#1
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Mahogany Mama and red spruce build (finished!)
I'd like to present my latest build that contains elements I think forum members might find interesting.
Here's a little background on its inception. I'm calling this design my "Elegant Solution" series. In mathematics, computer programming, and engineering an "elegant solution" is one that solves a problem in the simplest manner possible, while also doing it in a beautiful way. On my previous build I became interested in using design elements that called on the aesthetic of sumi-e paintings. I wanted to treat binding and purfling details more like calligraphic strokes of varying weight. I was only partly successful because I made the bindings and linings in the traditional way, when what I needed was an "elegant solution." On this guitar I'm going to combine the linings, radial cut bindings, and purfling details into a single element. I start with a mold the defines the inner volume of the guitar box, complete with domed top and back. I lay up the laminated linings with the radial cut, exterior, spalted maple surface built in. On the neck block I'm continuing my very successful recurve geometry from previous builds that increases the torsional stiffness of the joint exponentially. You can see the calligraphic start of the exposed binding line. And here are the top and back plates. Mahogany Mama is a wonderfully figured wood whose provenance begins with hurricane Arthur's landfall in Belize and ends at Northwind Tonewoods in Maine, probably familiar to those who have attended the Woodstock Luthier show. This particular adi is an extremely tight grained and stiff plate. As I get further along I'll detail my thoughts on the numerous advantages of the continuously beveled sides. Last edited by Glenn23; 07-10-2017 at 08:21 AM. |
#2
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That spalted maple is gorgeous.
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Solo acoustic guitar videos: This Boy is Damaged - Little Watercolor Pictures of Locomotives - Ragamuffin |
#3
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Love radical builds like this. Can't wait to see more!!
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THE GOLDEN ERA GUITAR FOR SALE | VIDEOS AUTHORISED DEALER OF: Astrand | Bowerman | Brondel | Buendia | Casimi | Datlen | Doerr | Fujii | Gerber | GR Bear | Heinonen | Isaac Jang Keith | Keystone | Matsuda | Michaud Made | Ogino | Pellerin | Petros | Poljakoff | Strahm | Tom Sands | Wingert ...and more www.TheGoldenEraGuitar.com [email protected] +65 8666 0420 |
#4
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What ever it is you are doing so far, it looks cool
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#5
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Wow, definitely going to be following this one!!
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1995 Maton EM725C - Solid 'A' Spruce Top, QLD Walnut B&S, AP5 Pickup 2018 Custom Built OM - Silver Quandong Top, Aussie Blackwood B&S, Fishman Matrix Infinity Mic Blend Pickup 2021 Faith Neptune Baritone - Solid Englemann Spruce Top, Solid Indonesian Rosewood B&S, Fishman INK3 Pickup 2022 Yamaha SLG200S Silent Guitar |
#6
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All right, yet another way to skin a cat. This should be fun to watch.
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#7
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Looking forward to seeing this come together! Nice work on the neck block.
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Ryan Gerber |
#8
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I will be checking in on this thread - cool!
Is your elegant solution meant to look sort of like a Dagmar guitar, with curved sides and no perpendicular edges? http://www.dagmarcustomguitars.com/guitars.php
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An old Gibson and a couple of old Martins; a couple of homebrew Tele's |
#9
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I've bookmatched a small billet of spalted maple to open like an accordian. This combined with the radial orientation lets the grain follow the contour of the bevel. Usually the grain orientation on an arm bevel can't follow the contour for very long before going cross grain.
] I'm doing laminated sides with an EIR inner and mahogany outer. When I'm finished you'll be able to see the edge of the two laminated pieces, sort of like a double purfling line The bevels will be a hard edged 45 degree bevel, not rounded. Last edited by Glenn23; 07-10-2017 at 08:22 AM. |
#10
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Very interesting
I am a big fan of bevels!! More comfort for everyone...
Looks spiffy! Cheers Paul
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3 John Kinnaird SS 12c CUSTOMS: Big Maple/Cedar Dread Jumbo Spanish Cedar/WRC Jumbo OLD Brazilian RW/WRC R.T 2 12c sinker RW/Claro 96 422ce bought new! 96 LKSM 12 552ce 12x12 J. Stepick Bari Weissy WRC/Walnut More |
#11
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Mahogany Mama's got some curves!
I've laminated the fiddleback mahogany and EIR sides together and fitted the full perimeter bevel pieces. The rim structure is incredibly stiff and strong, and yet still relatively light. I believe I could put the structure on its tailpiece and sit on the neck block and it would support my full weight (though I'm not about to test that hypothesis)! I've come to accept the ideas of Smallman, Gore, Somoygi and others that a stiff rim is very desirable, and I've certainly got that. In addition the full bevel proposes some solutions to situations I've been thinking about for a long time. The bevel allows me to have a smaller top and back face, more in line with an OM size while having the interior volume more often found in a jumbo. I'm hoping for the sweet high end, and midrange of a smaller guitar, with the bloom and bass of a larger body. Besides the obvious ergonomic advantages, there are some acoustic advantages that I'm very curious to see how they work out. In speaker building it is well known that edge diffraction interrupts the waveform leaving the speaker. The solution to this has usually been to bevel or round the speaker cabinet edges. This gives a wider dispersion of the soundwave into the listening environment. I'm hoping to achieve some of that with this design, in effect giving the sense of a soundport, without building a hole in the side. On the interior side of the soundboard, the bevel will also act to horn-load, or impedance match, the soundboard to the interior volume. This should make the top vibrate more efficiently. The single laminated bevel might be a simple solution, but it is not an easy one! There is nowhere to hide in the joinery. The laminations and fitting of the bevels must be perfect since they're exposed. Bracing the plates next! Last edited by Glenn23; 07-10-2017 at 08:25 AM. |
#12
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Please tell me this guitar is ALREADY SOLD!
Chris
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The Electrics check The Acoustics Tom Doerr - Trinity. Flamed Maple under Swiss Tom Doerr - M/D. Braz under Red |
#13
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Nope, she's definirtely looking for a forever home.
or as you might see on facebook, "Man builds guitar with no one to play it...You won't believe what happens next! |
#14
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C'mon man, you know there is no such thing around these here parts!
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The Electrics check The Acoustics Tom Doerr - Trinity. Flamed Maple under Swiss Tom Doerr - M/D. Braz under Red |
#15
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This is really looking schweet, Glenn. Such great ideas and a unique approach. Looks very organic in its form--can't wait to see it finished!
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2013 Stehr Auditorium (Carpathian/Myrtle) 2015 Stehr Auditorium (Adi/BRW) 2020 Baranik Meridian (Blue Spruce/Manchinga) 2020 Wilborn Arum (Tunnel 14/Coco) 2021 Kinnaird Graybeard (BC Cedar/Bog Oak) 2022 Kinnaird CS Student Build (Adi/Padauk) 2023 Kinnaird FS (Italian/Koa) |