strings added: ”Clip3” All very unscientific, b...
by Dave White
Sun Mar 27, 2011 8:46 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Soundboard Radius
Replies: 25
Views: 29966

Re: Soundboard Radius

I would agree longtidinal stiffness of the top is much larger than cross grain stiffness. Ladder bracing was probably developed a the simplest way to match or equalise the stiffness in the two directions Richard now I'm really confused. Perhaps we are confusing ourselves with each ohers definitions...
by Dave White
Sat Mar 26, 2011 10:13 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Soundboard Radius
Replies: 25
Views: 29966

Re: Soundboard Radius

I've been trying to get my tiny brain around this one so maybe Puff and Richard can help me out here. The dunny roll analogy doesn't help me much as it seems to me to be more about how tubes behave - cut the dunny roll down the length, put it one end and then stand on it, that's more like a free pla...
by Dave White
Sat Mar 26, 2011 2:10 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Soundboard Radius
Replies: 25
Views: 29966

Re: Soundboard Radius

Didn't we have this discussion on a recent thread here ?
by Dave White
Sat Mar 26, 2011 2:07 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Soundboard Radius
Replies: 25
Views: 29966

Re: Soundboard Radius

Lillian wrote:Are you sure you want to use that standard Martin. From what I just read, almost stiff would be an accurate description of that standard.
Lillian,

In that case you just brush some liquid viagra on the top 8)

Seriously though - what does "almost stiff" mean?
by Dave White
Sat Mar 26, 2011 2:04 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Soundboard Radius
Replies: 25
Views: 29966

Re: Soundboard Radius

Kim, I Think I am with you on this one,I have worked as a professional firefighter for the past 16 years but prior to that I was a licenced builder and draftsman who worked with structural engineers on every job, I have gained a lot of knowledge in structural engineering and I am struggling to unde...
by Dave White
Sun Mar 20, 2011 11:13 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: 2011 double bass build
Replies: 114
Views: 84913

Re: 2011 bass build

Matthew, I'm watching this one with huge interest, what a journey - and not just the making, how are you goung to get it to California? The freight charges will be as big as the bass :shock: Perhaps you can sail it over there :mrgreen: Great woodworking skills but has anyone told you that the cedar ...
by Dave White
Sat Mar 19, 2011 2:38 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Making a Baritone Harp Guitar
Replies: 69
Views: 64586

Re: Making a Baritone Harp Guitar

Markus, Thanks. I think that the really low baritone sound suits and compliments the "harp guitar" part and particularly for the sort of tunes I've recorded so far on it - the baritone is sometimes described as a "Cello guitar" and these two Beatles tunes fit that. I am planning to do three recordin...
by Dave White
Fri Mar 18, 2011 8:14 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Making a Baritone Harp Guitar
Replies: 69
Views: 64586

Re: Making a Baritone Harp Guitar

Steve - No problem. There's a Beatles Covers project going on at an Acoustic Guitar Forum I frequent so here's another one on “Fangorn”, this time in Eb B Ab Eb Bb F Bb Eb F Bb. Forgive the pauses, stutters and stumbles - my brain hasn't quite taught my fingers the arrangement yet :D ”Strawberry Fie...
by Dave White
Thu Mar 17, 2011 8:00 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Making a Baritone Harp Guitar
Replies: 69
Views: 64586

Re: Making a Baritone Harp Guitar

Kamasur, The FB rods are glued in using fish glue (I've used epoxy before). The side braces fit into notches made in the reverse kerfed linings with the brace in full contact with the side in between so the fitting procedure goes something like: Cut the rods slightly long, push fully home into hole ...
by Dave White
Mon Mar 14, 2011 8:03 pm
Forum: Anything Goes
Topic: Earthquake in Japan and Tsunami
Replies: 24
Views: 19173

Re: Earthquake in Japan and Tsunami

Colin Symonds phoned me last night to say that he was flying out via (NZ) to a ship to survey the fault line of the Japanese earthquake. He was telling me that these things tend to "unzip" with the pressure transfered along to a new place after an earthquake - didn't sound good. Last time (2004) aft...
by Dave White
Mon Mar 14, 2011 7:58 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: My Visit to De Faoite Guitars.
Replies: 2
Views: 3562

Re: My Visit to De Faoite Guitars.

