Wez venables guitar build - Done and dusted!!

[ToneMonkey]

3. Bloodwood:Zebrano:Bloodwood neck with the fingerboard blank cut off the same neck blank (after glueing) so it just carries on through the neck on fretboard.

i like the idea of mixing bloodwood and zebrano in the neck, but i really dont like the idea of mixing fretboard woods.  it can look great but seems a little wrong to me - you might get the strings sounding differnt from each other because of the tonal characteristics of each peice of fretboard wood!!

I couldn't see that to be honest.  The strings (open) are suspended from the nut and tehbridge which both act as solid units.  Although the nut is often attached to the fretboard, each of the fretboard woods are, more or less, solidly bonded to the nut.  Therefore they'll act as one piece.

When fretted, the string is suspended from the fret and the bridge.  As the fret is bonded to all three pieces, teh fret board should act as one piece of wood.

But I never deny the possibility that I could be talking out of my arse  :lol:

[WezV]

but when you play a guitar with an ebony fretboard over some thing like rosewood it feels very different - and dont foget that the fret is firmly connected to the wood underneath it.  I think fretboard wood changes the 'attack'  characteristic of the sound.

the bloodwood would have a similar feel to ebony and possibly a sharper attack thean the zebrano.

Anyway, i was just looking at the wood and decided to draw the shape on to show hat it would actually look like.  the wood has been wiped with spirits to show more of the figure but it also darkens it somewhat:

here is the flamed maple again, although i would probably put the body the other way to get more flame accross the lower bout:


the spalted maple:


and the acrylised b/e maple fretboard.  Its a very nice peice of wood that no one has noticed:

[noodleplugerine]

I still think that the Spalted is the way to go - It's gorgeous.

The maple looks superb aswell - But I'd still rather see the Bochote - Never seen spalted Bochote before - But it aswell is gorgeous =)

[WezV]

the bocote isnt spalted.  It has very tight orangey yellow and black grain lines.  with that peice being flatsawn it cuts though a few grain lines and creates the crazy look.  although when i start sanding the radius it will completely change the way the bocote looks - always a gamble with flatsawn fretboards

Couldnt use spalted wood for a fretboard anyway - wouldnt last more than a day unless it was acrylised

[WezV]

bocote seems popular so here is another pic, close up:

[_tom_]

Wez, how much would it cost for you to make another one of these, maybe with different woods (I only say that because I have no idea how padauk sounds):



(sorry if you dont like hotlinking from your site, I'll take it down if you want)

I think it looks great :D

As for the guitar in this thread, I dont particularly like the body shape, but I think the spalted maple looks nicer on it than flamed might.

[WezV]

Thx for the interest but that stuff is best done through PM's

Sorry to be funny guys but my intention in this thread was not to shamelessly whore myself out as a guitar builder.  it is something i do as well as having a full time(if you can call it that ) job as a teacher, i do it mainly because i really like guitars and i am pretty damn good at it.  I do take on custom work and commisions but only about 5-6 a year so i am really not doing this thread for advertisment and i dont want to be in a situation where anyone thinks i am using this forum for that much shameless self promotion.  One day i may like to be a full time luthier but at the moment i would rather be in the situation i am in where i get to pick exactly what i want to do and put my full effort into everything i make...  i am not sure that would still be possible if i was worrying about the bills as i was doing it!!!

I will say this here then we will keep this thread on topic.  If you like my guitars and wonder if we could do something together then send me a message telling me what you want .  I will email back to tell you if it is something i would want to do, how much i would charge and how long it would probably take!!

sorry if tha comes over as a little harsh but i really only wanted to do this thread because lots of people here seem genuinely interested in the construction of guitars!!!  the stage we are at now of showing lots of pics of wood and critiquing the shapes is exactly what i would do with a client.

[_tom_]

Ah ok, sorry, I tend to take threads off topic without realising :lol: I'm very interested but probably wont be able to afford one for ages anyway now I think about it  :oops: Will PM next time!

[WezV]

i have PM'ed you tom :D

i am always greatfull for the interest folks, mainly because it makes me feel good. but i think it would be a little unfair for Tim to be funding my add campaign

[Bainzy]

Looking good Wez - if you really like Ziricote for fretboards, give me a shout if you ever have trouble tracking any down in future as I've got enough left from the ebay stash I bought for 9 more fretboards and I can't see me using it all.

[WezV]

cheers bainzy - i have just orderdd a load of fretboards . ..   but if you had owt big enough for a neck that is something i would really like to try!!

[opprobrium_9]

bocote seems popular so here is another pic, close up:

a very vehement YES YES YES YES YES (yet again).

I am actually, contrary to my instincts, starting to love the look you have going with the spalt.  I do, however, think that the body shape is a bit meh (for lack of a real word).  Someone said they just wanted to break off the curved bit at the cutaway, and i have to agree.  I think, personally, i would accentuate the cutaway tip more and have less of a bowling out bottom to the body, it looks very unwieldy, even if it is not physically, the shape portrays that effect.  But if you tighten up the bottom of the body (just a tad) and then got with the spalt and Bocote, i think you would have something very apealing.  However, if you do choose to go with the flamed maple, i would not use the Bocote, it would just look "off" and not bring out the natural effects of both woods... in other words, they would clash in look, and certainly aesthetic appeal.

[WezV]

yeah you are spot on - the bocote and spalted maple will go together to make a very woody organic guitar wheras the flamed maple will probably look best with a strong colour and they always look best to my eyes with dark fretboards and headstocks.

I might have a re-design on the body if it really isnt greatly appealing to anyone so please be honest if you dont like it!!!

[dave_mc]

vote 1:

spalted maple top

or

Plain korina body with no top (see vote 2)

Vote 2:
The shape i posted above (with the flamed top)

or

Suddenly i want to do a firebird!! (plain korina)



Vote 3
State your prefered neck wood and fretboard from the selection above (can't really vote on that, i haven't tried most of those  :oops: )

Vote 4 - bridge

tele style with humbucker

or

tune-o-matic

Vote 5
Choose a cpikcup combo you belive to be truly versatile from the BKP range!!

again, can't really vote on that, the only ones i've tried are the silly grin hard rock/metal ones.

who said i was indecisive?  :lol:

[sambo]

i'd agree with a couple of things about the body shape.

although i like the lower horn, i would just make the main chunk of body a little less big and circular... it looks a little bit out of proportion to the other half to my eyes.... it's close to looking great though.


i'd also go with the Spalted Maple and that Bocote, definitely- looks great.