Tiger Stripe Myrtle/Mahogany 5 string

SaintMez · #1 01-17-2013, 12:26 AM

Hello Fellow TBers. I'm excited to get this build going and share it with you all. I've had this beautiful Tiger Stripe Myrtlewood top in my collection for a couple of years and I'm happy to finally put it to good use.

The specs
5 string 35 inch scale 24 frets
African Mahogany Body
Tiger Stripe Myrtle top
5 piece Ash/maple/bubinga neck
Birdseye Maple fingerboard
Hipshot Hardware
Bartolini pickups
Bartolini or Pope Flexcore Preamp

I'm finishing some prep work but nearly ready to plunge into this build. Completing the templates and working up a build schedule (to keep my ADHD at bay).
Thanks for following along!
Brian

pilotjones · #2 01-17-2013, 08:38 AM

Nice piece of wood!

I was wondering, how would it look with the body outline turned around 180 so that the fat, round body bottom surrounds the bulging area that is currently at the top?

SaintMez · #3 01-17-2013, 04:38 PM

Thanks PJ! Good suggestion. I'll flip it and post a pic and see what the consensus is.

SaintMez · #4 01-17-2013, 09:54 PM

There's this option.

Or moved up slightly (with some alcohol to show the figure more clearly)

suraj · #5 01-18-2013, 12:31 AM

Great looking top there..!! I like your first picture best. Lets see some sawdust

SaintMez · #6 01-18-2013, 08:48 AM

I'm not quite sure yet but may be going with the first orientation. I want to get as much of that tiger stripe figure as possible. Before the glue up which i hope to do this weekend ive got a few things to do. Have to square everything up on my jointer and am considering some small chambers in the body to reduce the weight a little bit. The neck blank is ready and waiting. I glued that up a while back. Truss rod is already routed and I'll be adding the carbon fiber rods this weekend as well.
Dust will be flying shortly...

Musiclogic · #7 01-19-2013, 03:44 AM

Looking forward to this, great looking top!!!

miziomix · #8 01-19-2013, 05:03 AM

Great top. Whichever way you go, it's gonna look gorgeous.

LoveMyrtleFunClub

KramerDon · #9 01-19-2013, 05:06 AM

I think I prefer the top orientation also but you can't go wrong either way will be beautiful!

pilotjones · #10 01-19-2013, 08:07 AM

I like the first way better. I'd try it also in that orientation, but slid up the board a bit so that that one dark stripe lands squarely within the bass side horn, and see how that looks - could be better or worse that way.

SaintMez · #11 01-19-2013, 09:02 AM

Thanks guys! Yes, I do believe it will be number 1. I'll flip it again and move it up as PJ suggested. I'm curious to see how that will work as well. I picked this piece up from Oregon Wild Wood a couple years ago. They've got a nice selection of woods and decent prices. I was lucky to find it when I did...
If there is a LoveMyrtleFunClub, count me in!
As I'm still in the planning phase there is the option of a wenge neck and fingerboard. Or I'm wondering how the ash/maple/bubinga neck with a wenge board would look as opposed to the Birdseye maple. I'm wide open to suggestions on that. Will post some pics later. I don't want to rehash the tone of wood argument but the consideration of tonal properties is a slight factor. And, can anyone define Growly for me? I can't seem to find it in my tone wood dictionary....

SaintMez · #12 01-19-2013, 10:22 AM

That's about as far up as it will go.

SaintMez · #13 01-19-2013, 10:58 AM

The aforementioned neck blank

SaintMez · #14 03-09-2013, 11:35 PM

Hey folks, It's been a while but I'm still working away at this build...Slowly. It's progressing as I expected. My full time job (UPS driver) takes most of my time during the week so I only have weekends or late week nights to get anything done. That's life I guess.

Here is the Birdseye Maple fingerboard after resawing it. Then planed to thickness.

I put tape on the back so when I attach it to the fret scale template it's easier to remove. Plus the residue from double sided carpet tape can be nasty.

I attach the fret scale template and use this simple cross cut jig with index pin to cut fret slots.

A few minutes later...

I've installed the carbon fiber rods with epoxy. Installed the truss rod.

I'm using a zero fret but also cut a slot for a nut while I was slotting the fingerboard.

Gluing the fingerboard to the neck will be my next step. I'll be putting a thin black veneer between them as well.
Until then...Thanks for looking.
Brian

suraj · #15 03-10-2013, 03:01 AM

Fantastic work Brian. Looking forward to this

roberthabraken · #16 03-10-2013, 03:25 AM

Looking great! Love the tiger stripe top, subscribed!

SaintMez · #17 03-10-2013, 09:14 AM

Thanks Suraj and Robert!

Snort · #18 03-10-2013, 07:24 PM

I love the tiger stripe and the wood colour is gorgeous, Please tell me you will use some of the leftover for the machine head veneer, Absolutely lovely wood.

SaintMez · #19 03-10-2013, 11:07 PM

Thanks Snort! Yes, I will be matching the headstock with the top.

Mahogany body glued up.

Myrtlewood Top jointed and glued up. Sorry no pictures of it in the process. It's a thin top so it was a bit of a challenge keeping it from moving too much before joining. I did have to wrestle with it a little to get as minimal of a glue line as possible. I'm satisfied with how it turned out.

This is the neck template and neck pocket template. Using a laser line makes it easy to see if everything is properly aligned.

Hoping to get much of the neck done this week or next...Thanks again for looking.
Brian

SaintMez · #20 03-10-2013, 11:09 PM