I know almost nothing about CF.
I just wanted to be part of the conversation and paid attention to.
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Winter Build Off 2022 - Get Ready
- Thread starter Beej
- Start date
I just wanted to be part of the conversation and paid attention to.
It's pretty easy to overbuild a neck to the point where strings don't move it, but a truss rod can't either!
Yeah, it's a dilemma. Adding stiffness keeps the neck from moving around, but what if you want to move it around because it isn't in the perfect place naturally?
Regarding backbow: I have never tried to build backbow into a neck. I have setup perhaps a dozen basses over the years, which is to say I have much less experience than many others here, but I have found that if the neck starts out flat unstrung it will typically end up with about 0.25 mm/0.010" relief with strings up to tension. Having backbow when unstrung would likely mean needing to use the truss rod in reverse to try to add bow, which seems like a bad thing.
The difference with 6 strings is that, in general, the strings are tighter spaced than on a 4 string. That means that there is more stress per unit area of neck on a 6 string than a 4, so the 6 will likely need more stiffness to resist the string tension induced bow. But I have exactly zero experience on building 6 string necks so I am relying on the collective wisdom of LC for info.
Regarding backbow: I have never tried to build backbow into a neck. I have setup perhaps a dozen basses over the years, which is to say I have much less experience than many others here, but I have found that if the neck starts out flat unstrung it will typically end up with about 0.25 mm/0.010" relief with strings up to tension. Having backbow when unstrung would likely mean needing to use the truss rod in reverse to try to add bow, which seems like a bad thing.
The difference with 6 strings is that, in general, the strings are tighter spaced than on a 4 string. That means that there is more stress per unit area of neck on a 6 string than a 4, so the 6 will likely need more stiffness to resist the string tension induced bow. But I have exactly zero experience on building 6 string necks so I am relying on the collective wisdom of LC for info.
Well, if it helps, I've owned 3 different 6 strings and they all had 2 truss rods. Spacing on them was 16-16.5 mm. I don't think any of them had graphite/CF reinforcement, but all had 3-piece maple necks.
I think there are more than one way to skin a cat, really. My zombie build was a 6 string and the neck is way overbuilt - the truss rod is overpowered by how stiff the neck is. I wish I had made the neck less stiff, or with two truss rods. Personally I think I'd favor trying to adjust the design to get a more appropriate stiffness and leaving it with only one truss rod, for the sake of simplicity and lower weight, but I can see how some people might prefer something different.
So as I was eating my oatmeal this morning I remembered that the last time I used my jazz pickup template I dinged one edge with the router. So I thought, a nice minty fresh crisp and perfect P and J master template would be nice. Drew it up and by the time I left for work I had this:
Wait! CF goes INSIDE the neck?
Crap, I think mines broken!
Crap, I think mines broken!
Interesting! CF applied to the outside would be like a monocoque (structural shell) design. If the fretboard is not also covered, then it would be incomplete and not have the same structural effect. A monocoque structure, if complete, would be very stiff. How would the stiffness affect truss rod adjustments?
Edited to add this link showing a monocoque bass! Its hollow.
BassLab – Basses & Guitars – BassLab is a manufacturer of lightweight, monocoque guitars and basses made from "tuneable composite".
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Oh so that's what monocoque means! I thought it was when you only had one rooster. I wondered why they always talk about it in relation to race cars…..
"We use a highly innovative method, following a deep and longtime research on physics."
I'm a big fan of design, architecture, structural and mechanical engineering, physics etc, etc. I find it all fascinating, as I'm sure most of us do and why we're all drawn to building things/instruments.
I'm not a big fan of marketing that sounds like a poorly written children's book and talks to me like I'm an impressionable idiot.
Yes, I'm a crabass.
I'm a big fan of design, architecture, structural and mechanical engineering, physics etc, etc. I find it all fascinating, as I'm sure most of us do and why we're all drawn to building things/instruments.
I'm not a big fan of marketing that sounds like a poorly written children's book and talks to me like I'm an impressionable idiot.
Yes, I'm a crabass.
There could be a several reasons this company is not well known. Marketing may be one of them.
I dunno, seems to me Heiko Hoepfinger is pretty well known. He writes an article for Premier Guitar for years and there was a flurry of interest in his work a few years back.There could be a several reasons this company is not well known. Marketing may be one of them.
I agree though that the ad copy should be more like "We use a highly innovative method to build guitars. Oh, I also happen to be a physicist." A little closer to the truth.
Wood is sitting at 12%
Ok to use or let it dry longer? I was told in another post to try to get it closer to 8%
Ok to use or let it dry longer? I was told in another post to try to get it closer to 8%
I'm not sure what the ideal moisture content is. I'd guess that the ideal content varies slightly for different species.
While waiting for an answer, is that one of those pinless meters?
I need to get a meter and looking for input on accuracy and expected cost.
The indoor EMC varies a bit regionally. Here's an example map:
There are other factors too, like how much you run the AC in the summer, and whether you have a humidifier for the winter.
There are other factors too, like how much you run the AC in the summer, and whether you have a humidifier for the winter.
What if wood is completely sealed with epoxy, polyester, polyurethane, etc?
If that greatly reduces or eliminates the movement of moisture in/out of the wood, my question would be, what's an acceptable % of MC to seal into the wood? 12, 10, 8%? 15?
If that greatly reduces or eliminates the movement of moisture in/out of the wood, my question would be, what's an acceptable % of MC to seal into the wood? 12, 10, 8%? 15?
