Re: #11, Wabi-sabi Guitar
Posted: Wed Oct 18, 2023 3:44 pm
Kevin,
I did a smaller version with horizontal segments in the neck heel in contrasting woods for my #10 build. Just needed additional length and lacked more of the teak so used maple scraps already surfaced to that thickness. Liked the effect, but I broke the heel by tightening the 1/4-20 screw against the single cross-barrel nut (see my #10 build). Did same for this one, added more maple. It also has the thin maple in line with a nut, but I'm hoping my glue joint is better this time.
The first guitar book I bought, in a second-hand bookstore, was Don Teeter's. He remarked he'd built a guitar once using white pine for bracing and it sounded good, so I've done that for all my builds. He also said the intonation would be lots better with a quarter-inch of width on the saddle, so I've done that also. As well, it's lots easier to make bridges with a slot plowed straight across.
Note that Lowden uses thin saddles but has two in their bridges for improved intonation, one for strings 1 & 2 and a second for the rest.
I use Corian for both nuts and saddles, though currently I'm using a zero fret so making false nuts to space the strings. I do this purely because I have a sink cut-out in white Corian which is, in my case, a more than lifetime supply. It's hard to find bone in dimensions that I need, though I'll readily admit bone undoubtedly has better acoustic properties.
The Corian works easily and is fairly tough. I never glue either nuts or saddles in, though I try for a press-fit in a tapered slot for the nuts, like front sights on rifles. Having them easily removable will hopefully let a later luthier easily fabricate replacements if the Corian proves deficient.
I did a smaller version with horizontal segments in the neck heel in contrasting woods for my #10 build. Just needed additional length and lacked more of the teak so used maple scraps already surfaced to that thickness. Liked the effect, but I broke the heel by tightening the 1/4-20 screw against the single cross-barrel nut (see my #10 build). Did same for this one, added more maple. It also has the thin maple in line with a nut, but I'm hoping my glue joint is better this time.
The first guitar book I bought, in a second-hand bookstore, was Don Teeter's. He remarked he'd built a guitar once using white pine for bracing and it sounded good, so I've done that for all my builds. He also said the intonation would be lots better with a quarter-inch of width on the saddle, so I've done that also. As well, it's lots easier to make bridges with a slot plowed straight across.
Note that Lowden uses thin saddles but has two in their bridges for improved intonation, one for strings 1 & 2 and a second for the rest.
I use Corian for both nuts and saddles, though currently I'm using a zero fret so making false nuts to space the strings. I do this purely because I have a sink cut-out in white Corian which is, in my case, a more than lifetime supply. It's hard to find bone in dimensions that I need, though I'll readily admit bone undoubtedly has better acoustic properties.
The Corian works easily and is fairly tough. I never glue either nuts or saddles in, though I try for a press-fit in a tapered slot for the nuts, like front sights on rifles. Having them easily removable will hopefully let a later luthier easily fabricate replacements if the Corian proves deficient.
