Hi Guys,
As some of you would have seen, I recently built a weissenborn/resonator guitar. I really enjoyed it and am stoked that i got a great guitar for only a few hundred bucks.
My question is- how much harder is it to make a round neck? I'm keen to make a parlor guitar.
Any advice/suggestions would be great.
Cheers
Josh
Taking the next step....
Taking the next step....
Josh.
G'day Josh,
After seeing your weiss. build , I can't help thinking you're a natural at this crazy game. I'm sure you'll be able to make a neck. The Cumpiano & Natelson book is good for this ( remembering he updated his neck join to that of bolt & barrel ).
There are many plans available too , if you want to go that route.
Above all , you'll have plenty of help here on this forum with near instant replies to any concerns you may have.
Come on in Josh , the water's fine
Cheers Craig
After seeing your weiss. build , I can't help thinking you're a natural at this crazy game. I'm sure you'll be able to make a neck. The Cumpiano & Natelson book is good for this ( remembering he updated his neck join to that of bolt & barrel ).
There are many plans available too , if you want to go that route.
Above all , you'll have plenty of help here on this forum with near instant replies to any concerns you may have.
Come on in Josh , the water's fine
Cheers Craig
Craig Lawrence
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Paul B
Really difficult question to answer as most of us haven't built one of those weissy things, and wouldn't have a clue how to play one either. Hell, they look kinda freaky to me.
You do good work from what I've seen, and guitars really ain't that hard, especially if you just stick to your current skill level and attention to detail, which is very good.
Of course you can do it, I suspect those weissy things might be harder.
You do good work from what I've seen, and guitars really ain't that hard, especially if you just stick to your current skill level and attention to detail, which is very good.
Of course you can do it, I suspect those weissy things might be harder.
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sebastiaan56
- Blackwood
- Posts: 1279
- Joined: Sun Oct 28, 2007 5:23 am
- Location: Blue Mountains
Hi Josh,
How much does it cost? depends on your budget. You can pick up perfectly quarter sawn Western Red Cedar at most hardwares, you just have to work through the racks. Nuts and saddles can be made from bones from the roast. New Guinea Rosewood makes acceptable backs and sides, I suspect Merbau will as well. Jarrah makes good fretboards and bridges (think floorboards or outdoor furniture) as do gums. I have some River Red gum sold as firewood with the most amazing grain for headplates. And if you have the patience its amazing what you see at second hand building materials yards. All well seasoned too! With a bit of persistant scrounging you should be able to have all the timbers for <$100
You could write to our forum sponsor Tim Spittle from Australian Tonewoods, I know he is good to people and stocks quality timber.
When do you get the marks for the Weissenborn? you should clean up!
How much does it cost? depends on your budget. You can pick up perfectly quarter sawn Western Red Cedar at most hardwares, you just have to work through the racks. Nuts and saddles can be made from bones from the roast. New Guinea Rosewood makes acceptable backs and sides, I suspect Merbau will as well. Jarrah makes good fretboards and bridges (think floorboards or outdoor furniture) as do gums. I have some River Red gum sold as firewood with the most amazing grain for headplates. And if you have the patience its amazing what you see at second hand building materials yards. All well seasoned too! With a bit of persistant scrounging you should be able to have all the timbers for <$100
You could write to our forum sponsor Tim Spittle from Australian Tonewoods, I know he is good to people and stocks quality timber.
When do you get the marks for the Weissenborn? you should clean up!
make mine fifths........
Building a Parlor guitar isn't necessarily more difficult, just different. There is no reason at all why anyone can't make a really fine instrument the first time around. It's just patience and perseverance.
Now, as for cost...there's the $64,000 question. You can get some really nice back and side wood for well under $100. Tops can be had for as little as $20. As Sebastian said, look for many of the components in unusual places. Make your own bindings, linings etc. It'll save you a bunch of cash. There are lots of opportunities for savings. Look at non traditional tonewoods. We have a heap of them available here.
