New Build Day.. Black Korina Double Cut FINISHED (with quick demo)

Rabs

Hello folks....

So this will be my first build thread on here.....   Any questions, comments suggestions are always welcome...  Always happy to hear what people think be it good or bad.  This is something like my 13th guitar..

As you may have seen from another thread I did on this, this build is going to have a solid Korina body and neck..  Im debating the pickups at the moment. I had the idea at first to do an HSS configuration but the Gibson lover in me says put P90s in it... Well I will decide on that very soon..

Meanwhile I only went back to working today so had lots of tidying and stuff like that to do so didn't get to much done but I did get the body cut out...  And I have already done something unexpected (which you will find out I do quite often, not always to my advantage ) 

As we all know Photobucket has decided to pull 3rd party hosting so if you want to check this build out have a look here

http://s1173.photobucket.com/user/Rabs2010/library/2017 work?sort=3&page=18

Or you can check them out on my facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/pg/RabsWoodGuitars/photos/?tab=album&album_id=689114691257121

Most people I think would orientate the grain like this

http://i1173.photobucket.com/albums/r588/Rabs2010/DSC_0087_zpsfivgpacz.jpg

However for some reason I decided on the spot that I had to do it like this   What do you reckon..??

http://i1173.photobucket.com/albums/r588/Rabs2010/DSC_0092_zps2gpxhhto.jpg

Off to my trusty jigsaw

http://i1173.photobucket.com/albums/r588/Rabs2010/DSC_0094_zpsjipiojij.jpg

Im very proud of my jigsaw skills

http://i1173.photobucket.com/albums/r588/Rabs2010/DSC_0097_zps3duz1aaj.jpg

And this was the result...

http://i1173.photobucket.com/albums/r588/Rabs2010/DSC_0101_zpsyvuyxlpk.jpg

Love how it looks down the sides

http://i1173.photobucket.com/albums/r588/Rabs2010/DSC_0111_zpsovn2smjo.jpg

I was a bit worried about the weight as it was a big board but comes in at 6.5lbs which isn't too bad..  I was thinking of chambering it and adding a spalted maple top but it seems a shame to waste such nice wood.. I think it will be better as a slab body which I will either put a carve on or thin it out a bit, cos that's a bit chunky.

http://i1173.photobucket.com/albums/r588/Rabs2010/212948de-16b7-4b0f-aed7-15774bbfca80_zpstk1dexn9.jpg

Other than that... I marked out the neck ready for its truss rod channel

http://i1173.photobucket.com/albums/r588/Rabs2010/DSC_0106_zpshvhmysai.jpg

http://i1173.photobucket.com/albums/r588/Rabs2010/DSC_0110_zpsrryknelc.jpg

So there we are...  That's all I had time for today but will post more very soon. 

Doug

Wow!, love the body with the grain at 90 degrees to the neck.

John_P

Definitely the right decision about the body - looks fantastic!    

Rabs

Doug said:

Wow!, love the body with the grain at 90% to the neck.

Cheers.....  I wasn't 100% sure at first but I think I made the right choice...  Kind of like an alternate flame top 

WezV

Sorry to say it, but there is a reason the grain normally goes the other way.  It's more stable and a lot stronger.

that is impressive work with a jigsaw though

paulnb57

Excellent! I like builds......

Rabs

WezV said:

Sorry to say it, but there is a reason the grain normally goes the other way.  It's more stable and a lot stronger.

that is impressive work with a jigsaw though

I did think of this but I reckon this wood is hard enough to take it.....  We will find out soon enough 

TTony

Beautiful piece of timber.

WezV

Rabs said:

WezV said:

Sorry to say it, but there is a reason the grain normally goes the other way.  It's more stable and a lot stronger.

that is impressive work with a jigsaw though

I did think of this but I reckon this wood is hard enough to take it.....  We will find out soon enough 

It would be really interesting if you did an example with the correct grain orientation and identical woods... I suspect there would be a big difference acoustically.

I suspect the vibration in wood will travel easier along the grain than across it  

Recently we had some examples shown here of a multiple scarf joined neck shaft with bits of wood glued together at all kinds of angles... and not a single grainline running the whole length of a neck, or even more than a few inches.  Obviously the person who did it claimed it was just as strong as a normal neck without any additional reinforcement, and it certainly looked pretty.  But it made me very uncomfortable.  The grain is everything when it comes to judging the strength and stability of wood

Rabs

WezV said:

Rabs said:

WezV said:

Sorry to say it, but there is a reason the grain normally goes the other way.  It's more stable and a lot stronger.

that is impressive work with a jigsaw though

I did think of this but I reckon this wood is hard enough to take it.....  We will find out soon enough 

It would be really interesting if you did an example with the correct grain orientation and identical woods... I suspect there would be a big difference acoustically.

