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  #46  
Old 12-08-2019, 09:57 AM
runamuck runamuck is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by WilbornGuitars View Post
It's an absolute joy to be working on this guitar and to have you all along for the ride.
Beautiful work and design, Ben.

I have a question: why is it that the top bracing, left and right of the bridge patch, doesn't lap over like the other bracing does?
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  #47  
Old 12-08-2019, 11:31 AM
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Smile Super SUPER CLEAN WORK

Egads, Ben. Nice work 👍

Interesting how you take such care with the CF strut!

And I especially like the aerodynamic go fast feature on the side mount for the strut! Maybe you should put some hot rod flames on the rod like JK did with my first strutted custom... haha

You are indeed the "Speed Racer" of Luthiers

This is a BEAUTY

Paul
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  #48  
Old 12-08-2019, 01:09 PM
Nemoman Nemoman is offline
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Originally Posted by colins View Post
This guitar is amazing!
Thanks, Colin--Ben does amazing work...

Quote:
Originally Posted by GeoffStGermaine View Post
Wow - stellar quality! The design of the soundhole is very nice. The attention to detail is outstanding. The installation of the carbon fibre strut is extremely well thought out. Can't wait to see more!
Thanks for the comments, Geoff--there does seem to be method to Ben's madness!

Quote:
Originally Posted by doodahdoug View Post
This build is really captivating Kevin. I love the beautiful set of cocobolo and Tunnel 14 RW you and Ben selected.

The new design for this model really kicks things up a notch. I look forward to following the progress of this guitar.
I've always wanted to try this wood combo as I've heard others comment before on how magical it is. And the fact that Ben had these wonderful woods to select from pushed me in this direction. I'm really looking forward to how it performs when all is said and done!
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  #49  
Old 12-08-2019, 01:23 PM
Nemoman Nemoman is offline
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Default Oh yeah...

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Originally Posted by TomB'sox View Post
Looks fantastic for sure. I see on the bracing that the three longer braces both above and below the bridgeplate are cut to come up to the plate and then lap over the top for helping with the transfer of energy from the bridge throughout the top, while the smaller braces on the ends of the bridgeplate only sit against it. Wonder if there is a reason for that (that is a funny question, because knowing Ben, there is a reason for everything!)?
Quote:
Originally Posted by runamuck View Post
Beautiful work and design, Ben.

I have a question: why is it that the top bracing, left and right of the bridge patch, doesn't lap over like the other bracing does?
Tom and runamuk--Hopefully, Ben will chime in on the brace versus bridgeplate question. I'm thinking it's along the lines that Tom mentioned in that the braces that lap over the bridgeplate help to transfer sonic energy to the top. And since they run along the longer directions of the top mostly in the direction of the grain they have more opportunity to distribute that energy efficiently. The braces which butt into the ends of the bridgeplate are shorter and run across the grain and thus have less of a chance to distribute the sound. They're mainly along for the ride... what?--anyways, it seems like I know what I'm talking about, right? Lol
As I said, let's hope that master Ben can demystify things for us!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Guitars44me View Post
Egads, Ben. Nice work 👍

Interesting how you take such care with the CF strut!

And I especially like the aerodynamic go fast feature on the side mount for the strut! Maybe you should put some hot rod flames on the rod like JK did with my first strutted custom... haha

You are indeed the "Speed Racer" of Luthiers

This is a BEAUTY

Paul
I caught that "aerodynamic" reference as well--helps the sound waves zip around quickly through the sound chamber!

Go, Speed Racer, go!

Thanks for following along, Paul.
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  #50  
Old 12-08-2019, 01:46 PM
_zedagive _zedagive is offline
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Congrats on this super gorgeous guitar. The only thing that slightly bothers me is seeing the brace in the sound hole. Maybe staining it to the same color as the back would be better.
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  #51  
Old 12-08-2019, 01:54 PM
runamuck runamuck is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nemoman View Post
Tom and runamuk--Hopefully, Ben will chime in on the brace versus bridgeplate question. I'm thinking it's along the lines that Tom mentioned in that the braces that lap over the bridgeplate help to transfer sonic energy to the top. And since they run along the longer directions of the top mostly in the direction of the grain they have more opportunity to distribute that energy efficiently. The braces which butt into the ends of the bridgeplate are shorter and run across the grain and thus have less of a chance to distribute the sound. They're mainly along for the ride... what?--anyways, it seems like I know what I'm talking about, right? Lol
As I said, let's hope that master Ben can demystify things for us!
If it's true that the bracing that's lapped transfers energy more efficiently, why not all the bracing? After all, one reason for moving the soundhole from the center is to allow more of the top to participate in the production of sound. So why not all the bracing?
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  #52  
Old 12-09-2019, 09:20 AM
Aramgreuter Aramgreuter is offline
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This radial bracing looks very good! And the placement of the soundhole/port (in one) complements the guitar shape (or vice versa).
The radial bracing reminds me of kasha bracing, more often seen in classical guitar building, were placement of the soundhole to the upper bout and radial bracing is used.



Some interesting reading here:
https://esomogyi.com/f-a-q-5-soundho...cing-patterns/
And here:
https://www.jthbass.com/kasha.html
Kasha bracing is based on scientific principles, on which surely some evenings worth of reading can be had....
I was wondering about uncoupling string energy with a tailpiece bridge would work well with this type of bracing??

Ps i was blown away by the sound on the video.....

