Quoth The Raven

[Kuro Uma]

Kuro-- Doncha just love how people will tell you how mind-blowing your work is, and then tell you how much better it'd be, if only you'd.........
It's only my entirely questionable opinion, but off the top of my head, I can't think of anything that would make that any more stunning than it is. Beautiful work, man, I'm really floored!!

Yes I do find the humor in it, but I appreciate everyone's input honestly. It's how the new ideas get pushed into reality i think. Had I started this with a Scartozi bridge in mind I would've made the image work with it. I also would've wanted to see the bridge made of wood if possible. The idea is great for another reason. The guy I'm making this for is coming from solely playing acoustics. So it would be kinda like "home" if the bridge were shaped so. I'm finishing it up this week and driving down for a show this weekend so I would've have the time to change up the bridge. Plus he's sold on the current setup. However if I could get one made of say.. rosewood etc. I'll just have to build one for myself.  :laughing7:

Meanwhile....
Here's some clear buffed out

 

[DangerousR6]

I'm sure I could do one from Rosewood or any other hardwood... :icon_biggrin:

FWIW, I think it looks badass just like it is and wouldn't change a thing at this point... :icon_thumright:

 

[Kuro Uma]

I'm sure I could do one from Rosewood or any other hardwood... :icon_biggrin:

I will have to take you up on that soon DR6

 

[Great Ape]

Actually, I wasn't rankin' on the bridge idea at all; if the project was begun with that in mind it would have been just fine...My comment was more a reaction to the idea that the bridge covering up only a little of the artwork would be no big deal. And it would be no big deal....UNLESS YOU'RE THE ARTIST...In that case it has a wee bit more significance! Didn't mean to offend anyone...(that time :icon_biggrin

 

[DangerousR6]

No apology needed Greg, I was just raz n you. I wouldn't expect him to cover up such a great piece of artwork. I know I woudnt...

 

[stubhead]

Wellza, Here I go again, off on a tangent so arcane you might have to send the dogs out to track it down, but:

The guy I'm making this for is coming from solely playing acoustics.

I mean, I understand if the guys has little snub-nose fingers or catcher's mitts or seven fingers on each hand, but I have encountered this same thing over and over:

My 1997 Squier turned out to have the absolutely-perfect match-up with my hands! :hello2: Can anyone here make a copy of that, because nothing else could ever work right for me!

Ahem, ahem ~Voice of Reason, here~ :
So, how many other guitars have you tried, for at least a couple of hours?

Well my cousin had a guitar that I played the shit out of , but it only had two strings. But I didn't like it anyway. And it was kinda warped from the aquarium."

Kinda waaa.... aquari...

Oh and I did a lot of research on the internet and all these guys said you should find out what you like and stick to it which is why I need a neck exactly like the Squier and they'd better not screw it up!"

GODDAM IT YOU LITTLE HAMSTER FECES (the voice of not-reason?) YOU CAN'T EVEN PLAY "SMOKE ON THE WATER" ANY OF THE SEVEN DIFFERENT WRONG WAYS MUCH LESS RIGHT AND YOU'RE TRYING T#$%kZzZzSkri XoSSH&^%___rrrrg. skzzx__

:icon_scratch: I suspect that if I were to work on other people's guitars in anything other than my extremely-limited stealth pattern, I would have to hire a secretary to keep them away from me (or me from them?)  Or maybe just keep Icepick Vinnie on retainer to pound a few spikes into people once in a while.

By The Way, Kuro, this was not intended specifically for you or your friend, it's just like... umm.. the first guy who climbs up out of the foxhole, looks around and says "Hey! I think the war is ove..." FOO-OOM! But this: "The guy... is coming from solely playing acoustics." A lot of times, that can be a simple symptom of not ever having any electrics....
a disease for which you are eminently located to play doctor, of course. :hello2:

(Actually a Harley T-shirt, a pair of black vinyl pants and a couple of them iron-on tattoos would be a cheaper way to fish up his latent headbanger, but he's not as likely to leave them back to you in his will...)

