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Thanks so much! Elden is one-of-a-kind! in Riff #19, where I explain the guitar and its journey as a test vehicle, I hand it off to Elden near the end of the film, and he tells exactly (you are correct about the tension) the strings he has chosen, so you can tune in to him for all the details. Frankentop weighs in at 1.45Kg, or 3.2 pounds. It measures 17" across the lower bout, 25.5" scale, and is the first of my instruments to be (retro) fitted with my unique adjustable neck design. I didn't know what it was capable of until Elden got ahold of it!

@ Many thanks for the reply. 1.45kg - whoah! That’s heading for flamenca blanca (cypress back and sides) territory. Amazing. Nylon strings are a different world. Great to hear about the strings chosen by Elden. Making this content available is really such a service to the tradition. Much appreciated!

You're most welcome, it's my pleasure!

Thanks for watching! I'm so pleasedyou're grooving with the program! I won't argue that the addition of a chunk of wood behind the nut might help to prevent a failure, but if you veneer it, you've already done a lot of extra work, and so why not just do a proper backstrap? I wish there was a better word for what everyone calls a volute on the back of a guitar neck. Ski - jump? Headstock flip? The word volute means scroll, and a violin head is a perfect example of a volute in instrument making. Truncated volute? Just thinking about starting to make a volute? Volute embryo? Seven degrees is around half of a "normal" headstock angle, and this is a huge help! It greatly reduces the "short grain" failure likelihood compared to a 15* headstock angle. Bravo! Also, your trussrod design is a big help. Keep up the good work!

Thank you so much for the response and for the education. I absolutely love your approach to instrument making and this neck journey is such a helpful tool for any of us looking to create something unique and useful! I really do appreciate it Ken. ✌️&💙

I'm planning a film addressing the understanding of the word "tolerance" as it applies to our mechanical world. I don't like this slight misalignment anymore than you do, and it has vexed me for almost 20 years, so, just saying, I was bothered first! I have done everything in my power to control it. Sometimes it comes out perfect, or nearly so, and sometimes I mis-judge the arrangement of the wet carbon tubes as it gets ready to enter the mold, and it's a little bit off-center. This is how life shows us that we're always learning, and keeps us humble. I can promise you the guitar doesn't care one bit.

​@@kenparkerarchtoppery9440 Sorry - in no way did I mean to indicate that you were being lax in your dedication to the craft...it's just that your instruments are as flawless looking as I've ever seen...so a tiny (and seemingly uncontrollable) visual imperfection only stands out when something is otherwise basically perfect.

I never got the sense of sawing out a backstrap, sorry, it just seems nuts to me, although there's someone on TH-cam who also shows how he does it. I love how your customer "knows" that his guitar doesn't need the best repair solution. The whole point of this big job as a repair is to add fibers that are continuous, so I suppose you could try to find a tree or a piece of lumber with the right angle branch or grain change like the old boatbuilders did (called "grown knees"), but it 's so much work to fit the block, I'm just amazed that anyone would choose to do it this way. Maybe folks don't know how to make a slice of veneer? I understand that some customers can't afford the shop time for a repair as time consuming as this, but hey, that's life. As far as Gibson's stupid # is concerned, many times it's wrong anyway, and who cares? Maybe saw it off and inlay it into the backstrap veneer it should have been shipped with in the first place? Or make a key fob out of it?

@@kenparkerarchtoppery9440 One reason I have not used a veneer type backstrap overlay for a repair, is because I would have to start with a thicker plan of wood, anyway, then carve it to the final shape. I would still need to match the gluing surface, by placing self adhesive sandpaper on the carved-out area and sanding off the matching surface of the overlay. I'm thinking I would start with a 1/2 inch rift sawn piece, then bend it, then match the surfaces, then glue it, and then carve it. It would definitely be a stronger repair, but I would add extra steps to a job that already doesn't pay enough by the hour, despite the fact that it's already an expensive repair for most customers. Some have also done backstrap repairs with carbon fiber.

