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-   -   New Wilborn Arum Build: Tunnel 14 Redwood with Ziricote [Unveiling Video Added] (https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=602885)

cigarfan 01-17-2021 07:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TomB'sox (Post 6606170)
We are all so OCD haha. I thought it looked like the carbon fiber rod insertion point into the side support block looks lower than before forming less of an angle? By lower of course, I mean closer to the top which I guess technically would be higher. I am sure that confused no one!

Count me lost on this one! :eek:

WilbornGuitars 01-20-2021 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TomB'sox (Post 6606170)
I thought it looked like the carbon fiber rod insertion point into the side support block looks lower than before forming less of an angle? By lower of course, I mean closer to the top which I guess technically would be higher. I am sure that confused no one!


Tom, you are right. You must be employing your surgeon's eye, because that is a subtle thing to notice. I have changed that angle simply because I need to get my hand in there for various things, and, also, I don't want to be cursed at by tomorrow's repairmen. Although the greater angle of the rod (more towards the back) gives a greater mechanical advantage against the torque of the neck, I think the shallower angle is still more than adequate, and allows you access to the interior.

Ukulele_Eddie 01-21-2021 08:05 PM

3 Attachment(s)
Well, well, well. We have a box. Ain't she perdy? I'm a sucker for cross-silking and its why I chose this particular T14 top.

TomB'sox 01-21-2021 09:01 PM

Sometimes the wood is so beautiful, I have no words to describe it and that Ziricote is one of those times. Holy stinking cow!!!!

WilbornGuitars 01-21-2021 09:15 PM

I need to color balance my photos, I guess. That redwood looks very brown in photo two, but it is more accurately shown in photo three.

Guitars44me 01-21-2021 09:49 PM

Naughtysox...
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by WilbornGuitars (Post 6601292)
Well, I tried to come up with the right name to honor you. The Bowilus, The Soxilus, The Tomulus. The Naughtysox. They just didn't have the right ring. Sorry, pal.

Naughtysox has a nice ring to me... hahahahahaha

That cross silking on the tunnel 14 top is out of sight!!! That's RIGHT

This will be a 👀 LOOKER 👀

And no doubt sing like angels

Paul

cigarfan 01-22-2021 04:05 AM

Wowsers, both top and back are out of this world beautiful! Doggone it Eddie, you are making me think about a Ziricote build!

Nemoman 01-22-2021 09:46 AM

Absolutely beautimus!

jt1 01-22-2021 02:27 PM

Stunningly beautiful craft as always, Mr. Wilborn.

Thank you, Uke Eddie, for letting us vicariously experience your journey.

Ukulele_Eddie 02-11-2021 03:28 PM

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Ben has begun the polishing phase. It's like when you can smell the cookies but they aren't yet done. You keep looking through the little oven window, "Please, hurry the hell up. That waiting is pure agony."

mikealpine 02-11-2021 05:38 PM

That’s gorgeous!!

BlackKeys36 02-12-2021 09:11 AM

Looking awesome, Eddie! Can't wait for the video of yours!

Nemoman 02-12-2021 10:11 AM

Shazam, Eddie--this is really looking fantastic!

You must be overjoyed--won't be too long now!

Ukulele_Eddie 02-15-2021 01:00 PM

A Little Bump in the Road
 
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Well, a bit of an update here. Ben was polishing that gorgeous ziricote back to a glorious luster, whistling while he admired the beauty of this fine specimen of a guitar. And then he saw it. No, not his handsome reflection. Well, yes, he saw that, too. What was "it"? Well, I guess it was more of a "them" than an "it." Small disturbances in the reflection of the overhead light. It meant only one thing: fault lines under the lacquer, destined to be cracks some day when they grow up.

Double. Rat. Farts.

Ben called and left a message of distress and also followed up by email to update me on this unfortunate event. I know that wood is organic. It can happen. And some woods are more crack-prone than others. I know luthiers who won't build with ziricote as they call it Mexican Crackwood. Too risky.

He offered a couple of options. Cleating them would likely solve this once and for all. But neither of us liked that option for obvious reasons. A repair out of the gate on such a fine guitar just seems, well, not right. Ben didn't want this but knew how much I loved that back. I could tell Ben didn't feel good about this option and I certainly didn't.

