Double Sides for Guitars

[BBWW]

I'm about to do some re-sawing with David Borson, mostly Quilted Mahogany.

With more builders using double sides I'm wondering if I should do a certain % at closer to a double side thickness?

Assuming that you need .005 off each side remove bandsaw marks, what thickness is your sweet spot? (Borson's rig doesn't leave much of a mark!)

Any opinions? Times are changing.

Thanks,

Jay

One of a book matched Pair of large boards.

[Sam Guidry]

I leave my outer veneers pretty thick at .060"

[Simon Fay]

For those using double sides, I think you would be able to sell at/around 0.080". The exterior laminate is around 0.060" on my instruments with the interior being much thicker. However, others may do things differently.

[gregg]

Originally Posted by Sam Guidry

I leave my outer veneers pretty thick at .060"

I've been leaving mine at .050-.060, really like .060 if they're not too heavy.....inner pieces are a tad thinner, but need to be really careful as anything under.040 is pretty thin.

[stringjunky]

What's the reasoning behind the different thickness for each laminate?

[Tim McKnight]

Originally Posted by stringjunky

What's the reasoning behind the different thickness for each laminate?

Weight or the lack thereof. Some builders (including myself) strive to build very light weight guitars.

[BBWW]

I like very light guitars.

[BBWW]

Thanks, that helps. I'll do three billets or so for double-side builders and see how it goes.

Jay

[Burton LeGeyt]

Jay, you are an animal with that mahogany!!

I use double sides on most of my guitars (much thinner than those mentioned) but I prefer to buy regular cut sets. You never know when your or your clients' preferences may change, especially if you are purchasing a set you may not use for a while.

Also, if the set ever needs to be resold it is much easier to do that with normal thickness sides. With these extreme priced sets that is always something I think about.

[Ned Milburn]

Originally Posted by Simon Fay

For those using double sides, I think you would be able to sell at/around 0.080". The exterior laminate is around 0.060" on my instruments with the interior being much thicker. However, others may do things differently.

So you are making your double sides near total 3.5mm... Wow!! Sounds very thick!! Why??

[Bruce Sexauer]

I have buit single side guitars at .055 that passed the test of time! Different strokes! Single sided in mahogany would be around .080 for me. Saying this just for perspective, I will not be making double sided guitars in this lifetime, I predict.

[gregg]

Originally Posted by Bruce Sexauer

I have buit single side guitars at .055 that passed the test of time! Different strokes! Single sided in mahogany would be around .080 for me. Saying this just for perspective, I will not be making double sided guitars in this lifetime, I predict.

Hey Bruce, I have built with single sides too, if nothing else double sides are definitely more trouble...lol.... whether they make a positive difference is certainly debatable, for now I seem to think the extra work is worth it, but I may change my mind at some point in the future. My double sides end up around .080 when completed.

[BBWW]

I have usually re-sawn Quilted Mahogany sides to finish sand between .100 to .105. A few have been thinner and I got no complaints. So I re-saw at a .115. (Meaning no saw marks.) This would be for single sides. I try to go as thin as I can and once or twice billets have had sides finish sand to about .90. Thinner of course is better for yield but a blade can wander a bit one this dense and figured wood so I go a bit thick sometimes when I don't have to.

Backs thicker of course to finish at out at .120. so I cut around .130.

[Bruce Sexauer]

I would be surprised to learn that I have at any point in any material made a back thicker than .090! Or even as thick as.

[BBWW]

Originally Posted by Bruce Sexauer

I would be surprised to learn that I have at any point in any material made a back thicker than .090! Or even as thick as.

I have had people tell me they like it thicker to glue up...then cut run through the thickness sander. My personal guitars have all had backs at .90 or below. I like a light guitar...

In the end with this stuff anyone who builds with it knows what they are doing. It's not for early builds. LOL

Thanks Bruce. I think we need to try a carved back flat top out of this...that might need more thickness. :-) I really liked the Maple one.

I've actually been thinking about that for a while based on my childhood love of those pressed back Guild Jumbos...that looked carved...but I'd want an OM.

Jay