Aram
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  #53  
Old 12-09-2019, 11:19 AM
jt1 jt1 is offline
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Originally Posted by Aramgreuter View Post
....
The radial bracing reminds me of kasha bracing, more often seen in classical guitar building, were placement of the soundhole to the upper bout and radial bracing is use...
And, the Kasha bracing that Gibson used on its 1970s MK series of acoustic guitars:

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  #54  
Old 12-09-2019, 12:47 PM
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Default Bridge plate

Quote:
Originally Posted by TomB'sox View Post
Looks fantastic for sure. I see on the bracing that the three longer braces both above and below the bridgeplate are cut to come up to the plate and then lap over the top for helping with the transfer of energy from the bridge throughout the top, while the smaller braces on the ends of the bridgeplate only sit against it. Wonder if there is a reason for that (that is a funny question, because knowing Ben, there is a reason for everything!)?
Bridge plates are a strange thing, and one which, like plenty of other elements in a guitar, still hold a bit of mystery for me. The simplest way of looking at them is that they are just a reinforcement under the bridge to prevent the ball ends of the strings from cutting through the softwood of the top. A more complicated view is that they are an actual brace, forming part of a 3-ply lamination of the bridge, top and plate. I think that on these radially braced tops, the latter is more true than on an x-braced guitar, where long grain tension is counteracted by the big long x-braces. In this case, I've made the plate larger than the footprint of the bridge, and notched the braces over it to help prevent too much distortion of the top. It is spreading the load out over the top, like you would lie spread-eagle over thin ice to prevent it cracking. That is a very dire analogy, I guess, but it is just that- weight distribution. Of course, the art of the whole thing lies in not overdoing it. The whole beauty of this design is that it uncouples the bridge from the big truss-system of an x-brace, allows the bridge more freedom of movement, and therefore allows more string energy to be amplified into sound. If I overdo it, all that benefit is lost. And if I underdo it, through the ice I go.
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  #55  
Old 12-09-2019, 08:33 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by runamuck View Post
Beautiful work and design, Ben.

I have a question: why is it that the top bracing, left and right of the bridge patch, doesn't lap over like the other bracing does?
I answered part of this in my last post, but as to why I didn't run the smaller braces up onto the bridge plate I didn't address. Mainly, I think the cross grain stiffness of this design is adequate without the lapping. I like to make things look tidy, but I don't want to do something purely out of an observance of symmetry. Just like the reason there is only on CF strut; I think that's all it needs because the box section formed by the cutaway is amply resistant to the torque of the strings on the treble side.

Quote:
Originally Posted by _zedagive View Post
Congrats on this super gorgeous guitar. The only thing that slightly bothers me is seeing the brace in the sound hole. Maybe staining it to the same color as the back would be better.
I did move it further into the box on this Arum than it was on the original Nautilus. I tend to agree with you on this. I want to see it, but only when I'm looking for it. I'll know for certain when I cut out the sound hole, but I think it will be more discreet on this one.
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  #56  
Old 12-10-2019, 10:19 AM
Nemoman Nemoman is offline
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Default Structural honesty...

Thanks, Ben, for your explanations regarding the bracing and the bridgeplate conundrum!

Quote:
Originally Posted by _zedagive View Post
Congrats on this super gorgeous guitar. The only thing that slightly bothers me is seeing the brace in the sound hole. Maybe staining it to the same color as the back would be better.
Thanks for your comment and input, zedagive, as I know this might bother some folks. In my profession of architectural design and engineering, we have something in our office that we refer to as "structural honesty." The practice of letting structural elements speak for themselves without feeling the need to cover them up or add ornamentation to adorn or disguise them, be it an I-beam, a bolted metal plate connection, or a carbon fiber rod. So while I appreciate the efforts that Ben has used to make the CF rod a bit more discreet, I also appreciate the "structural honesty" of this element and its workings within the process of the Arum. And it really isn't seen by anyone looking at the guitar while I'm playing it--it's mainly seen by the player as he glances inside the soundport, Just a little reminder that Mr. CF is on the job doing his appointed task in life!
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  #57  
Old 12-10-2019, 10:29 AM
Nemoman Nemoman is offline
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Default Outside of the box!

Ben delivered these images to my inbox last night.

This is always such an exciting point in the build--seeing the completed box! I'm really looking forward to seeing how the binding defines and sets off the Cocobolo and the Tunnel 14.

Enough said--enjoy!

















That's all for now, folks!
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2021 Kinnaird Graybeard (BC Cedar/Bog Oak)
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  #58  
Old 12-11-2019, 11:38 AM
Nemoman Nemoman is offline
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Default The neck

Work on the neck has commenced...







Cheers!
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  #59  
Old 12-11-2019, 12:37 PM
Nemoman Nemoman is offline
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Default Nautilus fingerstyle...

For those that requested it, Ben posted a video to Facebook of the Nautilus at 2 months of age being played fingerstyle and with a pick.

You can find it here...

https://www.facebook.com/WilbornGuit...epa=SEARCH_BOX

Check it out--this guitar has really come to life even more so in the past months since inception!
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2021 Kinnaird Graybeard (BC Cedar/Bog Oak)
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  #60  
Old 12-11-2019, 04:32 PM
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Seeing the closed box is funny with no sound hole, it is like "Hey Ben, you forgot something!" That Coco still continues to be the star of the show including that headstock veneer!
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Last edited by TomB'sox; 12-12-2019 at 06:45 AM.
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