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Has anyone built with this? If so, what would you compare it to soundwise? I have some nice zebrawood bindings but no full sets yet for some reason, I am tempted to buy some even though I have enough wood to last me a lifetime.

Hey Frank,
I got a few sets that I am getting ready to cut up for sale.....email me if you want to talk about it.

   I used it and will say that it is a mellower sounding guitar much like Mahogany. The wood is alot prettier than Mahogany but has alot of filling and prep work for a good finish but it is well worth the effort
john hall

I agree Zebrawood is very beautiful but very porus! I fill with CA and it does a good job. I think it sounds very similiar to IR. Here's a picture of an early work of mine, a classical cutaway.

A Closer view.
Ed.

Edward,

That is a beauty! Lets see the front.

Jeff

Great looking guitar Ed. Do you have a closeup of the headstock?

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Ed. What a great looking guitar. Tell us more

Very nice Ed. Please give us some more details and pictures.

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Don Atwood
Arlington, VA

here's one of the headstock.

back of headstock.

Front. Again this was an early work. I still use the same headstock but it's executed better espeacially in the area of string ramps and finish. The guitar was my 3rd guitar and first attempt at a cutaway. The Top is Englemann and the whole guitar is frenched polished and it has Tap Plates. The guitar is 650mm scale acoustic\electric with Fishman active matrix under saddle pickup. The guitar is also lattice braced.

I'm a little confused. We have one person saying Zebrawood sounds like Mahogany, and one person saying it sounds like EIR. I've never heard Zebrawood, but to me Mahogany and EIR are about as far apart on the tonal spectrum as it gets.

Next time someone asks what exotic wood ABC sounds like, I'll give the answer "it sounds like Zebrawood." That way I'll be right no matter what exotic wood ABC really sounds like!

BTW, Edward, that's a beautiful guitar.Kelby38455.7590393519

Kelby, I think the tonal difference is due to the way it is braced rather than just the wood itself. Again this is a carbon fiber reinforced latticed braced guitar. This "seems" to make the guitar brighter and a tad bit louder. My second guitar was also zebrawood yet it was traditionally braced and it had a more mellow bassy sound. They sound completly different. As far as I know EIR and Zebrawood are closer in properties than mahogany and EIR but I could be wrong.

HAHA!! I guess theoretically, it was a dumb question to ask what it sounds like seeing as how everyone hears things differently. But from now on my standard reply on this question will be like yours "it sounds similar to zebrawood". Thats great

Ed--that's a striking guitar. By the way, you should be getting that info on Smallman in a day or two. I'd say "post haste", but that's an oxymoron.
Do you get any flex with that pierced headstock?

Steve

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Steve, Thanks again for the information. As to flex in the headstock, none at all. The oldest guitar I made using that design is 6 years old and it's still holding up great. I laminate my necks and usually put a decorative headplate on both front and back, I think this makes it stronger, like an I-beam.

Edward,

You mentioned filling the pores with CA. Could you give details on your procedure? Thanks.

Neil,

I use a medium viscosity CA, I spread spread it diagonally cross-grain using a plastic squeegee. While doing this I use a respirator and work in a well ventilated area. I let the CA dry then come back and sand or scrape off the excess. Sometimes I need two applications for deep pores. The process works very well for me. I've used thin CA also with good results but I prefer medium. I'm going to try to use an epoxy fill on my next guitar.

Edward,
Very Beautiful. I once built an Electric out of Zebra - solid Zebra. It killed...was very very heavy. I love the wood. I love the guitar you made!

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Dave Bland

remember...

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

That Zebrawood really is pretty as is the guitar. Nicely done.

John

Thanks Edward. It sounds like normal pore filling. Do you sand back to the wood leaving CA only in the pores?

Yes Neil, I just leave it in the pores. Some people think that the CA wicks into the wood and stabilizes it a bit, I don't know if this is true but if it does I guess it can't hurt.