8-String Walnut Neck-Thru

rick0link · 04-22-2012, 01:30 PM

soooooooo, i scored huge yesterday. i grabbed these:

these are halves of a solid, 1/2" thick walnut table that the local city mission was going to throw away. if you look close, you can see some nice figure in the grain.

i have plenty of material here for quite a few projects. the first will be another 8 string guitar. my first was a success and i want to make another. it will probably be a neck thru with maple for the neck and a laminate body using the walnut.

Neil · 04-22-2012, 01:44 PM

Are you sure it's solid?

If you look at the 2nd picture it's made up of 3 pieces, and of those 3 pieces the grain is almost identical and the flaming occurs in the same area in each one.

To me it looks like 3 consecutive layers of veneer (cut from the same piece of wood) glued side by side (a very common technique for tables and other woodwork).

You'd be pretty lucky to find 3 1/2" thick pieces of wood where their grain and figure follows each other that closely.

I suggest you take one of the binding strips off the outside of the table and see what the core is (would be pretty awesome if it is solid though).

Levi79 · 04-22-2012, 01:50 PM

Nice snag there dude! I'm a huuuuge Walnut fan!

rick0link · 04-22-2012, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil

Are you sure it's solid?

If you look at the 2nd picture it's made up of 3 pieces, and of those 3 pieces the grain is almost identical and the flaming occurs in the same area in each one.

To me it looks like 3 consecutive layers of veneer (cut from the same piece of wood) glued side by side (a very common technique for tables and other woodwork).

You'd be pretty lucky to find 3 1/2" thick pieces of wood where their grain and figure follows each other that closely.

I suggest you take one of the binding strips off the outside of the table and see what the core is (would be pretty awesome if it is solid though).

i can't thank you enough for your observation. you are 100% correct. the top and bottom is a veneer with particle board in the middle.

BUT!!!! the side pieces, you cant see them in the above pics, are INDEED solid walnut and are totally useable.

still not bad for a freebie

Neil · 04-22-2012, 02:41 PM

Thats a shame, free wood is free wood though!

rick0link · 04-22-2012, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil

Thats a shame, free wood is free wood though!

True. At least its not a total loss.

IB-studjent- · 04-22-2012, 02:57 PM

should have kept it as a table

rick0link · 04-23-2012, 05:18 PM

so took the useable pieces of walnut and trimmed them on the table saw. the wood is very nice looking.

i started on the newest member of the family using this wood.

poplar for the back halves

walnut for the top halves

the neck will be neck thru made with 4 piece red oak. the headstock will be walnut, and the fretboard will be wenge. i have never worked with wenge before, so i am looking forward to that.

rick0link · 04-25-2012, 08:32 PM

and here we are as of 7 a.m. this morning:

the headstock will be walnut so it will match the body. i'm really looking forward to getting that cut and glued. it's going to look sweet!

HaMMerHeD · 04-25-2012, 08:39 PM

Wenge is fun to work with, but can be frustrating and painful. It might as well be renamed African Splinterwood.

rick0link · 04-25-2012, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HaMMerHeD

Wenge is fun to work with, but can be frustrating and painful. It might as well be renamed African Splinterwood.

i've wanted to try it out for some time now. i figured this project will be as good as any to do so.

rick0link · 04-28-2012, 08:38 AM

got a nice piece of wenge yesterday for the fretboard

rick0link · 04-30-2012, 12:32 PM

got the fretboard slotted and tapered

glued the sides on this morning

having started this guitar one week ago, i'd say im making good progress.

Levi79 · 04-30-2012, 05:19 PM

Looking good dude!

rick0link · 05-03-2012, 09:35 PM

It's finally all one piece. I got the fretboard glued on today. Now comes all the fun carving. I'll be be sure to post progress pics as i get the work done.

celticelk · 05-04-2012, 11:55 AM

Nice! I've been thinking about a red oak neck for a future build - I'll be interested to hear about your experiences with it!

