The Luthier Community

E3 Spalted Indian Rosewood

I'm getting ready to do a crazy amount of work. And the guys here at Luthiercom.org gave me this space to spread out and work through my builds. So I'm going to finish 2-3 old half started instruments and 2-4 prototypes. No ones buying right now, I have the wood and the ideas, and besides I'm bored just waiting for commissions to come in, and just writing articles. So wish me luck cuz I'm getting to work.

My E3 is a Neck through guitar where the core inch (ish) of my neck laminate shows through the top.

So I bought enough of this well flamed (AA to AAA) mono-toned spalted maple to make what I thought would equal 15 one piece tops. I started cutting it (2 years later) and found that hidden on the inside of every board are worm holes. Well farms and plantations really. Highways, school systems and government offices all hidden underneath my perfect and clean top surfaces. So rather then waste all but 1 maybe 2 tops I'm going to build these spalted guitars to completion.

I had already glued the necks up before I found the holes. To be honest I let them go to the side because I figured they wouldn't sell because they wouldn't be clean enough. But I'm now at the point where I think wood is wood, worms and all and I'm going to make these 2 guitars scream to be played no matter how they look. So watch out cuz here they come!!

Todd,

Sounds like this will be a great build to watch.

I love wood, blemishes and all. That's what gives it character. What some folks might think of as blemishes I think of as beauth marks. Sure, they can take more work and some inventiveness but hey, if it were easy everyone would be doing it.

Lefty

It's truly a joy to have ya here T -
To me, you show all the things good about this art - Passion, humor, smarts, dedication, history, and innovation -
It's aaaaaaalllllll good in th' 'hood!

E

Word!! E. Haha

Uncovered the government offices (worm lines) and actually started fitting it together today. So I cut the notches to fit the neck seat at the band saw and hand file to make the puzzle pieces fit. I need to jig this out but just haven't taken the time. This will probably be the last time I do it by hand. (Hopefully!!!) After both sides are done I test fit and then plane them down to height. Then I glue one side at a time, I only got the treble side done before it was time to quit.

That's some purty wood too - Love the spault!

E

Clamped on the top wings and cut out the neck bulk. My band saw blade is on it's last leg, gotta go get new ones. Poor guy.

Ahhhh, that's why you left one wing off!

Yissir, it does look like you need to call Spectrum!

Dennis