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I got a sweet set of figured mahogany at John Ressler's chicago get-together last fall. I can't decide on which way to join it. I'm having a real aesthetic crisis here!
What do you guys think? Option A or Option B? The flame figure is pretty nice either way, maybe a little bit stronger in B. I'm planing on a OM size. The butt end would be on the left side of the pic.
Opinions please....

I like both , howeve I think "B" would be my choice as well . Seems tp "pop" a lil more to me. Either way , it wil be a sweet looking set !

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I suppose there could be a musical as well as an aesthetic answer.

Aesthetically figure should be evaluated with the shape of the guitar you intend to buid in mind. So place your mold or plastic pattern over the back to see what it will look like. The main issue is how the guitar draws the eyes, and whether that suits one or the other sweep of the figure which will also want to pull the eyes. While it may not mater in this case, you should also try to visualize what will happen when finish is applied there can again be certain eye movement implications if different parts of the back shine when "wet" than dry.

At a more pragmatic level, there can be figure that gets cut out when you lay the pattern over. I wouldn't let that lead you against the overall effect, but it is worth nooding before selecting the set in the first place.

Then there is the whole look at pretty pictures and do what they did thing.

Musically, because the grain is quite flared in this case, you will end up with a different kind of back by selecting one over the other. I have no idea how that will work for you. It is just worth noting that fact as part of your info as you go ahead. Also, if one had in mind a particular objective one could compare the grain in that case. Imagine it were a top and it was being lattice braced, the major movement is in the edges, there would be significant differences in the grain being parallel or 45 degrees to the sides. Getting back to backs, that grain orientation would be near parallel to some radial braces one sees on guitars these days. Not sure I would want that. If you were just using standard transverse bracing, it would no longer be perpendicular to the grain. Just things to watch out for, or ignore.

By the way, as material allows you don't have to use the established lines. You could consider slightly different skew to the edge, neither is going to be aligned parallel, so you can play with the joint angle both for strength and visual effect.

B

I'd go for B, with the upper bout to the right in that picture.

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Gene

Politicians and diapers must be changed often, and for the same reason- Mark Twain

I was just about to say the same thing

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Jonathan Kendall, Siloam Springs AR

Agree. With pointy style heel to continue the shape of the grain

ditto

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Build log

So in refining the trim of B, do you want this:




or this:



Within the frame of you guitar.

I think I'd like the church door with just a little canoe at the bottom.

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Jonathan Kendall, Siloam Springs AR

I'm with the B, upper bout to the right but I really want that boat (dory?)

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

Definitely B. Looks so much more natural to me.

B, without a doubt!

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Quoting the old Sesame Street hit...

Letter B, letter B, letter B, letter B ...

etc.

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Jim Kirby
kirby@udel.edu

Another vote for B. As for the trim, if you can work with stone, I'd trim the guitar just like that church door.

Steve

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SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO was there an "a" or "b" in this answer ?

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The Shallower the depth of the stream , The Louder the Babble !
The Taking Of Offense Is the Life Course Of The Stupid One !
Wanna Leave a Better Planet for our Kids? How about Working on BETTER KIDS for our Planet !
Forgiveness is the ability to accept an apology that you will probably NEVER GET
The truth will set you free , But FIRST, it will probably Piss you Off !
Creativity is allowing yourself to make Mistakes, Art is knowing which ones to Keep !
The Saddest thing anyone can do , is push a Loyal Person to the point that they Dont Care Anymore
Never met a STRONG person who had an EASY past !
http://wiksnwudwerks.blogspot.com/
http://www.facebook.com/groups/GatewayA ... rAssembly/

Yup, but with acrylic is just more helpful. But this is what I'd do. You don't have to be set on the existing edge's to be the center line. You can layout the shape however you want within the confines of the material.

But the short answer would be, B

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First of all, musically speaking, the grain orientation of the back is not going to appreciably affect the sound of a steel string guitar. I doubt that it would on a classical, either. Aesthetics? You have to decide yourself. I prefer the 'cathedral' look.

Like Filippo, I take a rectangle of poster board or cardboard, cut out the guitar body shape, then lay the rectangle with the guitar shaped void over the back (or top). It generally clarifies matters.

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michael propsom
www.propsomguitars.com

This is a new one for me. I normally focus on the side to see how well, if at all, they are book matched. The sides end up getting joined to making two ukulele backs. The two back halves get split to make 4 sides.

I believe that B would be my preference. The figure will complement the shape of the instrument. A would be fine also. Cut a template out of paper for the whole shape of the guitar body. This way you can see only the wood as it would appear on the back. Maybe this view gives you a better look at what you want.

Philip

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B.
L.

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Cut to size.....Beat to fit.....Paint to match.

WOW....unanimous voting on B! I hear the A campaign demanding a recount already. I guess with wood from Chicago, you get Chicago style voting too
Thanks for the trim suggestions TomDI....But I'm not sure if oarlocks would be very practical in the binding

Definitely B for me. "A" causes an almost endgrain glue joint and a short grain situation which could crack easier with humidity swings.

Chuck

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Well observed
That would seal the deal for me
another B

Aesthetically if possible I always try to make the grain patterns reflect the form of the instrument itself and thus I would choose "B" though sets don't always give you a lot of choices especially if there are flaws that you need to work around.