 

[Kuro Uma]

No offense taken. I only meant the bridge feeling familiar under his hand might be helpful in the transition. He's a very accomplished guitarist. I can and have handed my electrics over to him live before with full confidence. What has stopped him from going fully electric is we (the band) need him mostly on acoustic. His role is the primary vocalist. He loved the sound of my Maria guitar on the piezos so much that it gave us this idea. We'll use a stereo cable and for the most part we'll use the guitar in the acoustic role. But on those few occasions were I need electric backup. He'll be just a flip of a switch away. You are correct though. Him moving to electric is something I shall remedy.  :icon_biggrin:

I have a feeling we'll broaden our song choices based on this little change as well.

 

[Kuro Uma]

So this would be a good reason to stick with Warmoth. Had a slight issue with the non-W neck.

Yep from the 22nd fret to the 10th the fret board popped off. 
I've never seen this happen but I guess there's a first time for everything. I was getting setup to level the frets and adjusted the truss back a 1/4 a turn and heard a pop. It took a few moments to find that it was the fretboard. In the picture I've got my finger in there to show the separation. I contacted the builders in Denver and all they wanted was a picture to confirm it. They apologized and offered to build me another.

I was a bit worried about their quality at this point but they have such excellent reviews so I thought it best to give them the benefit of the doubt. But we primarily bought this neck due to the awesome grain in the bocote. With being unlikely to find a similar piece and I'd honestly like a neck wood other than mahogany, I asked if they had anything instock that would work for us. They sent me a few pics and said pick one. So i chose a padauk/Honduras rosewood Tele neck.

This one arrived today.

It's a much nicer feeling neck the previous one obviously. And was about $40 more as well. So they certainly made it right. And they let me keep the old neck.

I completed the body while this all played out. Here it is with a glare and smudges but you get the idea.

 

[stubhead]

The fingerboard coming off is more than a slight QC issue - there are things you have to do to glue two woods together, and they ought to know them - but they're easy to find out. Once you re-glue it, you've got two necks for the price of one! You'd have to pull them completely apart, clean them, scuff them up and then I suspect what they might not have done - is bleach the bocote to remove natural oil from the interior surface. Lucky thing it happened early, rather than at the Big Gig - he might not have got the Big Contract, the Girl of his Dreams etc, all due to a cheap glue failure! :sad1:

(Several of the woods used in the original Alembics have fallen out of favor for laminates - just too oily, even with bleaching.)

 

[Kuro Uma]

I'm not sure what the exact cause was. Bocote is a rosewood so I did suspect oils could be a factor. I do plan on seeing what I can do with the old neck when I get the time. The second neck is excellent quality however. I was only joking with the usage of the word "slight"  :icon_biggrin: Thought it might be humorous to make light of it then show the picture and... OH MY GOD!! WHAT HAPPENED THERE!!!  :laughing7:

Any thoughts on how to successfully pull them apart? I got nothing to lose.

 

[Cagey]

Any thoughts on how to successfully pull them apart? I got nothing to lose.

See here.

 

[DangerousR6]

I'm not sure what the exact cause was. Bocote is a rosewood so I did suspect oils could be a factor. I do plan on seeing what I can do with the old neck when I get the time. The second neck is excellent quality however. I was only joking with the usage of the word "slight"  :icon_biggrin: Thought it might be humorous to make light of it then show the picture and... OH MY GOD!! WHAT HAPPENED THERE!!!  :laughing7:

Any thoughts on how to successfully pull them apart? I got nothing to lose.

Well I don't know about the oiliness of bocote, but it's not in the rosewood (Dalbergia) family. It's from the Cordia family, more closely related to ziricote. Just food for thought.. :dontknow:

But the new neck is friggin' sweet... :icon_thumright:

 

[Kuro Uma]

Well I don't know about the oiliness of bocote, but it's not in the rosewood (Dalbergia) family. It's from the Cordia family, more closely related to ziricote. Just food for thought.. :dontknow:

But the new neck is friggin' sweet... :icon_thumright:

I see, That's what I get for taking the label "Mexican Rosewood" literally. I shall do my homework next time. The new neck is Padauk and "Rosul?" I had never heard of rosul so after looking it up another name it went by was Honduras Rosewood. I may have that incorrect as well.

 

[DangerousR6]

Well I don't know about the oiliness of bocote, but it's not in the rosewood (Dalbergia) family. It's from the Cordia family, more closely related to ziricote. Just food for thought.. :dontknow:

But the new neck is friggin' sweet... :icon_thumright:

I see, That's what I get for taking the label "Mexican Rosewood" literally. I shall do my homework next time. The new neck is Padauk and "Rosul?" I had never heard of rosul so after looking it up another name it went by was Honduras Rosewood. I may have that incorrect as well.

