Thomas Rein Osage Orange build...Video added!
 

I'm now in the midst of rebuilding a small guitar-collection, having settled-in on 25"/24.9" as a "standard" scale length.

The first guitar (last Fall) I had really bonded with (tonally and in every other way) when I was examining full-scale (25.4") guitars again was a RJN-3C from Tom Rein...his "3" model is essentially an OM with a slightly "classical" flavor, shape-wise...and the "RJN" stands for Tom's adjustable neck-angle feature, which has proved to be a great feature...

...so when I did then decide to move forward in replacing the 25.4" Rein, the obvious direction was to commission a new, slightly shorter scale guitar from Tom!

We agreed on an experiment with Osage Orange, which many of you know is a wood whose tap-tone resembles Brazilian, but is a domestic wood that can most easily be found in sizes that require a 4-piece back, which would have been fine with me.

However, Tom had one set of O.O. that was full-sized, and rather straight-grained...visually a good thing for me, if not somewhat plain. I'm more than "good" with this, for sure!

Tom also recommended a Euro moon spruce top that he had, something from Switzerland, and with a "FSC" designation...FSC is Forestry Stewardship Council. They give their certification to companies who practice sustainable forestry.

So we're using rather responsible-woods for the top/back & sides...and Tom has now also purchased some other full-sets of Osage Orange for future-builds. Good deal.

This guitar will have some of my usual specs for fingerboard widths/geometry (tapering a bit wider), and will use a 2-1/4" bridge spacing.

I'm excited that this guitar has now been started! Here are a few initial photos that Tom sent...we'll see what his time permits for additional photos...I'll try to keep this thread updated as possible.

Thanks to Tom for sharing this ride with me...should be a great instrument...

http://www.larrypattis.com/Rein/LoRes_oothread1.jpg

http://www.larrypattis.com/Rein/LoRes_oothread2.jpg

http://www.larrypattis.com/Rein/LoRes_oothread3.jpg

http://www.larrypattis.com/Rein/LoRes_oothread4.jpg

Looks awesome, Larry. Glad to hear you’re able to play the longer scales again. Hope that means you’ve found sustainable/reliable pain management. That Osage orange is knockout wood. That’s going to make one hell of a guitar.

What do you think of Osage orange relative to pernambuco?

Larry, that’s a beautiful, quartersawn set of Osage Orange...:up: Osage Orange will usually significantly darken across time into more of a lighter brown hue due mostly to photo-instability. My Black Cherry and Pernambuco guitars have both darkened over time from their initial state. Keep that in mind when making design decisions.

Thomas Rein Osage Orange build...underway!
 

I've actually never played or heard (to my knowledge) a Pernambuco guitar...







Thanks, Bob...will do!



The more I look at the photos, the more I like the overall look of the O.O...and the trim we chose for the backstrip...we'll see how things look on the rest of the guitar!

Congratulations Larry! It's great to see another build with your name on it! I look forward to watching this one progress.

Looking forward to seeing this one develop. Thomas Rein is an awesome builder!
Steve

This is great news, Larry. I have discovered that a 25” scale length hits the sweet spot for me as well.
Osage orange is an intriguing choice and I will be happily following this thread to its wonderful conclusion- hearing you play the finished guitar.

Best,
Jayne

Stunning! Love the Osage Orange!

Well that’s looking great...

I always wondered if Osage would look good with a burst?

Maybe a nice antiquey tobacco burst?

D

I'm awed by that piece of wood--fabulous. The trees are as shrubby as they can be, so finding one that well quartered without little pin knots is a real treasure.
I know you'll enjoy it!

Steve

Can't wait to hear you play this one, bro'. Tim

Hi Larry—Just to add my own experience with a piece of Osage Orange that I got from the heart of a fallen tree, its final hue was almost identical to Honduran mahogany, a beautiful rust color and not lemon at all. Its tap tone is incredible. —Richard

Should be called Osage Yellow. I like the idea of a burst.

