J.R.'s Two Cents - A copper-top acoustic by Aaron Andrews

[J.R. Rogers]

Originally Posted by Berumen77

Hey all, this is Isaac Berumen the builder of the guitar in the opening post. Just read the thread and am really interested to see this how this new guitar turns out.

Hello, Isaac! Thank you for the inspiration for this guitar and for joining this thread. Good to see you here.

JR

[WhoisDoubleA]

I suppose it is about time I chime in on this one!

It was an intriguing proposal JR came at me with. I called Isaac to find out from him about his experience with the copper. I also checked with a supplier and got the skinny on the stuff. Here is a good link:

http://basiccopper.com/thicknessguide.html

To my mind, the thinner foils would impede driving energy less. No shock. However, if I am to get the brushed look I will need something thick enough to sand. Also, as per JR's request to have purfling and rosette tooled in, the foils are too light and won't take that treatment. I will likely use .008 or .010" thickness. It starts to stand up like sheet stock by .010". That will add about 7.5 oz. per square inch and certainly inhibit the acoustic nature of the thing but it will be able to accept the tooling and it will lay down without wrinkling.

Metallic leaf work would be incredibly thin. According to Tom Cerletti, who can claim this specialty, it is like virtually nothing there. It is a completely different look than the brushed finish, though. Not as I understand JR wants it.

This is certain to be an exploration. Cudos to JR for rolling the dice! In the end it will sound like 'something'. I will do my best to keep it light and responsive. I will be relying on a lights-out set up and hope that it's sound positively received!

At this point, JR and I can still change our minds!

Thanks

[DickensDad]

This is one Awesome project - it is going to be one Very Seriously Cool guitar... I sure hope there will be progress pics!

[JamesTGS]

I was able to witness Aaron pulling the top off the press yesterday. After exhausting the capabilities in the shop he took it next door to the Omen skateboard factory where Jason let him use an industrial sized press. A few hours later and the copper top joined the spruce as if they had always been one.

Pictures will be posted soon.
James

[LouieAtienza]

Originally Posted by gitnoob

Very cool idea. I have a brass-body resonator that I really enjoy. And Martin made an Aluminum-top guitar. But this is cooler.

One bit of advice on the inlay:



Choose pre-1983 pennies. Those pennies there are made from 97% zinc.

Actually, in 1982 pennies were made in both "copper" and copper-plated zinc, in both P and D mint marks, with large and small date varieties, making about 7 different varieties that year.

Technically Lincoln cents are made of a bronze alloy, of which the majority of metal is copper. Between 1944-1946 they were made from brass from shell casings, and from 1947 to 1961 the Mint used a brass alloy, and from 1961-1982 back to the bronze alloy...

[J.R. Rogers]

Here we go!

Nice rosewood set!


Aaron's L-00 jig and some of the wood ready for bending. Neck is ready for truss rod




Joining the back


...And the top


Bending the rosewood sides

[J.R. Rogers]

Sides






Neck and truss rod


Truss rod installed


Cut by hand and chisel


Fretboard

[J.R. Rogers]

First glimpse of the copper!








I hope to have some pictures of the top soon. It's cool that part of this was done at the Omen Skateboard factory.

JR

[J.R. Rogers]

I'm really enjoying this guitar! Thanks to Aaron for getting the specs just right for me so that it felt familiar right out of the box. This guitar has such a sweet mellow tone... I'm not sure the copper inhibits the tone much at all - certainly not as much as I thought it would. I got lots of puzzled looks carrying this through the floor at Healdsburg.

[bho]

Would love to hear a sound clip!

[J.R. Rogers]

Next in this custom series... "Two Nickels"

• Brushed nickel top over sitka spruce
• Nickel headstock overlay
• Flamed maple back and sides
• Transparent black finish
• White binding (black dots on the fretboard side)
• Ebony fretboard
• Two nickels inlaid on the fretboard face down
• Brushed nickel Davinci Tuners
• Larger body than the "two cents" L-00
• 14 frets clear, 1 11/16 nut, 2 1/4" spacing

Third in the series is "Dimes and Diamonds"

• Brushed sterling silver top over sitka spruce
• Sterling silver headstock overlay
• Ziricote body
• Mahogany neck (dark stain)
• Black binding (white dots on the fretboard side)
• Ebony fretboard
• Two dimes inlaid on the fretboard face down
• Faux Diamond fret markers
• Satin silver Davinci Tuners
• Smaller Parlor or Single 0 body style
• 12 frets clear, 1 11/16 nut, 2 1/4" spacing

JR

[J.R. Rogers]

And the quarter will be a Ukulele.

[pgilmor]

Very nice J.R.!!!

Can't wait to see what the C-note is going to be .

[Berumen77]

That came out looking really really cool. Was there any finish put on the copper or was it left "open" to age with a nice patina. Great build. Love the fingerboard inlays. Any more pics?

I had also been thinking of doing copper headstock veneer on one of my CopperTops, but it would be a really blingy version with a bigsby.

[The Growler]

Wow! Looks really good. I'd love to hear it.