So we decided the best path forward would be to replace the back. From his current stock, we quickly narrowed the section to two fine looking backs that would match color-wise, Z8 and Z162. Both are incredibly lovely, but, sadly, neither has pronounced sapwood, which I had my heart set on. He even checked what was available from his trusted suppliers. Nothing close. Broader internet search. Nada.

Ironically, the next day the fault lines were not invisible. That's right. Not visible. At all. Ben believes they may have shown themselves because of the heat of the buffing wheel. But he knows they are there. And if the guitar was shipped like this it would drive him mad like the beating heart in Edgar Allen Poe's The Tell-Tale Heart.

So, we discussed reserving either Z8 or Z162 and then keeping an eye on the market for a set more similar to the current back. I have no problem waiting, even a year or more, if it might yield a back more like the current one. This is a dream guitar for me, so why rush it? Besides, maybe in a year I'll be able to play something musical. And Ben had no problem waiting, either. He wants every one of his customers to be ecstatic.

While some luthiers would have been happy to put aside the box and move on to something else, it gnawed at Ben. He dialed up the secret Top Tier Luthier "Bat Light" and sent out a distress signal. Would anyone respond?

Voila! A set that looks like a possible excellent match was found. It's the horizontal pic (not sure why it shows that way). Better yet, it's not all that far from him and has been in this luthier's climate-controlled stash for more than 10 years. Ben will take the current guitar box with him and compare in person to see if we have our donor back. If we do, fantabulous.

If we don't, I don't mind waiting though I worry Ben will go absolutely mad searching the ends of the globe for just the right piece. The story might end with the good news that I finally got my dream Ziricote Arum. The bad news would be it was the last guitar Ben would complete. Driven entirely mad by the epic journey, he would eventually live a sad life in the shadows of Mordor, hanging with Gollum, muttering about "My Precious".

Story to be continued... ;-)

TomB'sox 02-15-2021 01:06 PM

I am sorry to hear about this, for both of you. Is the piece pictured on the bottom right the potential replacement back?

It does look like 162 has some sapwood or is that just lighter colored?

BlackKeys36 02-15-2021 01:08 PM

Wow! That's a crazy turn of events. I'm sorry to hear about the bump in the road, but know you two will come up with a great plan B and you'll end up with the incredible dream guitar this was destined to be.

Ukulele_Eddie 02-15-2021 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TomB'sox (Post 6636703)
I am sorry to hear about this, for both of you. Is the piece pictured on the bottom right the potential replacement back?

It does look like 162 has some sapwood or is that just lighter colored?

Thanks, Tom. These things happen.

I wanted the sapwood to be really pronounced and pop. 162 is a strong candidate but doesn't really have that. Yes, that horizontal pic is the possible replacement he sourced. Not sure why the pic attached that way.

Ukulele_Eddie 02-15-2021 03:41 PM

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Thanks, John. No doubt Ben will deliver, however long it takes.

And, guess what, geez, Ben doesn't even let me enjoy a brief pity-party, that selfish guy! Today he completed the journey already. The new back checked out perfectly. Upon getting home, he promptly sanded it and it looks amazing. Absolutely amazing.

In Ben's own words, "As the French say, 'voi-la'!"

Nothing to see here folks move along.

Ben, hit me up for Wilborn Fanboy Dues through 2030. Really, your extraordinary effort to fix something that wasn't your fault at all, is well, pretty darn swell!

BlackKeys36 02-15-2021 03:50 PM

The new back is pretty dang special. Congrats on joining the fanboy club; I'm on the board of directors!

TomB'sox 02-15-2021 03:51 PM

Is it possible to find an even prettier set than the original? Well yes, yes it is!

Ukulele_Eddie 02-15-2021 03:57 PM

Thanks, John and Tom.

We toyed with the idea of just subbing the back to see if anyone would even notice. Alas, we are both too honest and we worried that we would be expelled from the AGF Custom Shop, branded as cheats for the rest of our lives.

TomB'sox 02-15-2021 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ukulele_Eddie (Post 6636911)
Thanks, John and Tom.

