Official Luthiers Forum!

I was hunting the web looking @ luthier sites when I ran across this little beauty from Kim Walker.

I am no expert with plastic bindings, but I thought this might be a nice combo to try on one of my guitars.

Do you think that you could use the "edge" of the tortise binding to get this effect, or do you think it has to be on the "face" to get this much figure.

Also, there is a lot of "pop" to the tortise binding. Do you think he has placed a light colored backer underneath it to keep it from going dark.

I can certainly experiement, but I am curious to hear what others think about this.


The image is here!

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

I think you could achieve the same look with snakewood instead of tortise shell and then the contrast between the lighter and darker would always be present with out the light hitting it just right

Who says you can't use the tortise shell with wood binding?

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Dave Bland

remember...

"If it doesn't play in tune...it's just pretty wood"

Brock, to my eye that is exactly what is is. Course my eyes are old

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Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.

Brock I just finished up a batch of snake-a-lam.
bwb .010 both sides

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Beautiful and unusual tone woods at a reasonable price.
http://www.rctonewoods.com/RCT_Store
The Zootman
1109 Military Rd.
Kenmore, NY 14217
(716) 874-1498

I have some tortoise binding right here in front of me (from Martin) and it looks like there's no difference in figure whether edge- or face-up.

I used tortoise on the OM kit I'm just finishing up and the difference between the spruce top and EIR sides is easily visible through the binding. Wish I'd thought of a backing to get all of it brighter.

On Walker's, it looks like we're seeing the light spruce of a sunburst top on his L-00 through the tortoise, so it essentially does have a light backing.

burbank38700.7353703704

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now known around here as Pat Foster
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com

Yeah, the "trick" to getting the most of TS bindings or purflings is to back them with something light in color.

I love snakewood, but it doesn't do what TS does, and that is play with light. Since it is translucent, if backed with something light in color, it reflects light back, and every time you move, the light moves, the TS changes. Also a hell of a lot cheaper and easier to work with <bg>

Makes a sweet rosette, too...

Best TS bindings I've found lately are at GW Musical; his came from China, and have really good contrast between light and dark. All TS is not the same, so it pays to look around. When someone has a ncie batch, stock up!

[QUOTE=Bobc] Brock I just finished up a batch of snake-a-lam.
bwb .010 both sides[/QUOTE]

Darn you Bob I wish you hadn't gone and done that now I will have to spend even more money when I get back

Bob
That looks GREAT! I think I have to have some of that!

John

Mario, do you have web address for GW?

Bob,
Very cool stuff. Is any of that for sale?

[QUOTE=Mario]I love snakewood, but it doesn't do what TS does, and that is play with light. Since it is translucent, if backed with something light in color, it reflects light back, and every time you move, the light moves, the TS changes. Also a hell of a lot cheaper and easier to work with <bg>

Makes a sweet rosette, too...
[/QUOTE]

Again... pardon my ignorance about platic bindings... I just don't work with them much.

Does it matter if I use it on edge, or on the face? I would think it would certainly be easier to work with this on edge rather than on its face... but I am not sur if the color comes out the same or not.

I appreciate your thoughts.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

Brock I just looked at a piece of TS I had in the shop. I don't see why you can't use it on edge. Looks fine to me.
Yes the snake-a-lam is for sale. Differant woods in the works too. Does anyone prefer just b/w on either side?

_________________
Beautiful and unusual tone woods at a reasonable price.
http://www.rctonewoods.com/RCT_Store
The Zootman
1109 Military Rd.
Kenmore, NY 14217
(716) 874-1498

that would be great Bob I like to end perfs with black edges next to the mating woods

[QUOTE=Bobc]Does anyone prefer just b/w on either side?[/QUOTE]

Yes... I am sure.   

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

Watch this page for more of the same.
http://www.rctonewoods.rcefaluguitars.com/binding.htm

Thanks

_________________
Beautiful and unusual tone woods at a reasonable price.
http://www.rctonewoods.com/RCT_Store
The Zootman
1109 Military Rd.
Kenmore, NY 14217
(716) 874-1498

Bob, here's the URL for GW that Mario was referring to.

http://www.thindesign.com/gwmusical/

[QUOTE=bob J] Mario, do you have web address for GW?[/QUOTE]

I don't think they have a web store. They are up in Toronto. Their catalogue in pdf is available here

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Scott Thompson
Port Townsend,WA

"In a perfect world we'd all sing in tune
But this is reality so give me some room"
-Billy Bragg

Scott that's the same URL I posted just above yours. Way up in Toronto .... too funny. More like just downtown for me

Way up in Toronto ....

Up? Toronto's a full day's drive -south- for me.....

Toronto, Chicago, Detroit and Boston are all at about the same latitude (within 100mi or so) All of the state of Washington is at least 200 mi north of Toronto. But I agree that in the collective mind, all of Canada is UP from any place in the US and what the map has to say is irrelevant.

what the map has to say is irrelevant.

Yup.

It was -31 here 3 days ago. The lake's been frozen for over a month, and has nearly 2 feet of solid ice. I saw a carriboo in the back of a truck yesterday(hunting season is still open, I guess...).

An hour south of here, there's a sign stating that from here north, all waters flow to the Arctic ocean.

Maps Schmaps......

[QUOTE=Mike Mahar] But I agree that in the collective mind, all of Canada is UP from any place in the US and what the map has to say is irrelevant.[/QUOTE]

WOW!
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BobC -- that is some beautiful product offering!Anthony Z38702.6464467593

[QUOTE=Mike Mahar] Toronto, Chicago, Detroit and Boston are all at about the same latitude (within 100mi or so) All of the state of Washington is at least 200 mi north of Toronto. But I agree that in the collective mind, all of Canada is UP from any place in the US and what the map has to say is irrelevant.[/QUOTE]

Hey, your right! Forgive my ignorance of Eastern US/Canada geography. I look out my living room window and see Vancouver Island and think of that as "up in Canada."

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Scott Thompson
Port Townsend,WA

"In a perfect world we'd all sing in tune
But this is reality so give me some room"
-Billy Bragg