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  #31  
Old 10-16-2021, 07:12 PM
goog64 goog64 is offline
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Originally Posted by The Bard Rocks View Post
Before I got a CF guitar, all my experiences with CF were things that were primarily purchased because they were lighter - bear canister, canoe, bicycle fork.... And now we have an all CF guitar with a 12" lower bout that weighs as much as a full-size wood guitar. I am trying to wrap my head around this and just suppose there were other features of CF that prompted its use in guitars. And weight was not one of them.
Yes, I was amazed by the weight of carbon fiber guitars too. Oh well, mine is getting lighter. I will have my plastic 3d printed tuning knobs on Tuesday and will post the guitar weight with them fitted. My little plastic baggy of stuff I have removed from the guitar is approximately 0.4 lb so far. (That doesn't include the material removed from the 10 hours' sanding.)
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  #32  
Old 10-17-2021, 12:47 AM
Nama Ensou Nama Ensou is offline
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Originally Posted by The Bard Rocks View Post
Before I got a CF guitar, all my experiences with CF were things that were primarily purchased because they were lighter - bear canister, canoe, bicycle fork.... And now we have an all CF guitar with a 12" lower bout that weighs as much as a full-size wood guitar. I am trying to wrap my head around this and just suppose there were other features of CF that prompted its use in guitars. And weight was not one of them.
My experience with carbon fiber in guitars has been with the Adamas line and to my understanding it was initially the desire for a stiffer top with less mass.

I wish they were lighter, but I still like them.
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  #33  
Old 10-20-2021, 06:33 PM
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OK steelvibe, here it is.
I have installed all the 3d printed tuning knobs now and just put the OF-660 on my dodgy old kitchen scales.
The new weight is 4 ½ lb. So it has shed about a pound. It is definitely noticeable, and an added bonus is that I really like the look with the black tuning knobs and the highly visible carbon weave.
But it's still too heavy for me for a bikepacking trip. Oh well, I'm glad I had this weight loss journey with my Journey anyway.

Last edited by goog64; 10-20-2021 at 06:44 PM.
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  #34  
Old 10-20-2021, 11:45 PM
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Originally Posted by goog64 View Post

OK steelvibe, here it is.
I have installed all the 3d printed tuning knobs now and just put the OF-660 on my dodgy old kitchen scales.
The new weight is 4 ½ lb. So it has shed about a pound. It is definitely noticeable, and an added bonus is that I really like the look with the black tuning knobs and the highly visible carbon weave.
But it's still too heavy for me for a bikepacking trip. Oh well, I'm glad I had this weight loss journey with my Journey anyway.
So . . . . since mine is starting at 4.52lbs, I could possibly approach 3.52lbs??

Nice to think about, but I'm content with it for my purposes--and sooo much work to lighten it! But I think you enjoyed the challenge most of all.
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  #35  
Old 10-21-2021, 09:31 AM
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Not that it would lighten it all that much, but perhaps consider creating another sound port at the lower scooped area. Taylor has done this on some models with a scooped area. Their port is quite small...you could start small then increase as good tone allows. Maybe you could also do Ryan-esque flute soundholes along the lower upper bout. Just some thoughts.
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  #36  
Old 10-23-2021, 08:44 PM
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So . . . . since mine is starting at 4.52lbs, I could possibly approach 3.52lbs??

Nice to think about, but I'm content with it for my purposes--and sooo much work to lighten it! But I think you enjoyed the challenge most of all.
Yes I did enjoy the challenge. I think I took almost half a pound of bits off, and I guess the rest was removing the finish. So it might depend how thick the finish is on yours.
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  #37  
Old 10-23-2021, 08:45 PM
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Originally Posted by Acousticado View Post
Not that it would lighten it all that much, but perhaps consider creating another sound port at the lower scooped area. Taylor has done this on some models with a scooped area. Their port is quite small...you could start small then increase as good tone allows. Maybe you could also do Ryan-esque flute soundholes along the lower upper bout. Just some thoughts.
I like your lateral thinking Tom. But what exactly is the "lower scooped area"?
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  #38  
Old 10-23-2021, 09:07 PM
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I like your lateral thinking Tom. But what exactly is the "lower scooped area"?
I’m referring to the circled scooped area. Also attached is the scoop and soundport that Taylor did on the 816. You could try creating a small soundport and increase the size to remove more weight of the tone/volume doesn’t change much.