One of my current builds will come in under $150 total, and that includes around $50 for the tuners. This was a lot of scrounging, good shopping, gift of wood, buying in bulk etc.
And if you are going to build a parlor, don't go out and buy wood that is sized for a Dread. You will save a fair bit for smaller sized back, sides and top if you hunt around, or ask a supplier if they have undersized sets at a discounted price.
Now, as for cost...there's the $64,000 question. You can get some really nice back and side wood for well under $100. Tops can be had for as little as $20. As Sebastian said, look for many of the components in unusual places. Make your own bindings, linings etc. It'll save you a bunch of cash. There are lots of opportunities for savings. Look at non traditional tonewoods. We have a heap of them available here.
One of my current builds will come in under $150 total, and that includes around $50 for the tuners. This was a lot of scrounging, good shopping, gift of wood, buying in bulk etc.
And if you are going to build a parlor, don't go out and buy wood that is sized for a Dread. You will save a fair bit for smaller sized back, sides and top if you hunt around, or ask a supplier if they have undersized sets at a discounted price.
After scrounging around in my garage I have found some Victorian Ash binding i was given, a piece of Tas. Blackwood with a nice figure about the size of a headplate, a piece of Honduran Mahogany about the size of a bridge (is it any good for a bridge?), a nice chunk of jarrah i can make a fretboard out of (and bridge if the Honduran Mahogany is no good) and a stack of pre cut and shaped braces I was given (from someone who used to assemble for Cole Clark).
So now all i need is neck (does jarrah work as a neck? i can get another piece easily), top, back/sides, frets, nut/saddle (i used perspex for the nut on the wiess and it seems to work well?), bridge pins and a strap button.
I also just got an email from Tim (how quick's that service!) with a pretty decent price for all the timber needed, so I'll write back and let him know what I have and see what we can arrange.
I'm excited already!
So now all i need is neck (does jarrah work as a neck? i can get another piece easily), top, back/sides, frets, nut/saddle (i used perspex for the nut on the wiess and it seems to work well?), bridge pins and a strap button.
I also just got an email from Tim (how quick's that service!) with a pretty decent price for all the timber needed, so I'll write back and let him know what I have and see what we can arrange.
I'm excited already!
Josh.
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ozziebluesman
- Blackwood
- Posts: 1529
- Joined: Wed Oct 10, 2007 9:12 am
- Location: Townsville
- Contact:
G'day Josh,
I'm about to start two concert size guitars. I have sourced some woods and total cost for each guitar will be about $100.
I intend building just a very simple, pre-war style guitar. That will mean a chunkie 12 fret to the body neck with some carbon fibre reinforcement and I'm not going to worry about a truss-rod. The guitar will be set up for slide and normal finger playing. One will have ladder bracing and the other an X bracing design so it means I will have to put some thought into bracing these tops. The idea is to gain more guitar building experience.
I have been gathering info on smaller guitars for sometime now. If you would like a copy of the info gathered with includes some plans etc just say and I will organise a cd for you.
I reckon you will have no problems building a great little guitar.
Cheers
Alan
I'm about to start two concert size guitars. I have sourced some woods and total cost for each guitar will be about $100.
I intend building just a very simple, pre-war style guitar. That will mean a chunkie 12 fret to the body neck with some carbon fibre reinforcement and I'm not going to worry about a truss-rod. The guitar will be set up for slide and normal finger playing. One will have ladder bracing and the other an X bracing design so it means I will have to put some thought into bracing these tops. The idea is to gain more guitar building experience.
I have been gathering info on smaller guitars for sometime now. If you would like a copy of the info gathered with includes some plans etc just say and I will organise a cd for you.
I reckon you will have no problems building a great little guitar.
Cheers
Alan
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Mark McLean
- Blackwood
- Posts: 1086
- Joined: Thu Apr 10, 2008 2:03 pm
- Location: Sydney
Forget the perspex for the nut and saddle. Go for bone. If you or someone you know has a dog, Get an old leg bone that's probably been stashed in the back yard somewhere and cut out the pieces you 'll need from the center section. Stay away from the knuckle ends. They're too soft. Costs nothing.
