Cupid semi-hollowbody curly walnut and maple electric guitar is again progressing. Headstock has been shaped and I'm fitting the titanium backing plate that will double as a hanging ring.
Simplicity multi-scale (fanned fret) swamp ash & red oak guitar hangs near the window, awaiting the headless tuning system hardware. Once that has been fitted, ergonomic body sculpting will begin.
We had our first snow of the season last evening.
What fascinates me about life is the constant, ongoing, learning opportunity.
I tend to think and move very rapidly in monomaniacal blasts of energy and exclusionary focus. The task at hand is accomplished, but weeds sprout in untended quarters.
But this week I’m watching the master gardener, my father-in-law.
He is growing his final crop. Cancer spread throughout his lungs, spine, lymph nodes and adrenal glands — a fifty year relationship with tobacco finally consummated. His body become fertilizer for his favorite plant.
From him, I’ve learned patience.
You tend the whole. You manage the system. His yearly gardens were lush environments where individual plants found space to thrive. Details, weeds, severed with a flick of his hoe, transformed into nutrients for the others. He worked in the cool of mornings and evenings, escaping the heat of high noon to inside tasks.
And so the bit of him that will live on inside me is to pace myself, and to share myself. He lamented recently: “You live. You accumulate a lifetime of knowledge. You die, and it’s gone.”
Yes.
But aware of that, I am talking to you. Sharing with you what I learn, as we go. Which is why this website is deliberately so much more than a billboard. My musings are an offer to engage in conversation. Hopefully we can learn from each other.
I am segmenting my days in a new way. An even application of energy and focus to a series of tasks. No more marathon shop shifts until I drop from exhaustion.
Cupid is growing in shorter daily spurts. Because my patience remains high, my precision remains high. I’ve discovered the instrument is some of my best work yet, as a result.
In the photos below, I’ve steam bent the sides of the acoustic chamber, then painstakingly fitted them together and to the body structure. Hand planes, scrapers, chisels and files were used — practical application of 18th century techniques.
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Wood is organic matter and therefore subject to many variables. Local growing conditions influence the grain and fiber pattern of the tree. Methods used to cut or split material from the raw lumber determine dimensional stability. Drying parameters including time, temperature, and moisture greatly affect flaws such as checks or cracks.
I recently lost an entire five quarter by 8" by 10' gorgeous ribbon curly mahogany board to checking. Aside from very minor cracks in the end, the board appeared structurally sound. Tap testing resulted in a clear, resonant tone. The dealer was reputable, and the wood had air dried under cover for several years, in addition to previous kiln drying.
But no matter where I cut the mahogany — a notoriously stable wood — it checked severely. Cracks everywhere in the end grain, appearing immediately or over a period of several hours. The cause of this problem is kiln drying wood too rapidly, in this case exacerbated by highly figured grain patterns from a tree under internal growth stresses.
A sad loss to relegate such beautiful potential to the scrap pile.
Sometimes, however, wood is fundamentally sound but has warped due to changes in temperature and humidity. Dimensioning a neck or solid body usually allows machining compensation. But pre-dimensioned acoustic woods cannot be re-machined and must be dealt with differently.
Such was the case with the beautiful curly maple for Cupid's asymmetrical sound chamber. Although the maple was quarter-sawn and properly stored (including wax sealed ends) the pieces exhibited substantial cupping and warping, practically forming a shallow bowl. I attribute the cause to the climate difference between the Pacific Northwest origin of the wood and my local weather here in New Jersey. Combine relocation with transition from winter into spring (plus oil furnace heater use) and we practically have a mandate for movement.
All is not lost, however. The best solution sometimes is to just take a bath.
I filled the bathtub with scalding hot water, floated in the maple, and joined in the watery fun once the temperature was endurable — no point in wasting water. Besides, what a great way of communing with the spirit of the tree whilst contemplating sound chamber geometry.
Those of you who have steam bent wood before will note soaking is a precursor to that process. The wood fibers soften and become pliable over a half hour or so. Next step is to clamp the wet pieces in a matrix facilitating air circulation, as shown in the photo below. Green circles denote curly maple.
A week or two of air drying will provide acclimated dimensionally stable pieces for use.
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Cupid presents unique design challenges due to the asymmetrical acoustic sound chamber combined with GraphTech's Ghost LB63 Floyd Rose tremolo system. Floyd Rose bridges are complex installations even on a (simple) solid body instrument.
Cardboard template outlines the future sound chamber position in relation to the body and cantilever neck.
I've been experimenting with guitar and bass neck-to-body joints for several decades, including: neck-into-body, neck-through-body, asymmetrical sliding dovetail, and now cantilever.
Cantilever is necessary for Cupid due to the asymmetrical ergonomic solid body shape combined with an acoustical sound chamber. I'm seeking the efficient vibration transfer of a glue joint, as well as the ability to sculpt.
Recently, all of my joinery is done by hand.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Luddite.
This is not Ludditism — I apprenticed on (and use) power tools — but rather recognition I am achieving a superior joint using hand planes on the smaller surfaces found in lutherie. Properly sharpened and set up low-angle Lie-Nielsen jointers and jacks will yield (unglued) mated surfaces that exhibit suction when pulled apart. Beautiful results on the curly maple and walnut in photos below.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Tool snob.
This is only partially tool snobbery but really intended as support (and admiration) for a company that produces exceptional quality tools right here in USA. We need to reward and support local excellence. Wherever we live.
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