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I started stringing up the little baroque guitar. I switched strings from the 5 course Strad guitar in G that I made, that keeps throwing bridges. I used the 2nd to 5th courses. But the high c, low C on the 3rd course will not work. The scale 44,4cm is too long to do that with gut/nylgut. I found a cool string tension calculator for old instruments with gut strings, and found that this little "uke" in A is tuned exactly like a renaissance guitar, that also had 4 courses; but a longer 52cm scale. So they made 8 string Ukulele's in the 1500's!
https://niskanenlutes.com/index.php?p=frontpage
So with the shorter scale, you have to make the strings thicker, and increase tension. With the calculator, I could change the tension on all strings, just tapping; plus. Cool. The strings that I had were pretty close; but just a couple steps too thick.

They have the renaissance guitar as having about 57 pounds of tension (they give it in kg.) An 8 string uke is about 83? I settled in the middle at about 72 pounds. I ordered strings from Aquila, but they won't be as fast as usual, because of the holiday. The strings I picked use The second largest nylgut that they offer, so I don't need the loaded string. That would only add about $4 to the bill, but if I went with guts, it is almost $100 instead of $28. I'd still like to try guts sometime; but not with a setup.

The nut is still really high. The faceplate needed to be really thin. I'll have to remember that. The strings will exit right on the faceplate! Now I see a great plus for a slotted headstock. Maybe I should check my angle; maybe I messed that up. If I didn't; maybe that could be increased too.

I did the string spacing with the StewMac spacer. I used a scale for the high string to the low string, and then a longer (2 spaces) scale for the low string octave to the high string. I didn't realize that they, and most 12 strings were strung octave/low. I must have only seen photos of Gretsch 12 strings, or never paid attention.
I pre drilled the string holes in the bridge, so now I have to play with them anyway! The strings, neck, bridge, body all line up. That's cool; because the bridge is glued on before everything.

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Why be normal?

I love that, Ken. It’s coming along, can we maybe hear it at the next zoom?

From the 1500’s to the future, here is where I’m at with the khaya dred and a video showing how I got here:

https://youtube.com/shorts/DiaxXZi8AYQ? ... yvBjyshRgK



Brad


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I assume these are made in China. The website did not list the country of origin.

I'm darn sure they are.

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

I wasn’t sure I was going to like the black porefill. I think I was wrong.









Brad


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That is HANDSOME.

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"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

Sorry, not been keeping up - what did you use?

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

I think it looks great and it sure shows us every spec of pore too. It's a good look Brad I like it.

Hey Colin, it’s the ebony StewMac powered grain filler.


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I've been using real dark pore fillers for a while and really like the effect too.

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

Started on a cedar build with left overs from a deck build.
The guys building the deck resaved the cedar for me.
The last picture is a close up showing the grain orientation.

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Say what you do, Do what you say.

I’m finishing up this copy of John Mayer’s signature Two-Rock using a chassis from Amplified Nation and boards from Ryan at The Tone Geek. It’s been 15 years since I finished an amp, and I’ve absolutely loved it. This project was a bit of a stretch because even though there are wiring layouts available and Ryan’s boards make that aspect fool proof, I had to figure out which transformers to choose, and some other misc. things.

I’ve absolutely loved the project and joked on social media that like drawing out the end of a good book, I’m intentionally slowing it down just so it won’t be over, and find myself planning a Matchless clone. I’ll post more pics when it’s done.


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Looks great James and good to see you back at amp building. I remember you last one very well and the cool cabinet you made for it too. That memory inspired me to try amp building so this is all your fault

I see some beautiful work there too keep us updated please?

Thanks, Hesh! Will do!

#25 is making noise! Thanks again for the help with the pickguard, Steve! I’ll share some glamour shots and a demo in January. Time to take some time off for the rest of the year.





Brad


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Braced the top and back the top braces need to be carved down some.

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Say what you do, Do what you say.

Just shipped out this spruce and Cuban mahogany (reclaimed from an early 19th century drop leaf table) Torres homage. Super low air resonance and great treble response, the closest I've come to the Torres sound thus far.

It's neck carving time here.

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Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right - Robert Hunter

I've been done in the basement a bit the last couple of days. Holding steady at 55 degrees or so. Thinning down the small Torres belly. I think it is red spruce. It does not plane well. I got some of it down, from 3.3mm to 2.5 or so with my Lie Nielsen curved bottom plane going crossgrain. Tough stuff. Now, I'm using a flat fingerplane, and mostly a scraper.

