Official Luthiers Forum!

I plan to start working on a Quilted “O” for my daughter this fall and am in the process of gathering all the materials. The quilted maple is absolutely stunning.

The rosette I am thinking of doing in spalted maple with paua abalone rings. The body will be bound in Koa.

I thought I’d seek some of you kind folks thoughts on the type of material to use for the neck. On hand I’ve got some quilted big leaf maple and Honduran Mahogany. I just stumbled into a great local source for some very highly figured eastern birdseye maple. (I’ve used birdseye before for a neck and was happy with it both aesthetically and structurally and carving it doesn’t worry me).

So with aesthetic, structural and tonal thoughts in mind, what would you suggest I use:
1.     Quilted Big Leaf
2.     Honduran Mahogany, or
3.     Birdseye Maple?

(Just in case you were wondering I don’t intend to drag race my friend Serge on speed of build ).

Your thoughts and guidance would be greatly appreciated.

#4 curly maple
#5 rock maple

Whats the top Anthony ?

Russell the top will be Alaskan Sitka.

I know I'm weird but I would go for the Mahogany, the whole Dark, Light thing is groovy to me

Anthony...I also like the mahogany neck, but I would laminate with any of those maples...and top it off with a center strip of Koa

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

Now we are talking JJ

The Koa idea is thirded! yes Anthony, how about a laminated neck?

Anthony, after building Archtops, you'll probably beat me bt a thousand miles!

Serio -- if I had a five hundred mile head start I still wouldn't beat you. If you get your commission - I am game to see how badly you kick my backside

BTW: I will be building a couple of OM's at the same time....he he he

Yup I am thinking laminated neck ...now....

Russell/JJ are you thinking aesthetics or tonal properties in suggesting a mahogany neck?

Not this kid from Quebec buddy, i'm sure building an SS will be a walk in the park for you, you Archtop guru! I just can't wait to see you building it and delivering it to your daughter, it will be a very fine moment for all of us my friend!

Mahogany is a very fine idea, i'd laminate it with very thin strips of EIR on each side of maple and have that koa strip schmack in the middle, 5 piece lamadang! Waddaya say champ? Serge Poirier38950.796724537

Anthony...I've never compared the tonal characteristics between the 2. I was only commenting from an aesthetic standpoint, however, I do believe that laminating adds structural stability. Also...I just love carving and shaping Mahogany!

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

Hi Antony

Just Looks on my part, I personally don't see the neck as a great contributor to tone.

According to Ned Steinberger and Dr. Michael Kasha, the neck does contribute to the instrument's sound, but not necessarily the tone. A neck that is very stiff and dense will contribute to sustain.

With laminations, probably any of the woods you are looking at using will be plenty stiff. A number of builders here said (in response to a question of mine) that even Soft Maple is stiff enough when laminated.

Aesthetically, maybe a "lower quality" curly maple, that has wide curls rather than tight fiddleback curls might more or less resemble the quilted Maple (but would be denser and stiffer)? Or, if you opt to go with the Birdseye, maybe you can find a wide board of 6/4 that is well-flatsawn in the center and rift near the edges, so you get all of the eyes erupting at 90° to the surface.

Just riffin'.

Dennis

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Dennis Leahy
Duluth, MN, USA
7th Sense Multimedia

Great input gents and thank you!   The problem with quilted maple and birdseye is that it looks best flatsawn. Dennis I like your idea and it'll be interesting to see what my birdseye fellow has in stock.

I am kinda still leaning to using maple (quilted or birdseye) with maybe a koa centre strip. I spoke with my customer (daughter Erin age 8) and she is looking through my stash to see what grabs her. I guess ultimately it should be up to her.

The reason I asked about the mahogany is that I've read (Benedetto book) that mahogany makes for a better sounding guitar. Harry Fleishmann claims he'll only use maple for bass guitar necks and not flattops.

From what I read in your kind replies is the jury is kinda out on this one.

Whatever Erin wants on this one, she should get!!! Both of your daughters are so cute and well-mannered, I'd have a hard time refusing anything they might ask for.

Good luck and keep us posted on the project. As an archtop maven, building a flat top should be as easy as rolling of a log for you!

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

What JJ said Anthony, children speak the truth, what Erin wants is a must!

Her Bear!

Thanks JJ and Serge! I will keep you all posted!

JJ - are you ready for the club championship?

Anthony,

Something to consider:

"O" sized body: very light weight

Mahogany: light weight

Maple: heavy

I think people are getting much too obsessive about adding stiffness to mahogany. If it's quartersawn, mahogany is plenty stiff, all by itself! It's also light in weight and a very resonant tone wood--all good things for a small guitar (or any guitar!).

Anthony...I'm capable of firing anything from a 75 to 85 on any given day. I need to have 2 rounds in the high 70's or low 80's to be in contention in my flight.

If my elbow is better by the weekend, I'll be in the hunt. I'm desperately trying to avoid too much French Polishing before the weekend.

I'm considering a good single malt scotch as a pain killer...got any suggestions?

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

Single malt -- let me think A nice mellow Cardhu or Longmorn perhaps....or maybe a nice MacCallum's should put you right

JJ -- I have tendonitis in my left elbow -- this is the first summer it hasn't bothered me in about 5 years and I attribute that to changing my golf grip and stance per the golf tip last week (a wee dram or two of scottish water).

I wish you well on the Lynx! (I am in Houston just now and I can tell you I'd hate to be golfing here today...ughhh 97 degrees and humid...the mouth of the dog)

Carlton -- lightweight mahogany is probably the way to go particularly on a small bodied guitar -- we'll see what the boss says! On the planned OM's I am going to definitely use mahogany.Anthony Z38951.7720138889

Hey Anthony, welcome to Texas!
Are you guys getting any of that rain? I drove down to and back up from Beaumont today, and could hardly see the road for all the rain. Glorious sight!!!

Anyway, I was going to shout out "Koa center lamination!" but everyone beat me to it. Center that betwixt some curly soft (lightweight) maple, put a slot head on it, and your neck will match the guitar beautifully... and not be too heavy for it either.

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

[QUOTE=Steve Kinnaird] Anyway, I was going to shout out "Koa center lamination!" but everyone beat me to it. Center that betwixt some curly soft (lightweight) maple, put a slot head on it, and your neck will match the guitar beautifully... and not be too heavy for it either.

Steve[/QUOTE]
Hmmm...not a bad idea at all!!!

Steve/Carlton/JJ (via PM) -- the slot head would reduce the weight. Offline JJ suggested the same idea...I was thinking a full headstock to do a facial siloutte of my daughter a la the Madonna inlay Craig Lavin did for Brock that we saw last summer. Maybe a slot head with the facial siloutte on the fretboard might work....

I do have a piece of Koa that would work for the centre lamination.....thanks folks I really appreciate the input and thoughts.

Steve -- it rained in Houston from about 4:20 pm to 4:30 pm as I was coming in from George Bush...then again briefly this evening. The bizarre thing about Houston is all the restaurants, cabs, bars and my hotel set the air conditioning so cold that you need a sweater

That was the "Canadian" setting on the A/C, which was in your honor, Anthony.

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

We set the thermostat low here in Houston, so we can build up a layer of frost that protects us during the brief run from the car to the house.