Australian/New Zealand Luthiers Forum

You're getting the hang of these Ukelele things aren't you?
At the risk of repeating myself (cos I'm running out of superlatives for your work), just beautiful Allen and you've done that piece of Mahogany proud.

Hmmm not sure about all this T(1,1) type talk (still haven't read 'the books' yet ) but it sure is looking good

I've sprayed in darn near all finishes (I think child's poster paint is the exception), two pot, Acrylic, Nitro and pre cat and I've always used the balloon trick. I will say however that with the two pot, instead of leaving the balloon exposed as in Wayne's pic, I would cut out a piece of stiff car...

Not sure if you're serious with your critique or it's tounge in cheek. +1 on that. One thing I cannot understand is the 'snobbery' that goes along with classical guitars either by players or makers. It's merely a label and not a method. Nice axe Martin or should that be "fore sooth, tis much a thin...

Dan makes archtops and believes that the top and back shouldn't be carved to match the sides on a cutaway, but should be the same arching as a non cutaway model, thus giving the plates more freedom of movement. Hmmm, not sure I'm following his logic on that one, to me, when you incorporate a cutawa...

I dont understand all the different views put up above, just may be me over thinking what people are saying. Simple process. Do two scale lengths on your E strings, example treble E 24.5 inch and Bass E 26 Inch (make it any scale length you want), mark the fret positions on each of these scales, st...

I work things out by doing up a full scale drawing. That's what I did but using a CAD package, it's capable of working to an accuracy of three or four decimal places, more than I'd ever be able to reproduce in the real world (unless I had a CNC machine) but for the purposes of solving my mind block...

Ok, the more I'm thinking about it the more the fog is lifting. I've just laid out the nut to first fret with string in my Cad package and set the fret out at the correct distance, I then measured the string length to the first fret (the hypotenuse of the triangle effectively) and there was only a d...

Following on from that, this isn't a question about how as such but http://www.novaxguitars.com/licensing.html. How can they patent a system that's been around for eons, unless they fan theirs a 'special' way that's different from normal fan fretting?

Perry or Jeremy or anybody that has done a fanned fret neck I was wondering if you could 'illuminate' me into the confusing ways of this new fangled/old technique. I am just tossing around thoughts of doing my first fan fretted guitar so during my research I came across this guy laying out a board h...

If the action is right then you won't need to play around with the saddle at all. As Rod said, also check the neck with a straight edge (or a string pressed down in two places) to see that it's straight or has a slight relief (whichever you prefer), pays to check with a reference edge as sometimes t...

Depends very much on what you want from the guitar and what your current level of tooling is. If you just want a guitar you can pick up and it makes a noise then I'd be looking at a cheapo either new (Korean or Chinese thing) or a cheap secondhand. If you want something a little better you can alway...

Any form of Peterson Strobosoft (P.C/Mac or mobile device app). Peterson Strobe tuners have been highly regarded in the industry for yonks and a "Physical" tuner can set you back a small mortgage but the software is reasonably priced and well worth it IMHO.

Now that I'm impressed with! It appeals to my engineering genes, needs to be a bit more "steampunk" though Excellent job Ken

Some great photo's and beautiful guitars there, I think I'm always impressed by Jack Spira's work and Tim Kill's just because it's invariably 'different'. The back of Mr Perry Ormsby - sorry, he can't show his face on television. Don't tell me...he's got a face made for Radio! :lol: Thanks everybody...

I have a cheap-arse generic clip on tuner (the little square ones) for initial stringing up then once I've got the strings to stop stretching, I switch over to the Peterson iStrobosoft app for final tuning and intonation setting.

Thanks for the answer Brent, just got to talk people into it now :wink: :D Would love to build one using this, Allen's 'ancient topped' Ukes always look great when it's used. Do you know of any builders that have used this timber and would have pictures up (I tried accessing your gallery but it came...

wow, I dont understand why anyone would use a zerofret in the first place, unless he aint got no time to do it properly... and then that thing... :shock: A zero fret isn't an inferior way of achieving the same thing it's just a different way and besides, if you think about it, a Zero fret would act...

J.F. Custom wrote: I often give a coat of hard burnishing oil (an 'organoil' product that is a blend of tung, citrus, eucalypt and a natural thinner) as a start.

Hopefully that's easy to find on the shelf, you wouldn't want to go ask the young girl behind the counter!

Is there any tonal benefit to ancient Sitka over "freshly" cut (i.e. cut in the last 5 years say) or is it just the 'collectable/rarity' factor of having a 3000 year old soundboard on your guitar? Not trying to tread on toes or be difficult, but if I'm trying to convince somebody 'down under' to spe...

Something as small as a 'nut' I can't see having any noticeable effect on any of the things we are trying to build in to our guitars (sustain, tone e.t.c) when it's used in a zero fret situation, as you say, the strings aren't in any direct load-bearing contact with the 'string guide' (because that'...

No it shouldn't make any difference, the tuner 'height' is determined by the face it screws to which is the back face so all the tuner post heights will still be the same on the front, the tuner bushings will just sit a little lower on the 'unveneered' side of the head stock. Just make sure your hea...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNJwee4g7Ao Interesting concept for the leccy players/builders and I guess a similar neck design could be incorporated into an acoustic build, would certainly feel weird to play and a certain degree of eloquence required during playing as sharpening a note would be wa...

Sydney bassist Brett Hirst is on tour and his electric bass is broken. Needs one for a gig this thursday Night in Cloncurry QLD. There are no shops or schools open in the areas apparently. Can anyone help? Know a player or a teacher or luthier in the area? Brett is one of the best. MSG me ASAP. Gee...

You been uploading images of my repair work?!!
Hey metal screws...got to add to the sustain! at least that's what I told the customer