Australian/New Zealand Luthiers Forum

Ebony and Australian Red Cedar 000 Acoustic guitar. This one is a keeper! Sounds beautiful and warm. I love it. Ebony back and sides, Australian Red Cedar Soundboard and neck, Ebony fretboard, Gold Jescar frets, Gold Gotoh 510 machine heads, Bloodwood bindings, Falcate Braced.

A great looking guitar!

I like the timber combinations. Did you have any issues working with the Australian Red Cedar timber being very soft? What was the final thickness of the Top? Like here a sound sample if possible.

Wayne
https://wjguitars.wixsite.com/mysite-1

Looks great Martin, the finish on it looks superb, one day you'll have to do a finish tutorial for us strugglers
Wayne

WJ Guitars wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 23, 2019 4:43 pm

A great looking guitar!
I like the timber combinations. Did you have any issues working with the Australian Red Cedar timber being very soft? What was the final thickness of the Top? Like here a sound sample if possible.
Wayne
https://wjguitars.wixsite.com/mysite-1

Thanks Wayne, the Red Cedar slab I used for this was from Mal at Boutique Timbers and it was considerably more dense than the recently milled timber currently available. It was from a very old growth tree and is dense enough to do back and sides from it too I think. I may do a Flamenco with it on the back and sides.

Lovely looking guitar and your photos look fantastic

Hi Martin,

Another gorgeous instrument!
I love Aust Red Cedar!
Can I ask: is the headstock-front "veneer" quite thick? With a nice bwb line around the outside - fibre sheets? What glue did you use on the headstock veneer and lines?

Thanks,
GregL.

GregL wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 25, 2019 9:09 am

Hi Martin,

Another gorgeous instrument!
I love Aust Red Cedar!
Can I ask: is the headstock-front "veneer" quite thick? With a nice bwb line around the outside - fibre sheets? What glue did you use on the headstock veneer and lines?

Thanks,
GregL.

Hi Greg,

The front veneer is only 2mm thick but then I bound the headstock with Bloodwood bindings that have BWB on them which is why it looks so thick I think. I used Titebond for the veneer and bindings. Also the back veneer is Ebony.

I noticed Martin from your excellent photos that the 14th fret is at the body joint instead of the 12th fret that is generally applied with falcate bracing. Hope you don't mind if you could provide some background in regards to:

Were adjustments required to the falcate bracing layout in view of the bridge location?

Did you laminate CF in the bridge and is the bridge timber ebony or other timber ebonized?

Wayne

WJ Guitars wrote: ↑

Tue Nov 26, 2019 8:29 am

I noticed Martin from your excellent photos that the 14th fret is at the body joint instead of the 12th fret that is generally applied with falcate bracing. Hope you don't mind if you could provide some background in regards to:

Were adjustments required to the falcate bracing layout in view of the bridge location?

Did you laminate CF in the bridge and is the bridge timber ebony or other timber ebonized?

Wayne

Hi Wayne,

Yes, we have done many 12 and 14 fret body join versions utilising falcate bracing. The position of the braces does change and fortunately my background as a graphic designer helps with being able to draw up plans for each shape we do.

The bridge is just straight Ebony, no CF laminate. It was a little heavy (as all Ebony bridges are) but I am a little flexible on bridge timbers. If I'm happy with how the box is sounding and tapping into VA software before adding the bridge so it can handle the heavier bridge then I go for it. I did shave off a fair bit of the timber when making the bridge to lighten it but it still came in at around 33g.

We have built at least 100 falcate braced guitars now in all shapes and sizes at my school and in my experience the guitars that are best suited to falcate bracing are either the mid sized (000, OM) and smaller (down to 0 and Parlour) guitars. We've also had huge success using falcate bracing on acoustic basses.

Hope that answers your questions.

Thanks Martin for answering my questions.

I am planning to build my first falcate mid body size with a 12 fret body joint. All my guitars that have built so far have been 'X' braced that include a Macassar Ebony Bridge that weigh around 32grams.

I like the clarity and dynamic range that I have heard from various sound samples of finger style playing with guitars that have been built with falcate bracing and all the other important building detail qualities (eg saddle and nut compensation) that are required to create a great sounding guitar. I like balanced clarity and warmth that is that sometimes is not as evident in the low mid and lower frequency zones. I noted you mentioned in your post that this guitar,

Sounds beautiful and warm/quote]


I am impressed to hear that you have achieved these sound qualities with this guitar build.

Wayne
https://wjguitars.wixsite.com/mysite-1

This is such a nice looking guitar, you have made some beautiful instruments Martin, I really like your style.

Col