Guitar Pictures Posted

[jsjordan]

Hey guys -

I've posted some pictures of my second guitar in the photo album. Please take a look when you get a minute and let me know what you think. :eusa_danc

Joel

 

[SteveColes]

Re: New Pictures Posted

WOW:icon_thum :icon_thum :icon_thum :icon_thum

 

[DaveO]

Wow, that is incredible!! What is the wood between the flame Maple skins? Beautiful work and a very unique design :icon_thum

Dave

 

[cskipper]

I second Steve'e WOW!:icon_thum :icon_thum :icon_thum (or would that be :icon_thum :icon_thum :icon_thum :icon_thum :icon_thum :icon_thum ?)

 

[Grgramps]

Joel, I know next to nothing about guitars, but I know beautiful work when I see it. I also notice what appears to be specialized tools that are foreign to these old eyes. Undoubtedly you have demonstrated a lot of patience in your work.
Roy

 

[Ray Martin]

That's one beautiful instrument. I used to think I could have been a better musician if I just practiced the guitar more when I was young... now (seeing incredible work like this) I think I really need to practice my woodworking more.

Ray

 

[JohnsonMBrandon]

Cool deal. Are you pleased with the action and playability of it? I've played guitar for a number of years now, and always think about building my own.

 

[jsjordan]

Thanks Dave! I based the flame maple body on the "hippie sandwich" concept used by the Alembic company. The idea is to laminate contrasting woods and veneers into a "sandwich", then cutaway the body shape, exposing the edges of the saandwich. This creates some VERY cool effects like pinstriping, etc.

My body is made from a Purpleheart (Amaranth) core. On top the layers are maple veneer/PH veneer/1/2" flame maple. On the back it goes M/PH/M veneers with a 1/2" walnut cap.

If you want to see some outrageous work, both quality-wise and design-wise, check out www.alembic.com

 

[jsjordan]

Hey Johnson -

Surprisingle yes! I had the idea for this guitar design in high school which was <ahem> a little while back now. When I got interested in lutherie I built this to see if it would actually work. Believe it or not, it plays pretty well!

On a side note, the COOLEST part of this journey so far is that I traded the guitar in the pictures to my patent lawyer in exchange for a pretty hefty chunk of legal fees! How cool is that?? :icon_thum

 

[D L Ames]

Awesome job Joel. That looks fantastic.:icon_thum

D L

 

[skeeter]

Another WOW registered here! The guitar is awsome. The design and wood tones makes it turly unique.

 

[sapwood]

Zounds! I know nothing about guitars and little about woodworking :lol:

But I know it looks great. In fact, it merits more exposure than hiding in the gallery :mrgreen:

Sapwood

 

[Canuck]

That guitar is way cooooool, Joel!:eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap The design is certainly like nothing I have ever seen - very unique!

Wayne

 

[jsjordan]

Hey Roy -

Thanks for the kind words. There are a fair number of specialized tools used in lutherie work, some of which can be seen of the workbench. I'm still learning all the time and probably will be as long as I pursue this insane offshoot of the woodworking hobby.

My favorite part about the work is that there are a seemingly unending stream of problems which requires unique solutions. Most of the time I feel like more of a "troubleshooter" than a woodworker! :bbiggrin:

 

[jsjordan]

Thank you very much Roger! :-D

The most rewarding part of woodworking for me is when people say "that looks great! how did you do that anyway?" :eusa_danc

 

[NCPete]

Thank you very much Roger! :-D

The most rewarding part of woodworking for me is when people say "that looks great! how did you do that anyway?" :eusa_danc

Joel, That looks GREAT! How did you do that, anyway?!?

:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:






seriously, How? My brother plays guitar, and my son is learning (sort of?). I would like to make a guitar for both someday.

 

[jsjordan]

Pete -

So far I have learend what little I know through trial and error (mostly error) .:BangHead: I'd be glad to talk with you or meet up sometime and share what I've learned.

Like most woodworking tasks, lutherie work requires specialized tools and jigs to perform the various shaping, cutting, and finish work requried to make a playable instrument. As is my nature, I complicated the learning curve immeasruably by starting from absolute scratch :slap: (lumberyard 5/4 mahogany) and just jumping in. I hope to find a teacher one day to show me some of the fine points but its a helluva a lot of fun learning as I go also! :roll:

I highly recommend the two books listed below as reference guides. These two books got me started and pretty much layout the process of building solid-body electric instruments (Hiscock) and acoustic guitar (Cumpliano) in easy to read format.

Both are available at Amazon so check them out if you wantto really see how its done! ;-)

Make Your Own Electric Guitar by Melvin Hiscock

Guitarmaking: Tradition and Technology by Cumpliano & Natelson

 

[DaveO]

Joel, this is completely off-topic, but I love your new signature. I have to add: "Now I don't know but I was told. In the heat of the sun a man died of cold. Do we keep on coming or stand and wait. With the sun so dark and the hour so late". :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D


Dave

 

[NCPete]

Thanks Joel! Those look like a couple good resources.

 

[jsjordan]

Right on Dave ! and my all-time favorite...

"One man gathers what another man spills" :bbiggrin: