Search found 771 matches

by blackalex1952
Thu Jul 28, 2016 12:26 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Harp guitars
Replies: 1
Views: 3205

Harp guitars

I found this maker in Switzerland. http://brunner-guitars.com/en/b-c-models/ There are some great shots on his website of the way he attaches removable necks and bridges, along with vids. Here is one https://youtu.be/sr8_0sdLPL8m: Also: https://youtu.be/sr8_0sdLPL8 On his website there is a photo of...
by blackalex1952
Wed Jul 27, 2016 11:10 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: I'm impressed
Replies: 6
Views: 7454

Re: I'm impressed

I love this saying, it is central to everything from bad to good habits, skills, relationships, happiness, peace, every aspect of our human existence: What you practice, you become.
by blackalex1952
Wed Jul 27, 2016 4:12 pm
Forum: The Gallery
Topic: Guitar Stand
Replies: 7
Views: 17626

Re: Guitar Stand

That stand looks like it was designed by Toulouse Lautrec. He was 4ft 8in high, standing up, of course :lol:
by blackalex1952
Wed Jul 27, 2016 3:45 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: I'm impressed
Replies: 6
Views: 7454

I'm impressed

Here is a link to a fine maker/sculptor. Highly skilled workmanship. http://www.liedmeier.nl/ENG/fotogallery
by blackalex1952
Tue Jul 26, 2016 9:28 pm
Forum: Contemporary Acoustic Guitar Design and Build - Trevor Gore
Topic: Measuring top and back frequencies while voicing
Replies: 21
Views: 30861

Re: Measuring top and back frequencies while voicing

Craig Bumgarner wrote: I attach the top first and measure specific mobilty of the top, the deflection and the peak monopole frequency T(1,1)2. I know from experience that I can expect something like 20Hz drop of T(1,1)2 after full assembly. Craig, in your post regarding "testing good examples" http:...
by blackalex1952
Tue Jul 19, 2016 6:28 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Falcate pattern without CF?
Replies: 17
Views: 16877

Re: Falcate pattern without CF?

I know a luthier who uses "thixotropic" resin for the job. I don't believe that the west system is thixotropic. Maybe it's better, I haven't used it.-Ross
by blackalex1952
Tue Jul 19, 2016 3:21 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Falcate pattern without CF?
Replies: 17
Views: 16877

Re: Falcate pattern without CF?

How thick are your sides? The program that Trevor recommends is called Visual Analyser. It's free. There are posts on this forum re setting it up and using it.( http://www.anzlf.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=3696&p=76370&hilit=visual+analyser#p76370 ). Chladni testing is good also for working out what the...
by blackalex1952
Tue Jul 19, 2016 3:08 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Electrostatic Pick Guard Material
Replies: 17
Views: 23970

Re: Electrostatic Pick Guard Material

I think I bought mine at Harvey Norman or Officeworks. For a more permanent solution, you can get clear self adhesive polycarb from Wheeler Custom Luthierie. https://guitarwoods.com.au/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=131&osCsid=2a84a0jqlbqmkvggo77n7qtc12 I recommend that you get the shape right...
by blackalex1952
Sat Jul 16, 2016 1:54 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Curly timbers on eBay
Replies: 12
Views: 17198

Re: Curly timbers on eBay

The ones that I've made have sounded really good, though.
I'll bet they sound good. Looks great.Cheers Ross.
by blackalex1952
Thu Jul 14, 2016 10:37 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Curly timbers on eBay
Replies: 12
Views: 17198

Re: Curly timbers on eBay

How do scrapers and planes go?
by blackalex1952
Thu Jul 14, 2016 1:14 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Curly timbers on eBay
Replies: 12
Views: 17198

Re: Curly timbers on eBay

I just had a look at your eBay site. The ringed gidgee back and sides set looks interesting...I am wondering if Trevor Gore could chime in, having used this timber recently, regarding how easy or tricky it was to bend the sides, and as to what thickness the sides ended up? Just curious...I am also i...
by blackalex1952
Wed Jul 06, 2016 6:56 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Falcate bracing - bass back
Replies: 7
Views: 10967

Re: Falcate bracing - bass back

Nice! The only problem I have is with the name of your bracing system...boomerangs return. So if the plan works, the bass should not return for repairs! :lol: Reminds me of the old gag "What do you call a boomerang that doesn't come back?...A stick!"
by blackalex1952
Sat Jun 25, 2016 11:34 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: making an electric guitar shim
Replies: 22
Views: 26453

Re: making an electric guitar shim

I am open to whatever the truth is! To quote my original post Some (people) feel that the bolt on neck causes a sudden loss of energy after the initial attack of the note . I am not of a strong opinion either way, I posted to stimulate the discussion. Perhaps someone who makes lots of electric guita...
by blackalex1952
Sat Jun 25, 2016 6:22 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: making an electric guitar shim
Replies: 22
Views: 26453