Larry here is a website with a number of photos of newly cut and aged Osage Orange...

http://hobbithouseinc.com/personal/w...e%20orange.htm

An LP build is always exciting to follow. One of my favorite quotes on this forum over the past year (i am paraphrasing) was when Larry said, "realizing that someday I will be dead, I decided to commission a new guitar". Words to live by.

Cool build, Larry - I've always liked the understated look of Osage Orange. I'll be keeping an eye on this one :)

I think Osage Orange is awesome. A couple tree worker friends of mine are on the lookout for Osage Orange for me. They know of some big trees in the area. Hopefully one day they will get to cut down a nice one.

Nice set of wood. Bois D’Arc sounds much more exotic than Osage Orange though... ;)

A couple more photos, just to keep abreast of some details...

Keeping things simple on the rosette, just using darker-woods as contrast to top and back/sides...

http://www.larrypattis.com/Rein/LoRes_lprosette.jpg


Yes, let's not forget the cutaway...plus, I love Tom's OM-ish model 3 body shape, classically inspired, but modern and comfortable!
http://www.larrypattis.com/Rein/LoRes_lpassembly.jpg

Just a quick update from Tom:

http://www.larrypattis.com/Rein/LoRes_osagefront.jpg

http://www.larrypattis.com/Rein/LoRes_osageback.jpg

http://www.larrypattis.com/Rein/LoRes_osageback2.jpg

Next episode, routing for purfling/binding...

Looks amazing...:up:

This hue even before finishing is so beautiful.
It seems both elegant and cheerful.

Congratulations Larry. Seeing the quantitative comparisons and similarities to Brazilian, I would love to have an opportunity to play an Osage Orange / Euro guitar such as yours. Alas, like Pernambuco, the wood doesn’t grow on trees...(ha)...which is to say I haven’t seen any such guitars on my various excursions.

We will have to live vicariously through you when your Rein arrives!

Body is bound, and ready for finish...getting closer!

I really appreciate the simple elegance that Tom is executing so well, here...the Osage Orange and rosewood are a great match, and one that should hold-up as aesthetically pleasing as the OO darkens over time. Tom's miter detailing on the purfling is second to none!

We're thinking mid-November, and certainly before the end of the year for *all* work to be completed.

I've been rather enjoying the Malaysian Blackwood Rein guitar that I have for sale, despite knowing that the 24.9" scale of the new guitar will be more comfortable for those constant stretches my music requires. Tom's "sound" is full, precise, and *big* (really "present"), and I am fully ready to hear how the Osage Orange sounds!

http://www.larrypattis.com/Rein/LoRe...soundboard.jpg

http://www.larrypattis.com/Rein/LoRes_Rein_ooback.jpg

http://www.larrypattis.com/Rein/LoRe...oocutaway2.jpg

http://www.larrypattis.com/Rein/LoRe..._oocutaway.jpg

http://www.larrypattis.com/Rein/LoRe...ooendgraft.jpg

http://www.larrypattis.com/Rein/LoRe...oendgraft2.jpg

http://www.larrypattis.com/Rein/LoRes_Rein_oolabel.jpg

Very nice! Curious as to what the "saline" means .....
Steve

Tom moved to Saline, Michigan over the past year.

Very nice...:up:

Very beautiful with fine detailing, Larry. Should be a winner!! Glad you've shared this as I do follow Tom's guitar builds and feel he's really a fine luthier.

A quick update, as the guitar is back from finish (a catalyzed urethane, I believe), and Tom has now also worked his french-polish magic on the top.

I might have the guitar by the first of the year...and what a year it has been for the 25" scale guitars!

Some nice/subtle bear-claw on the Euro-moon-spruce top:
http://www.larrypattis.com/Rein/LoResDECEMBERtop.jpg

The Osage Orange is making me rather happy at this point, in the aesthetics-realm!
http://www.larrypattis.com/Rein/LoResDECEMBERback.jpg

Love zee binding/purfling work...
http://www.larrypattis.com/Rein/LoRe...back_sides.jpg

I know who I will visit on my Spring break.