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Project over; chambered body nylon string
http://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=28322		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  Johny [ Thu Jul 22, 2010 7:41 pm ]
Post subject:  Project over; chambered body nylon string
Hello everyone!

First time I post here, but I've lurked here a lot in the past few months...
Wanted to drop by to show off my last project. I present this guitar with a huge amount of humility, just figured it might tickle your curiosity.


The body is from an old Harmony Bobcat from 1964, poplar. I chambered it quite a lot.
The neck and top are from a 4/4 plank of Khaya Mahogany I bought and resawed some.
The fretboard is from LMI, 20 inch radius, 650 mm scale length, gold evo fretwire.
The bridge is rosewood.
Pick up system is the DTAR Multisource, and it sounds pretty good. It's their wavelength UST with a condenser mic and 18V preamp.
Tuners are Gotoh, side dots are gold MOP.
The finish is brushed on golden shellac. I added black pigment to the mix for the back and sides.

The whole build thread can be found at:
http://acapella.harmony-central.com/sho ... ?t=2643586

Here are some pics of the finished thing:

Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image

Overall, I like it a lot!
And thanks again for the incredible amount of knowledge you guys are willing to share.
Author:  WudWerkr [ Thu Jul 22, 2010 8:17 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Project over; chambered body nylon string
beautifull looking guitar , i would love to hear a clip of it played [:Y:]
Author:  Steve Davis [ Thu Jul 22, 2010 10:27 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Project over; chambered body nylon string
Its very stylish and i really like it.
Body fret at #16 = truss rod for me.
I too would love to hear it!
Author:  Johny [ Thu Jul 22, 2010 10:43 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Project over; chambered body nylon string
Thanks for the comments, it's really appreciated coming from you guys.

The truss rod seemed necessary due to the thin profile I gave to the neck, that with a smaller nut width (about 46mm) than the traditionnal 2" for the classical guitar. The neck/body joint location was also a concern.
Furthermore, I thought that if I grew tired of the nylon string sound, nothing stops me from going steel string...

The guitar is obviously not really loud. The multi-source system, with the internal mic, attracted me as a way of having a greater tonal control, and I like the fact that it just picks up the surronding noises and such. It's a great tool to make ambient stuff, and besides, it does sound really really good as a guitar.

I built this guitar for live purposes, with my band, and I think it'll do just great.

I'll set up something to have it recorded in the near future.

Thanks again!
Author:  lactose [ Thu Jul 22, 2010 11:22 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Project over; chambered body nylon string
Simply beautiful. And unusual. Would love to hear it.
Author:  alan stassforth [ Thu Jul 22, 2010 11:27 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Project over; chambered body nylon string
very very nice!
use that peghead as a default,
very nice!
Author:  Daniel Minard [ Thu Jul 22, 2010 11:56 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Project over; chambered body nylon string
Very Cool! Love the peghead. Nice finish too.
I'm impressed! Bet it's fun to play.
Author:  WaddyThomson [ Fri Jul 23, 2010 10:15 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Project over; chambered body nylon string
Great looking work guitar. Good job.
Author:  fingerstyle1978 [ Fri Jul 23, 2010 11:43 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Project over; chambered body nylon string
Filippo Morelli wrote:
Phenomenal. Wish you were closer so I could play it.

Two questions:
1) why a truss rod on a nylon string guitar? Seems unnecessary.

2) I assume you don't get much volume (for obvious reasons). Curious on further observations around your pickup system and the guitar.

Nice work!

Filippo


(Godin) La Patrie uses truss rods on all of their guitars (all are classical). I own one and the appeal for me is that the neck can be adjusted if need be as opposed to a neck reset. I realize the value of tradition, but if a truss rod improves the integrity of the instrument, why not?
Author:  SteveSmith [ Fri Jul 23, 2010 4:55 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Project over; chambered body nylon string
Had to wait till I came home to see the pictures. Glad I came back to the thread. Very nice. I really like the headstock.
Author:  David LaPlante [ Fri Jul 23, 2010 7:41 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Project over; chambered body nylon string
Nice and clean; both from a design as well as a workmanship perspective.
For the next one you might want to refine the peghead layout so that the strings have clear travel from the nut to the tuners.

Congrats!
Author:  Johny [ Sun Jul 25, 2010 7:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Project over; chambered body nylon string
verhoevenc wrote:
Ah, you're in here as well as PG. Yeah, like I said before, especially consider what this project started as, this is stunning! You should show these guys the before pictures, it really brings the project into context IMO.
Chris

Yep, PG and here are the two places where I gathered most of the knowledge I needed for this.
Thanks! This is the body as I got it.
Image

After stripping and the first round of routing the chambers. It got a little more refined along the way.
Image

Filippo Morelli wrote:
That's what I was wondering about. Have you looked at all at the Schertler stuff? They have some type of mic system for the inside of a guitar. I've been thinking about a thinline classical. I won't digress, but this is what is prompting the questions. Curious to hear how it sounds.

Filippo


I'll make sure to post a clip, I've had a lot of requests so I'll do it as soon as I get my recording stuff back (currently at our practice room)
FWIW, I really like the sounds I can get from this thing! Do it!

David LaPlante wrote:
Nice and clean; both from a design as well as a workmanship perspective.
For the next one you might want to refine the peghead layout so that the strings have clear travel from the nut to the tuners.

Congrats!


Thanks! Good eye on the string travel, I thought it would be enough, and it almost was, but that truss rod cover came in the way...

And thanks everyone, I wasn't expecting such a welcome, and I appreciate it.
Author:  Johny [ Mon Oct 11, 2010 7:07 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Project over; chambered body nylon string
Hey!

I finally recorded a short video of the thing.
Sorry for the bad quality, could not plug it into an amp to record due to the proximity of the neighbors...

So it's all via my Vox Tonelab SE, then directly on the soundcard of my laptop.
The strings are Savarez high tension.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlnT_vpfR64

Hope you guys enjoy!
Author:  John A [ Mon Oct 11, 2010 7:43 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Project over; chambered body nylon string
Very nice sound and tone you are getting - nice work !
Author:  Colin North [ Tue Oct 12, 2010 3:25 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Project over; chambered body nylon string
Hey, nice one, looks and sounds!
So, has the building bug bit you?
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