It was great meeting up with John and Luke plus I got to play John's lovely Cedar/Native Olive and Lutz/Mahogany guitars - very impressive indeed and I fell in love with Native Olive. If I ever make it across to Aus/NZ it will be really good to put a few more faces to names on this Forum. By the way...
by Dave White
Sun Mar 13, 2011 1:31 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Soundboards: Arched vs Flat.
Replies: 14
Views: 13604

Re: Soundboards: Arched vs Flat.

So what tonal difference do you find when you add "dish"? Do you find your bracing can be lighter? From my own perspective, "hunting out" bass response is easier than "hunting out" treble response. Keeping the top thicker and arching/doming means that the top's pitch goes up and helps with the treb...
by Dave White
Fri Mar 11, 2011 12:34 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Making a Baritone Harp Guitar
Replies: 69
Views: 64586

Re: Making a Baritone Harp Guitar

Alan - thanks, he's certainly a rumbler :mrgreen: I’m beginning to get the hang of this now. I came up with this arrangement and recorded it today. Tuning is C B Ab Eb Bb F Bb Eb F Bb. ”She’s Leaving Home” Hearing how well “Fangorn” handles really low sub-bass notes I’m partly regretting not putting...
by Dave White
Wed Mar 09, 2011 8:21 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Making a Baritone Harp Guitar
Replies: 69
Views: 64586

Re: Making a Baritone Harp Guitar

The bridge is left clamped overnight and then any remaining glue on the bridge is cleaned up. The bridge-plate caul is clamped back on and the remaining bridge pin holes drilled through the top and bridge-plate using a 4mm brad point drill. Then the bridge pin holes are reamed so that the ebony pins...
by Dave White
Mon Mar 07, 2011 8:53 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Making a Baritone Harp Guitar
Replies: 69
Views: 64586

Re: Making a Baritone Harp Guitar

Bob Connor wrote:Aah I see.

I've got one of those Gyro Gearloose headset thingies for that type of malarky. :lol:
Is that the pre-war forward shifted bracing version? :roll:
by Dave White
Mon Mar 07, 2011 8:42 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Making a Baritone Harp Guitar
Replies: 69
Views: 64586

Re: Making a Baritone Harp Guitar

Do you guys seriously believe that magnetic fields have no impact on an acoustic guitars tone - haven't you seen the Chladni patterns :shock: You can lose your way so easily building these things so I think of it as my "Tonal Moral Compass" - plus it's cheaper than Somogyi's books and has a useful m...
by Dave White
Mon Mar 07, 2011 8:09 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Making a Baritone Harp Guitar
Replies: 69
Views: 64586

Re: Making a Baritone Harp Guitar

Nick - Thanks. I'm really glad that you and your family made it alive and well out of that terrible earthquake. Makes what I'm doing and documenting here quite trivial and inconsequential in comparison. Jim - watch (or listen to this space) :mrgreen: When the last coat of lacquer is on and sanded, t...
by Dave White
Sun Mar 06, 2011 2:02 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Making a Baritone Harp Guitar
Replies: 69
Views: 64586

Re: Making a Baritone Harp Guitar

Next job is to pore fill the back and sides using egg-white. Strips of 240 grit sandpaper are dipped into the egg-white and used to create a “wood slurry” that gets pushed into the pores working a small area at a time. This is left to dry over night and sanded back. The process needs to be repeated ...
by Dave White
Tue Mar 01, 2011 12:58 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Weissenborn Lap Slide Style Scale length and plans
Replies: 7
Views: 9598

Re: Weissenborn Lap Slide Style Scale length and plans

Bob, My first instinct is to say if you want them to look like the original Weiss's then use that shape/layout and put your own bracing on it. Mine have 18 fret markers and a 630mm scale length but I don't see it as a problem that needs "fixing". With a lap slide you've got an infinite number of fre...
by Dave White
Sat Feb 26, 2011 11:23 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Making a Baritone Harp Guitar
Replies: 69
Views: 64586

Re: Making a Baritone Harp Guitar

Next the main neck tuner holes are marked and drilled. I’ve never been totally happy with the tuner layout on my multi-scale instruments so am trying something different this time. The position of the lowest string tuner is determined by interaction with those on the hollow arm. The rest of the tune...
by Dave White
Sat Feb 26, 2011 9:10 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Making a Baritone Harp Guitar
Replies: 69
Views: 64586

Re: Making a Baritone Harp Guitar

Markus,

Thanks and I'm glad you are enjoying it. The bridge blank and template are held in place with double-sided tape - wonderful stuff :mrgreen: