# Spalted 28" 8-string Wenge neck!



## TJV (Apr 16, 2012)

Hello!

I thought I could share this project. "spalt 8 proto". If this turns out well there might be second one coming some day.
My brother gave me nice wenge neck blank and I had to build guitar around it. 
Wenge is quite new wood to me. I've never tried it in my builds and I want to know what it does to the tone. 

Here's some original shots of neck blanks.
http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/de...-ibanez-afd-replica-7-string.html#post2812554

Body was some kind of experiment to me. I've never bent wood on another wood. I wanted to do slant top also slant back.
I did two guitar bodys using same methods. Mahogany back and thin spalted maple top.

Scale is 27,946" so it could be easily rounded to 28".
Fingerboard is african ebony. Spalted maple bindings around it.


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## Danukenator (Apr 16, 2012)

I know it's not fair but every time I see wenge necks I think..."Roter." 

That company ruined my image of a perfectly nice wood.

I love that build man, That AANJ look amazing. You are also rockin' a great headstock shape. Reminds me of a more beefy Conklin.


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## BlackMastodon (Apr 16, 2012)

That looks so clean! Very nice build you have here. What kind of straplocks and pickups are you using?


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## TJV (Apr 16, 2012)

BlackMastodon said:


> That looks so clean! Very nice build you have here. What kind of straplocks and pickups are you using?



Straplocks are Gotoh EPR-2. Pickups are BKP Cold Sweat.


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## kruneh (Apr 16, 2012)

Looks awesome!
Very clean build, and the neck is 
Love that binding.


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## Mister-Tux (Apr 16, 2012)

That title! That wood! That spalt! And the project almost finished in one post 
The slap it is!
That's metal


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## DropSplash (Apr 16, 2012)

That looks awesome!


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## Levi79 (Apr 16, 2012)

Wow dude. This is some really really nice work.


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## silent_k (Apr 16, 2012)

TJV said:


> Body was some kind of experiment to me. I've never bent wood on another wood. I wanted to do slant top also slant back.
> I did two guitar bodys using same methods. Mahogany back and thin spalted maple top.



Can you say more about how you did the bending for the top? Did you make relief cuts on the underside, use steam, etc? I'm hoping to do something similar for a future build and it would be great to know more about your technique.

Looks fantastic!


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## TJV (Apr 16, 2012)

silent_k said:


> Can you say more about how you did the bending for the top? Did you make relief cuts on the underside, use steam, etc? I'm hoping to do something similar for a future build and it would be great to know more about your technique.
> 
> Looks fantastic!



A little bit of water spray to the area which is most under the stress. After while just gently force it to shape.


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## TJV (May 17, 2012)

I started to do frets for this build. Before that I wanted to do two dots to mark the octave. Dots are 3mm aluminum welding rod. I guess the side dots are going to be smaller aluminum rod, just like my previous build has. I did truss rod cover too. It's ebony. This build requires fret dressing and lots of final sanding before it could be called guitar and played as a guitar.


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## Winspear (May 17, 2012)

Spalted RG types never amaze me but those neck and headstock photos are INCREDIBLE. That way the board slopes off, the nut, the truss cover...wow!


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## anthonyferguson (May 17, 2012)

Holy spalt batman! Looks awesome.


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## 7 Strings of Hate (May 17, 2012)

looks great dude. I dig the binding on the neck. Nice work


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## Danukenator (May 17, 2012)

This is looking amazing. The work on the binding, fretslots and headstock/volute is just so clean.


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## TimSE (May 17, 2012)

The spalt lines up perfectly with the hardware! Going to be amazing


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## scherzo1928 (May 17, 2012)

sex with strings!


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## rick0link (May 18, 2012)

This piece is simply amazing. Long distance high 5!


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## Tranquilliser (May 18, 2012)

This looks beautiful


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## Onyx8String (May 18, 2012)

That is gorgeous!


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## IkarusOnFire (May 18, 2012)

Looks very slick for an 8 string - will be looking forward to hear your take on a wenge neck =)


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## Explorer (May 19, 2012)

This picture...







...is the one which makes me covet this instrument.


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## TJV (Jun 24, 2012)

A little bit of Danish Oil.


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## skeels (Jun 24, 2012)

I would like to know when you were sending this instrument to me.

Thank you.


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## jon66 (Jun 24, 2012)

I didn't think this could get any sexier, and then you went for the oil...

Agree with everybody on the headstock shape/slope too - it's all just perfect!!


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## Ruins (Jun 24, 2012)

excellent work! simply beautiful guitar and finish!


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## SammyKillChambers (Jun 24, 2012)

There's not one thing I can fault about this guitar! Looks great, and I can't wait to see it complete


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## Insanity (Jun 24, 2012)

Looks amazing!


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## capoeiraesp (Jun 25, 2012)

Danukenator said:


> I know it's not fair but every time I see wenge necks I think..."Roter."
> 
> That company ruined my image of a perfectly nice wood.
> 
> I love that build man, That AANJ look amazing. You are also rockin' a great headstock shape. Reminds me of a more beefy Conklin.



This came before Roter so I hope it helps. 







To the builder of this 8 string, amazing work. That Danish oil finish is incredible.


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## Saubaman (Jun 25, 2012)

i love guitars with those natural finishs and this guitar looks killer! What for a trussrod did you use? dual action? what is the length of the trussrod? 18"? is there a need for a special trussrod? a bass trussrod might be to long. i'm looking forward to build my own 8string, can you help me out with that? thanks a lot!!!


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## TJV (Jun 29, 2012)

99% finished. 
Need to do electronics and find a knob. At his point I'm so happy. There's been too much awesome guitar related stuff in this week. I bought RG2077XL too. It means actually two NGDs to me.


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## celticelk (Jun 29, 2012)

Beautiful!


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## kruneh (Jun 29, 2012)

Awesome build, I really like that one.
The top is stunning, such nice flames.


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## tasteslikeawesome (Jun 29, 2012)

Mmmmmmmm that top.


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## All_¥our_Bass (Jun 29, 2012)

TJV said:


> A little bit of Danish Oil.


I came.


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## TJV (Aug 31, 2012)

Here's proof I've found black volume knob. All electric job is done. It's officially ready to be posted in "Member Built" thread.
Sorry for the blurry pic.


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## GXPO (Aug 31, 2012)

That's inspiring 

Very well done!!


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## nutsock (Aug 31, 2012)

Awesome work!


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## ForThisGift (Aug 31, 2012)

I love the top. I like the look of the ink lines on spalted maple, but am not that crazy about the color change that takes place on most pieces. This is really like the perfect top. Its an awesome flamed top with ink lines.


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## simonXsludge (Aug 31, 2012)

HNNNNNNRGH! Fuck me sideways, this is too damn awesome. Beautiful guitar. Love the spalt. Damn.


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## skeels (Aug 31, 2012)

Inspirational indeed!

Congratulations man- great job!


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## jon66 (Aug 31, 2012)




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## Blackheim (Aug 31, 2012)

I deem this guitar trve and metal as f**ck!


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## drezdin (Aug 31, 2012)

damn good work dude. I'm building something really similar with the curved top, but it didnt come out nearly as good as yours


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## eddiewarlock (Sep 1, 2012)

Wow!! that looks incredibly beautiful and very well made.

Now, i have a doubt, did you make the body larger? or used extra frets? I ask because of the position of the bridge.

On such a long scale guitar, with 24 frets, usually, the bridge is way too close to the butt end of the guitar.

But on yours looks PERFECT.

Jeez...i so would make me a 7 string version of this! Congratulations


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## OfArtAndArsenal (Sep 1, 2012)

Holy.


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## OfArtAndArsenal (Sep 1, 2012)

Crap.

Yes, that needed two posts.


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## TJV (Sep 1, 2012)

eddiewarlock said:


> Now, i have a doubt, did you make the body larger? or used extra frets? I ask because of the position of the bridge.
> 
> On such a long scale guitar, with 24 frets, usually, the bridge is way too close to the butt end of the guitar.



There's just 24 frets.
This is wider and slightly longer compared to RG. Horns are longer and cutaways are deeper too. Main reason here for "decent" bridge position is just how neck is positioned to the body.


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## OfArtAndArsenal (Sep 3, 2012)

No offense to all the other builders on this site, but this is my favorite guitar I've seen here. Do let me know if you ever tire of it.


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## RickSchneider (Sep 5, 2012)

Coming across this thread only now... So many beautiful pictures one after the other. I'm forever impressed by the talent on this forum, very well done man


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