Maybe I'm not being very clear, but when you use a bent veneer to create a backstrap, you enhance the strength and toughness of the neck by reinforcing it with long fibers, something that just doesn't happen if the backstrap veneer is sawn. First decide what thickness is correct for the job, and then create a veneer of this thickness with nice smooth surfaces. I think that the correct range is 1.5 - 2mm. This must be done before anything else happens. Next, you remove material from the back of the headstock and down the neck shaft that is precisely equal to the veneer thickness. Thus, once the veneer is glued, the thicknesses of the headstock and neck shaft are restored to their correct thicknesses, and don't require any further thinning or other work except for edge cleanup. I show this method in the backstrap films, and I don't think this method can be improved. Although this is most definitely not a beginner's project, it's pretty straightforward woodworking and can be done correctly using several methods. I am very confused by your statement "I would have to start with a thicker plan of wood, anyway, then carve it to the final shape. " Maybe watch the backstrap films? Using carbon fiber for this job is an inelegant mess, and much more challenging than using a straight - grained piece of hardwood. Hope this helps.

Truly.

I guess I'm not quite that cynical, but, as usual, Fast, Cheap, Good, pick two. When we invest to much time and attention to our hand built guitars, we don't want to imagine some future technician taking our name in vain.

@@kenparkerarchtoppery9440 One a guitar is in the customer's possession, one never knows what decisions they will make when the time comes to do repairs or maintenance. There are places that hire technicians without any skills or knowledge. And there are guitar owners who take valuable guitars to such places to be serviced. I guess, to save a couple of bucks, or perhaps because they don't know there are better options. I've seen plenty of guitars that have been butchered. Which reminds me, in the TH-cam documentary about Jimmy D'Aquisto, he talks about some D'Angelico guitars that have been butchered and he also says how much he thinks about what will happen to his guitars.

Butchery has been with us forever. I was called on to make a new neck for an Italian bass from the 1600's, and graft on the old pegbox. The number of unqualified hacks that had had their way with this poor bass would make your head spin. Ultimately, some things are really un-reversible, and we just have to try to work with the results of others' butchery the best we can. Still kinda makes ya mad, though, right? When in doubt, leave it alone!!

@@kenparkerarchtoppery9440 Guitar repair business is still the Wind West. I really love your work and I've been telling everyone about your channel. Thank you for sharing all that knowledge.

You're most welcome!

I usually have an extra pair of hand to assist, but as you can see, it's do-able as a solo act. The most important thing is to try to get everythiing yu need on the bench beforehand. I think I need a pre-flight checklist! The wonderful epoxy allows for plenty of working time, so this is vey forgiving, and not a scramble.

@@kenparkerarchtoppery9440 I have entertained the idea of making my own custom-shape diamond-grit files. Do you know if this type of epoxy would provide the needed strength to make diamond files?

I have made tools and had them coated with diamond and tungsten carbide grits in years past. It can work well, but don't kid yourself about doing it with epoxy. I can't remember the vendor's name for the diamond dust, so you can search for that, but for carbide grains (very nearly as hard), try "Tunco" Co. They will coat any steel tool you make in a variety of grits, and they're cheap. Call them, they will advise you on the steel alloy they prefer to work with. No big deal.

Yep, this neck is unique except for a few builders who have decided to copy it. Thanks!

This is so funny, as I just got the tool you described last week, and have been pressing neck veneers in it. I have to say that each method has its strengths and drawbacks, but the 250*F aluminum matched tool sure does cook up a mean part in the press. The bladder press is kinda fun to use, and makes a good part if you learn how to use it well. Also, you only need one veneer per guitar, and how many of these things can one guy make, anyway? Are you a spy?

I move it 1/4"' twards the bass side to get more room in the cutaway, plus it's nice to have it not loaded on center, I think it might resonate and make funny noises. The off - center post makes sure that the square pin is loaded asymmetrically, and takes this worry away.

While CA glues are very useful for a great many things, they can be challenging to handle. Generally, I try to make a credible plan and then apply them precisely, and wipe off any excess immediately. Every once in a while I lose control of it and regret not having things masked somehow, or maybe just wished I wasn't so clumsy. I have tried using wax, and I'm not a big fan, it just seems like another potential problem and extra work. I like the illusion that it'll go perfectly and I wouldn't have needed any masking plan.

@@kenparkerarchtoppery9440 i'm familiar w/ the named illusion, cozy feeling, proof of incurable optimism..? :) wishing you all the best mr Parker, started watching your channel a few days ago, fantastic content

Thanks! Glad you're enjoying the Archtoppery series. All the Best to you, too.

Well, Sir, here is a good example of composite necks, and I believe there are some others. luisandclark.com/ These are very well received, as I understand it.

I looked those guys up, but didn't see any jigs/tools, except or Michael Bashkin's gramil.

@@kenparkerarchtoppery9440 They might not post everything they make, on TH-cam. I am a member of Ian Davlin's Looth Group and those two guys often share their jig designs with the group. David Collins does have a TH-cam channel but I don't believe the James Roadman has any social media presence. He always combines his machinist skills with guitar repairs and comes up with very nice jigs. I really love his nut carving jig, which he showed to the group (although I don't believe there's a TH-cam video about it). With that jig he is able to cut a radiused Fender nut blank in less time than it takes to talk about it. Just like you, he has a jig for everything. I think you and him would get along quite well.

Just to be clear, I don't have a jig for everything because I love using hand tools to do some tricky things offhand, as we say. Sometimes it's way more fun to just get that edge stupid sharp and go for it!

@@kenparkerarchtoppery9440 Sure. I know what you mean. And those un-jigged cuts really make it a hand-built instrument.

obsession, just another useful tool

Thanks, it's just nuts and bolts, really.

oh yeah. I love resawing, and have been at it since 1968

@@kenparkerarchtoppery9440 Good veneers with the proper grain direction and without the self adhesive backing are hard to find. So, I reached the conclusion that you must be making your own. When one knows how to make it sure takes less time than looking around town hoping to find where to buy.

Here's a good example of something that has driven me nuts for a long time. Although guitars are very nearly all made of wood, many builders/repairfolks don't really know their way around what I would call basic woodworking. Since there's no training or certification process worth mentioning, interested parties can become instrument caretakers without anything like a full set of skills manipulating wood. I think this is tragic, and it leads to all kinds of dopey, improvised "popsicle stick" methodology that is setting the field backwards, as I see it. I'm not trying to be cruel here, but I see it as a matter of respect. Practitioners should consider doing some training in basic woodworking skills and techniques, a proud tradition of human endeavor for eons. Veneers of any desired thickness are easily made on the bandsaw from whatever material you choose. If you do a proper job, the resulting sawn surface is nearly perfect, needing only a little scraping or sanding to make it ready to use.

the Fly basses came first in development, but in the Parker Guitar Co, it was the last of my designs

Thanks!

Nowhere near enough pressure and control for me. I want to glue a very slightly oversized part precisely where It wants to go, and I won't tolerate a thick glueline

Thanks, I learned machining and toolmaking while helping to build weight - driven grandfather clock movements in the early '70's This was an incredible opportunity for me, working with a classically trained toolmaker who was delighted to show me around his world.

I looked at the first film of this, it's very cool to see a guitar right off his setup bench. I can't help it, I've gotta tell you that his name means "to acquire" in Italian, and it is correctly pronounced "duh - KWIST - o", or at least that's what he thought.

@@kenparkerarchtoppery9440 Thanks. I did look up the meaning of the word Aquisto on Google translate and it does say that it means purchase or acquire. However, the correct Italian spelling seems to be Acquisto, but I guess the spelling changed when it became a family name D'Aquisto.

It's my pleasure, thanks for your interest!

Happy to be of service.

Maybe a time share?

Thanks for your appreciation and extravagant praise! I'm not sure how I would adapt to the ratio tuners, having a trained muscle memory/biofeedback system in place for 50+ years that now automatically corrects for the differences that these pegs even out mechanically, and thus would be at odds with how they work. Some folks may like them, but it seems like it might be one of those things that's trying to answer a question that no-one was asking. I did recieve a sample set to evaluate, but I don't know what I would ever attach them to, as they are way too giant and heavy for my work. As to patenting, wow, it's a deep subject, and I'm no expert. What I will say is that the defense of a patent is not the same thing as preventing other manufacturers from sharing in the benefit of it. Normally, the only thing needed is an agreement and a modest royalty paid to the inventor, typically 3% for utility patents like this. I don't know anything about the back door conversations between these companies that might have occurred, but even if Floyd was playing hardball and refusing to make a deal, I hardly think that Floyd's locking bridge saddles are required to design a great vibrato system. I think, for example, that the vibrato system that I designed for the Fly Guitar is just as good at staying in tune, Way more versitile, in that it can easily be reconfigured by the player, while in playing position, without the need to re-tune (Big plus, no bench time required) without tools, to behave as a fixed bridge, a down - bending only bridge, or floating vibrato bridge. The only example of what you cite that really hits hard for me is Thaddeus McHugh's 1923 patent on the adjustable truss rod located within the neck, assigned to his employer, the Gibson Mandolin and Guitar Co. This patent expired in 1940, whereupon the truss rod quickly snuck into nearly every steel string neck. Again, I don't know if Epiphone or others tried and failed to licence it, I suppose we'll never know.

@@kenparkerarchtoppery9440 That has been my experience with the graph tech tuners, lol. Those are good points about patents and innovation. It amazes me how once a race time, benchmark, or other feat is accomplished others know they can strive for it and succeed. I guess that is the overarching impetus to innovation patents provide. Thank you for your reply and especially taking the time. Cheers!

So right you are, I mis-spoke, and not for the first time, I can assure you. Thanks for catching this. This screw design works beautifully on many low angle block planes to adjustt the depth of cut. Thanks for catching this!

I wanted all that stuff too, plus the "Visible V-8", but the family budget wouldn't bear any of it, sigh.

Great story, I can completely relate, and magic/gobsmacked isn't too strong a reaction to this amazingly precise and simple tool. The vise is the design of a couple of brothers, Charlie and Bill Ballou, who are friends and master machinists. They had them manuactured in a country far, far away, but never had the right marketing levers to get them out into the world, sadly. Until you have one, it's impossible to imagine how many problems they solve. There isn't a better vise geoometry for a Bridgeport, I can promise you!

@@kenparkerarchtoppery9440 - Ken, have you ever seen Chick Vises? I made hundreds of set of jaws for them at Beech for the JPATS program. Every country that bought the planes got to make some of the parts on tools I made. That's pretty cool.

Wow ! Nice tooling! Thanks, this is tthe first I've heard of them.

First, let's agree that there is no perfect, and here the obvious example is that you can't design an action adjustment system that both keeps the strings at the same tension in order to preserve their pitch, and also adjusts the string length, or compensation so that he guitar intonates properly at the new action height. Nice idea though! As you seem to suggest, implementing this would be diffficult, fussy and strike the sensible utility of being able to source useful components at the hardware store (Bring your micrometer, every run is different!!!). Pin fabrication, and the mating parts would indeed be problematic. Did you do the math and see how much this would change how the joint works, or is that a joint in your hand? Seriously, it's fun to split hairs, but if you had one of my guitars and a tuner in front of you, I think you would agree that this works very, very well. Most everyone declines to re-tune after an action adjustment, often exclaiming "oh, it's still in tune!" the first time they try it. In the real world, action adjustments are very small movements, and the other consequences of repositioning the neck are also very small. Nice splitting hairs with you!

