Guitar #8 FINISHED!

[fritter63]

This should demonstrate why I haven't been around much lately. This one took serious time... maybe 200 hours at least doing prototyping and working out construction process. But it paid off in the end... the instrument is awesome.

This is of course a raffle guitar for the local high school band. More info here: http://ahsbandguitar.blogspot.com

Features:

- Bolt on, fully articulated tripod mounted neck. Neck can be adjusted by the turn of a set screw.
- Cantilevered fretboard
- Carbon fiber "D" tube in place of a truss rod
- Carbon fiber axial brace between the headlock and tailblock.
- Off center sound hole
- Beveled armrest
- Organic venetian style scoop cutaway
- internal pickup mic

Clairo Walnut, Curly Koa, Sitka Spruce, Indian Rosewood, Paua Abalone

Some videos of being played:





And pictures:

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[fritter63]

Some internal details:

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[SMJoinery]

WOW and I mean WOW!!
That is amazing work.

 

[Brandon]

Very cool. Wish I had continued guitar lessons from when I was a kid. Excellent work, congrats.

 

[AlexThePalex]

The guitar is beautifully made. But must say I find the off-center hole very strange and not so good looking.

As far as I can judge the sound through YouTube's compression it sounds very nice with a warm tone. That's the most important characteristic of a guitar for me.

 

[Kev]

I have to say this looks like a guitar Pablo Picasso would make [wink]

Beautiful detail work. Very impressive!

[member=5277]Alex[/member] i agree, kind of does your head in a bit to look at!

 

[fritter63]

I have to say this looks like a guitar Pablo Picasso would make [wink]

Beautiful detail work. Very impressive!

[member=5277]Alex[/member] i agree, kind of does your head in a bit to look at!

Damn you Kev! I couldn't come up with a good nick name for it and it's too late (label is in and covered with glue), but that would have been perfect.

As to the offset sound hole, I'm certainly not the first to do this, for structural reasons it makes more sense than putting a 4" hole in the middle of the strings which are exerting 170 lbs of tension on the top. It also let's me hide that carbon fibre tube.

Once I get my CNC up and running, i'll be switching to an oval sound hole which should look better in that location.

 

[iamnothim]

Magnificent!!!!!!
Drop Dead Gorgeous.

 

[dltflt]

WOW!  That is some amazing craftsmanship.

 

[Sparktrician]

I have to say this looks like a guitar Pablo Picasso would make [wink]

Beautiful detail work. Very impressive!

[member=5277]Alex[/member] i agree, kind of does your head in a bit to look at!

I have to concur with Kev on this analogy.  [big grin]  It makes me wonder if the use of two ovals, not unlike the f-holes in violins, one on each side of the strings, would be more balanced-looking without revealing the carbon fiber rod, and provide little or no degradation to the tone quality?  In any case, your workmanship really shines through on the Picasso model. 

 

[fritter63]

I have to concur with Kev on this analogy.  [big grin]  It makes me wonder if the use of two ovals, not unlike the f-holes in violins, one on each side of the strings, would be more balanced-looking without revealing the carbon fiber rod, and provide little or no degradation to the tone quality?  In any case, your workmanship really shines through on the Picasso model.

Thanks Sparky!

I considered that too (including putting ports in that scoop cutaway to let the sound out). But ultimately, I need a way to get inside the body (demonstrated this weekend when I realized a wire had come off the pickup and I had to extract it (had zip tied it to the CF rod about the middle of the body - that was NOT fun)). I would rather have gone with a 3" sound hole, but I'm not sure I could get in there well enough to install the pickup then. The oval would at least give me 4" in one direction and make it appear smaller. And I REALLY like ovals.

Still tossing around the idea of a removable access panel on the end of the body where the strap button/amp jack is.

IIRC Ovation solved this by simply putting an access panel on the that plastic back of theirs.

 

[Kev]

I considered that too (including putting ports in that scoop cutaway to let the sound out). But ultimately, I need a way to get inside the body ...

I've got several Cole Clarks (Oz maker) with various exotic pickup setups. It's a string strip and wrestle if anything goes wrong !

 

[birchwoodwerks]

And I thought the chair I was working on was a pain in the butt....Well done sir

 

[Stone Message]

Hi fritter

Yet another piece of stunning work - well done.

Have you ever made a video or a video series about your guitar construction techniques? I think that a lot of us would learn something new and appreciate the effort that you put into your masterpieces.

Peter

 

[fritter63]

Thanks for the compliment Peter!

I haven't filmed the process, as I usually need a third hand just for building!

But my blog does have extensive pictures of the process ( just go through some of the earlier builds).

However, my youngest son is now a BECA (broadcast electronic communication arts) major at San Francisco state , so maybe he'll make me the subject of a short film?!

 

[Holmz]

I have to say this looks like a guitar Pablo Picasso would make [wink]

Beautiful detail work. Very impressive!

[member=5277]Alex[/member] i agree, kind of does your head in a bit to look at!

I have to concur with Kev on this analogy.  [big grin]  It makes me wonder if the use of two ovals, not unlike the f-holes in violins, one on each side of the strings, would be more balanced-looking without revealing the carbon fiber rod, and provide little or no degradation to the tone quality?  In any case, your workmanship really shines through on the Picasso model.

A friend has done some fluid dynamics and similar simulations on instruments as a hobby.
I doubt two holes would be good, in the same way that a car with one window down resonates but cracking an opposing window defeats the resonance.

Some of the features looked odd, like the bevel at the top of the players right. But then I thought, that is right with the forearm digs in, and it seemed like a Bauhaus solution.
The same with the beveled out section for the left hand high notes... It makes me wonder why they are all not like that?

That is a refreshing thing to look at, and pleasing to the ears as well.

 

[Sparktrician]

I doubt two holes would be good, in the same way that a car with one window down resonates but cracking an opposing window defeats the resonance.

That begs the question why Stradivarius violins are so highly respected for their tonal quality when they use symmetrically opposite F-holes.  I certainly don't have the answer and would leave it to those who have the appropriate education and experience to explain the phenomenon. 

 

[fritter63]

Guitars are not cars!

The cars "buffet" with one window down because you allow air in (at high speed/volume) and there is no outlet. So the pressure builds up till it bounces back.

A guitar sound hole does not let the sound waves in, only out. It is the exit point of the reverberations after they have been amplified by  hollow body.

Contrary to popular misconception, the sound gets by vibrating the bridge (where the strings are attached) which in turn vibrates the soundboard (top) with creates sound waves inside

 

[JBag09]

Looks great, love how the Claro Walnut sides and Flamed Koa go together. The rosette is really sharp looking to with the pearl inlay. Nice job.

 

[Kev]

Guitars are not cars!

The cars "buffet" with one window down because you allow air in (at high speed/volume) and there is no outlet. So the pressure builds up till it bounces back.

A guitar sound hole does not let the sound waves in, only out. It is the exit point of the reverberations after they have been amplified by  hollow body.

Contrary to popular misconception, the sound gets by vibrating the bridge (where the strings are attached) which in turn vibrates the soundboard (top) with creates sound waves inside

We're talking Helmholtz resonance aren't we? The old springy air thing ...

[member=10223]fritter63[/member] [member=40772]Holmz[/member]