All_¥our_Bass · 05-04-2012, 04:49 PM

Mmm... walnut...

rick0link · 05-04-2012, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by celticelk

Nice! I've been thinking about a red oak neck for a future build - I'll be interested to hear about your experiences with it!

This isn't the first time I used RO in a project. I built a electric upright bass (Beardley EUB build - TalkBass Forums) using about 90% RO and it turned out awesome. Structurally, it's spot on. No issues. Sound, it sounds damn good. I heard in the past that RO is supposed to sound like crap, blah blah blah. I like it and will continue to use it.

troyguitar · 05-04-2012, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rick0link

This isn't the first time I used RO in a project. I built a electric upright bass (Beardley EUB build - TalkBass Forums) using about 90% RO and it turned out awesome. Structurally, it's spot on. No issues. Sound, it sounds damn good. I heard in the past that RO is supposed to sound like crap, blah blah blah. I like it and will continue to use it.

I used it for both of my 9-strings and they sound good. It being cheap is nice too

rick0link · 05-04-2012, 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by troyguitar

It being cheap is nice too

AMEN!

rick0link · 05-05-2012, 04:59 PM

i carved the neck heel this morning....... what a pain in the ass! but so worth it.

yes that is a hole you see. since these pieces of walnut were from a table, there are holes where the bolts ran through that attached the table top to the side rails.

rick0link · 05-07-2012, 11:42 AM

i got all of the hard carving done today.

i'm really liking this transition between the neck and headstock

rick0link · 05-14-2012, 10:38 AM

frets are all hammered in

inlays

and yes, it glows in the dark!

IB-studjent- · 05-27-2012, 09:16 AM

that's looking superb, but why did you go all invictus on the bottom horn

but other than that, it's looking pretty awesome !

rick0link · 05-27-2012, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IB-studjent-

that's looking superb, but why did you go all invictus on the bottom horn

but other than that, it's looking pretty awesome !

Thanks! I never even thought about Invictus when i drew up the design. They so make some sweet guitars though.

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04-22-2012, 01:30 PM	#1
rick0link SS.org Regular Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Washington, PA Posts: 193 Thanked: 8 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	8-String Walnut Neck-Thru soooooooo, i scored huge yesterday. i grabbed these: these are halves of a solid, 1/2" thick walnut table that the local city mission was going to throw away. if you look close, you can see some nice figure in the grain. i have plenty of material here for quite a few projects. the first will be another 8 string guitar. my first was a success and i want to make another. it will probably be a neck thru with maple for the neck and a laminate body using the walnut. Empryrean likes this.

04-22-2012, 02:57 PM	#7
IB-studjent- ss.org Regular Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 656 Thanked: 26 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	should have kept it as a table -Vik duality 8 fanned fret- -Vik DCA baritone 6 string- This just in: Apologies to the other Abasi fanbois out there....I have just recently - yesterday actually - moved to a new favorite guitarist. stated a relavent member of the music community.

04-23-2012, 05:18 PM	#8
rick0link SS.org Regular Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Washington, PA Posts: 193 Thanked: 8 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	so took the useable pieces of walnut and trimmed them on the table saw. the wood is very nice looking. i started on the newest member of the family using this wood. poplar for the back halves walnut for the top halves the neck will be neck thru made with 4 piece red oak. the headstock will be walnut, and the fretboard will be wenge. i have never worked with wenge before, so i am looking forward to that. Superwoodle likes this.

04-30-2012, 05:19 PM	#14
Levi79 SS.org Regular Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Alberta Posts: 1,680 Thanked: 22 Feedback Score: 30 reviews	Looking good dude! rick0link likes this.

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04-22-2012, 01:44 PM	#2
Neil XL Whore Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: UK Posts: 691 Thanked: 9 Feedback Score: 7 reviews	Are you sure it's solid? If you look at the 2nd picture it's made up of 3 pieces, and of those 3 pieces the grain is almost identical and the flaming occurs in the same area in each one. To me it looks like 3 consecutive layers of veneer (cut from the same piece of wood) glued side by side (a very common technique for tables and other woodwork). You'd be pretty lucky to find 3 1/2" thick pieces of wood where their grain and figure follows each other that closely. I suggest you take one of the binding strips off the outside of the table and see what the core is (would be pretty awesome if it is solid though).

