Sassafrassin'

I keep forgetting I picked this bit of blackheart sassafras veneer up last year. I was digging through the woodpile today, and found it again. I had a few templates cut out ready to go for my tiger maple projects, so I thought I'd take a look, and I reckon this is the right one for this project.

https://i.imgur.com/olWSwa7.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/BobYKff.jpeg

The veneer is 5mm think, and will have an alder body. I think I might have a crack at binding as well, especially as the shape it not too complex. Not sure what colour, but probably cream.

(Bugger. Posted in the wrong section.)

Thats a nice looking bit of timber!

Nice.

My only comment would be that most of the dark grain action is going on in the central section of the guitar, so a fair bit will get obscured by pickups and strings and neck etc.

Is there any way you can get more of the action into the outer bouts?

If not, I'd go with the lower picture arrangement as you loose less of the pattern to the neck and fittings.

Yep, I've been wondering about that as well.

If I flip the pieces around a bit, I can get the following options, however there's a bit more dark than I had in mind.

https://i.imgur.com/LCA0z8C.jpeg

https://i.imgur.com/BW5kBPd.jpeg

It's probably worth mocking the neck and hardware to get a fuller appreciation of all options.

Ooh, I prefer the patterning in the second, but that's just me

<drooling> Niiiiiiice!

Very nice. I like the second two better. But test them out with some hardware.

One shooting board, ready to be run in:

https://i.imgur.com/GEtnC3a.jpeg

Tomorrow I'm picking up a plane, and will start the conditioning and honing (got a lot of great advice from old mate at Toolmart O'Connor).

Couldn't avoid it any longer.

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Second option does it for me too.

This is ridiculous!
I wouldn't be able to choose between all these options, they all look great!

The top one of the second two is my favourite ATM, as there’s more going on in the behind the bridge area, but as has been said, laying some hardware on top would give a better idea of what it will look like complete.

Love the top pair arrangement.

Interesting results.

https://i.imgur.com/dpX8FxJ.jpeg

https://i.imgur.com/e3uhvy0.jpeg

https://i.imgur.com/e2waMlq.jpeg

Definitely one of the first two. Leaning towards the first one, having a kind of phoenix effect. The tail detail on the second one is very cool though.

Worth noting that the mockup is in standard 25.5" scale length. If I go with the baritone idea I had for this shape, the bridge and bridge pickup will be set a bit deeper back.

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Either of those first two would be ace

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Originally Posted by JohnH

Either of those first two would be ace

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Ha ha - I like 2 best, then 3!
They would all be great in reality.

Two for me. One and three are OK, but I find two the most interesting Rorschach test. ;)

Yeh... the piggy in the middle is the most interesting, it's like it's looking at ya.

Number 2 for me.

Freud would have field day with you lot that chose #2!

#2 has a very strong "uterine" shape at the bottom. :confused:

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Originally Posted by McCreed

Freud would have field day with you lot that chose #2!

#2 has a very strong "uterine" shape at the bottom. :confused:

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Well, that's the jack socket location sorted then. ;)

No. 1 for me. I like the way the darker wood seems to flow from the neck joint around the hardware. As Trevor said, they're all going to look great.

Either way you do this, it's going to look great. Really love that body shape - i'm watching with keen interest on this one.

I prayed to the routing gods last night (after praying to the joining gods the night before), and I now have a slab of goodness (sassafras + alder).

https://i.imgur.com/iD6BRXn.jpeg

https://i.imgur.com/QicjeZI.jpeg

And in a surprising twist, through the application of some degreaser (top pic), there's more to this top than initially met the eye.




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Good work!
I hope that knotty bit in the neck pocket area doesn't pose a problem when routing though.

Yep, me too. I'm thinking I might fill the knots first.

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Originally Posted by McCreed

Good work!
I hope that knotty bit in the neck pocket area doesn't pose a problem when routing though.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by dozymuppet

Yep, me too. I'm thinking I might fill the knots first.

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If you spend some time carefully hogging out, you should be able to avoid any major drama. The idea of filling is probably a good standby, possibly dribbling in some thin CA is about all you need to do though, lest you make your hogging out that little bit harder.

This appears to be a drop top so some careful Forstner bit work might just do it. If you are really worried about it, you could treat that knotty section to some predrilling with a Brad point (4-6mm) before switching to the Forstners.

That looks fantastic!

A bonus!

If you are going clear finish with no staining, then I’d go with CA on the knots. Even with staining, you could stain now, then add CA and then rout out (unless you are shaping the top significantly).

Nice work Dozy.

I'm planning on a clear finish. Probably a flat top, with binding. I've gone with CA with matched sawdust, as there was a fair bit of alder showing through the knot holes.

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It begins. Not sure whether I'll go with the 27 or the 28.5. Sourcing a truss rod might determine the winner.

https://i.imgur.com/pDJ5t3n.jpeg

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Have you thought about setting the neck further into the body so it doesn't have to be so long? Makes it easier to get away with a 460mm truss rod. At the moment you are making more of a 'conversion' neck that fits onto a standard body.

A couple of graphite stiffening rods may also help at the heel end with a slightly short truss rod.

Possibly. I'm in figuring-it-out-as-I-go mode at the moment. Haven't really found a good definitive reference yet either.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by dozymuppet

It begins. Not sure whether I'll go with the 27 or the 28.5. Sourcing a truss rod might determine the winner.

https://i.imgur.com/pDJ5t3n.jpeg

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on my baritone scratchie build I had to take a double adjustment bass rod, cut it down and re weld it to achieve what I needed length wise.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dozymuppet

Possibly. I'm in figuring-it-out-as-I-go mode at the moment. Haven't really found a good definitive reference yet either.

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A reference for what?

The body end of the truss rod would normally end roughly where the neck joins the body. So that's in the curved neck heel area on a set neck, and for a bolt on it's mainly within the thicker squarer area before it rounds down to the general neck profile shape.

A reference for building baritone necks. I know it's basically "extending things", but my initial cursory internet search hasn't turned up much about truss rods (i haven't looked that hard).

I've also only looked at the obvious places for truss rods. stewmac has a "kit" which includes a 24" rod which can be cut and threaded. That sounds promising. I'd rather do that than welding anything.

Carving a longer heel so the neck length to relieve is shorter is not a bad idea either. It would reduce the reach, but I don't spend a lot of time beyond the 15th fret anyway.

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Following with keen interest!

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Originally Posted by dozymuppet

I've also only looked at the obvious places for truss rods. stewmac has a "kit" which includes a 24" rod which can be cut and threaded. That sounds promising. I'd rather do that than welding anything.

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It is a traditional truss rod, so single action. You'll just have to be careful that you don't start with any back-bow in the neck.

Single action truss rods seem to work best with a curved cavity and a strip glued in on top to the truss rod lives in a curve. Warrick basses have a similar deal , but the truss rod is double action.