African Walnut Double Cut Build

Rabs

Yeah I know, I haven't quite finished the Korina one yet... I will get to that soon.

But regardless I started on one of my African Walnut blanks today..  And like the Korina one I cut the body so the lines are vertical rather than horizontal. 

http://i1173.photobucket.com/albums/r588/Rabs2010/2017 work/DSC_2180_zpse5xvtxzd.jpg

http://i1173.photobucket.com/albums/r588/Rabs2010/2017 work/DSC_2182_zps7j65rine.jpg

http://i1173.photobucket.com/albums/r588/Rabs2010/2017 work/DSC_2186_zpsulzxxk3i.jpg

http://i1173.photobucket.com/albums/r588/Rabs2010/2017 work/DSC_2187_zpsvrbtp9qh.jpg

http://i1173.photobucket.com/albums/r588/Rabs2010/2017 work/DSC_2192_zpskqyccfbf.jpg

http://i1173.photobucket.com/albums/r588/Rabs2010/2017 work/DSC_2194_zpslzixx2nv.jpg

WezV

i take it this african walnut is nearly quartersawn, not flatsawn like the korina one.  might be something to consider when you are thinking about the success of this unconventional grain layout

I know you don't want to hear my concerns about having the grain direction going the wrong way, but i am surprised you didn't fully test the idea before committing to another

Rabs

WezV said:

i take it this african walnut is nearly quartersawn, not flatsawn like the korina one.  might be something to consider when you are thinking about the success of this unconventional grain layout

I know you don't want to hear my concerns about having the grain direction going the wrong way, but i am surprised you didn't fully test the idea before committing to another

Im not sure it will make much difference..  And you are right I probably should have waited but we will soon find out.

I think it will be ok.. 

Oh and I do want to say.. I do actually respect and welcome all opinions... If I seem to be not worried about it, its cos im not really.. I take my building seriously but I just love trying different things and I wont know till I try. I obviously wouldn't do this for a customer (well unless they asked of course), these are thing I want to build and try out..  The next one I make will be more "normal" ish  

WezV

Either way, it's a wonderful wood to work with ain't it?

the strat body I am doing is my 3rd African walnut guitar.

my dad made a coffee table with the stuff at school.  As kids we carved our names into the top with blunt pen knives, and even then it was obvious to me how easily the wood worked.  

Rabs

Ohh yes.. VERY VERY nice to work with...   Reminds me very much of good mahogany ive worked with before....  And I was told this Walnut is old growth too for what ever that's actually worth...

Cant wait to get both these builds playing..

So do you basically think that it may end up a bit of a dead guitar cos of the opposing grains...  ?

(also I have another bit of walnut too so if this doesn't work at least I can still make a nice Walnut guitar, the normal way 

WezV

It sands and routes like mahogany, but planes and scrapes much better.  Good mahogany can be too interlocked to plane well and too soft to scrape easily 

Sporky

WezV said:

It sands and routes like mahogany, but planes and scrapes much better.  Good mahogany can be too interlocked to plane well and too soft to scrape easily 

Would a high angle plane sort that?

WezV

I have two concerns with the grain being the wrong way.

1) long term stability.  Wood moves a lot more across the grain than along it.  It's also a lot stronger along than across. Is is anisotropic.  Short term, it will certainly work in solid body dimensions. Long term, who knows. I don't see any benefit, but possible issues down the line

2) yeah, It's that harder to pin down topic of wood vibration.  My gut feeling is this will dampen the link between body and neck.  It will certainly change it in some way.  I could be wrong, I would like to see chladni patterns compared with a similar guitar.  Could be a good or bad change, but I would expect a noticeable one.

WezV

Sporky said:

WezV said:

It sands and routes like mahogany, but planes and scrapes much better.  Good mahogany can be too interlocked to plane well and too soft to scrape easily 

Would a high angle plane sort that?

It's possible with a normal plane or a normal scraper... I  just saying it's easier with this wood


Or in other terms... I picked up an unsharpened plane to do the forearm contour on my build earlier.  It worked just like a freshly sharpened plane would on mahogany 

Rabs

WezV said:

I have two concerns with the grain being the wrong way.

1) long term stability.  Wood moves a lot more across the grain than along it.  It's also a lot stronger along than across. Is is anisotropic.  Short term, it will certainly work in solid body dimensions. Long term, who knows. I don't see any benefit, but possible issues down the line

2) yeah, It's that harder to pin down topic of wood vibration.  My gut feeling is this will dampen the link between body and neck.  It will certainly change it in some way.  I could be wrong, I would like to see chladni patterns compared with a similar guitar.  Could be a good or bad change, but I would expect a noticeable one.

Yes this is kind of where im coming from...

Stability wise I really don't think its going to make a difference.. So far ive tried a few weird things (like my half and half) and its all been ok.. So I have faith..  The benefit, I reckon its going to look REALLY frikken cool..  Like an alternative to the flamed maple look.

And yes..  The whole topic of how much the vibration of the wood actually has on an electric guitar is so vague that I just don't know whats going to happen.. As you say it could be good or bad (or just neither and will sound normal)  and I cant wait to find out 

I know some people may think im a bit bonkers..  but I can live with that 

Sporky

Aye - I was just wondering if mahogany would respond well to a high angle plane, as sweet chestnut does.

WezV

Any benefit that is purely aesthetic is not a benefit at all

although i I really don't see that one anyway. it messes with the OCD portion of my brain in some weird way. 

Rabs

Of course none of this is the big question.. The big question now is what hardware to choose to put on it 

Right now im thinking something like this

http://i1173.photobucket.com/albums/r588/Rabs2010/2008 standard/Imajj_zpsr8ij0ka7.jpg

Rabs

Im still thinking about the hardware for this build..

I came up with this..  And even though I usually stay away from gold hardware.. Its kind of growing on me

http://i1173.photobucket.com/albums/r588/Rabs2010/2008 standard/Imakbjbkjbkjbkjbge1_zpscrhsbfpy.jpg

Failing that I will probably go for this

http://i1173.photobucket.com/albums/r588/Rabs2010/2008 standard/Imkkhkluykhhage1_zpspduuopwl.jpg

paulnb57

I don't like gold hardware but I think that works very well...

mgaw

all seems a bit "mucking about for the sake of it", i suspect the numerous guitar builders before you will have known that having the grain the "right" way is the best way....whats the point in farting around looking for something novel....

Rabs

mgaw said:

all seems a bit "mucking about for the sake of it", i suspect the numerous guitar builders before you will have known that having the grain the "right" way is the best way....whats the point in farting around looking for something novel....

Because I suspect the same as you..  But in doing this I will KNOW for sure.....  Maybe everyone has thought the same thing and never bothered to try?

Why do humans do anything we don't have to..  Cos we can 

I cant help myself.. Once I get an idea in my head that's it.. I need to know.

Rabs

paulnb57 said:

I don't like gold hardware but I think that works very well...

The thing is that they are only very rough mock ups...  Theres no walnut in the selection so I went for what looks closest. Im wondering if it would still look as good having darker wood or it may make the whole thing too dark. And obviously having the grain going vertically may make a difference too.....

WezV

Walnut is one of the few woods that does look good with gold.  Okay, this isn't a real walnut... but it's certainly in that 70's sideboard colour range once finished.

Rabs

WezV said:

Walnut is one of the few woods that does look good with gold.  Okay, this isn't a real walnut... but it's certainly in that 70's sideboard colour range once finished.

Yeah actually thinking about other examples.. One other gold finish guitar I don't mind is the obvious LP Black Beauty.. and that's as dark as you get