New Howard Klepper Advanced Jumbo in black walnut build project - Page 13

bluesbassdad · #**181** 03-21-2011, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by El Conquistador

Wow, I just assumed the K&K would be installed much earlier in the process to take advantage of an open box.
Steve

I wondered about that, too. However, if one takes too much advantage, then the installation might be permanent.

You can bet there's a reason Howard did it the way he did. I sense little tolerance for haphazard action.

Wade Hampton · #**182** 03-21-2011, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rolleiguy54

Beautiful! Is there a tonal difference between black and claro walnut?

Well, both inhabit much the same tonal universe, but I've found that I've really liked the sound of most black walnut instruments I've played, but either disliked or been indifferent to most of the claro walnut instruments I've played.

I've played one or two outstanding ones, but many I've played have had a lot more visual interest to them than sonic excitement. A lot of them seem to sound more like cherry back and sides than black walnut.

So I'm not an enthusiast for claro walnut, and have just found it safer to go with black walnut instead.

Probably the closest parallel to the erratic tone quality of claro walnut is with koa. You get some good koa, and it makes for astonishingly wonderful, rich, tonally balanced instruments.

But there's a lot of musically bad and indifferent koa, too: at its worst, it sounds like the instrument's been made out of wet cardboard. Highly attractive, wildly figured cardboard, perhaps, but cardboard none the less.

The bad claro I've run across hasn't been as bad-sounding as the worst koa. But it's not all that musically inspiring sometimes, let's leave it at that.

Wade Hampton Miller

Howard Klepper · #**183** 03-21-2011, 09:11 PM

Re the pickup: It's not a big deal to install later, and I can be sure I'm getting the transducers right under the saddle. Same reason I rout for the saddle after the neck is on; adjustments to the fit of the neck can affect the saddle position.

Re walnut: I think a lot of the issue with claro walnut is that most of what we get is orchard trees from California. I've sawn and turned a lot of walnut and walnut burl, and orchard trees are nowhere near as dense as wild trees. They are watered, and grow rapidly, and produce wood of lower quality. Walnut trees also produce denser wood in a colder climate. Oregon claro is usually better as lumber than California claro.

Wade Hampton · #**184** 03-21-2011, 09:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Howard Klepper

Re walnut: I think a lot of the issue with claro walnut is that most of what we get is orchard trees from California. I've sawn and turned a lot of walnut and walnut burl, and orchard trees are nowhere near as dense as wild trees. They are watered, and grow rapidly, and produce wood of lower quality. Walnut trees also produce denser wood in a colder climate. Oregon claro is usually better as lumber than California claro.

Right. I know for a fact that one of the two claro walnut guitars I played that I liked was made from claro cut in Oregon. That was a McAlister guitar that Terence "Pakhan" Tan had for a while, and if I could have afforded it, I would have bought it.

Roy McAlister has said much the same thing about the claro that you said, Howard. If he's commissioned by a client to build a claro walnut guitar, he tries to get the wood from the coldest places it grows.

whm

GuitarFundi · #**185** 03-21-2011, 11:56 PM

She is finally born

How long is she and how much does she weigh

Now slap her bottom and lets hear her cry

Wade Hampton · #**186** 03-22-2011, 12:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GuitarFundi

She is finally born

How long is she and how much does she weigh

Now slap her bottom and lets hear her cry

Oh, I'll be "spanking the plank" as soon it arrives, no worries.

Howard's going to show the guitar off to a few of his friends and clients and wait for the weather to get a little milder up here in the Anchorage Bowl before shipping it up here, that's all. This is at my recommendation. I'm not in such a hurry that I want the lacquer shattered by a sudden dip in the temperatures, which can easily happen up here in the next few weeks.

You all might be having warmer weather where you are right now, and so are we, but it's still "warmer weather by Alaskan standards...."

Hope that makes sense.

Wade Hampton Miller

Broadus · #**187** 03-22-2011, 07:31 AM

Wade, what strap lock system do you use with the K&K endpin jack?

Thanks,
Bill

jackstrat · #**188** 03-22-2011, 08:21 AM

Another incredibly beautiful Klepper guitar!!! I would love to hear it!!!

I also greatly appreciate these Klepper build threads. Being a wood hacker, I love to follow the builds.

Thanks
jack

Wade Hampton · #**189** 03-22-2011, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Broadus

Wade, what strap lock system do you use with the K&K endpin jack?

I prefer to have Schaller straplock buttons on my instruments and the Schaller straplock locking hardware on my straps.

I utterly loathe and despise endpin jacks. I routinely remove them from guitars I get in trade: when I intend to keep the instrument I replace them with flushmount jacks. I would much rather have a straplock button that I know is going to be secure and a flushmount jack that doesn't protrude from the instrument.

What Howard has done at my request on this new "KJ" guitar is put the straplock button at the center of the tailblock, and a flushmount jack centered between the strap button and the top.

This keeps the cord out of the way when I'm plugged in.

Perhaps Howard will take a photo of this arrangement so you can see what I'm talking about.

I realize that many acoustic guitarists reflexively cringe at the thought of drilling ANY holes in an acoustic guitar, and that drilling an extra hole and separating the plug in function from the strap hanger is something they simply can't handle.

But I'd rather have a system that works better than an endpin jack, frankly. This works beautifully: the strap is securely locked on the strap buttons, and the cord that goes out to the PA doesn't get in the way.

Hope that makes sense.

Wade Hampton Miller

Broadus · #**190** 03-22-2011, 12:59 PM

Hi Wade. Yes, that makes sense and makes sense.

I'm sure Howard will kindly show us some photos of it.

Thanks,
Bill

Howard Klepper · #**191** 03-22-2011, 04:31 PM

I will, but yer gonna hafta wait a day or two. The strap buttons aren't here yet.

Broadus · #**192** 03-22-2011, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Howard Klepper

I will, but yer gonna hafta wait a day or two. The strap buttons aren't here yet.

Thanks, Howard.

Bill

Howard Klepper · #**193** 03-25-2011, 10:04 AM

Here you go, Bill. Pickup and strap buttons are on. It's ready to go home when the weather allows. First, a little round of showing it to some friends.

Wade, please tell me that this is the way you wanted it!

Broadus · #**194** 03-25-2011, 11:49 AM

That looks like a great approach, Howard. Thanks for the photo.

Bill

Wade Hampton · #**195** 03-25-2011, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Howard Klepper

Here you go, Bill. Pickup and strap buttons are on. It's ready to go home when the weather allows. First, a little round of showing it to some friends.

Wade, please tell me that this is the way you wanted it!

Yes, Howard, that's exactly how I want it. By putting the jack for the pickup halfway between the strap button and the top, it makes the strap balance properly and keeps the guitar cord out of the way. It's a much more practical and considerably less awkward arrangement than combining the strap button with the jack, in my opinion.

Looking good. Now go play some tunes on it!

whm