Official Luthiers Forum!

Dear all,

My name is Gwenn and I'm new to this forum. I am a Frenchman living in Paris and I am currently on the verge of completing my first build: a Sitka top, padauk back and sides with laminated- mahogany/maple/padauk-neck OM guitar.

However, I've been paying very special attention to all Weissenborn-related posts since my second project is a Weissenborn-style guitar (MIMF plans) which I intend to build with choice Australian timber: as I said in my first post, having lived a year in Melbourne for my M.A. and part of my wife's family living in Sydney, I feel a spiritual connection with this land!

I have contacted Tim Spittle from Australian tonewood to know if he had black-hearted sassafras with Weissenborn dimensions, which he has. This is good news since it is my dream to build something out of this wood!

So here comes my question:

Should I go with sassafras soundboard or opt for bunya pine? Does anyone have a sound clip with a bunya-top Weiss? I know Alan (ozziebluesman) from Townsville QLD has built a sassie Weissenborn copy in 2007. Alan if you're still there, I know that at one point on your MySpace page, you had the same song played with your three different Weisses, but I can't seem to find it now, is there a specific song you play with "Sassie" there?



My second question:

What kind of other Australian timber would you suggest with BH Sassafras for bridge, fingerboard and head plate? Allan, the myrtle you used on "Sassie" looks gorgeous actually! What else? Curly Wando?



My last question:

How about headstock? I didn't ask Tim Spittle if he could provide headstock blanks in Sassafras to mach the sides, but I assume it would be weird to have a different wood than that of the sides? What do you think?



I know there are some very knowledgeable and talented Weiss builders in this forum (Tony Francis, Dave White, Chritophe Grellier to name but a few...). I wanted to tell you guys how impressed I am with your work!

Best Regards,


Gwenn

hey gwenn.
my name is alan, and i build weiss only. i know alan down-under through the acoustic git forum, cool guy! i should get back in touch wit him!
anyway, i'm just about to shoot the finish on weiss # 3, and have been fine tuning bracing design and such.
so, i'll give you any info that i can, from my meager experience.
i think a softwood top wood be louder, and more dynamic, where as a hardwood top would give you a more focused, balanced
tone, but not as loud.
i build from the plans from stew mac, which i think are different from yours, and the bracing is too light from my plans.
anyway, would be glad to help if i can. good luck!
alan

Hi Alan and thank you very much for your answer and offer of advice: I sure will need it in due time! Working on Weiss #3, you must really benefit from the experience of the first two... What wood did you use for your different instruments?

Paradoxically, I started with an OM acoustic guitar, experiencing the tribulations of neck adjustment and fretwork. I realise now that it would have been easier to start with a Weiss and then continue with the OM, but that's juste the way I ended up doing things!

As for Alan from Townsville, I realise he mentioned in a thread which songs where played with the Sassafras Weiss, so sorry for asking!

See you around!


Gwenn from Paris

G'day Gwenn,

Yes I still have those mp3s I recorded on the three weissenborn copy guitars. If you would like to contact me via private email I will send you copies of the sound bites. My address is: ozziebluesman at yahoo dot com dot au

As far as sound goes the all blackwood has a more traditional weissenborn tone because blackwood and koa are related and are very similar remembering no two pieces of wood are the same.The sassafrass is closer to a softwood and is very light in weight. The tone is very warm and loud. As far a a bridge material goes you could use any of the austrailan hardwoods. Myrtle is beautiful to work with its also a much softer wood than blackwood.

I have some blackwood ready to build a couple more weissenborn copies soon. I have learnt heaps and I will be changing a few things in my next build to make a sounder instrument.

Anyway, maybe talk to you soon.

Alan: I will be contacting you soon mate!

Cheers

Alan

oz-fest!

Hi Gwenn.
If you are looking for Sassafrass then Bob at Tasmanian Tonewoods is the man to talk to, he has the best I have seen. I think Alan will back me on this as he has recently finished a build using Bob's sassafrass and it was nothing short of an amazing build. If it is Bunya you decide on then David Kirby is your man. All of the Bunya I have recieved from him has been to the highest standard. Most of my builds use his Bunya Pine as my soundboards (just love the stuff) and I've never been disapointed. I kinda like this land too. Cheers And Goodluck with your build.
Robert.

Dear all,

Thank you all for your replies. After having given my project a serious thought, here is how it's going to look like:

- BH Sassafras soundboard, back, sides and headstock
- Wandoo fretboard, bridge and head-plate
- Fretboard position markers and binding: to be determined

All the timber will be ordered from Tim Spittle at Australian Tonewoods

I'm still waiting for the MIMF plans to arrive in the mail and I should be getting started by September

Anyway, thanks a lot for your precious answers!

Gwenn

sassafras and wandoo. love the way it sounds already!