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  #1  
Old 10-20-2018, 12:09 AM
vibrolucky vibrolucky is offline
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Default First build - tone not what I was expecting, but good

I just got through with building my first Acoustic, based on an OM but with a deeper body (between an OM and a Dred). Neck is about 1.7" nut width, and its a fairly chunky neck compared to a modern Martin or Gibson.
Bear Claw Sitka Top, Indian Rosewood Back and Sides, Mahogany neck with Cocobolo fingerboard and bridge. Standard X bracing (not scalloped, but not overbraced either) Very light lacquer finish (3-4 coats) with a matte satin finish.

Guitar turned out beautiful - however the tone is not what I expected.

The good: Incredible sustain, and deep 'complex' tone with lots of character. Harmonics are off the chart. Sounds even better when used in alternative tunings with lower voicing. Great fingerstyle guitar, especially with capo.

The bad: Not a very balanced sound, more emphases on extreme lows and highs, with little mid range. While its sounds great on fingerstyle, it sounds so-so with a pick strumming.

I'm mainly a strummer, and really like the big - bold - boomy sound of a Dred. I knew that by making it slightly smaller I should have expected it to not be as big of a sound. Not a big fan of the 'Parlor' guitar sound either.

I think there is a reason for tried and true body shapes / thickness and I respect those rules even more after this build.

So in a nutshell, I have a great dedicated fingerstyle Acoustic now! I'll switch to a Dred for strumming though
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  #2  
Old 10-20-2018, 12:19 AM
vibrolucky vibrolucky is offline
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Default Here are some pics

[IMG]Untitled by Jay Bagwell, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]Untitled by Jay Bagwell, on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG]Untitled by Jay Bagwell, on Flickr[/IMG][IMG]Untitled by Jay Bagwell, on Flickr[/IMG][IMG]Untitled by Jay Bagwell, on Flickr[/IMG]
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  #3  
Old 10-20-2018, 03:04 AM
Kerbie Kerbie is offline
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That's your first build? Wow, that's beautiful! Wonder if Mahogany on your second would boost the midrange?

Sure does look nice.
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Old 10-20-2018, 06:16 AM
mercy mercy is offline
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If your a strummer go mahogany. Get looking build, be thankful
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Old 10-20-2018, 06:58 AM
D. Churchland D. Churchland is offline
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Nice work for your first!

I don't want to sound nitpicky but your saddle has a bit of wiggle room on the sides it appears? Blank not long enough for the slot I'm guessing?
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Old 10-20-2018, 08:42 AM
vibrolucky vibrolucky is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Will Kirk View Post
Nice work for your first!

I don't want to sound nitpicky but your saddle has a bit of wiggle room on the sides it appears? Blank not long enough for the slot I'm guessing?
Yes, but after screwing up two others 😌I left it as is. Action turned out perfect, and the sound was great so I just gave up. Took me 4 pieces of bone on the Nut as well, but hey I learned from this and hopefully can make some improvements!
It’s pretty solid under string pressure so I’m not sweating it. I’ve also added a heal cap since I took this photo.

Thanks for all the comments everyone!
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Old 10-20-2018, 08:44 AM
ylekot ylekot is offline
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That's a beauty!!
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Old 10-20-2018, 09:54 AM
Monsoon1 Monsoon1 is offline
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That's impressive for a first build. Good on ya.
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Old 10-20-2018, 11:44 AM
Neil K Walk Neil K Walk is offline
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Congratulations! It looks like you followed the directions well enough and were able to overcome some mistakes to finish it off. Having been through one and toiling through a second build I know how hard it is to even complete such an undertaking. Not a day goes buy where I feel like I should accept the inevitable and toss it.

It sounds like you had a problem that I'm having right now: I chased a number and didn't quite get a "feel" for a certain property of the wood so that it vibrates as you intended. My first I went too thick on the top, on my second I went too thin. Next time try doing deflection testing and thin the top in slighter increments. That's what I'm going to do. I'm told that the first ten are practice anyway!

Seriously though, a rosewood/sitka OM is a quintessential fingerstyle instrument. If you want a strummer with presence you need to build a bigger guitar like a dreadnought and use different tone woods. Others have recommended mahogany dreads. I'd say go with walnut; it's really easy to work with. Mahogany is easy to work with too, but it can tend to be brittle.
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Old 10-20-2018, 04:26 PM
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Looks good. It will play in some. Might get rid of that large, thick pick guard though.
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  #11  
Old 10-20-2018, 04:36 PM
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Mbroady Mbroady is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rick-slo View Post
Looks good. It will play in some. Might get rid of that large, thick pick guard though.
That was my thought. The pick gaurd looks kinda thick. The old debate is does it effect sound.

Still, what an amazing undertaking, and though it might not have turned out as expected, it turned out and it looks great.
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  #12  
Old 10-20-2018, 04:37 PM
LouieAtienza LouieAtienza is offline
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That's a beauty... congrats!
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  #13  
Old 10-20-2018, 08:24 PM
vibrolucky vibrolucky is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mbroady View Post
That was my thought. The pick gaurd looks kinda thick. The old debate is does it effect sound.

Still, what an amazing undertaking, and though it might not have turned out as expected, it turned out and it looks great.
Thanks very much - yes I'm very proud of it. I actually played it a few days before adding the pickguard, can't tell any difference in tone. Its a 'tor-tis' from LMII. Wanted something a little different from a generic teardrop shape, and the lines of this (small body Gibson style) seemed to look better to my eye.
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  #14  
Old 10-20-2018, 08:32 PM
vibrolucky vibrolucky is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Neil K Walk View Post
Congratulations! It looks like you followed the directions well enough and were able to overcome some mistakes to finish it off. Having been through one and toiling through a second build I know how hard it is to even complete such an undertaking. Not a day goes buy where I feel like I should accept the inevitable and toss it.

It sounds like you had a problem that I'm having right now: I chased a number and didn't quite get a "feel" for a certain property of the wood so that it vibrates as you intended. My first I went too thick on the top, on my second I went too thin. Next time try doing deflection testing and thin the top in slighter increments. That's what I'm going to do. I'm told that the first ten are practice anyway!

Seriously though, a rosewood/sitka OM is a quintessential fingerstyle instrument. If you want a strummer with presence you need to build a bigger guitar like a dreadnought and use different tone woods. Others have recommended mahogany dreads. I'd say go with walnut; it's really easy to work with. Mahogany is easy to work with too, but it can tend to be brittle.
Yeah I know what you mean. I basically used the book "Cumpiano and Natelson – Guitar Making, Tradition and Technology” as a guide for my measurements for thicknesses and bracing.

I'm not experienced enough to hear a difference by tap-tuning yet, and the biggest challenge I faced there was once you start on the rosette & bracing its too late to make the top thinner. Honestly on the bracing, I just used my gut feeling as to the shape and how much to take off. I didn't scallop any, but did look at lots of pics online of braces carved by respected builders when using the chisels.
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  #15  
Old 10-20-2018, 10:09 PM
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She's purdy!
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