We toyed with the idea of just subbing the back to see if anyone would even notice. Alas, we are both too honest and we worried that we would be expelled from the AGF Custom Shop, branded as cheats for the rest of our lives.

As a moderator with endless power, I still may do that and then be forced to confiscate this guitar!!!

Nemoman 02-15-2021 04:24 PM

Geez--what a turn of events!

But in typical Ben fashion, he comes through--welcome to the fanboy club!

That replacement set looks mighty tasty indeed!

WilbornGuitars 02-15-2021 06:37 PM

Alas, but onward.
 
So, the most grating aspect of this is that you literally cannot find these cracks on the back right now. It was the heat of the buffing wheel that I believe caused the lacquer to swell slightly, and reveal these underlying fault lines. But I know very well (Can I say "very" on here?- we will see....) that the very first time the guitar experienced dry conditions, those babies would yawn open like a crevasse,
and Eddie, along with his extensive collection of Little House On The Prairie paraphernalia, would fall in and never be seen again. I would hate to be responsible for that. BTW, I think I might be delirious, so please disregard that strange reference.

The fact is that we luthiers are constantly skirting disaster, building these extremely delicate structures out of not carbon fiber or metal, but wood, with all its inherent unpredictability. Ziricote has a reputation for cracking, and it is certainly prone to it- I have had one other Z guitar develop cracks, again in construction, but as far as I know the dozen or so others I have made have remained intact. So, tendencies aside, I can't help but build with this gorgeous and lovely sounding wood. I was momentarily crushed when I realized what the situation was, but I would never succeed as a luthier if I couldn't rebound from this kind of thing. So, no big deal! A new back! Luckily, Eddie is an awesome client and very understanding. (Thank you, Eddie)

I was fortunate that my friend Sparky (Randall) Kramer had a set he was willing to part with that really is an excellent replacement. In fact, it is better than the first back, I think. (Ha Ha- the FIRST back) He only lives about 30 miles from me, so up I went this morning, and even now , the back has been sanded, and glued up. We will be back in business in no time. I will strip the lacquer from the sides, carefully remove the back, install my new plate, lacquer again, and voila.

WilbornGuitars 02-15-2021 06:39 PM

Quote:

But I know very well (Can I say "very" on here?- we will see....)
Apparently not.

Ukulele_Eddie 02-15-2021 08:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WilbornGuitars (Post 6637084)
Apparently not.

I trust you meant "darn". ;-)

I cannot believe you shared our little secret about Little House on the Prairie. Next you know, somebody will want to join our Michael Landon fan club and we'll have to print a third membership card.

Guitars44me 02-15-2021 09:18 PM

Wow!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by TomB'sox (Post 6636903)
Is it possible to find an even prettier set than the original? Well yes, yes it is!

How great that the "secret top tier Luthier Bat Light" worked! What a spectacular set!!!

Way to go, Ben.

Looks like a speedy resolution to this set back, knowing how Ben works at Top Speed!

I do believe he is much too upbeat of a fine gentleman to be driven mad by setbacks, but fortunately we will not have to find out!

Salud

Paul

TomB'sox 02-15-2021 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ukulele_Eddie (Post 6637178)
I trust you meant "darn" or "d*amn". ;-)

I cannot believe you shared our little secret about Little House on the Prairie. Next you know, somebody will want to join our Michael Landon fan club and we'll have to print a third membership card.

OK, now it is just getting a little uncomfortable with whatever you two have going here...:D:D:D

Ukulele_Eddie 02-17-2021 10:52 AM

4 Attachment(s)
Industrious Ben, as I affectionately call him, wasted no time removing the "bad" back. And into the bin it went! Take that, you bad, bad back!

Post-removal, the sound box sans back looks as tidy as ever. And the new back is in the go-bar deck.

BlackKeys36 02-17-2021 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ukulele_Eddie (Post 6638672)
Industrious Ben, as I affectionately call him, wasted no time removing the "bad" back. And into the bin it went! Take that, you bad, bad back!

Post-removal, the sound box sans back looks as tidy as ever. And the new back is in the go-bar deck.

That's some dang pretty firewood...

I can't imagine how careful one would have to be to remove the back so cleanly. Looking awesome!


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