I put a very thin coat of "shadow" on the viola yesterday. The president of the violin makers club thinks that the varnish shows too much white wood. I think it might bee too blotchy. It is very bad on the sides. I never pay enough attention to them. This time I at least got them flat and smooth!

I was going for interesting; so that everywhere you looked it looked cool.The shadow "paint" is:homemade varnish, and red varnish, alizarin pigment, and viridian green oil paint. It looks brown/black. I dropped it on with a stick, and rub it around with a small piece of teeshirt.

It dried overnight in the lighted trash can in the garage.

It seems like it is working.I'll try some more things too probably. It is getting there.

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Why be normal?

How often do you get to put 2 violin posts in a row on the OLF?

Couldn't resist.

I picked up a fiddle on Craigs List a month or so ago. Based on one picture and no chance to check it out in person. There was a tiny slice of one side showing and it had a little curl so I gambled and bought it. Late 1800's German copy of a Strad. I was surprised it didn't have any body repairs in all that time. The fingerboard had long grooves from playing wear which to me is a good sign too. Looking at it showed it had been played a lot and pretty well taken care of.

Tuning pegs were wonky and an odd taper that didn't match any of my reamers. One was an oddball too, so I re-reamed the holes in the pegbox to modern 2 degree taper and made up a new set of pegs. Gave the FB a once over. Touched up damaged edges on the box with shellac. Did what I could to clean up 100+ yrs of grime. It is getting a new bridge too. You get a little sense of how an instrument might sound just in handling it and this one has a "touch tone" that may be responsive.

My first foray into stringed instruments was a fiddle build in the early 90's and some basket case rehabs. It really jump started my interest in stringed instruments and I've been wanting to get back into some fiddle work for fun and this should be a great way to start the new year.

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Brian R, Wood Mechanic
N8ZED

It's an amp repair! Not really - bass cabinet repair/mod.

My guy dropped his Fender bass amp going down the stairs and a wheel hit, caving in the cheap particle board. Entry hole was fist sized - exit hole was dinner plate sized. The shards were just pieces and crumbs held together by the vinyl covering. Instead of attempting to reglue the particle board, I instead opted for a couple 2 X 6 boards cut to fit, then glued and screwed to the bottom of the cab. I installed the wheel cups and the rubber bumpers to the boards. MUCH stronger, with more integrity than the stock stuff (the engineering properties of a Ritz cracker are better IMO). I stabilized the shedding hole by smearing hide glue on it.

Since the guy and I share a bent sense of humor, I couldn't resist adding some "artwork" by using red spray paint and a little card that says "Abandon All Hope Ye Who Enter Here". Yes - he approved of it - stating, "you know me so well".

https://i.imgur.com/vPaBKTK.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/vBVrRA4.jpg

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"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

Hey Brian, nice Torres build!
After building a couple of Romanillos style guitars I though I would try my hand on a Ramirez 1a style of guitar, based somewhat on the 1966 plans.
I am using a spruce top (from the Shane Neifer stash...) and a 650mm scale length.

Note the wacky notches on the bass side of the transverse braces.


I managed to find a decent rosette in the style of the day:


Using Bubinga for the headstock veneer:

Not an acoustic guitar but...

It's been snowy around here and tough to get down off the mountain. I decided to finish up some old projects that have been sitting around and in my way. This is a little amp based on a 5F2A Princeton with a few mods and upgrades. I started on it darn near thirty years ago and it's been sitting ever since. I finished soldering everything up and built a pine fingerjoint cabinet with phenolic front and back panels with a bit of CNC laser work just for the heck of it.

I have to say, I wish I had finished it years ago. It's a sweet little amp. Way loud for it's 5 watts. But it has a much better tone than any of the other Champ/Princeton/other single ended guitar amps I've built, and really better than the Deluxe style amps I've built.

So there's one down. I have several more projects to finish up, though this was the oldest one. Supposed to get more snow tonight and temperatures are supposed to drop below 0 into next week, so I should have ample opportunity! Don't imagine I'll feel much like leaving the house for a few days.

Dave

Today I cut some octave mandolin bridges on my CNC. The fixture worked great!

Wow I love it!!! Yes these little vintage circuits have tons of natural reverb and compression and that's why Clapton and others keep vintage Champs close by and record with them. Very nice Dave you have tone that can't be bought at any price.