04-22-2012, 01:50 PM	#3
Levi79 SS.org Regular Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Alberta Posts: 1,680 Thanked: 22 Feedback Score: 30 reviews	Nice snag there dude! I'm a huuuuge Walnut fan!

04-22-2012, 02:41 PM	#5
Neil XL Whore Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: UK Posts: 691 Thanked: 9 Feedback Score: 7 reviews	Thats a shame, free wood is free wood though!

04-25-2012, 08:32 PM	#9
rick0link SS.org Regular Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Washington, PA Posts: 193 Thanked: 8 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	and here we are as of 7 a.m. this morning: the headstock will be walnut so it will match the body. i'm really looking forward to getting that cut and glued. it's going to look sweet!

04-25-2012, 08:39 PM	#10
HaMMerHeD Bass Player in Exile Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Norman, OK Posts: 927 Thanked: 9 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Wenge is fun to work with, but can be frustrating and painful. It might as well be renamed African Splinterwood.

04-28-2012, 08:38 AM	#12
rick0link SS.org Regular Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Washington, PA Posts: 193 Thanked: 8 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	got a nice piece of wenge yesterday for the fretboard

04-30-2012, 12:32 PM	#13
rick0link SS.org Regular Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Washington, PA Posts: 193 Thanked: 8 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	got the fretboard slotted and tapered glued the sides on this morning having started this guitar one week ago, i'd say im making good progress.

05-03-2012, 09:35 PM	#15
rick0link SS.org Regular Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Washington, PA Posts: 193 Thanked: 8 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	It's finally all one piece. I got the fretboard glued on today. Now comes all the fun carving. I'll be be sure to post progress pics as i get the work done.

05-04-2012, 11:55 AM	#16
celticelk Rogue intellectual Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 1,692 Thanked: 14 Feedback Score: 1 reviews	Nice! I've been thinking about a red oak neck for a future build - I'll be interested to hear about your experiences with it! "There's only one real freedom in music: freedom from the tyranny of trying to sound good." -Kenny Werner "Whatever technique you have on your instrument at any given time is always good enough to say something. If you can't find the thing to say, that's what you've got to work on." -David Torn "Don't be afraid to let go of the things you know. Defy your weaker, safer self. Create. Make music." -Sonny Sharrock "Do your thing. Follow your heart." -David Fiuczynski

05-04-2012, 04:49 PM	#17
All_¥our_Bass Army Without Borders Join Date: May 2006 Location: Zanzibar Land Posts: 6,983 Thanked: 81 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Mmm... walnut... rick0link likes this. No Nation. No Philosophy. No Ideology.

05-05-2012, 04:59 PM	#21
rick0link SS.org Regular Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Washington, PA Posts: 193 Thanked: 8 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	i carved the neck heel this morning....... what a pain in the ass! but so worth it. yes that is a hole you see. since these pieces of walnut were from a table, there are holes where the bolts ran through that attached the table top to the side rails.

05-07-2012, 11:42 AM	#22
rick0link SS.org Regular Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Washington, PA Posts: 193 Thanked: 8 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	i got all of the hard carving done today. i'm really liking this transition between the neck and headstock

05-14-2012, 10:38 AM	#23
rick0link SS.org Regular Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Washington, PA Posts: 193 Thanked: 8 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	frets are all hammered in inlays and yes, it glows in the dark!

05-27-2012, 09:16 AM	#24
IB-studjent- ss.org Regular Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 656 Thanked: 26 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	that's looking superb, but why did you go all invictus on the bottom horn but other than that, it's looking pretty awesome ! rick0link likes this. -Vik duality 8 fanned fret- -Vik DCA baritone 6 string- This just in: Apologies to the other Abasi fanbois out there....I have just recently - yesterday actually - moved to a new favorite guitarist. stated a relavent member of the music community.

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