And you could also try creating a version of the Ryan flute soundport. He does them on a bevel, but you could do them in the top of the lower bout. You could even cut some on the bottom of the lower bout. Heck, you can keep removing weight from the body by drilling more ports where it might make sense, while assessing tone/volume changes as you go and stop if/when you feel you’ve gone far enough. The biggest weight loss will probably come from losing body mass.
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Last edited by Acousticado; 07-07-2022 at 11:24 AM.
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  #39  
Old 10-24-2021, 02:51 AM
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Originally Posted by Acousticado View Post
I’m referring to the circled scooped area. Also attached is the scoop and soundport that Taylor did on the 816. You could try creating a small soundport and increase the size to remove more weight of the tone/volume doesn’t change much.

And you could also try creating a version of the Ryan flute soundport. He does them on a bevel, but you could do them in the top of the lower bout. You could even cut some on the bottom of the lower bout. Heck, you can keep removing weight from the body by drilling more ports where it might make sense, while assessing tone/volume changes as you go and stop if/when you feel you’ve gone far enough. The biggest weight loss will probably come from losing body mass.
Thanks so much for that Tom. Great ideas, however the neck is the problem now. The body is feeling quite light, but the neck is very heavy. Unfortunately I don't think there is much more I can do about it.
Just to satisfy my curiosity, I'm going to contact Journey and ask them how much lighter their timber neck is.
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  #40  
Old 10-24-2021, 09:21 AM
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Did you look into the Heart Sound CF tuners I’d mentioned? Beyond that, I’m not saying it would be wise or that you’d want to do it, but how integral is the truss rod to the neck stability especially given its removal functionality? Given the reason you want to go extreme on weight reduction, maybe the guitar would play fine without it? If you can remove it, maybe you could take it even further and have the core of the neck drilled out even more to create a hollow neck like Blackbird does. Not sure how this could be accomplished. All just crazy thoughts!
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  #41  
Old 10-28-2021, 05:13 AM
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You could reduce some of the headstock mass by removing some material. This would help with the balance.

I would lean towards drilled perforations (with say a 4-5mm bit) rather than using a larger drill. If you retain a rib at the top and edge of the headstock and then perforate with multiple holes in the central area that will help reduce mass.. You may wish to change the tuners before this though as you will want to know their footprint.

I would also perforate rather than cutting bigger holes if you are considering cutting into the body. This will better retain the air pressure as it moves around the body. It will also ensure rigidity is better retained.





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  #42  
Old 10-28-2021, 05:22 AM
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Thanks for your ideas guys. I have wondered about removing the truss rod. The neck is the heaviest part. But I don't know how to do it without taking the fingerboard off, and I don't want to do that.
As for lightening the headstock, that was my original plan, but Journey told me it is not solid. It is some kind of expanded foam covered by a shell of carbon fiber.
Yes, I did look at those tuners Tom. I love the idea, but they are out of stock, and I'm now at the point where I don't think I will get this OF-660 down to, for example, Baby Taylor weight (~2lb 13oz).
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  #43  
Old 10-28-2021, 06:16 AM
YamahaDave YamahaDave is offline
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I think this model needs a special name; the OF-660 Superleggera!

The only other idea I could suggest would be to perforate the fret board and fill it with a lighter material (carbon fibre rod inserts for example).

If you can remove the truss rod you might be able to swap it for a carbon fibre rod?
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  #44  
Old 11-28-2021, 03:27 AM
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I admire your effort to lighten your OF660 by a pound.

As a fellow cyclist I'm not sure it's worth chasing *yet another pound* of reduction to your heavy guitar. You can achieve a one pound reduction by carrying 1/2 litre less water.

FYI, this week is offering 25% discount on B-stock OF660. It may be worth asking the weight of the lightest in stock and deciding whether to restart with a lighter sample?

Cheers.
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  #45  
Old 11-28-2021, 05:02 AM
goog64 goog64 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by casualmusic View Post
I admire your effort to lighten your OF660 by a pound.

As a fellow cyclist I'm not sure it's worth chasing *yet another pound* of reduction to your heavy guitar. You can achieve a one pound reduction by carrying 1/2 litre less water.

FYI, this week is offering 25% discount on B-stock OF660. It may be worth asking the weight of the lightest in stock and deciding whether to restart with a lighter sample?

Cheers.
Thanks, yes I've seen that 25% off promotion, but still too expensive for me these days.
I do have one more idea remaining though - since the neck is the heaviest part, I am currently looking for a light weight, short scale electric guitar neck to put on my OF-660.
I will update this thread when I have succeeded, but it could be months away.
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