Melvyn Hiscock Posted December 29, 2006 Report Share Posted December 29, 2006 Further to the posts on here some months back I have now more-or-less finished the Douglas Fir neck guitar. This is a neck though with Fir that was sold as "D" grade. A pick through found some pieces with good straight and tight grain. I chose a quartred piece and made the centre laminate from two pieces of Fir and a 1/4 piece of Sapele in the centre. The sapele was only used because it was free (came from a stick between some planks) and was the only pice 1/4 thick that I had that was long enough at the time. Body sides are Cedar with a 1/8 facing of mahoganu on front and back. The board is ebony and the truss rod was a twin tod (rick-style). I like it. The neck is certainly as stiff as most other guitars I have and there are no apparent problems. The neck needed very little adjustment and it was cretainly easy to carve. There is little point talking about the sound as there are so many factors and this one has an unusual bridge arrangement but the overall feel is resonant and bright. Not too pingy and great fun. I have started another with a totally Fir neck and have some more waiting for me to start on them. You should try it, it is fun. Melvyn Hiscock Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted December 29, 2006 Report Share Posted December 29, 2006 Sounds interesting!! How does Cedar sounds? I know its very light and quite soft Great book bye the way, its my bible! Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melvyn Hiscock Posted December 29, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2006 Sounds interesting!! How does Cedar sounds? I know its very light and quite soft Great book bye the way, its my bible! Matt I love Cedar. I have a tele with a 3mm maple front (just to stop damage as Cedar is soft) and that sounds great. Very ringy and lots of separation between notes. You should try it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMS Posted December 29, 2006 Report Share Posted December 29, 2006 Hey Melvyn Hiscock! I just got your book in yesterday, awsome! Good easy reading, a read and go build book. I am glad we are talking here about soft woods, if I can take to another type - Redwood I have a 2" slab of it and I was thinking about a solid body like a LP/PRS type anygood? Do you think it would be strong enough for the neck also? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PunkRockerLuke Posted December 30, 2006 Report Share Posted December 30, 2006 Hey Melvyn when the cedar trees in my yard die you can have em. I'm waiting till the maple finishes dieing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coolio49085 Posted December 30, 2006 Report Share Posted December 30, 2006 How do you feel about using pine in bodies, and since im here, Is poplar string enough for a neck? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desopolis Posted December 30, 2006 Report Share Posted December 30, 2006 any pics? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melvyn Hiscock Posted December 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2006 Hey Melvyn Hiscock! I just got your book in yesterday, awsome! Good easy reading, a read and go build book. I am glad we are talking here about soft woods, if I can take to another type - Redwood I have a 2" slab of it and I was thinking about a solid body like a LP/PRS type anygood? Do you think it would be strong enough for the neck also? Thanks for buying the book and I am glad you like it. I have used redwood on acoustic guitar fronts and it is nice. I would imagine it would work on a body but if it is quarter sawn send it to me and I'll make acoustics out of it, it is hard to get over here! Redwood may be strong enough for a neck, it depends on the piece. Remember that not all douglas fir is going to be good enough. I chose a tight-grained quartered piece that was obviously quite stiff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melvyn Hiscock Posted December 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2006 Hey Melvyn when the cedar trees in my yard die you can have em. I'm waiting till the maple finishes dieing You are going to have a hell of a job posting them over here to me! Can you imagine trying to get a Cedar tree down to the post office???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melvyn Hiscock Posted December 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2006 How do you feel about using pine in bodies, and since im here, Is poplar string enough for a neck? Thanks Not used ordinary pine in bodies myself but have read a lot about it from other people. I may have a play with it soon to see what happens. I liked the pictures of the pine Tele that were on another thread. I have used Parana Pine and that is a good wood for bodies. Very similar to Alder which, despite something posted on another thread, is not that easy to find over here at the moment. The yard where we used to get it no longer does it as it is not used for much else and so not economic. I wouldn't use poplar for a neck. But then I don't like it for bodies either and hate working with it. It may be OK, it all comes down again to whether it is stiff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melvyn Hiscock Posted December 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2006 any pics? Not yet but there may be soon. MH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supernova9 Posted December 30, 2006 Report Share Posted December 30, 2006 Hey Melvyn when the cedar trees in my yard die you can have em. I'm waiting till the maple finishes dieing Why wait??? Chainsaw rampage..................... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PunkRockerLuke Posted December 30, 2006 Report Share Posted December 30, 2006 because right now branches are dieinf (thing ones) and there is a thick one that I could get a neck or two out of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted December 30, 2006 Report Share Posted December 30, 2006 Nope, you won't get any usefull timber out of limbs. It'll all be reaction wood, and will warp and dance about like crazy whilst it's cut and drying. To get usefull wood you really need the trunk of a tree at least 18 inches across, and 2 or 3 feet is better. Anything else is firewood and not much else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasonBird Posted December 30, 2006 Report Share Posted December 30, 2006 wow,i had to reply to this thread, both Setch, and Melvyn ....I have to thank the both of you...your book Melvyn, and your web page Setch both were so helpful in the creation of my first guitar that I made ( pictures are in a different thread in this forum) I'm editing the recordings from last night so that I can let peple know how it sounds...very cool and my hats off to both of you!! JasonBird Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMS Posted December 30, 2006 Report Share Posted December 30, 2006 (edited) Hey Melvyn Hiscock! I just got your book in yesterday, awsome! Good easy reading, a read and go build book. I am glad we are talking here about soft woods, if I can take to another type - Redwood I have a 2" slab of it and I was thinking about a solid body like a LP/PRS type anygood? Do you think it would be strong enough for the neck also? Thanks for buying the book and I am glad you like it. I have used redwood on acoustic guitar fronts and it is nice. I would imagine it would work on a body but if it is quarter sawn send it to me and I'll make acoustics out of it, it is hard to get over here! Redwood may be strong enough for a neck, it depends on the piece. Remember that not all douglas fir is going to be good enough. I chose a tight-grained quartered piece that was obviously quite stiff. I will send it if you take me on as an appretice This redwood slab looks like its just cut across the tree (tree bark along the edges) like it was going to be used as a coffee table or somthing, I can't tell because its 20 years old dark and needs to be planed, but it is 6' long 24" wide, I was going to use it in the guitar build off .... I won't go there though! But check this redwood guitar out: http://simnettguitars.co.uk/bb/viewtopic.p...038268d81c#2788 Well here it is, the begining of a PG! Edited December 31, 2006 by RMS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fryovanni Posted December 31, 2006 Report Share Posted December 31, 2006 Hey Melvyn Hiscock! I just got your book in yesterday, awsome! Good easy reading, a read and go build book. I am glad we are talking here about soft woods, if I can take to another type - Redwood I have a 2" slab of it and I was thinking about a solid body like a LP/PRS type anygood? Do you think it would be strong enough for the neck also? Thanks for buying the book and I am glad you like it. I have used redwood on acoustic guitar fronts and it is nice. I would imagine it would work on a body but if it is quarter sawn send it to me and I'll make acoustics out of it, it is hard to get over here! Redwood may be strong enough for a neck, it depends on the piece. Remember that not all douglas fir is going to be good enough. I chose a tight-grained quartered piece that was obviously quite stiff. I will send it if you take me on as an appretice This redwood slab looks like its just cut across the tree (tree bark along the edges) like it was going to be used as a coffee table or somthing, I can't tell because its 20 years old dark and needs to be planed, but it is 6' long 24" wide, I was going to use it in the guitar build off .... I won't go there though! But check this redwood guitar out: http://simnettguitars.co.uk/bb/viewtopic.p...038268d81c#2788 Well here it is, the begining of a PG! That looks like it would make an awsome coffee table. Kinda looks like I see a bit of burl(maybe???). This is the kinda stuff Melvyn is talking about for acoustic tops- Peace,Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasonBird Posted December 31, 2006 Report Share Posted December 31, 2006 that is one nice stack o'wood!! color me jealous JasonBird Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flood Posted December 31, 2006 Report Share Posted December 31, 2006 could douglas fir be used to construct a chapman-stick type instrument? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMS Posted December 31, 2006 Report Share Posted December 31, 2006 Yes, it was to be just that a coffee table. I have no room in my house for that use. It kinds looks like Burl but the grain dont look too deformed or spotted so I am not sure if it is or not BUT it does have that irregular shape to it. That looks like it would make an awsome coffee table. Kinda looks like I see a bit of burl(maybe???). This is the kinda stuff Melvyn is talking about for acoustic tops- Peace,Rich That is a nice stock pile of wood you have there, should be good for what 20 guitars?? what size and thickness are they? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted December 31, 2006 Report Share Posted December 31, 2006 More like 90(!!) assuming they get resawn into acoustic tops, or at least 66 archtop sets. Very nice little stash! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyManAndy Posted December 31, 2006 Report Share Posted December 31, 2006 You rich folk and your stacks of pretty wood! *sigh* If only I could afford just a lonely slab of alder... Lol, that is some nice wood you got there Rich. I'm diggin' that redwood as well! CMA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flood Posted January 2, 2007 Report Share Posted January 2, 2007 could douglas fir be used to construct a chapman-stick type instrument? *cough* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Posted January 2, 2007 Report Share Posted January 2, 2007 could douglas fir be used to construct a chapman-stick type instrument? *cough* No, I wouldn't. We're looking at around to 150 pounds of string tension on a 6-string bass. Do the math on a similar scale instrument (most Stick's I have seen are 34") with possibly more strings. Nothing wrong with some inexpensive woods such as Purpleheart or Maple with stiffening rods. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melvyn Hiscock Posted January 2, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 2, 2007 could douglas fir be used to construct a chapman-stick type instrument? *cough* No, I wouldn't. We're looking at around to 150 pounds of string tension on a 6-string bass. Do the math on a similar scale instrument (most Stick's I have seen are 34") with possibly more strings. Nothing wrong with some inexpensive woods such as Purpleheart or Maple with stiffening rods. That's a good point but you need to remember that a lot of wood is removed from a guitar or bass neck in the shaping and much of this is left on for a Chapman stick. There is much more mass there as it remains much squarer. I would say it is worth a go, based on my experience on this guitar and a couple of others I am doing. Certainly I wouldn't worry about using it as part of a laminate. Go on, give it a go, it's a good way of learning! MH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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