I suspect the vibration in wood will travel easier along the grain than across it  

That would indeed be interesting...

The problem with that sort of thing is that as we know EVERY bit of wood is unique..  So it could never be a true test ..  But yes I totally get where you are coming from...

In my experience so far, I don't think it will have any major effects..  If I was using a soft wood like Pine I wouldn't have done that but this wood really is of a nice hardness so I think it will be ok (well I hope so )

But hey, im not making this for anyone as such so its fine for me to experiment.  If I learn that for some reason it was actually a bad idea, I will then actually have the experience to say, no don't do that its bad... 

When I made my half and half guitar (made of half Ash and half Utile body and neck) people were saying much the same sort of things to me... It will warp, it wont work blah blah, and guess what, it worked fine... and even year later when its had time to settle its still fine.

You never know till you try 

Sporky

Rabs said:

That would indeed be interesting...

The problem with that sort of thing is that as we know EVERY bit of wood is unique..  So it could never be a true test ..  But yes I totally get where you are coming from...

I think two bodies from the same plank will be close enough to rule that out for this sort of test.

Rabs

Sporky said:

Rabs said:

That would indeed be interesting...

The problem with that sort of thing is that as we know EVERY bit of wood is unique..  So it could never be a true test ..  But yes I totally get where you are coming from...

I think two bodies from the same plank will be close enough to rule that out for this sort of test.

Which I think is the issue with people trying such tests with guitars... Its really not very scientific only close enough which gives enough leeway for people to dispute any findings and thus probably never agree on the results..  Which is what I see all over the internet.. I wish someone could come up with some sort of proof of the various guitar theories  it would end all of the nonsense 

WezV

I only meant for your own experience to give a fully informed opinion, not a scientifically valid experiment.

this may work fine, but making a second with woods as close as you can get will allow you to form an opinion on whether it's better or worse.

similarly, the half and half may work fine but is it better on worse than the same guitar made the more traditional way? You could form a valid opinion by building two more in each of the woods used, maybe even a third with the woods the opposite way round. it would be enough for an informed opinion, not a scientific conclusion.

the other thing to consider is the effects of time.  Wood always has its own natural tensions which have an effect over time as they are subjected to different environments.  
wood also changes in size over time, up and down but gradual shrinkage.  It always changes more  across the grain than along it.  Different woods act differently, no matter how well seasoned they are.  Most multi species laminated necks get slight ridges within a few years (Not an issue, just a natural sign of a natural process)

you really need the test of time too


thats not meant to be discouraging, it's well worth trying these things out

Rabs

WezV said:

thats not meant to be discouraging, it's well worth trying these things out

Indeed...  Which is why im trying it out    well that is making a guitar  with grain going that way..  Also it looks really pretty which is probably the main reason I decided to do it

At some point I may try a test like that but it will also require all of the same hardware...  and at the moment I build each one as I go and use whatever hardware takes my fancy or just something I think will sound great (my first ever build involved using a Hummer and P90 combo which you don't find that often)....

But yes a good idea for an experiment in the near future.

WezV

not an experiment... don't use that word unless you mean it, it gets you in all kind of pointless debates

I would encourage you to consider more than just showing it works, because it probably will.   That should not be the end of the story.


also, don't put the strap button on the top horn unless you intend on using a long screw, the horns will certainly be weaker.



here is a bit of light reading on the subject of dimensional shrinkage
http://www.wood-database.com/wood-articles/dimensional-shrinkage/

Rabs

WezV said:

not an experiment... don't use that word unless you mean it, it gets you in all kind of pointless debates

I would encourage you to consider more than just showing it works, because it probably will.   That should not be the end of the story.


also, don't put the strap button on the top horn unless you intend on using a long screw, the horns will certainly be weaker.



here is a bit of light reading on the subject of dimensional shrinkage
http://www.wood-database.com/wood-articles/dimensional-shrinkage/

Hmm,  interesting cheers...   BUT does that also go for wood that is sealed with whatever?  

And the strap button WILL go on the horn..  I personally hate it when its in the middle of the guitar..  Just doesn't seem right to me.. Its not an SG 

Rabs

Anyway back to the build....   Having one of those weird weeks where I don't seem to get much done.. Just busy with life stuff.. Kind of annoying,,  But anyway, today I started on the inlays.. This is only the third time ive ever done this but the method seems to work pretty well...   I do have a dremel tool but need to get the right sort of bits to try and do it that way... I want to get more into that sort of detailed inlay work (and maybe some wood carving on the bodies)...

So heres the nice ebony board I have for this build.. 

http://i1173.photobucket.com/albums/r588/Rabs2010/DSC_0124_zpshjzmteuw.jpg

Then I set the inlays out and mark which each one is

http://i1173.photobucket.com/albums/r588/Rabs2010/DSC_0128_zpslzu0wm8m.jpg

The I use a scalpel to mark around the edge... I use a small square of double sided tape to stick it down and hold it with my fingers too (I was using the other hand to take the picture )

http://i1173.photobucket.com/albums/r588/Rabs2010/DSC_0127_zpswlnmqukn.jpg

Then you go around the lines again making them deeper.. Its good not to use too much pressure to do this rather more lighter passes

http://i1173.photobucket.com/albums/r588/Rabs2010/DSC_0132_zpsjrc9zy0p.jpg

Then use the corner of a chisel to gouge the wood out just inside the lines...

http://i1173.photobucket.com/albums/r588/Rabs2010/DSC_0136_zps02oiv7fx.jpg

And do that all the way around

http://i1173.photobucket.com/albums/r588/Rabs2010/DSC_0137_zpsgvd0z5mq.jpg

Then make the lines around the edges a bit deeper

http://i1173.photobucket.com/albums/r588/Rabs2010/DSC_0138_zpsvbcvvk28.jpg

Then you evacuate the middle

http://i1173.photobucket.com/albums/r588/Rabs2010/DSC_0139_zpsznbapbnp.jpg

and hey presto..   just need to clean the edges up and make it a bit deeper

http://i1173.photobucket.com/albums/r588/Rabs2010/DSC_0142_zpsxgo0hpfr.jpg

Once you are happy with the fit, in goes the super glue

http://i1173.photobucket.com/albums/r588/Rabs2010/DSC_0145_zps7osbdkia.jpg

And here you go.. It is sitting a bit proud but that's fine as its thick enough to be sanded flush and still have enough inlay

http://i1173.photobucket.com/albums/r588/Rabs2010/DSC_0147_zpsj47usmth.jpg

If there are any tiny gaps around the edges, they will be filled with Ebony dust and super glue

http://i1173.photobucket.com/albums/r588/Rabs2010/DSC_0148_zpspzf9jilr.jpg

Now I just have to do that nine more times.. which I will finish tomorrow but I have marked them all out

http://i1173.photobucket.com/albums/r588/Rabs2010/DSC_0150_zpshlhlpgbb.jpg

WezV

Yes, wood will still be affected by the environment even when finished, but it does obviously slow down and help to control the natural process

i have put the strap button on the top horn of every junior I have built, so I understand wanting it there.

ChrisMusic

Rabs said:

And the strap button WILL go on the horn ***..  I personally hate it when its in the middle of the guitar..  Just doesn't seem right to me.. Its not an SG 

Enjoying your build Rabs, good thread.

I thought that the grain pattern was somewhat wasted on the traditional orientation, and whilst being a bit concerned about stringing the guitar across the grain, it certainly looks the part, and a sturdy looking wood slab too.  It will be a very pretty guitar when you have finished.  Looking forward to seeing it complete, but enjoying the ride  

*** Vigier use a brass ferrule on their Excalibur guitars as the top horn is quite thin, here's a picture if that helps...

http://www.vigierguitars.com/html/Description_US/strap.html

ChrisMusic

BTW, Vigier also have some other nice innovations, like the carbon reinforced neck, which is totally stable and truss rod free, also the tempered easily replaceable zero fret, and some nice wobbly string guides.  Worth having a gander ?

Rabs

ChrisMusic said:

BTW, Vigier also have some other nice innovations, like the carbon reinforced neck, which is totally stable and truss rod free, also the tempered easily replaceable zero fret, and some nice wobbly string guides.  Worth having a gander ?

Always...  Im always looking about for new and interesting ways of doing things...  Its amazing just how many different ways you can do something and get the same or similar results so its always worth looking ... Cheers