Dear James - as always, watching your guitar building videos, I wished I had your skills, knowledge and patience. Even tastewise, we are similar when it comes to the new neck (woodwise): I prefer exactly the same wood piece as you - the one with the brown and blonde streaks. All the best to you and yours ...
Hi Paul, watch this video, that piece looks much different with oil on it and it's not my favorite anymore. th-cam.com/video/VMkSCKK1TUE/w-d-xo.html You may have to copy and paste that into your browser.
I'm amazed at how far you've come since I started watching you. A true craftsman. Keep it up! As for the cover plate, maybe take a cheap plate and paint it black, just to see how it looks? Black and bronze go really good together, that is my master bathroom decor. If you want to go shiny, you could use anodized aluminum. But I think a satin or flat black looks best with bronze.
I love his music too. Can't wait to hear him play this one. It was enjoyable working with him on the design, very nice person. He put a lot of thought into this build and answered every question I could throw at him.
@@Ninety2guits Nice, i'm very curious of him playing your guitar. He indeed seems a nice person. I especially love his voice and singing, discovered him actually through your channel. Love the resonators that you make, especially the bronze ones ( the Telecaster? Whoohoo!!). Keep building, and i'll be following you!!
To make the sound well a little easier, use the bead roller to “Tip” the segmented edge to get the bend started. Google “Tipping an edge with the bead roller”. It helps get the bend started straight and even. You can run the hoop through after the first edge is formed. Repeated runs, increasing the pressure each time, and also tilt the hoop to get the bend started while you roll it. You will get the idea after seeing a few videos showing the process. Usually the bend is completed using a hammer and dolly. With practice you should be able to do this without segmenting the edge. Your metal fab skills have been improving tremendously, fantastic job for a “wood worker”. Haha
I watched Ron Covell do that on a banjo rim and it was amazing. I tried that method and learned that Ron makes it look way way easier than it is, or than it was for me anyway. Obviously Ron is amazing but I could not replicate his result, I should probably try again. One of my attempts actually ruined the sound well and made it oblong. I think the little slots for the tabs cause the circle to want to kink and bend at each tab when I run it through the bead roller to tip it. I'm sure my method shown here is a bit cringy but it seems to be working well for me and is really consistent and goes pretty quick. It may have been you that gave me the tip to work my way around bending just a little bit slowly and not just bend a small portion over entirely then do the next small portion. That was good advice. Thanks for looking out for me and taking the time to comment, it's appreciated.
@@Ninety2guits I watched a ton of videos from many metal workers, for years. My hobby is metal working, I sold all my wood tools years ago. I have a mill and metal lathe, tig and MiG welders, bead roller, sheet metal break, the list goes on. You are doing great work and just getting better. Also, long term you should move away from the segmented edge design, they leave little dimples that can be seen after soldering. The end result, see your recent from and back, gives a much more professional look. Soon you will be up there with Mule. I just wish I knew how to play the guitar, I would try to build one of your designs in a heartbeat. Keep up the great work
Still watching every video. Waiting for that tricone top you've got there to be made into a guitar 😊 I'm only teasing. But I'm serious that I'm dead keen to see it! Have you thought about a black (maybe matte black?) cover? I think it would go really well with a bronze body and black fretboard. I think it'll sort of step back and let the bronze shine as the feature.
Thanks. I'm getting close to a tricone build, I can feel it coming. I had never considered black but it's obviously a popular idea since already a few mentions about it. I'll throw some black on a chicken foot cover and see what we think.
wow, the different dark tones on the fretboards work really well, especially with the steel -- good balance between warm and cool tones! I wonder if the maple hammering blank could be used as a blank for a solid-body electric? I admire seeing your dedication to the tedius and tricky bits... Great work!!
Thanks a lot! I have just shot a boring video to send to Paul to show him all the fretboard options, I oiled them and they look even better. Going to be a tough to choose one. The maple blank could easily be a solid body electric which is why I had it on hand. I never used it because I don't like the cut of the board, the grain makes a half circle if you look at the end of the board, I'm pretty sure this blank will want to curl up over time. With as many steps as it takes to make a good guitar it's just not worth it to start with material that you have any doubt about if you know what I mean.
The wood is flat sawn and the grain is a half circle through the slabs. In my experience that's a bad thing in a guitar. Given the thousands of steps involved in building a good guitar I have a hard time using wood that I have any doubts in. That's probably why these pieces have been sitting here for so long, just don't trust them.
Amazing work James. Could you make a back mold or cover plate press out of the maple mold? Why can't you hammer the tabbed edge down like the other edge of the cone ring? Do you think if you treated the maple hammer mold with CA glue it would hold up better. Just spit balling here in case something makes sense.