@@kenparkerarchtoppery9440 lost my original reply. In brief: If users can't hear a difference, its good enough. Assuming your pin is at the 15th fret on a fender scale length and you have +/- 0.25" action adjustment range, the difference between a straight pin and a curved pin works out to about 0.002" change in scale length at maximum adjustment. No wonder they can't hear a difference. Obviously not worth it.

@@kenparkerarchtoppery9440 Here's the math: let P = nut line to pin center distance. Let A = 1/2 the adjustment range of the pin. Let H = the hypotenuse of a right triangle with rise A and run P. H = sqrt(P*P+A*A). The difference between a straight and curved pin at maximum adjustment is H-P.

How great that you want to biild yourself an archtop!! Exactly what I'd hoped! Have a blast! Today everyone uses a screen and a program to "get a visual" on how... Me, it's paper and straightedge all the way. Go for it! For the neck pin angle, you'll want to position the pin square to the strings at rest for the best results, not square to the fingerboard surface. To determine this very small angle, just divide half the scale length into the string action height at the 12th fret. A quick calculation shows that, assuming a moderate 2mm, or .080" string action at the 12th fret, and a scale length of 25.5", we get a taper of .006"/inch, or about 1/3 degree. As I just mentioned in a reply to another commentator with a similar question about the utility of curving the neck pin's path of travel........ @kenparkerarchtoppery9440 • 0 seconds ago First, let's agree that there is no perfect, and here the obvious example is that you can't design an action adjustment system that both keeps the strings at the same tension in order to preserve their pitch, and also adjusts the string length, or compensation so that he guitar intonates properly at the new action height. Nice idea though! As you seem to suggest, implementing this would be diffficult, fussy and strike the sensible utility of being able to source useful components at the hardware store (Bring your micrometer, every run is different!!!). Pin fabrication, and the mating parts would indeed be problematic. Did you do the math and see how much this would change how the joint works, or is that a joint in your hand? Seriously, it's fun to split hairs, but if you had one of my guitars and a tuner in front of you, I think you would agree that this works very, very well. Most everyone declines to re-tune after an action adjustment, often exclaiming "oh, it's still in tune!" the first time they try it. In the real world, action adjustments are very small movements, and the other consequences of repositioning the neck are also very small.

Good one, I’d say sharpness, size and material dependent. Good nickname, also!

I, as you might imagine, never made one of these (they’re so cheap!), so I’m not sure how the forces of the internal extension coil spring conspire with the surface finish between the mating surfaces between the parts to make the correct “slip / stick” balance to be overcome by the friction of the rotational .200” pin.?!?! Kind of an amazing gizmo, if you ask me, and so repeatable as to be completely trustworthy if done correctly! A machinist’s magic wand!

You’re right, I never did think about teaching, but now that I’m finding out how fun it is, and also how much I’m learning, I wish I’d started sooner. Thanks for your support and your kind words!

Don't we know it!

This "unavoidable" thread backlash doesn't mar the function of the neck adjustment because the neck is retained by friction, and only moved, and not restrained by the force exerted by the clamp screw fastener. You can assemble the instrument without the clamp screw and it will work just the same, except you'll need to tune it down, and take some pressure off the assembly in order to change the action by moving the neck in or out.

Aha makes sense, thanks for showing this process! Your experience with threaded inserts / helicoils, and especially your clever spline shaft solution, was super interesting. I also really appreciate the precision jigs and custom tools. Can’t wait to see the rest of the series!

That was a special project, alright. Adrian s a treasure!

I was fortunate enough to have seen them at a little venue in Phoenix around 70? Probably seventy to a hundred showed up, and when the band came on stage they requested the house lights to be switched on to see the audience. It wasn’t what they expected, but the commentator said “ well…I’m glad that you were able to show up “ and then proceeded to put on their show. I had not heard of this band before, it was my buddy who was responsible for us making the trip, and I was amazed at the performance. I have seen many of the great bands since, but have forgotten many also, but this night is still on the top of my list of bands I have been able to see. What a great show! 55 years later I can hear the intro to 21sr century schizoid man😊

Ha! I suspect she'll eat better, althoough I have been encouraged to do some riffs in the shop kitchen, you never know....

