The world of Wez :)

WezV

Yeah, 2 cf bars, 1 either side of the truss rod.

Luminlay because it was in the drawers and the black tube look matches the black purfling scheme

I still have not decided on sound holes for the body.

I thought the issue with Photobucket was that it makes mobile users download all the ads before showing the pic. It doesn't just appear in the thread like it does on a normal browser

WezV

i should also mention I am often using round hollow CF tubes (kite rods) now rather than solid rectangular bars.

I used the solid bars on loads of things, and they gave a very direct attack with great sustain and a very stiff neck  Really good for modern styles but i think i prefer a bit more flexibility in necks these days - as long as it can be controlled.  the rods stiffen everything up, but don't make it too stiff.  they help prevent twisting and seem to help the truss rod do its job better without having such a strong impact on the tone.

TTony

WezV said:

I thought the issue with Photobucket was that it makes mobile users 

Anyone with eyes good enough to view this site on a mobile device, gets no sympathy from me.

That said, I've heard various complaints about PB and ads.  I've always used Picasa.  It's a Google app, sits on your PC and on the Google cloud, manages images pretty nicely (whether locally or cloudly) and allows some basic editing too.  You can share or keep private individual pics or whole albums.

And its FOC.  

I'm currently using 135Mb of my 15360Mb free space!!

WezV

well, my photobucket account is 60% full and there is a lot of my life in there so I will probably carry on using it for now

started to lay out a bracing pattern

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/temporary_zps529bdf60.jpg

only the main x-brace is definite at the moment but that has been positioned to ensure both ends of the bridge will sit on it - everything else will be positioned around that

here is a reminder of the initial drawings

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/bracing1_zps6fafc1c8.jpg

Andyjr1515

only the main x-brace is definite at the moment but that has been positioned to ensure both ends of the bridge will sit on it - everything else will be positioned around that

here is a reminder of the initial drawings

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/bracing1_zps6fafc1c8.jpg

What's your feeling at the moment @WezV ref the fan bracing on the left pic vs the (what I call) the Martin-ish on the right?  I keep looking at fan braces on the lower bout but not sure of the likely difference in sound.  By the way, do you tap-tone?

WezV

I haven't done tap tuning before but may start with this one.  I do tap as I go, but not usually with a specific goal in mind, other than a nice clear tone.  I will compare against a standard braced acoustic top once i get around to carving the braces on this one

tbh I have not done enough acoustic stuff to really be able to speak with certainty on either bracing design.  I am just going with what feels right at the time. 

Andyjr1515

I'll be interested how it goes - I've got another acoustic build in mind for later in the year...

WezV

Got some detail work done on the thinline today.   I wanted a back plate to make wiring easier.  I decided t cut it from the back itself which obviously leaves a bit of a gap, so the back plate is being bound the same as the neck and body.   I started doing that but the flamed maple binding snapped on me at the glue up stage. prior to this it had been bent and clamped to shape for a few hours.  its an easy fix do I am not too worried but its sprung back a bit too much so needs overbending this time

I also inlaid the black strips in the 3 piece back 

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/temporary_zps30450911.jpg

oh, and I got the binding strips fr the body bent to shape and taped into a mold ready for the next stage

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/temporary_zpsf6bfd264.jpg

xmrchi

I really can't wait to see the first is he's product, this type of guitar is really up my street!

WezV

playing about in photoshop

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/fannedfretthinlinemock_zpsu4aa4ii7.jpg

ThePrettyDamned

WezV said:

playing about in photoshop

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/fannedfretthinlinemock_zpsu4aa4ii7.jpg

Good lord, that looks stunning.  

And very interesting - fanned necks and flamed maple conjures an image of a 7 string guitar with two high output humbuckers and no tone control for modern metal, but this thing looks like it'll be a really interesting looking and sounding instrument. 

Are you going for a Mojo pickup?  Also, what is the bridge? 

WezV

the bridge is still to be designed and made, that's just a pic of a standard archtop bridge stretched a bit

I am thinking some kind of surface mount pickup, possibly  a mojo goldfoil or some kind of toaster.  still undecided.  I was looking at a johnny winter style mini humbucker earlier and thinking a neck mounted pickup could work well 

still massively undecided on f-holes, and may have to move secondary braces once i have made a decision

I am mostly playing with this build.   its not a proper archtop, but it is domed to a 15' radius.  Its too heavily braced for a strong acoustic performance but I still want it to have that look and feel.   its got fanned frets and glow in the dark inlays, but will hopefully have a lofi retro vibe.   its got a hell of a lot of flamed maple/sycamore, but it will mostly be played down and the only bit you will see from the front is the plain maple fretboard and flamed maple binding

ThePrettyDamned

WezV said:

the bridge is still to be designed and made, that's just a pic of a standard archtop bridge stretched a bit

I am thinking some kind of surface mount pickup, possibly  a mojo goldfoil or some kind of toaster.  still undecided.  I was looking at a johnny winter style mini humbucker earlier and thinking a neck mounted pickup could work well 

still massively undecided on f-holes, and may have to move secondary braces once i have made a decision

I am mostly playing with this build.   its not a proper archtop, but it is domed to a 15' radius.  Its too heavily braced for a strong acoustic performance but I still want it to have that look and feel.   its got fanned frets and glow in the dark inlays, but will hopefully have a lofi retro vibe.   its got a hell of a lot of flamed maple/sycamore, but it will mostly be played down and the only bit you will see from the front is the plain maple fretboard and flamed maple binding

Unplugged, it might be a really nice practice instrument - acoustically vibrant compared to a solid body, without the sheer volume of a proper acoustic. 

WezV

on the aesthetic side of things, this is a simpler version of my aim - this one from Berumen Guitars.   i will certainly be going for a warm brown on the back, sides and neck 

http://rebel-guitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/copper3-400x300.jpg

I also love the scott walker aged metal finishes

http://rebel-guitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Scott-Walker-Guitar-Fathom-400x300.jpg

ThePrettyDamned

Has @jookychap been multiplying again?

Seriously, they are such cool looking guitars. Love the stripped back vibe of the top one. 

TTony

WezV said:

still massively undecided on f-holes, and may have to move secondary braces once i have made a decision

The trad f-holes always look too fussy to me.

But the soundholes as you've got them look much cleaner and "modern" and more suited to an electric guitar.  IMHO of course!

WezV

Ha ha, mine has certainly got some jooky influence too, in more ways than one - although everyone seems to forget I was doing metal leaf finishes whilst he was still focused on paisley.  Its fair enough, he certainly did more with it and took it further than i did.

The ideas for this guitar did originate from discussions with @jookychap

JookyChap

WezV said:

Ha ha, mine has certainly got some jooky influence too, in more ways than one - although everyone seems to forget I was doing metal leaf finishes whilst he was still focused on paisley.  Its fair enough, he certainly did more with it and took it further than i did.

The ideas for this guitar did originate from discussions with @jookychap

Ah, I don't claim nothing - I nicked all 'my' good ideas from Wez - or he pointed me elsewhere to nick them from...

Everytime I see a Wez guitar I start humming the Waterboys' whole of the moon.

I would still love that guitar Mr V. if my life ever gets sane again

</I'm-not-worthy>

ThePrettyDamned

WezV said:

Ha ha, mine has certainly got some jooky influence too, in more ways than one - although everyone seems to forget I was doing metal leaf finishes whilst he was still focused on paisley.  Its fair enough, he certainly did more with it and took it further than i did.

The ideas for this guitar did originate from discussions with @jookychap

I was late to the MR party, so I was ignorant of that! 

So damn cool, though. This could be the most exciting guitar project I've seen of yours, though I really loved that stripped back, white fan fret. 

WezV

so I am not going to touch a fancy guiatr with copper/bronze paint and ageing solution until I have had a proper play with the materials to get a look I am happy with

I have done the first test on my stratele, which used to be aged metal leaf.  this is the copper, brushed on.  I then used a cheap airbrush to apply the ageing solution.  I did a quick spray of the green ageing solution, then a quick spray of the blue., i then speckled it a bit with both solutions too.

this is after a few minutes

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/temporary_zpsec5e6a10.jpg

it looked like this for the last 4 years

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/new/ai1.jpg

I was happy with the aged silver, but always felt the gold and copper sections let it out