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#5 - A 12 Fret, Slope Shoulder Slothead 12
http://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=31077		 Page 1 of 2
Author:  John Buckley [ Fri Feb 11, 2011 8:19 pm ]
Post subject:  #5 - A 12 Fret, Slope Shoulder Slothead 12
This one took awhile (~ 2 yrs) and is my stab at a D12-20ish style 12 string (short scale, slope shoulder, 12 frets to body, and slotted headstock). Basics are:

Engelmann over Honduran Mahogany
Amazon R/W Bindings
Madagascar R/W Bridge & Fretboard
Red Abalone Rosette

Many thanks to all on the OLF who helped me with this, especially to 1) John Hall for the tracing; 2) Todd Stock for answering my PMs regarding bracing; and 3) J.J. Donohue who made a fantastic 12-20 style guitar awhile back and was very gracious in pointing me in the right direction on this build.

This is my 1st try at posting pics here, so hopefully they'll work :D

John

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Author:  Matt Bouchie [ Fri Feb 11, 2011 10:08 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: #5 - A 12 Fret, Slope Shoulder Slothead 12
Wow, that's beautiful.

Matt
Author:  Joe Sustaire [ Fri Feb 11, 2011 10:11 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: #5 - A 12 Fret, Slope Shoulder Slothead 12
Hey John, that's a great looking guitar! [clap]
I built a 6 string, 12 fret slope after being inspired by JJ's build, and I love it.

You did a great job, now go and play,
Joe
Author:  CharlieT [ Fri Feb 11, 2011 10:11 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: #5 - A 12 Fret, Slope Shoulder Slothead 12
Oh my, that is gorgeous John!!! wow7-eyes The contrast of the Amazon RW bindings on the mahogany is beautiful.

Can you post more photos, please? Eat Drink
Author:  parrotheadmj [ Fri Feb 11, 2011 10:16 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: #5 - A 12 Fret, Slope Shoulder Slothead 12
Like the cajuns say "don't that pretty"

Marc
Author:  WaddyThomson [ Fri Feb 11, 2011 10:30 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: #5 - A 12 Fret, Slope Shoulder Slothead 12
Man, that looks outstanding! Congratulations!
Author:  John Buckley [ Fri Feb 11, 2011 10:57 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: #5 - A 12 Fret, Slope Shoulder Slothead 12
CharlieT wrote:
Oh my, that is gorgeous John!!! wow7-eyes The contrast of the Amazon RW bindings on the mahogany is beautiful.

Can you post more photos, please? Eat Drink


Thanks Charlie (and Matt, Joe, Waddy & Marc). Charlie, I really like the way Amazon R/W bindings look on Mahogany too. Here's a few more pics:

John

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Author:  CharlieT [ Fri Feb 11, 2011 11:16 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: #5 - A 12 Fret, Slope Shoulder Slothead 12
That's what I'm talkin' about! [:Y:] Thanks for the additional pics John. That's just a nice looking and very tastefully done guitar.

If I may ask, where did you find the Amazon RW bindings?
Author:  nickton [ Fri Feb 11, 2011 11:26 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: #5 - A 12 Fret, Slope Shoulder Slothead 12
Very nice. Did you cut the bridge bone that way or was it pre made? How do you figure out how to do that anyway? Maybe that requires a whole other post. I thought I'd be able to intonate my guitar by filing edges forward or back (kinda the equivalent of adjusting an electric guitar's adjustable saddles), but found it too difficult.
[headinwall]
Author:  SteveCourtright [ Fri Feb 11, 2011 11:46 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: #5 - A 12 Fret, Slope Shoulder Slothead 12
John, great, great wood choice and very nice workmanship. I love it.
Author:  jackwilliams [ Sat Feb 12, 2011 7:59 am ]
Post subject:  Re: #5 - A 12 Fret, Slope Shoulder Slothead 12
great looking guitar John!
jack
Author:  Haans [ Sat Feb 12, 2011 8:28 am ]
Post subject:  Re: #5 - A 12 Fret, Slope Shoulder Slothead 12
Lovely, John!
I like the bindings with mahogany...reminds me of tortoise bindings on mahogany.
Author:  Hupaand [ Sat Feb 12, 2011 11:56 am ]
Post subject:  Re: #5 - A 12 Fret, Slope Shoulder Slothead 12
Very nice. Do those take a special truss rod? I had a D12-20 35 years ago and the neck was weak. That has scared me away from building one.
Author:  pvg [ Sat Feb 12, 2011 2:18 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: #5 - A 12 Fret, Slope Shoulder Slothead 12
Nice looking guitar!
I had a Martin D12-20 I bought new back in '68; man what a guitar that was!! One of the best sounding 12s I ever heard; a joy to play and sing to. It was like singing with a piano. I think the slope shoulder design has a sweeter tone than the flat shoulder dreadnaught.
I'll bet your guitar is a joy to play :D
BTW I never had any neck issues with mine- but I tuned a step down which was standard practice back then.
Hope you enjoy it...
regards
pvg
Author:  John Buckley [ Sat Feb 12, 2011 5:31 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: #5 - A 12 Fret, Slope Shoulder Slothead 12
CharlieT wrote:
That's what I'm talkin' about! [:Y:] Thanks for the additional pics John. That's just a nice looking and very tastefully done guitar.

If I may ask, where did you find the Amazon RW bindings?


Charlie,

I got the Amazon R/W bindings from Allied Lutherie, a forum sponsor.

nickton wrote:
Very nice. Did you cut the bridge bone that way or was it pre made? How do you figure out how to do that anyway? Maybe that requires a whole other post. I thought I'd be able to intonate my guitar by filing edges forward or back (kinda the equivalent of adjusting an electric guitar's adjustable saddles), but found it too difficult.
[headinwall]


Nick,

It's not pre-made, but rather something that's an individual thing you do for each guitar. It's really not difficult at all, and you are exactly right---all you do is file the front or back edge to the line you've marked on your saddle as being the "sweet spot" for each string. How you find that spot is the subject of several previous posts----just do a search on "intonation" or "saddle making" or something like that, and you'll see it's something you can do fairly easily. And once you know how to do it, your guitar(s) will sound great all up and down the neck!


Hupaand wrote:
Very nice. Do those take a special truss rod? I had a D12-20 35 years ago and the neck was weak. That has scared me away from building one.


Hugh.

No, it's not a special truss rod---it's a standard two-way adjustable truss rod. On each side of the rod, I also installed carbon fiber inserts to further strengthen the neck---and it's really solid. So, don't let a weak neck from 35 years ago scare you off from building one. There's plenty of info in the archives here to point you in the right direction.

John
Author:  Steve Kinnaird [ Sat Feb 12, 2011 11:21 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: #5 - A 12 Fret, Slope Shoulder Slothead 12
Looks super, John. You did your bridge pins the way I do as well--namely putting the larger strings forward, and not vice versa.
Just makes sense to me as the larger string does not have to bend around its sister bridge pin. Just a small touch, but I appreciate that.

Steve
Author:  douglas ingram [ Sat Feb 12, 2011 11:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: #5 - A 12 Fret, Slope Shoulder Slothead 12
+1 on the Amazon Rosewood bindings with the Mahogany, and the mitered purflings.
Author:  JJ Donohue [ Sat Feb 12, 2011 11:58 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: #5 - A 12 Fret, Slope Shoulder Slothead 12
Graceful details and beautiful execution. Well done indeed, John!
Author:  Darryl Young [ Sun Feb 13, 2011 5:45 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: #5 - A 12 Fret, Slope Shoulder Slothead 12
Very nice work John!
Author:  MetalOne72 [ Sun Feb 13, 2011 8:40 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: #5 - A 12 Fret, Slope Shoulder Slothead 12
Very nice! I was going to build a standard dred in Mahoghany, but now I think I am going to switch up to a slope shoulder build because of this. Just got to get me some drawings.

Just curious, how did you do the slotted headstock?
Author:  John Buckley [ Sun Feb 13, 2011 10:14 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: #5 - A 12 Fret, Slope Shoulder Slothead 12
MetalOne72 wrote:
Very nice! I was going to build a standard dred in Mahoghany, but now I think I am going to switch up to a slope shoulder build because of this. Just got to get me some drawings.

Just curious, how did you do the slotted headstock?


MetalOne,

After you're happy with things like your final headstock angle, shape, thickness etc, you then mill the 2 slots and drill the holes for your tuners. There's several ways you can do this, and there are various jigs you can buy to assist. I used StewMac 6-on-a-plate tuners, and they sell a drilling jig that precisely matches their tuner spacing so I used that. I made a jig to mill the slots, and used a laminate trimmer with a guide bushing after getting most of the waste material out with a forstner bit.

There's lots of info on the forum on what's involved in making slotted headstocks---the two threads below may be of some help.

viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=23023&hilit=slotted+headstock+plans

viewtopic.php?f=10102&t=12514&hilit=+slotted+headstock

John
Author:  MetalOne72 [ Mon Feb 14, 2011 7:45 am ]
Post subject:  Re: #5 - A 12 Fret, Slope Shoulder Slothead 12
Thanks for the reply. I didn't see those two threads but I saw a few others. I am debating on getting the tool form Luthiers Tools. Pricey..
Author:  JJ Donohue [ Mon Feb 14, 2011 9:37 am ]
Post subject:  Re: #5 - A 12 Fret, Slope Shoulder Slothead 12
MetalOne72 wrote:
Thanks for the reply. I didn't see those two threads but I saw a few others. I am debating on getting the tool form Luthiers Tools. Pricey..


I have that jig and I am most grateful each time I use the device. You pay for it once and I guarantee you'll never regret the decision.
Author:  Barry Daniels [ Tue Feb 15, 2011 2:41 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: #5 - A 12 Fret, Slope Shoulder Slothead 12
Very nice color and glow to the mahogany.

What was your finish schedule?
Author:  Beth Mayer [ Tue Feb 15, 2011 4:46 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: #5 - A 12 Fret, Slope Shoulder Slothead 12
What a beauty! I have the wood and plans to make a J45ish model 6 string. I really like the slope shoulder look. That bridge is gorgeous! Excellent wood choices. Thanks for sharing! Beth
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