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I am planing to build a Grand A. with a curly redwood top, and flamed myrtlewood back & sides. With ebony fingerboard and bridge. I'm wondering what would look best for bindings and wood rosette. Any input would be appreciated.

Flamed Koa.

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http://www.dickeyguitars.com

We need pics of Zoot in order to make an informed vote.  No uninformed voting allowed.  But then, this would be the only place where that's a rule, huh?

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Dark red-brown top/ med tan to light brown back and sides.


bindings
Curly Koa, Curly Eucalyptus or Curly Maple are your best contrasts

I went with Claro from the list, but ebony would be my choice. You already have a lot going on with the curly red and flamed B/S, any more figure and it's getting too busy for mine.

Cheers

Kim

Hey Hesh, great minds, looks like we both posted at the same time, but ya probably got me on latency.

Cheers

Kim

Ebony would look nice,IMO

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Anderson Guitars
Clearwater,Fl. 33755

As a rule, I don't use curly bindings with curly back and sides.

I still can't understand using a top wood that maximizes runout, and is fragile to begin with. I'm not conservative about looks, but structure comes first.

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Howard Klepper
http://www.klepperguitars.com

When all else fails, clean the shop.

[QUOTE=Howard Klepper]

I still can't understand using a top wood that maximizes runout, and is fragile to begin with. I'm not conservative about looks, but structure comes first.

[/QUOTE]

Howard, I couldn't agree more. It is one of the prettiest tops in the world. But having resawn a bunch for resale, I was so disappointed to find the wood getting huge cracks in the flame valleys while it was just drying stickered. And, after accidently dropping a piece, which shattered when it hit the floor I was dumb-founded. I've even had the corners break off in my hand handling it. Of course some pieces are much better than others. But I shan't be selling what I have and would encourage my OLF buds to think long and hard about using the stuff.

(steps off soap box, heads to kitchen for a snack)

Howard, how do you feel about beautifully straight-grained redwood, california sempervirens?

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http://www.dickeyguitars.com

Thanks for all the advice guys!
I may re-think using curly redwood and go with straight grained.
Still undecided on the bindings.

Colby, it really would help us to show a picture of the wood in question. I agree though with Howard that if you have curly back and sides, that you want to lean toward plain bindings, not curly. Too much of a good thing....

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

I agree with ebony on the bindings.

For the top, I would think about a double top with a nice stiff piece of lutz spruce on the underside.

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"An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience is an adventure wrongly considered." G. K. Chesterton.

Flamed black walnut with redwood...walnut and redwood are a match made in luthiery heaven. Here's a top:

Here's a back:


And I've made a few!

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Hank Mauel

I talked with Harry Fleishmann at the show (his table was next to mine). He has used curly redwood with good results. But he just built two high end guitars for clients with curly redwood that literally came apart. And I think he said they were sawn from the same log as other tops that have been successful. He is going to have to re-top those guitars.

As for straight grained, as a Californian I have warm feelings for it. I love it as paneling on old Craftsman houses. Never built a guitar with it.

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Howard Klepper
http://www.klepperguitars.com

When all else fails, clean the shop.

Don,
I can't exactly post a picture of the wood because I don't have it yet. I like to know everything I'm going to need before I start ordering. Saves on shipping

[QUOTE=Colby Horton] Don,
I can't exactly post a picture of the wood because I don't have it yet. I like to know everything I'm going to need before I start ordering. Saves on shipping [/QUOTE]

Colby...the flamed stuff is cantankerous as Howard has eluded to. The photo I posted is a guitar owned by an "anal" (and I mean this in a positive vein)player. It's always in it's case when not in use, proerly humidified, not hung on a wall, not taken to Open Bar...er, Mike nights and so on. It's 6 years old with no problems.
Having said that, I have retopped 2 others that DID NOT receive that kind of treatment and suffered the consequences. If it's going to be your guitar, then go ahead. If it's going out in the world, I'd highly recommend a change to a straight grained top (and I have plenty if you need one).
OR...get hold of Tim McKnight and talk to him about the hex-celled Nomex he makes double top guitars with (money wood/Nomex/lower tonewood tops) and you can use the flamed stuff all day. I think PeterM, on here, has also done this as I have sold him a couple sets just like the photo.

Good luck and keep us informed.

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Hank Mauel

Colby-

take Hank up on his kind offer to buy a straight grained redwood top. I have 4 of his Carter tops and they are great stuff. Either way you go, post pics when you are done.

Good luck-

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John Lewis
Wannabe builder owned by 2 crazy dachshunds

[QUOTE=Colby Horton]Don,
I can't exactly post a picture of the wood because I don't have it yet. I like to know everything I'm going to need before I start ordering. Saves on shipping [/QUOTE]

 

You can borrow my one of my myrtle pictures. 

I am also thinking ebony binding to contrast the myrtle with a bl/wh/bl purf on the top.   That's what I'm planning for the next one! 

 

Laurie

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Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.

I forgot  - on all (one) of my guitars I've built, I like to match the rosette with the back and side wood to tie it all together, so I vote for a myrtle rosette too.

 

Laurie

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Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.