Making a start

Solid Body Steels, Reso, Weissenborn...
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Jif
Posts: 86
Joined: Thu Nov 08, 2012 12:54 pm
Location: Scotland

Making a start

Post by Jif »

Well I've had a Flu / Cold since before Xmas, so haven't made a lot of progress on my Lap build. I have started doing a bit of design using FreeCad and I think I know roughly what I want to achieve, which is an 8 string Fender style guitar with legs. I'm thinking of using 2 pieces of Black Walnut giving a total depth of either 1.5" or 2.5", with a maple fretboard.

I have very little experience of doing this sort of thing, so I'm just going to take it slow and hopefully not make too many mistakes. I've started de-fretting a bass I've had for some time and this is getting me into the way of working on instruments.

Been looking at making my own pickups, I've had a few ideas on designing a Alumnitone style pickup that I'd like to experiment with. What I'd really like is a two pickup system, one a pencil style, the other an individual pole style. If anyone has any suppliers for pickup parts (8 string) I'd be grateful for the info.

I'll probably start in earnest once the weather gets a bit warmer, I work in my attic and it's currently freezing, until then will be mostly working on a plan.

I bought an Anderwood Big Island Weissenborn for my Christmas and have been having great fun with it. If anyone is interested I put a video up on YouTube of my rough attempt at Ed Gerhards arrangement of Rye Whisky. I recorded this using a small Sony stereo mike plugged into my Sony Cam.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSWeWVle-5o
azureskys
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Joined: Sat Apr 10, 2010 1:12 am

Re: Making a start

Post by azureskys »

Hi jif , youtube sounded pretty good .
maxi19
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Joined: Mon Oct 22, 2012 12:55 pm
Location: Milton Keynes, England

Re: Making a start

Post by maxi19 »

Good morning Jif,

watched your u-tube it sounded good.

Ron Mc
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Jif
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Joined: Thu Nov 08, 2012 12:54 pm
Location: Scotland

Re: Making a start

Post by Jif »

Thanks guys, I'm beginning to get the hang of it. I love the sound the Weissenborn gives, hadn't come across them until recently, I can't put it down at the moment :P
mark63uni
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Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2013 12:26 pm
Location: New Brunswick, Canada

Re: Making a start

Post by mark63uni »

Nicely done, looking forward to seeing the build!
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Jif
Posts: 86
Joined: Thu Nov 08, 2012 12:54 pm
Location: Scotland

Re: Making a start

Post by Jif »

Thanks man.

Think it'll be a while before I get anywhere near where you are at the moment. Yours is looking really sweet, I'd love to hear the results once you get it finished :D

I have a question regarding board thicknesses. My intention is to make a solid guitar from two boards, the bottom board will essentially be a base, with the top board doing all the work.

I would like the tuner head to be of the square cut-out type, (pedal steel style), this will be cut out of the top board and attached to the bottom board. I was thinking of making the top board 3/4" and was wondering if this will be strong enough to take the string tension. I figure it should be but would be grateful for any advice.

With the bottom board being either 3/4" or 1-3/4" giving a total thickness of either 1-1/2" or 2-1/2"

I think I would like to go with the 1-1/2" total thickness to keep the weight/size down but would appreciate advice on whether this would be detrimental to the sound quality/sustain.

I'll upload a rough sketch when I get a chance.

Any advice appreciated ;)
mark63uni
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Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2013 12:26 pm
Location: New Brunswick, Canada

Re: Making a start

Post by mark63uni »

When you say 2 boards, I'm assuming your going to be gluing them together.,? I was just wondering what you meant by the top board doing all the work and if 3/4 would handle the string tention. I would think an overall thickness of 1-1/2 would be ok.. 2-1/2 would be preety heavy duty.

I'm far from sound clip ready on that lap of mine but I'll be definatly posting one when I finish it up. Thanks!
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Jif
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Joined: Thu Nov 08, 2012 12:54 pm
Location: Scotland

Re: Making a start

Post by Jif »

Yes, two boards stuck together. I was thinking about shaping the tuner head in the top piece, with the bottom piece being solid underneath this. Looking at pics of other similar laps, I think that 3/4" will be fine.

I was thinking of total thickness of 1-1/2", thanks for confirming that for me.

I'll post a sketch up :)

I read the section in the forum regarding pup making, some very interesting stuff in there. I'm intending to experiment with an Alumnitone style pickup and have ordered some flat copper & square copper pieces to use for this. I'm going to try a solid state amplification circuit rather than using step up (mic) transformers. This has probably been tried before. My plan is to make them more like a conventional pup in size and appearance but using a low impedance coil of some kind.

I'll post my results in the appropriate forum section.
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Jif
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Joined: Thu Nov 08, 2012 12:54 pm
Location: Scotland

Re: Making a start

Post by Jif »

I've drawn up a rough sketch, just need to firm up on actual sizes and draw some full scale plans. Hopefully I'll have this done before next payday so I can get the wood ordered up.

Image
maxi19
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Joined: Mon Oct 22, 2012 12:55 pm
Location: Milton Keynes, England

Re: Making a start

Post by maxi19 »

It will look nice with the 'black walnut' and maple.

Ron Mc
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