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Latest Steel String
http://w-ww.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=17379		 Page 1 of 2
Author:  SniderMike [ Wed May 28, 2008 1:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Latest Steel String
Like I said in another thread, I found a great piece of bubinga (African Rosewood ;) ) at my local Woodcraft. Anyway, I resawed some for this OMish guitar. Sitka top from LMI, as well as Macassar Ebony FB and bridge. Walnut binding that I made, mahog-o-lam purfling from BobC. Walnut and mahogany neck. Maple end wedge, heel cap, and headstock back.

Huge thanks to Rick Turner for lots of help on this one. Rick Turner Flying buttresses, (although I used Dave White's slight variation. Thanks Dave). Rick Turner CF reinforced back seam. I'll call them RTFBs and RTCFRBS. So this allowed me to brace the upper bout much lighter than usual, although I did still glue down the FB extension (but lightly with white glue, ala Mario Proulx). Also put a couple CF bars in the neck on either side of the truss rod. It's a pretty solid unit. Big thanks to Robbie O'Brien too, and everyone else who offered advice and help.

I REALLY like the sound of this one. I don't like the soundport placement, and I don't like the rosette. I should have used the mahog-o-lam. I also think I went overboard with the amount of woods used.

Please give me your honest critiques.

Attachment:
SS3FullAng.jpg


Attachment:
SS3BodAng.jpg


Attachment:
SS3FBE.jpg


Attachment:
SS3Purf.jpg


Attachment:
SS3BackNJ1.jpg


Attachment:
SS3Butt2.jpg


Attachment:
SS3NeckDwnHeel.jpg


Thanks fer lookin. Hope that's not too many pics!
Author:  SniderMike [ Wed May 28, 2008 1:09 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Latest Steel String
And the innards:

Attachment:
SS3Top2.jpg


Attachment:
SS3BackBracing.jpg
Author:  Dave White [ Wed May 28, 2008 1:24 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Latest Steel String
Mike,

I like the shape - the cutaway flows nicely - and the workmanship looks very good from the pictures (nice pics too). I think the woods work very well together and are interesting but I see why you think there may be too many. Perhaps the end-graft and heel cap in Macassar would have been a little less "busy" but the maple looks nice too. I actually think the rosette works very well and I like it. The bubinga looks mighty fine - not zooty bling but lovely and interesting grain and colour for all that. I've never tried a soundport on the lower bout - I'm very boring and put all of mine on the upper bout side. Well done for trying the flying buttress braces, now all you have to do is build the neck extension solid and free from the top altogether.

What's different and what do you like about the sound of this one?
Author:  TonyKarol [ Wed May 28, 2008 1:52 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Latest Steel String
I am with Dave .. I LOVE that kind of venetian on an OM .. very smooth. Nicely done.
Author:  SteveCourtright [ Wed May 28, 2008 1:59 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Latest Steel String
Lots of tasty details and the innards are just amazing. I love the work on the fretboard and headstock.
Author:  Robbie O'Brien [ Wed May 28, 2008 2:09 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Latest Steel String
BTW, Mike did his own cat urethane finish on this one and it is one of the best I have seen!! Very nice! [clap] [clap] [clap]
Author:  SniderMike [ Wed May 28, 2008 2:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Latest Steel String
Thanks a lot, guys! I really appreciate it.

Dave, the sound on this one.... Hard for me to describe. There's just more to it. Lots of volume. The bass is full but crisp, and the trebles are nice and smooth. There's also a "woody" tone to it that I like.
Author:  Howard Klepper [ Wed May 28, 2008 2:47 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Latest Steel String
That's some very nice work, Mike. I was under the false impression that you were a beginner.
Author:  David R White [ Wed May 28, 2008 3:07 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Latest Steel String
Personally I like Bubinga like that more than the extremely figured stuff, it's pretty and elegant. The body shape is nice as well.
Author:  Billy T [ Wed May 28, 2008 3:40 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Latest Steel String
SniderMike wrote:
I also think I went overboard with the amount of woods used.


Looks great Mike!! I don't think you over did it at all. As taste, I generally go toward more simpler combo's but yours works very well! Great job!
Author:  Alain Desforges [ Wed May 28, 2008 3:47 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Latest Steel String
Mike, that is off the charts man! Outstanding work and your attention to detail is flawless.

Top drawer!
Author:  Robbie O'Brien [ Wed May 28, 2008 4:12 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Latest Steel String
SniderMike wrote:
Thanks a lot, guys! I really appreciate it.

Dave, the sound on this one.... Hard for me to describe. There's just more to it. Lots of volume. The bass is full but crisp, and the trebles are nice and smooth. There's also a "woody" tone to it that I like.



Loud and Balanced huh Mike!?! haha That is a little inside joke for those that attended the Kent Everett voicing master class a few weeks ago.
Author:  Bob Long [ Wed May 28, 2008 4:19 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Latest Steel String
That's a beauty Mike! I love the walnut neck... The contrasting tail graft is very cool too.

long
Author:  Dave Anderson [ Wed May 28, 2008 4:52 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Latest Steel String
A very fine job indeed Mike. I like the look of the neck and
great job on the mitres. And Very perdy bubinga with
a great finish!! [:Y:]
Author:  Don Williams [ Wed May 28, 2008 5:50 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Latest Steel String
Excellent looking work! You have some really great details in this one. I like the back reinforcing strip and the cutaway especially, but all the elements work well together.

[:Y:] [clap] [:Y:] [clap] [:Y:] [clap] [:Y:] [clap] [:Y:] [clap]
Author:  SniderMike [ Wed May 28, 2008 6:40 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Latest Steel String
Dang. Thanks a bunch, everyone.
Author:  Pat Hawley [ Wed May 28, 2008 8:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Latest Steel String
Very nice Mike. Probably a dumb question but why do the insides of the sides look black? Are they lined with something?

Pat
Author:  Terence Kennedy [ Wed May 28, 2008 10:10 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Latest Steel String
Striking! Nice miters and flow between the cutaway and heel. I like the rosette but would probably have used something a little quieter for the endgraft and heelcap. A very nice piece of work and great photography as well.
Terry
Author:  Steve Kinnaird [ Wed May 28, 2008 10:34 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Latest Steel String
Really nice, Mike!
I think the walnut/mahog neck was a bold choice for the Bubinga body, but--man--that looks great together!
Thanks for the new ideas.

Steve
Author:  LiquidGabe [ Wed May 28, 2008 11:00 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Latest Steel String
I was just checking out Mark Swanson's latest on the MIMF, about 180 degrees from your guitar as far as wood combos go. His uses only walnut and cedar. I loved that guitar, and love yours too. Personality. Most instruments fall in a narrower, more generally accepted range of contrast. Unique and sweetly executed guitars are what I like to see best, and seeing is all we can do across the tubes of the internet...

Hey, I think that if you hung that guitar on the wall it would really tie the room together. You must have spent all your free time on that, obviously, you are not a golfer. A guitar like that makes me want to treat objects like women man! Though I've never seen the queen in her undies, now that I've seen that guitar I know I can die without feeling like the good Lord gypped me... ;) (end Lebowski tirade here).

The details kill me. One day I'll do a fretboard like that, an end graft like that, etc...
Author:  LuthierSupplier [ Thu May 29, 2008 8:46 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Latest Steel String
Mike,
Very nice! I think the woods compliment each other very well. But I like to see less different woods on my guitars. This one turned out exceptional, and you should be very proud! I like the rosette, the cutaway, the mahog-o-lam purfling is killer with your binding. I would have kept the sound port in the upper bout, and used a darker wood for the end wedge and peghead backstrap. But that is just my taste. Either way you succeeded with another awesome guitar! Congrats! Hope I get to play this one at the next CO Luthiers meeting.
Author:  SniderMike [ Thu May 29, 2008 11:01 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Latest Steel String
Shoosh, I'm pretty suprised at all the positive feedback. I didn't think you guys were going to like this one. Anyway, thank you all so much, and thanks for the constructive criticisms too.

Pat, the insides I dyed black. I thought it would look cool. Ok, maybe I was trying to cover something up too. Nice eye!

Terry, I have to take a LOT of pictures to get a few that are decent. Thanks.

Gabe, that's, like, your opinion, man. ;)

Tracy, thank you. When is the next one?

Thanks again to everyone for the great feedback.
Author:  WaddyThomson [ Thu May 29, 2008 11:35 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Latest Steel String
Geez, Mike, we're going to think you are serious about this guitar building stuff. Another beauty! [clap] [clap] [clap] [clap] [clap]
Author:  Allen McFarlen [ Thu May 29, 2008 3:30 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Latest Steel String
Personally, I don't care for the sound port placement, and the endgraft in the same wood as the bindings would be my choice. Small cosmetic elements that really are each to their own. I really like the rosette. The overall package is very nice, and the attention to detail is excellent.
Author:  Billy T [ Fri May 30, 2008 11:38 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Latest Steel String
I think the guitar is great! Nicely done!

As for the pix! I'm not a big fan of the black background. I prefer more of the "dirty dog blanket" look like in Lances recent photos, still nice photos though! [clap] [clap] [clap] [clap] [clap]
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