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#1
09-02-2018, 10:07 AM
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Mini Larson amateur build
Hi,
I have started a new build with a shape inspired by a Larson Euphonon. It is smaller and has more modern curves, but still keeps a fairly square upper bout with a very curvy lower bout. I am using a european spruce top (with a good amount of bearclaw) and sapele back and sides. I am debating putting some dye on the sapele to darken it a little and bring out the figure even more. The neck will be some real nice spanish cedar, with an ebony fretboard. The top and back plates:  The back and rim, mostly finished:  End graft:  Rough layout of the top braces:  Really looking forward to hearing this top. It is a good piece of spruce. The sapele has been a bit of a pain to smooth but bent easily and I am starting to like the look. Still a bit too light for my tastes. 
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#3
09-14-2018, 05:05 AM
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It may be a trick of the light in the pics, but it looks as though the back braces are scalloped to allow the internal center strip (or "back graft") to be continuous.
Normally the back graft is notched, rather than the braces, to allow the back braces to have an undisturbed glued surface. If it isn't in fact a trick of the light, would you like to share your rationale for doing it this way ?
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#4
09-14-2018, 07:24 AM
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Hey murrmac,
No trick of the light - the back braces are infact "floating" over the centre strip. Rationale is - I have been experimenting with ways to build a more active back. The rosewood 0-21 style I just finished had a small x-brace on the lower bout of the back instead of the traditional ladder braces (pic below). It sounds great, very rich, and the whole back moves a lot more. This is just a new experiment to get the back more active. I suspect I did not leave enough of a gap and the difference will be minimal. We'll see. I am not worried that this has built in structural weakness - the 15foot radius and thick bracing still mean it is a strong plate. 
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#5
09-14-2018, 07:38 AM
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I like your kitty cat apprentice =^,^=
BTW if you want 'the' book on building Larson style guitars check out the book that Hans Brentrup has available. I've not yet built one but it's on my radar once I get some time.
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#7
09-16-2018, 02:17 AM
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Got the box closed over the last couple days and have started getting the neck ready. I have gone for a tapered headstock shape, which I ordinarily am not a fan of but wanted to see how lining up the tuner pegs with the nut slots affects the feel of the strings.
   This is going to have ebony binding with b-w-b purfling. I think I will bind the headstock and fretboard too.
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#9
09-17-2018, 09:13 AM
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I'm a Larson fan. I love the looks of them. Very interesting structural designs. Though I have never heard on personally.
__________________
Waterloo WL-S, K & K mini Waterloo WL-S Deluxe, K & K mini Iris OG, 12 fret, slot head, K & K mini Follow The Yellow Brick Road
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#10
09-17-2018, 03:08 PM
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next update:
I have made the ebony bridge. Been tweaking this design for a while and now very happy with it. It's not too different from a classical guitar bridge.   The bridge has so many important and tiny features and you really have to get each one right to give yourself a good chance at getting great tone (product of efficient energy transfer), great action and playability etc. On top of all this it needs to look good!
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#11
09-27-2018, 08:22 AM
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The body is now bound and ready for final sanding. There is some great bearclaw on the top that doesn't show yet, but when under finish is going to look pretty cool
 The neck is almost done as well, so will hopefully get the strings on well before christmas ..    
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#13
09-27-2018, 09:15 AM
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Quote:
When glued to the top, with string tension, part of the bridge is pulling upwards (tension) and part of the bridge is pushing downwards (compression). The tension is greatest at the edge of the bridge furthest from the sound hole - towards the guitar's butt end. Moving much of the gluing surface to the same line - or in front of - the pin holes, by eliminating some of the width of the wings, you reduce the surface area that is preventing the bridge from peeling off the top. The design might well work fine, but those are the things that come to my mind when I see it.
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#14
09-27-2018, 09:49 AM
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Thanks for the comments on the bridge design.
redir - the wings are 4mm thick tapering to 2mm, and there will still be some to come off the bottom (to match top radius) and the top (for final sanding) ... perhaps 0.5mm or so. I will take a look at the weight and stiffness once these steps are done, and perhaps reduce the thickness further. I wasn't going for a heavy bridge so thanks for flagging  charles - I see what you are saying, that the design isolates the most tensioned section of the bridge, and would increase the chance of bridge lifting in the future. I feel like there is still enough bridge surface elsewhere to support the string tension (630mm), and it could be that reducing stiffness in that area of the bridge allows the contracting/shortening of the string to more efficiently tilt the bridge (long dipole?). We will see though - still early days for this design!
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#15
10-14-2018, 02:10 PM
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The building is done - just gota whack the tru oil on now. This is without about 3 - 4 coats on. The spruce has patches of bearclaw and is very silky.
 The sapele has gone a lovely colour   I used evo gold fretwire for the first time and it was great to work with. looks good too paired with the gold MOP fret markers and gold gotoh tuners  Should have strings on in a couple weeks
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