I will eventually hammer over the sound well tabs but first I need a jig with the correct size hole in it to set the sound well in and bend over the tabs. Due to the thickness of the metal the ring won't fit in any of the holes in the templates. I think next time I'm getting material cut I'll have a square with the correct size circle cut in it so I can hammer those over. Then I wouldn't need to solder on the little temporary strap either. There is so much evolving to do around here it's overwhelming sometimes Lol! CA would help but ideally I would have gone and got another piece of corian. Since this is a one off I decided the maple would get the job done. With my luck this will become a wildly popular signature model and I'll have to get a metal template cut. I spose worse things could happen than that scenario. I think a cover plate press is in the near future but a press to do the backs is probably a bit much, I would likely need a much larger press that I don't have room for. I've been practicing with the english wheel and it's not bad, works really well. Thanks for keeping up and the ideas. I am really liking that wood vice you made on the edge of your bench (forget it's actual name). That's super handy, I kinda want one.
@@Ninety2guits all this stuff you are doing is so far above me. Like I said just spit balling. I made the Moxon knowing I had three neck sets coming up and it had been a great addition.
The thought crossed my mind for sure. Those Mavis' look incredible, as does everything else Matt makes. I hate to be the guy that just steals everybody's ideas, but it's hard not to be inspired by Matt's guitars. What's that saying about copying is flattery or something? If Matt ever sees any of this I hope he's flattered and not annoyed. The content he has put out definitely helped me get started, especially his early blogs about building these.
I spose that's an option and it's tempting. There are thousands of steps that go into making a good guitar. To start that process with material that might not work out is hard for me to do. I could probably hollow it out and make a Mavis type knock off out of it. It'll kick around here until someday when I decide to keep warm with it or build it into something :).
DUDE... ROLL UP YOUR SLEAVES ON THE JOINTER! .. for that matter ...woodshop 101, watches, Jewlery, loose clothes, all bad around moving equipment, you know this!
Dear James - as always, watching your guitar building videos, I wished I had your skills, knowledge and patience. Even tastewise, we are similar when it comes to the new neck (woodwise): I prefer exactly the same wood piece as you - the one with the brown and blonde streaks. All the best to you and yours ...
Hi Paul, watch this video, that piece looks much different with oil on it and it's not my favorite anymore.
th-cam.com/video/VMkSCKK1TUE/w-d-xo.html
You may have to copy and paste that into your browser.
The operation is just getting slicker, and slicker. Experience eh!
Fantastic!
I'm amazed at how far you've come since I started watching you. A true craftsman. Keep it up!
As for the cover plate, maybe take a cheap plate and paint it black, just to see how it looks? Black and bronze go really good together, that is my master bathroom decor. If you want to go shiny, you could use anodized aluminum. But I think a satin or flat black looks best with bronze.
Thanks! The black never crossed my mind but there are a few comments about it. I'll give it a try.
Love your work 😊
Thank you so much 😀
Nice you build a guitar for @MrPaulWelten.... at last ;) Love his music.
I love his music too. Can't wait to hear him play this one. It was enjoyable working with him on the design, very nice person. He put a lot of thought into this build and answered every question I could throw at him.
@@Ninety2guits Nice, i'm very curious of him playing your guitar. He indeed seems a nice person. I especially love his voice and singing, discovered him actually through your channel. Love the resonators that you make, especially the bronze ones ( the Telecaster? Whoohoo!!). Keep building, and i'll be following you!!
To make the sound well a little easier, use the bead roller to “Tip” the segmented edge to get the bend started. Google “Tipping an edge with the bead roller”. It helps get the bend started straight and even. You can run the hoop through after the first edge is formed. Repeated runs, increasing the pressure each time, and also tilt the hoop to get the bend started while you roll it. You will get the idea after seeing a few videos showing the process. Usually the bend is completed using a hammer and dolly. With practice you should be able to do this without segmenting the edge. Your metal fab skills have been improving tremendously, fantastic job for a “wood worker”. Haha
I watched Ron Covell do that on a banjo rim and it was amazing. I tried that method and learned that Ron makes it look way way easier than it is, or than it was for me anyway. Obviously Ron is amazing but I could not replicate his result, I should probably try again. One of my attempts actually ruined the sound well and made it oblong. I think the little slots for the tabs cause the circle to want to kink and bend at each tab when I run it through the bead roller to tip it. I'm sure my method shown here is a bit cringy but it seems to be working well for me and is really consistent and goes pretty quick. It may have been you that gave me the tip to work my way around bending just a little bit slowly and not just bend a small portion over entirely then do the next small portion. That was good advice. Thanks for looking out for me and taking the time to comment, it's appreciated.
