Official Luthiers Forum!

I don't have pics, but I'd like my next build to be cherry back and sides with maple neck.

If I had known how to stain this neck to match the body I might have tied it...but the probability for screwing up the neck seemed pretty high even if the two woods could have been stained to match each other...which I kind of doubt.

Once the neck is glued, a great deal of shaping is done to this joint with an 80 grit pad. Any staining would have to be done after the gluing...and be done to stop at a thin glue line. Not sure if that can be done.

_________________
I read Emerson on the can. A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds...true...but a consistent reading of Emerson has its uses nevertheless.

StuMusic

I don't know how well it shows up in this picture, but the last OM I finished had a very light colored (blonde-looking before pore filling) Mahogany neck, and dark EIR b/s.
Not the "negative" look Todd was talking about but in real life, pretty contrasty.

What a great question, obviously asked by a really handsome guy!

Oh yeah, great thread too.

_________________
Bryan Bear PMoMC

Take care of your feet, and your feet will take care of you.

Still haven't been able to get this finished due to life getting in the way but this is my challenge guitar. Wenge body and curly maple neck. Pretty contrasting though I did try to keep it tied together thru the use of bloodwood binding and center strip on the neck.

Nice looking guitars and a great thread. It does take some stones to mix it up a bit and stray from the norm.

Not a great photo but I like the look of this one enough to be doing a steel string with same wood right now. Back and sides, Zebrawood, neck, Curly Maple and binding and back strip, also Curly maple. Lumberyard Zebrawood and the neck wood is from a friend who makes wood flooring. This was going to become stair nosing.



This was the rosette.


I'd like to do a Maple body with a Walnut neck sometime in the future.

Cheers,
Danny

Still a positive scheme. African Blackwood and Spanish Cedar with blond shellac finish.

_________________
http://www.Harvestmoonguitars.com

These aren't the negative approach Todd talked about but I think they show how using alternatives to Mahogany can create a nice contrast.
On the second two photos I've used a little shading on the Maple to ease the transition from the neck to the Macasser body.

_________________
"No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man.” -Heraclitus of Ephesus

Curly Myrtle wood and Mahogany neck.

_________________
guitarsbygiltzow.com

Ziricote and Mahogany



Fred

_________________
Fred Tellier
http://www.fetellierguitars.com
Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/FE-Tellier-Guitars/163451547003866

Another 'positive', but this time maple and cocobolo.

_________________
http://www.bobmatthewsguitars.co.uk

We sure are getting some beautiful pics in this thread! I'm really enjoying the maple necked guitars I am seeing here.

_________________
Bryan Bear PMoMC

Take care of your feet, and your feet will take care of you.

Here is a couple with maple bodies and mahogany necks.

Ken Lewis

Walnut neck on a Green Ash body.

I think this fits into the "negative" scheme.

_________________
Expectation is the source of all misery; comparison the thief of joy.
http://redrivercanoe.ca/

I still have 3 dark chocolate cedar tops bought through the classifieds a few years ago.
Has anyone used any of theirs, or similar cedar.
If so, pics would be appreciated.

_________________
The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

I have been blackening all my necks lately and loving it. I think these fit the criteria pretty well:

_________________
Burton
http://www.legeytinstruments.com
Brookline, MA.

Burton, how do you do it? That is certainly the contrast that Todd requested.
There are some beautiful and inspirational guitars pictured in this thread; can't wait to see more.

Wow, Burton, that old school look is looking really rad! I can track the various elements but the way that you have combined them is quite singular. Good on you.

_________________
Expectation is the source of all misery; comparison the thief of joy.
http://redrivercanoe.ca/

Guild has done some odd things over the years with their F412 model.

I had a version of this guitar back in the 70s that had the neck that matched the body color almost exactly as shown in the left part of the photo. Over the years they offered a bit darker Maple neck - and then it seems they went away from Maple - which I don't like the look of at all. (personal preference I guess is for the matching neck on this guitar).

_________________
P A U L B U R N E R
Burner Guitars

Martin,

It is fairly simple:
Sand to 400 or so, do a slight grain raise then scuff that back to smooth
wipe on an alcohol based dark walnut (trans tint) color coat. Usually 3 or so coats.
cut it back with scotch brite, usually a little more on the shaft to simulate some playing
5-15 coats of original waterlox, depending on film thickness and sheen desired.

I have been binding the FB and headstock with African Blackwood and the Dark walnut makes that transition just about invisible. I mask that off before doing the color so the side dots are not stained.

I LOVE the un pore-filled neck. It really feels right to me. I prefer the look too. The waterlox is playable (dry enough to handle without worry) a day or after the last coat but is still ever so slightly grabby for another month or so at which point it becomes perfect.

Here is one of my better ones, where I made a point of modulating the color on the neck to simulate play wear. It also made a very good match to the B&S-







Douglas, thanks! I feel like we are probably on the same page about a lot of things.....

_________________
Burton
http://www.legeytinstruments.com
Brookline, MA.

+1

Burton, those necks are sick...by which I mean very cool!!!

Indeed; I've been beating this drum for quite a while now. The open-pored texture has such a nice look and feel, and my customers have really liked them too.

Back on topic (and no pores to be found!)... a cherry neck and binding on a maple body:

James, very nice - cherry and maple go great together. What type of neck to body joint did you use, if I may ask?

Thanks Martin. I'm pretty sure that one was a bolt-on mortise and tenon neck joint.

Hope no one minds me resurrecting this one.

I must say it inspired me! I know this has been about completed guitars thus far but I've drawn a very rough sketch whilst planning my #3 (which I'm going to [attempt to] make from some old Teak I have), with a contrasting, Wenge neck/binding/rosette, and I thought this might be a good thread to get some thoughts/ideas/suggestions?

I'm still "designing" so open to any! I may have to throw in another wood/colour, and it obviously needs proper refining. I'm still pretty new to designing guitars!

Also; I've heard it splinters, but Is Wenge binding going to be difficult to bend? Or is the Wenge neck going to make the scarf joint more difficult for me?

Thanks in advance,
Nick

The top is supposed to be western red cedar, and the back is a photo of the teak wiped down with naptha. It's really just a "concept sketch".