Sounds like I need to order some tape! There are so many uses and styles, what a wonderland!

Hmmm, only a few kinds, I’m afraid, but I Do love me a good bandage.

Cain't do without it!

In my experience, working in a machiine shop was like going to graduate school. Most folks have no idea how "commonly used" objects in theirr life are created, and it's always been fascinating to me to dig in and find out how it all works. Ken Wisner, one of my menttors, was fond of saying "It's all the same machine!!!"

I'm glad to hear about the metric offerings from Mac-It. Problem solved. In Neck Journey 21, at about 1:00, is the answer to your question as best as I can communicate it, it's pretty simple really, just square to the string @ rest.

@@kenparkerarchtoppery9440 Ken, thanks again. I'm waiting for some info from Mac-It but I fear postage will be a killer for non-US residents. On the other question, if my trig is correct, the angle between the strings and the fretboard is around 0.13°, which is far below my ability even to measure, let alone build to. I remain astounded at the finesse in your instruments.

I suspect the mighty spruce might be a little insulted to hear you talk down her robustitude. Firstly, there isn't much left of this pin by the time it all takes shape, a big part of itt is drilled out to recieve thr neck adjusting bushing, so there's that. If you wanted to choose a stiffer material, you might consider a carbon/epoxy rod, but see above. In fact, as I explained, it's the carbon / epoxy near the outside surfaces of the square pin which takes the loads, and not the material near the center, whtever material it is. Aluminum bonding to carbon - epoxy is tricky because this combination is a corrosion nightmare. I now avoid it, having had some struggles with this combination over the years on a variety of projects. I knw there's a lot to this darrn neck journey, but I'm trying not to miss anything, so maybe go back and see the ones you missed. How many owners, and what color S4? Existential question at it's simplest, "Do you need a sports car?" Doesn't everyone?

Thanks! Solving "mechaanical" problems has always fasscinated me.

Since this method is "happiest" with a body deph of at least 2'' or 50 mm, it might not be best suited to thinner instrumentts and solidbodies, although some variant could be devised.

Thanks so much, glad it's helpful!

Many thanks, and so glad you get it.

My tailpiece attachment design is directly inspired by the style used in the Gamba instrument family. shop.stringking.net/tail-piece-tenor-alto-viol-maple-walnut-ebony-inlay.html In this early renaissance design, there is a small post of hard wood which is glued to the tailblock, projecting above the top. This post supports the tailpiece by passing through the rectangular hole that you can see in the above tailpiece. I'll suggest that this, not the folded metal plate you mention, is the traditional design. I first started using my variation of this design using a tailpiece of either wood or metal, supported by a ball on a rod in 1975, since which it has been copied in some way by many, many builders. What is new in instrument making? not much, as it turns out! Styles cycle in and out of fashion, just as they do in clothing and other common articles!

Good question, the neck reinforcing came when I first started using carbon/epoxy to replace wood veneer on the back of the neck shaft. As you can see, the pin neck joint I’m using now is just a kind of extension of this fiber layer, so egg first, I guess. The only way I want the neck to comply by changing shape is to increase the relief in the first octave when heavier strings are applied. I took a chance on being misunderstood here, and now it seems like I should have explained my thinking in the film. Sorry, didn’t mean to confuse. To be clear, this compliance movement is TINY, and I very much want to retain the enormous stiffness improvement that the carbon/epoxy lends to the neck shaft.

@@kenparkerarchtoppery9440 Thank you for elaborating Ken.

We're gonna get there. Clue is it happens in the Bridgeport Milling machine and uses a 1" square mortising bit for finishing the pocket.