Ebony build: WARNING NSFW! Wood porn inside!

[jmorbita]

Originally Posted by Musiclogic

Cost is definitely a hedging factor, but it's all of the factors listed above in unison for me. I love Gabon Ebony, and I really enjoy working with it, it works wonderfully(I am building a U-bass type build for a customer with an ebony FB right now)cuts clean, routs without splinters, all in all a wonderful wood, I just prefer to use it where it's needed most in MY work.

I love what Mike is doing with it here, it's going to be stunning, it's just not MY preference. I have many other woods I prefer use, just because I do, and because of the scarcity of good really black ebony's.

I like it for FB's, and of course for those "Rare" tops you see from time to time.....which I believe Mike will be doing with some of this It's just builder preference, nothing more.

So let's see where Mike goes with this. I'm watching, like most others....just need some popcorn.

Thanks JC for clearing this up.
Of course personal preference has a lot to do with the work each one does. I get really curious sometimes as to what are the factors that make up each one's preferences.

[jmorbita]

Oh yeah, I've got my popcorn ready, no doubt!

[GrooveWarrior]

Mike
We may have to talk. I know Justin pretty well, and Geoff has mentioned your instruments before. I may have to drive down and chat one day. I'd love an instrument with the same neck profile as my Warrior with a different pickup configuration.

[trayner1]

Originally Posted by ffutterman

This bass will be...Scrumtrulescent!

+1,000

[KramerDon]

Beautiful stock!!!
I also hate to see stained wood,it hides the true look of the wood and in the real world,a scratch in stained wood can be a disaster.
I do have a question,I've always thought ebony was preferred for fingerboards because it was the hardest,most durable wood available.Is my reasoning correct or are rosewood,maple,etc. just as appropriate?
As I become more experienced with woods,I am realizing that the hardness of a species doesn't always relate to stability.My Brazilian Cherry that I built our kitchen cabinets with is much harder than Maple or Oak but less stable.I would'nt think it would be suitable for an instrument.

[knucklehead G]

You're right on the fretboard use Don, and it was used for classical instruments as well for the same reason. Ebony is also heavy and relatively brittle, which is why you usually don't see full necks made out of it.

[mikeyswood]

Should it be a 5 or 6 stringer?

[lookslikemeband]

I vote six!!

[colcifer]

Four or six.

[stepswork4me]

I'm gonna say five. I like the way the width of the nut lines up with the laminations of the prospective neck.

[Kapellas]

I'm going to say six!

Also, Subbed!

[chris1125]

I vote 6, usually not one for six stringers but that extra hangover of the maple looks fantastic, not so much with the 5.

[stepswork4me]

I think with a 5'er the outside maple lams will be more uniform in size to the other lams.

[walterw]

non-luthier with a question: why was the ebony initially waxed, and why would it be left waxed while it was sitting up? wasn't the idea to let it do what it was going to do moisture and twist-wise before using it? wouldn't the wax reduce or prevent that from happening?

[stepswork4me]

It's to keep the grain from splitting.

[bajerovaquero]

This beautiful laminate clearly deserves 6 string, (and 35") LOL

[Alexander Eddy]

As someone who nearly bought that "black gold", do me a favour and build a long scale 6.

A 34" scale 4? Boring.
A 34" scale 5? Less boring.
A 35"scale ebony 4? Cool.
A 35" or more scale 6 made of ebony? You know you want to, Mr Pearson!!

You have some really rare stuff - don't spoil it by making a run of the mill 5 string

[mikeyswood]

Originally Posted by colcifer

Four or six.

Five or six shall be the number thou shalt count, and the number of the counting shall be five or six. Four shalt thou not count, neither count thou three, excepting that thou then proceed to five or six. Seven is right out. Once the number five or six, being the fifth or sixth number, be reached, then lobbest thou thy Ebony and Maple Bass of Antioch towards thy audience, who being naughty in my sight, shall snuff it.

[GrooveWarrior]

What nut's are those?

[jmorbita]

"what have we here? (...) poems, no less. Poems, everybody! The lad here reckons himself a poet!



a luthier chemist and a poet!