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Blackwood/Surian Weissenborn Style Lap Slide
Posted: Wed May 25, 2011 6:12 pm
by Bob Connor
Well this ones finally finished and ready to be delivered to it's new owner in Sydney.
Vital Statistics are:
Back and sides - Victorian Blackwood
Top - Surian Cedar
Fingerboard and bridge - Ebony
Bindings and rosette - Blackwood
Pickup - Fishman single coil
It's very loud, louder than any of my others in fact, sustains forever and no I can't put any sound clips up because it's a lefty.

. Overall I'm very happy with it.
Here's the pics.
Re: Blackwood/Surian Weissenborn Style Lap Slide
Posted: Wed May 25, 2011 6:55 pm
by Allen
That Surian is beautiful. I really love the way it compliments the Blackwood. Good to see that it's found a new home. Always gratifying when that happens.
Re: Blackwood/Surian Weissenborn Style Lap Slide
Posted: Wed May 25, 2011 7:15 pm
by liam_fnq
That looks great bob, that Surian comes up beautiful. I hope the stuff I've got comes up that nice.
Re: Blackwood/Surian Weissenborn Style Lap Slide
Posted: Wed May 25, 2011 9:41 pm
by charangohabsburg
Great looking guitar which lets (visually) speak the wood and the guitar shape for themselves. Even the fish tail shaped bridge wings and the pickup brand name go together!

Re: Blackwood/Surian Weissenborn Style Lap Slide
Posted: Wed May 25, 2011 9:55 pm
by ozziebluesman
Thats a beauty Bob. The surian is a very earthy look and the ebony finishes off a classy instrument.
Is it a similar brace pattern to the other two lap guitars you built?
Cheers
Alan
Re: Blackwood/Surian Weissenborn Style Lap Slide
Posted: Thu May 26, 2011 6:16 am
by Nick
Ahhhhh My lovely Blackwood fix for the day. Looks great Bob & it's the first time I've seen Surian & I must say it looks like an interesting timber with it's 'intermittent' grain lines. The brown purfling lines to...homemade?
Also I'm interested in your thinking in the staggered bridge pin heights, is this just for looks or has it some string geometry thinking behind it? Looks good whichever it is!
Re: Blackwood/Surian Weissenborn Style Lap Slide
Posted: Thu May 26, 2011 9:00 am
by Bob Connor
Thanks gents. The Surian is very nice but it's really soft (almost like balsa) and has Grand Canyon like pores)
Alan - same bracing as always
Nick - the bridge pin heights will be one of the final adjustments before the guitar gets delivered. Nothing intentional going on here other than it's a set of John Pearse Weissenborn strings for D tuning with a low E of ".060. So they're bloody thick. I actually don't like the sound of the low E so I'll be replacing the set and will do the final bridge pin fitting then.
I've been using Martin SP's (.056 low E) and replacing the unwound strings with an .018 and a .015.
Purflings are Koa/Maple/Koa courtesy of Gurian.
Regards
Re: Blackwood/Surian Weissenborn Style Lap Slide
Posted: Fri May 27, 2011 10:16 am
by Daniel_M
Hey Bob,
Just beautiful work……….like always and a great inspiration.
The thing that I like just as much are the photography skills and the creatively that goes into your shots. As someone who photographs others guitars for their websites, I really appreciate the effort that goes into this. In your modesty, you may say that it doesn’t take long – but it is a reflection of a dedication to the craft, your instruments and customers. It is this attention to detail and the finished product that really comes through. I just love it!

Re: Blackwood/Surian Weissenborn Style Lap Slide
Posted: Fri May 27, 2011 10:02 pm
by edrobins
To add to all the comments, I saw and heard the Weissenborn last week, and in the flesh it is even better than in the photos, though I agree the photos are very tasteful! Bob has done a great job and the timbers are just "drool" material - love that figured blackwood! Ed Robins
Re: Blackwood/Surian Weissenborn Style Lap Slide
Posted: Sat May 28, 2011 12:21 am
by Kim
Re: Blackwood/Surian Weissenborn Style Lap Slide
Posted: Sat May 28, 2011 1:34 am
by Dave Anderson
Outstanding work Bob! Love the wood too.
Very nice photos, laying with the leaves! Beautiful...
Re: Blackwood/Surian Weissenborn Style Lap Slide
Posted: Sun May 29, 2011 10:36 am
by DarwinStrings
As always top notch craftsmanship and a nice bit of back drop to the pics Bob. The way those bridge pins rise in that 1,2,3, 1,2,3 pattern was surprising and interesting.
Jim
Re: Blackwood/Surian Weissenborn Style Lap Slide
Posted: Wed Jun 01, 2011 2:08 pm
by liam_fnq
Bob, what did you pore fill the surian with?
Re: Blackwood/Surian Weissenborn Style Lap Slide
Posted: Wed Jun 01, 2011 4:01 pm
by Bob Connor
Pores were done with Z-poxy Liam.
3 coats sanded with 240 grit Abralon between coats
Regards
Bob
Re: Blackwood/Surian Weissenborn Style Lap Slide
Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2011 12:17 pm
by matthew
I just came across this thread for the first time. I don't usually like the look of weissenborns but this one is stunning. Beautiful instrument and I love the subtle touches such as the fretboard binding. I haven't seen much Surian before. very nice, well done.
Re: Blackwood/Surian Weissenborn Style Lap Slide
Posted: Mon Aug 22, 2011 7:52 pm
by MBP
Hi bob,
looks different but still great. Different is not always good but this one definatley is.
I have to ask whats the go with the fret markers???
Re: Blackwood/Surian Weissenborn Style Lap Slide
Posted: Mon Aug 22, 2011 8:11 pm
by kiwigeo
MBP wrote:
I have to ask whats the go with the fret markers???
He just hasn't put one at the third fret...
Re: Blackwood/Surian Weissenborn Style Lap Slide
Posted: Mon Aug 22, 2011 9:06 pm
by MBP
Im talking about the marker at the 16th fret.
Re: Blackwood/Surian Weissenborn Style Lap Slide
Posted: Tue Aug 23, 2011 12:37 pm
by MBP
I tried to modify the above post but couldnt work out how.
Whats the go with the 16th fret marker? Never seen that before.
Are you talking about the look of the marker or it's position???? Looks like a defect in the material but cant see anything else strange about it. Am I missing something?
Re: Blackwood/Surian Weissenborn Style Lap Slide
Posted: Tue Aug 23, 2011 12:46 pm
by charangohabsburg
MBP wrote:Whats the go with the 16th fret marker? Never seen that before.
It's a spy camera.