If it's in the Dalbergia family then it is. And  Honduras Rosewood is part of that species.. So you're probably good to go.. :headbang1:

 

[stubhead]

Greasy wood is greasy wood, no matter what you call it. Since it popped off when you were turning the truss rod, it wasn't glued in a way that resisted force in that direction - lucky thing, maybe. Unless they had a new guy working, or were trying to push through some orders too quickly, I would guess that they have a single type of glue and a single process for using it on different woods, and that just wasn't strong enough to resist the differential curvature induced by the truss rod movement. You were loosening it to try to get it dead flat to level the frets, right? A double rod? If there isn't any pieces of either kind of wood stuck to the other, I would first try just working a spatula up between them - they already seen to want to fall apart. And if that's not working, put the spatula in boiling water long enough to see if heat has an effect on the rest of the glue. If it does but that's not enough, various combinations of heat and/or steam come to mind. I don't have a steam iron, but even a teakettle kicks out a useful stream.

From the guy's response, it seems as though this may not be the first time. Hopefully, they're now working on that.  :toothy11:

 

[Great Ape]

Kuro--Meanwhile, the work on the body defies verbal commentary!! (So I'll go ahead and comment anyway)...Ummm...damn, I'm pretty much speechless...''hauntingly beautiful'' almost scratches the surface--if you'll pardon the term. That is just something ELSE!!!
What is the finish you applied ?

 

[Kuro Uma]

Greasy wood is greasy wood, no matter what you call it. Since it popped off when you were turning the truss rod, it wasn't glued in a way that resisted force in that direction - lucky thing, maybe. Unless they had a new guy working, or were trying to push through some orders too quickly, I would guess that they have a single type of glue and a single process for using it on different woods, and that just wasn't strong enough to resist the differential curvature induced by the truss rod movement. You were loosening it to try to get it dead flat to level the frets, right? A double rod? If there isn't any pieces of either kind of wood stuck to the other, I would first try just working a spatula up between them - they already seen to want to fall apart. And if that's not working, put the spatula in boiling water long enough to see if heat has an effect on the rest of the glue. If it does but that's not enough, various combinations of heat and/or steam come to mind. I don't have a steam iron, but even a teakettle kicks out a useful stream.

From the guy's response, it seems as though this may not be the first time. Hopefully, they're now working on that.  :toothy11:

Yes I was loosening it. Only got a 1/4th turn on it and pop. Description says a double "hot rod" truss if that helps.

 

[Kuro Uma]

Kuro--Meanwhile, the work on the body defies verbal commentary!! (So I'll go ahead and comment anyway)...Ummm...damn, I'm pretty much speechless...''hauntingly beautiful'' almost scratches the surface--if you'll pardon the term. That is just something ELSE!!!
What is the finish you applied ?

Thank you Great Ape. That means a lot coming from you after I've seen your outstanding pieces. The feeling is mutual my friend. I show my wife everytime you post a new picture.

The finish is just 2k Spraymax Polyurethane after a sealer. It's main use is for clear coating smaller car parts (fenders, quarter panels and etc) when the painter doesn't need or want to break out and clean up the whole spray gun setup. It's extremely glossy and hard. I shoot it on thin and within 24 hours or less I can go right to wetsanding and polishing. I used it on the guitar in my signature and it still looks new regardless of pick scraps or the occasional drunk spilling beer at shows.

I've found that if you can shoot it on directly after using a tack cloth to get every speck of dust or undetectable particle that could get in it, and with a little luck, You could get away with not even having to wetsand or polish. It dries so level and glossy.

 

[Nando Vallart]

This is awesome!
The only but is that I preffered without the "burst", but I really like this one

 

[alterbridgefan]

Kuro--Meanwhile, the work on the body defies verbal commentary!! (So I'll go ahead and comment anyway)...Ummm...damn, I'm pretty much speechless...''hauntingly beautiful'' almost scratches the surface--if you'll pardon the term. That is just something ELSE!!!
What is the finish you applied ?

Thank you Great Ape. That means a lot coming from you after I've seen your outstanding pieces. The feeling is mutual my friend. I show my wife everytime you post a new picture.

I see a trade in the near future... :headbang1: