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PostPosted: Sat Nov 10, 2012 9:42 pm 
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This guitar was a bit of an experiment for two reasons -
1) I wanted to try something differnet for a baritone - 27.5" on a OM body (Has anyone else done this?)
2) This is my first build with an adjustable neck. Three set screws in the neck block rest against brass dowels in the heel.

I made the top pretty thin - about .085" and used a lattice brace. I wanted the top to move a lot to handle the lower tuning of the baritone. I also made the body pretty deep.
I'm real happy with it on both fronts. I'll try to post a recording/video soon.

Image

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Image

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PostPosted: Sat Nov 10, 2012 10:11 pm 
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Beautiful, Steve. Love that cherry! Looking forward to hearing it.

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PostPosted: Sat Nov 10, 2012 10:45 pm 
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very nice! action looks a bit high in that second pic...
what do you plan on tuning the low string to?


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PostPosted: Sat Nov 10, 2012 10:45 pm 
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Very nice [:Y:] [:Y:] [:Y:]

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PostPosted: Sun Nov 11, 2012 12:59 am 
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Show your adjustable neck joint?


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PostPosted: Sun Nov 11, 2012 3:36 am 
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Lovely looking guitar Steve. :)

I'm just sanding some curly Cherry for a guitar based on the Taylor GA and yours looks stunning so I'm glad I chose it now :)

All the best
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PostPosted: Sun Nov 11, 2012 7:41 am 
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What beautiful cherry, and a fine looking guitar!
What gauge strings are you using?

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PostPosted: Sun Nov 11, 2012 7:54 am 
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Nice Cherry. Did you source that locally?


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PostPosted: Sun Nov 11, 2012 9:46 am 
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That is a beautiful set of cherry. More info please. And I'd like to know if you have used that big of a sound port before. Nice work.

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PostPosted: Sun Nov 11, 2012 10:56 am 
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Steve Saville wrote:
This guitar was a bit of an experiment for two reasons -
1) I wanted to try something differnet for a baritone - 27.5" on a OM body (Has anyone else done this?)


Nice looking guitar Steve! I've done a bunch of these, but with a 12-fret 000 body. I use a 27" scale for C to C tuning and a 28.5" scale for B to B (down a fourth from standard). I use 14-18-30-40-54-70 gauge strings or thereabouts to keep the tension about the same as a normal guitar with medium strings. The results are excellent IMO... you don't need a super wide body or big airspace for a baritone. I've learned that - kind of counter-intuitively - a nice treble response is really important on these. Without it they can sound muddy and inarticulate.


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PostPosted: Sun Nov 11, 2012 11:50 am 
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Wow! That's a beauty. Great work.

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PostPosted: Sun Nov 11, 2012 12:01 pm 
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nyazzip wrote:
very nice! action looks a bit high in that second pic...
what do you plan on tuning the low string to?

Yes- It is a bit high, That's the cool part about the adjustable neck! I'll go fix it and it will take less than 10 minutes.

I have medium strings on it and keep it in tuned down a whole step (D-D) or 2 whole steps (C-C) C-C tuning is the limit and any lower would need heavier gauge strings.


meddlingfool wrote:
Show your adjustable neck joint?

OK - But because is is my first it is not as clean as I'd like - so please keep that in mind.

Here are the three access points for adjustment. The two 1/4-20 SHCS need to be loosened first. I am using set screws with 40 TPI so adjustment is very precise.
Image

Here is the neck block with the brass dowels.
Image

The pocket for the neck. With the three adjustment points you can easily change the neck angle in any direction you like. A full turn on the 40 TPI set screws makes a small move on the neck, which is real nice.
Image

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Last edited by Steve Saville on Sun Nov 11, 2012 12:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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PostPosted: Sun Nov 11, 2012 12:10 pm 
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Steve Kinnaird wrote:
....What gauge strings are you using?...
I have mediums on it,which is my usual choice, but I'll use baritone gauge if I want to go lower and it is actually pretty cool to use light gauge and tune to standard E-E.


Clinchriver wrote:
Nice Cherry. Did you source that locally?
I got it here, on the forum classifieds I think from Lance.

Ken Franklin wrote:
That is a beautiful set of cherry. More info please...
See above. This is my first cherry build. I like it. It has a nice mellow tone which I think is desirable in a baritone.

Ken Franklin wrote:
And I'd like to know if you have used that big of a sound port before.
No, that picture makes it look very large, but it is big - the largest one I have ever made.

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PostPosted: Sun Nov 11, 2012 1:45 pm 
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That Cherry looks awesome, nice to see it set off so well on a nice guitar.

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PostPosted: Sun Nov 11, 2012 2:27 pm 
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Very nice Steve;
I'm talking with a guy about a baritone, and I had been thinking about an OM sized body.... I may have questions as I delve into it more...interesting looking neck joint too...


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PostPosted: Sun Nov 11, 2012 5:19 pm 
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Beautiful job. Nice cherry!


Posted using two tin cans and some string.

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PostPosted: Sun Nov 11, 2012 8:40 pm 
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I did stain the cherry and the neck with dark walnut stain. I think it helped to pop the grain bring out the beauty in the wood.
Jack - feel free to contact me with any questions. I'll help as much as I can.

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PostPosted: Mon Nov 12, 2012 12:53 pm 
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I major omission needs to be corrected - I need to give credit for the adjustable neck design to several great builders. I have been thinking about this idea for several years before actually doing it. First to mention should probably be Johann Georg Stauffer (1778-1853). His design is the oldest one I could find, from the 19th century. He is probably the father of the modern adjustable neck design.
I spent a lot of time looking at David White's design of De Faoite Stringed Instruments. David's web page (see below) is the most detailed on the web that I have seen.
I spoke with Kent Chasson who was very helpful and encouraging. He spent a lot of time detailing what he does, why he does it, and he sent pictures. I met Kent at a Ervin Somogyi week-long class on the subject of The Principles and Practice of Voicing the Guitar. Kent is a great guy and builder.
I also looked at Mike Doolin's and Rick Turner's designs.
I have mixed in elements of each, but I have probably utilized David's and Kent's design elements the most.

I will be making some changes. Carbon fiber tube buttress supports will likely be added like most of the guys listed above use.

Thank you David, Kent, Johann, Mike and Rick!

(I looked at the "Continually Adjustable Neck" by Babicz Design Ltd. but do not like that method at all. I do not think it is good to change the height of the neck without changing the angle also.)

David Whites design -
http://www.defaoiteguitars.com/page30.htm

Kent Chasson -
http://www.chassonguitars.com/design.html

Doolin Guitars -
http://www.doolinguitars.com/adjneck.html

Johann Stauffer
http://www.vintagemartin.com/stauffer.html

The Fretboard Journal article on Rick Turner -
http://www.rickturnerguitars.com/pdf/05 ... er_all.pdf

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