Re: making an electric guitar shim

Dan Erwin is in the full size shim camp..... The implication of what I posted is that the contact area of the neck joint transfers string energy from the neck into the body. Best way to figure this out is to try an accurately made shim vs a poorly made one, or fly wire, bits of credit card...all th...
by blackalex1952
Sat Jun 25, 2016 2:46 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: making an electric guitar shim
Replies: 22
Views: 26453

Re: making an electric guitar shim

The hardest part in making a full length shim is to get the angle of the wedge nice and accurate. The angle is easier to set as a gradient, ie ratio of length to height using Pythagorean geometry. For a fine angle, use a long block of wood in order to get an easily measured height to length ratio th...
by blackalex1952
Wed Jun 22, 2016 10:53 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Glue used on a 1960's Japanese? archtop
Replies: 7
Views: 9514

Re: Glue used on a 1960's Japanese? archtop

Thanks,Jeff. The more info the better. This guitar has had a solid steel truss rod put into it and a nice rosewood fingerboard added by a luthier in Melbourne many years age.So all intonation and neck issues have been dealt with. Tuners stay in tune, according to the owner. He also reports that he l...
by blackalex1952
Tue Jun 21, 2016 8:50 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Glue used on a 1960's Japanese? archtop
Replies: 7
Views: 9514

Re: Glue used on a 1960's Japanese? archtop

I reckon you could probably remove the braces completely and not affect the sound or strutural integrity of the top :mrgreen: HA HA! Well, the plywood was rather thin, and when I removed the longitudinal braces it flexed quite a lot, even though the ladder braces were still way too stiff. It is a v...
by blackalex1952
Tue Jun 21, 2016 6:12 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Glue used on a 1960's Japanese? archtop
Replies: 7
Views: 9514

Glue used on a 1960's Japanese? archtop

I am working on a restoring what I believe is a 1960's Japanese made archtop guitar. The instrument has some curious attributes. All plywood construction, the veneers are all two ply, Maple outer. The bracing is similar to the bracing on a French Italian f hole guitar,eg a Castellucia, being ladder ...
by blackalex1952
Sat Jun 18, 2016 2:59 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: hi everyone ,someone try steam bend macassar ebony?
Replies: 15
Views: 15644

Re: hi everyone ,someone try steam bend macassar ebony?

P1020941.JPG P1020949.JPG P1020949.JPG P1020941.JPG P1020949.JPG I made my bending iron this way. I shaped a piece of 19mm craftwood into what I would describe as a sail mast profile, having looked at various commercially available bending irons, their dimensions and shapes. The curves that I used ...
by blackalex1952
Wed Jun 08, 2016 12:18 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Finishing a four-string ukulele as an 8-string instrument.
Replies: 7
Views: 8907

Re: Finishing a four-string ukulele as an 8-string instrument.

If you have seen, can access, or purchase the Gore/Gilet books, there is a section on measuring the bridge rotation. You can also check out a post by Craig Bumgarner on this forum, he builds Selmer Maccaferri guitars. In one of his posts he has a good photo of his soundboard deflection rig, a mass i...
by blackalex1952
Wed Jun 08, 2016 12:15 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Finishing a four-string ukulele as an 8-string instrument.
Replies: 7
Views: 8907

Re: Finishing a four-string ukulele as an 8-string instrument.

If you have seen, can access, or purchase the Gore/Gilet books, there is a section on measuring the bridge rotation. You can also check out a post by Craig Bumgarner on this forum, he builds Selmer Maccaferri guitars. In one of his posts he has a good photo of his soundboard deflection rig, a mass i...
by blackalex1952
Sun Jun 05, 2016 10:29 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Spraying - what gear is everyone using?
Replies: 19
Views: 16147

Re: Spraying - what gear is everyone using?

Well, it was a typo, but I guess that after the amount of work to get a guitar to finish stage, a poor finish, particularly on the soundboard, is risky! So a prayer would be in order!!! In fact, a second hand confessional, with the right treatment, would make a good finish booth! Father, I have sinn...
by blackalex1952
Sun Jun 05, 2016 9:34 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Spraying - what gear is everyone using?
Replies: 19
Views: 16147

Re: Spraying - what gear is everyone using?

I have been using, due to budgetary restraints, an el cheapo Supercheap Auto gravity feed gun with nitrocellulose lacquer...at first I thought I'd have to bite the bullet and buy an expensive pro gun, but I'm getting a reasonable result now that I have not thinned the lacquer as much and heat the la...
by blackalex1952
Sun Jun 05, 2016 9:04 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: The zero fret
Replies: 27
Views: 31307

Re: The zero fret

My take on all of this...If you want to understand how the zero frets evolved and work on archtop guitars, have a look at the European made archtopas and Selmer guitars, where the use was commonplace. Firstly, the nut is made so it will not bind, and the string slots don't have to be custom width fo...
by blackalex1952
Mon May 30, 2016 7:01 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Unusual Blackwood
Replies: 4
Views: 6561

Re: Unusual Blackwood

River oak roots form "knees" which used to be used, before the trees were protected,for boatbuilding. In fact, for hundreds of years the English kings and queens owned the oak forests for their navies.The guys culturing the trees used to split saplings, prune, bend and brace them etc in order to gro...