@@Ninety2guits I watched a ton of videos from many metal workers, for years. My hobby is metal working, I sold all my wood tools years ago. I have a mill and metal lathe, tig and MiG welders, bead roller, sheet metal break, the list goes on. You are doing great work and just getting better. Also, long term you should move away from the segmented edge design, they leave little dimples that can be seen after soldering. The end result, see your recent from and back, gives a much more professional look. Soon you will be up there with Mule. I just wish I knew how to play the guitar, I would try to build one of your designs in a heartbeat. Keep up the great work
It's incredible to see how rolling and design really play out here. Very cool stuff.
Very cool
Thank you.
Still watching every video. Waiting for that tricone top you've got there to be made into a guitar 😊
I'm only teasing. But I'm serious that I'm dead keen to see it!
Have you thought about a black (maybe matte black?) cover? I think it would go really well with a bronze body and black fretboard. I think it'll sort of step back and let the bronze shine as the feature.
Thanks. I'm getting close to a tricone build, I can feel it coming. I had never considered black but it's obviously a popular idea since already a few mentions about it. I'll throw some black on a chicken foot cover and see what we think.
wow, the different dark tones on the fretboards work really well, especially with the steel -- good balance between warm and cool tones! I wonder if the maple hammering blank could be used as a blank for a solid-body electric? I admire seeing your dedication to the tedius and tricky bits... Great work!!
Thanks a lot! I have just shot a boring video to send to Paul to show him all the fretboard options, I oiled them and they look even better. Going to be a tough to choose one. The maple blank could easily be a solid body electric which is why I had it on hand. I never used it because I don't like the cut of the board, the grain makes a half circle if you look at the end of the board, I'm pretty sure this blank will want to curl up over time. With as many steps as it takes to make a good guitar it's just not worth it to start with material that you have any doubt about if you know what I mean.
You could add a metal "binding" to the maple form if you wanted to use it more.
Not a bad idea. If the Paul Welten signature model becomes a thing then I'll have to decide what kind of master template I want I guess.
6:55 I mean, is there any reason not to make an Electric Guitar/Bass out of that?
And wow, that really is a lot of progress at once!
The wood is flat sawn and the grain is a half circle through the slabs. In my experience that's a bad thing in a guitar. Given the thousands of steps involved in building a good guitar I have a hard time using wood that I have any doubts in. That's probably why these pieces have been sitting here for so long, just don't trust them.
Fair point. Would "stabilizing" it by epoxying a metal top on it help? Maybe as a semi hollowbody
Amazing work James. Could you make a back mold or cover plate press out of the maple mold? Why can't you hammer the tabbed edge down like the other edge of the cone ring? Do you think if you treated the maple hammer mold with CA glue it would hold up better. Just spit balling here in case something makes sense.
I will eventually hammer over the sound well tabs but first I need a jig with the correct size hole in it to set the sound well in and bend over the tabs. Due to the thickness of the metal the ring won't fit in any of the holes in the templates. I think next time I'm getting material cut I'll have a square with the correct size circle cut in it so I can hammer those over. Then I wouldn't need to solder on the little temporary strap either. There is so much evolving to do around here it's overwhelming sometimes Lol! CA would help but ideally I would have gone and got another piece of corian. Since this is a one off I decided the maple would get the job done. With my luck this will become a wildly popular signature model and I'll have to get a metal template cut. I spose worse things could happen than that scenario. I think a cover plate press is in the near future but a press to do the backs is probably a bit much, I would likely need a much larger press that I don't have room for. I've been practicing with the english wheel and it's not bad, works really well. Thanks for keeping up and the ideas. I am really liking that wood vice you made on the edge of your bench (forget it's actual name). That's super handy, I kinda want one.
@@Ninety2guits all this stuff you are doing is so far above me. Like I said just spit balling. I made the Moxon knowing I had three neck sets coming up and it had been a great addition.
Awesome! Hmmmm, looking at that maple blank.... would it be too derivative of a Mavis if you made a maple bodied resonator in that style? I think not!
The thought crossed my mind for sure. Those Mavis' look incredible, as does everything else Matt makes. I hate to be the guy that just steals everybody's ideas, but it's hard not to be inspired by Matt's guitars. What's that saying about copying is flattery or something? If Matt ever sees any of this I hope he's flattered and not annoyed. The content he has put out definitely helped me get started, especially his early blogs about building these.
@@Ninety2guits I don't think he would mind, he was inspired by others too!
Just turn that maple blank into a guitar. If it warps it warps. It’s too nice to just let it sit.
I spose that's an option and it's tempting. There are thousands of steps that go into making a good guitar. To start that process with material that might not work out is hard for me to do. I could probably hollow it out and make a Mavis type knock off out of it. It'll kick around here until someday when I decide to keep warm with it or build it into something :).
DUDE... ROLL UP YOUR SLEAVES ON THE JOINTER! .. for that matter ...woodshop 101, watches, Jewlery, loose clothes, all bad around moving equipment, you know this!
please change your intro that gives me anxiety i hate string breaking
It hasn't broke yet, just goes into tune :)