Thread: A Few Projects To Share With You

I agree with all of those Ethereal.
I'm hoping to get my two latest ready for refinishing by the end of this month
and then we can hear what the Sheoak/blackwood combo sounds. It'll balance nicely.
Also the Qld walnut is an interesting one. Not too sure where to put this one
but time will tell.
Ahh,.myrtle........From what I've read, from people who have used it, Myrtle is a bright sounding timber, with a fair amount of sparkle in it.
A good match for blackwood if you're after some deeper mids and a little bite.

cheers, Stu

Originally Posted by EtherealGuitars

No hijack at all folks. I raise many issues about Oz Timbers and what to expect tonally so I think this builds the thread nicely. Oz Tradie raised a perfect comparison about the QLD Walnut vs the QLD Maple....acoustics are a raw presenter of tone and this is a very good guide. I am starting to develop a bit of a 'tone catalogue' in my mind of Oz Timbers so I can build to my own tastes and those of others.....so far I have the found the following to be true to my ear:

Blackwood: On the warm side but balanced on it's own
QLD Maple: A bright sounding timber that is to trebly for me on it's own but matches Blackwood beautifully
Vic Ash: Similar to QM
Jarrah: The warmest and boomiest I have found, too heavy for a body but matches well as a top on QM or VA
Tas Myrtle: Don't know yet? Comments anyone? This would be useful as I have one build on the go with a TM carve top and centre laminate in a 3 piece neck.
QLD Walnut: Haven't used it yet but from what I am told is warm, perhaps halfway between BW and Jarrah??? Again, comments would be great.
WA Sheoak: My experience has suggested a bright sounding wood, a good carvetop match to a Blackwood body would be my view.

Please feel inspired to keep this going folks. We could all end up with a great reference to guide us in future timber selection decisions. I'd love to know what Blackheart Sassafrass is like as I have some 19mm stock ready for carve tops .

I have found that the less figured QLD maple seems less bright than figured stuff, though that is not technically proven. I think the QLD Walnut description could be correct.

Anyway, nothing is definite as every board is different.

i think straight plain timber sounds better than highly figured timber in general

The straight grained timber theory I tend to subscribe to also...I think I read somewhere about the natural flow of sting vibration working better through straight, quartersawn timber.

The natural variances of timber is what makes instrument building such a rewarding thing to do. No timber is identical and the idea behind trying to understand the general tendencies of different species is to have some framework for selection and decision making. Custom built guitars are all unique, they are one of a kind builds that to me makes them infinitely more appealing than a mass produced/sausage factory job .....even the expensive ones .

Some of the Blackwood in particular that I have worked with varies so much in colour, grain and WEIGHT....the uneducated would not believe them to be the same species.

thanks for making that list, will deffinately be refering to that in the future.

Anything currently in the works, being completed or even contemplated?

Anything currently in the works, being completed or even contemplated?

Yep,
- Thinline Tele with a Qld maple body, blackwood cap and neck with Qld maple binding
- A few of my own designs Dbl and Single cutaway.
- Lespaul
- Strat

I haven't started yet, but i got all my drawings and measurements sorted.
Post pics soon

What you got on the go RGM?

A pile of timber, some designs in my head and absolutely no time to get to my parents house to create these said designs out of said pile of timber.

Though in paper/12mm MDF template form i have:

-Telecaster, semi hollow
-Flying V, somewhat smaller compared to gibson

-Les Paul Jr DC style guitar, neck-thru with two p-90's instead.
-Les Paul neck thru
-5-String fretless bass for a mate (may happen, may not)
-Some designs of my own, such as the Brazilian mahogany DC

Oh, i have also started building the jigs for my acoustic...

Looks good RGM,
sorry ethereal this should be continued in the "post recent progress thread"
Deano

Originally Posted by Deano

Looks good RGM,
sorry ethereal this should be continued in the "post recent progress thread"
Deano

in fact that thread's been going for so long we could almost call for a sub forum in the MI forum called "In Progress and Finished Work" or similar. and perhaps rename the main forum "Musical instrument tech" talk or similar

Good to see some projects are on their way folks! Good suggestions ol picker, if we had ONE topic where new builds and work in progress goes, we could all keep track of each others builds a lot easier.

I have 3 projects on the go at the moment:

• Double cutaway, Blackwood body, Tas Myrtle carve top, with trem, twin buckers Seymour Duncan's SH2 and SH6, 3 piece laminate neck with veneers. Guitar is fully built and assembled. Now requires final sanding before nitro finish process will start when the following 2 are also ready....want to spray 3 at once to avoid the perceived stuffing around with setup etc to spray only one guitar
• Single cutaway, Blackwood body, QLD Maple carve top, TOM w/string thru, twin buckers SD's also probably SH2 and SH4 on this one......, 3 piece laminate neck with veneers, carve and cc cavity to complete, glue neck and she's ready for final sanding.
• Metal series (my Warlock variation), QLD Maple body with Curly Jarrah top, twin buckers, EMG 81 and 85 for this one I am thinking or some very aggressive SD non actives, 3 piece laminate neck with veneers....pretty much ready to glue neck on and final sand.

Pics to follow when I get a chance, hopefully over the weekend. Must admit I have been doing a hell of a lot of playing since I finished the last 3 a few weeks ago, oh and picked up a Mesa 5:50 twin combo....tone heaven, can't tear myself away from it, neighbours are sick of me

Here's to a productive weekend for all.

Originally Posted by Deano

Looks good RGM,
sorry ethereal this should be continued in the "post recent progress thread"
Deano

No sweat buddy! I heard a little "birdy" mention something about some Blackwood tonight......let me know if there are any leftovers

Some people just can't keep their big mouths closed !!!!




cheers, the loudmouth

Here's an update on my latest singlecut project....15mm QLD Maple top on a 32mm Blackwood body.......some pics of my carve for you all....I am very happy with this one...has all come together very nicely so far without any scary moments

This build will have Seymour Duncan SH4 bridge and SH2 neck pups....my first build with Duncans....very excited....







Plenty more sanding and 'fine tuning' to go but a good start