I've not heard of anyone using Honduran Mahogany for a bridge. One way that I check if a piece of wood will be a potential candidate for a bridge is to size if for a bridge, then drop it on a hard surface, like a tile floor. If it rings, then it's probably ok to try, if not, then I keep looking.
I've not heard of anyone using Honduran Mahogany for a bridge. One way that I check if a piece of wood will be a potential candidate for a bridge is to size if for a bridge, then drop it on a hard surface, like a tile floor. If it rings, then it's probably ok to try, if not, then I keep looking.
Alan, sounds like we're keen to build very similar guitars.
I'd love a copy of the info you've gathered if thats possible.
and also, you say you're not going to bother with a truss rod, do you have any links to how this works? (or is there info in your research?) as this sounds like a bit less work/worry.
Cheers.
ps- thanks for the compliments re the mark
I'd love a copy of the info you've gathered if thats possible.
and also, you say you're not going to bother with a truss rod, do you have any links to how this works? (or is there info in your research?) as this sounds like a bit less work/worry.
Cheers.
ps- thanks for the compliments re the mark
Josh.
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ozziebluesman
- Blackwood
- Posts: 1529
- Joined: Wed Oct 10, 2007 9:12 am
- Location: Townsville
- Contact:
G'day Josh,
My email address is ozziebluesman at yahoo dot com dot au
Send me your address and I will burn my info collected on a cd for you and send it on!
My idea is to build two very simply designed parlors guitars for slide and normal picking one ladder braced and the other X braced. A trussrod would be an advantage but the old prewar parlors didn't have one and some have stood the test of time. I have an old 1940s Maybell, 1954 Regal and a 1940s Oahu all Parlors and still holding together. So im just going with a chunkie, bolt on neck with carbon fibre reinforcement under the fretboard. There is a flying buttress system that is commonly used to strengthen and improve tone. I'm just going to be careful with string gauges and tunings so as not to put too much strain on the tops. I don't really know what I'm doing so this project is all about gaining valuable guitar building experience. The forum members will help us out if we have problems or design flaws.
One of our forum members here is David White and he has some great info and advice on building a modern day prewar parlor guitar. Check out David's website as his guitars are first class!
Cheers
Alan
Cheers
Alan
My email address is ozziebluesman at yahoo dot com dot au
Send me your address and I will burn my info collected on a cd for you and send it on!
My idea is to build two very simply designed parlors guitars for slide and normal picking one ladder braced and the other X braced. A trussrod would be an advantage but the old prewar parlors didn't have one and some have stood the test of time. I have an old 1940s Maybell, 1954 Regal and a 1940s Oahu all Parlors and still holding together. So im just going with a chunkie, bolt on neck with carbon fibre reinforcement under the fretboard. There is a flying buttress system that is commonly used to strengthen and improve tone. I'm just going to be careful with string gauges and tunings so as not to put too much strain on the tops. I don't really know what I'm doing so this project is all about gaining valuable guitar building experience. The forum members will help us out if we have problems or design flaws.
One of our forum members here is David White and he has some great info and advice on building a modern day prewar parlor guitar. Check out David's website as his guitars are first class!
Cheers
Alan
Cheers
Alan
Josh, not using a truss rod isn't going to be easier, nor with there be any significant cost savings, as you're still going to need to use something to stiffen the neck if you're going to put steel strings on it, and want it to last.
Either carbon fiber rods, steel t-bar, hard alloy etc. For my Size 5 parlor I just went with two 1/8" X 3/8" carbon fiber rods, as the scale length is very short, and the only other option was to make my own truss rod, because commercially made ones weren't available at the time. Now Martin has them available.
Either carbon fiber rods, steel t-bar, hard alloy etc. For my Size 5 parlor I just went with two 1/8" X 3/8" carbon fiber rods, as the scale length is very short, and the only other option was to make my own truss rod, because commercially made ones weren't available at the time. Now Martin has them available.
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