WezV - Metal top build

WezV · September 2023

Anyone paying attention knows I have a fondness for Zemaitis metal top guitars. Both the designs themselves, and Tony's place in British guitar building history.

I did once try one, but the engraving wasn't up to scratch. The main bits were okay, but the border was terrible. There were also a couple of other design issues I wasn't quite happy with, and the wood choice made it all a bit meh... I don't think I like Dark Red Meranti for bodies, certainly not for this, it has a zinginess that didn't work well with the handmade aluminium bridge and tailpiece

it's time for another go, but I have been working up to this.

First with some designs done in inkscape - Z inspired, but not a copy. I won't be using the Z headstock shape

Then an inlaid maple top version

and some aluminium engraving practice

Now it's time to start the full thing. First step, choosing some wood.

I was originally thinking reclaimed mahogany, but the piece I chose turned out to be Sapele once I put it through the planer. It's a bit too heavy as well. It does have some interesting micro pomelle figuring that almost makes it look like birdseye.. It's flatsawn so I can cut some necks lams from this and flip them so it's quartered in the neck. might work best as neck wood rather than fighting a heavy body

The other option is another slab of Idigbo. Big enough to potentially get a laminated neck from it too, and a lot lighter

PeteC · September 2023

Fantastic Wez. Bring it on. I vote for Idigbo, being a big fan of it as you probably know

Very much looking forward to this as usual !

TTony · September 2023

WezV said:

I like the look of that one more each time I see it!

paulnb57 · September 2023

Fabulous! I’ve been looking forward to this build…

stickyfiddle · September 2023

Oooh!

(is it too soon to call a pre-emptive dibs...?)

WezV · September 2023

Maybe a bit too soon for that.

Teyeplayer · September 2023

And following. Looking forward to this one!

stickyfiddle · September 2023

WezV said:

Maybe a bit too soon for that.

I'm only joking, mostly... But I'm seriously looking forward to seeing it progress!

WezV · September 2023

I will start this soon... just getting to get a bit of house decorating done between cat fosters first

In the mean time, a lot more wood has arrived. I just picked this up from Richard Arnold, a local acoustic/resonator builder who was having a clear out of wood he wouldn't use as he doesn't do solidbodies.

Not totally sure on species, likely Obeche I think. All will become clear when it goes through a planer. It's light and resonant

He also let me have these substantial chunks of reclaimed mahogany.

They are a bit weightier and need a bit more cleaning up, but I think there may be some potential neck blanks in there.

I also have some khaya on the way from G&W next week which was ordered literally minutes before Richard got in touch.

I'm now well stocked for electric woods for the next few years.

SteveF · September 2023

Is there anything to look out for when ordering from G&W? I have had some tools from there and not had any issues with additional charges etc but wasn't sure about wood.

WezV · September 2023

I don't remember if I'm honest, it's my first order from them in about 5 years.

I did have am issue with my existing login not letting me select any postage options, but tried again with a new email and it worked fine.

Delivery is due next Monday, after ordering this Monday

WezV · September 2023

just marking out to get a sense of this wood

The big planks of Obeche should give me 2 1/2 body blanks each, so that is 3x 2" thick body blanks and 6x 1 1/2" blanks. I would expect the bodies to be in the 3-4lb range. I can potentially get some neck wood from them too, although i am not sure how well this would work for necks, it may work as an outer laminate in a multi piece neck

I should easily get 3 full size LP style necks out of each block of mahogany, possibly even 4 but this one had some screw holes on one side right in the middle. It looks to be old honduran.

WezV · October 2023

SteveF said:

Is there anything to look out for when ordering from G&W? I have had some tools from there and not had any issues with additional charges etc but wasn't sure about wood.

Just by way of update, the order from G&W is not going well.

UPS have emailed for the last 5 days giving me a delivery slot, then it never arrives. I contacted them yesterday and they confirmed it still hadn't left their customs department. Later that day I got an email saying it had been flagged because of a couple of Sonokeling Rosewood fretboard blanks. They need me to confirm it's less than 10kg of rosewood before they release it, but no effort had been made to inform me of this. Apparently they will start charging £14 a day storage soon.

I got another email to say it will be delivered today, but still shows at their import depot so it clearly won't be.

I guess all they know is the package is more than 10kg and contains rosewood. Not interested in the actual quantity of rosewood, or that it is a plantation grown version of the tree

SteveF · October 2023

That sounds a right pain. A shame because the blanks seemed to be reasonably priced on there.

WezV · October 2023

Well i checked tracking again and it had changed to show a customs fee due, so I've paid that and hope its on the way now. Ive had no more comms from them though

This is all UPS, not G&W. It would have been here very quick without the rosewood issue.

guitargeek62 · October 2023

Silly q - what’s G&W? I’m having a mind-blank again

Nice score on the wood stash Wez, can’t wait to see what you craft out of that lot!

WezV · October 2023

Guitars & Woods in Portugal
https://guitarsandwoods.com/

WezV · October 2023

All delivered today, my email to UPS was enough to get them to release it. Other than poor comms for a few days, all is good.

SteveF · October 2023

Ah that's good news. I must admit it's always been excellent service for the tools I have bought - UPS a little slow as always but other than that been happy so far with G&W. Some really good pricing on some of their stuff compared to Stewmac etc.

WezV · October 2023

Yeah. When I first used them they still only had a limited amount for stuff, but they do seem to have become a viable alternative to stew-mac.

Also, €22 for a B grade 2 piece khaya body blank is silly money. I got a couple of those. One is truly B grade with some pin holes within the body outline, average weight.... what I expect for the price. The other is really lightweight for khaya and has a slight flaw on the outside edge. Its good enough that it may get used for this metal top with a natural finish, along with some of the reclaimed mahogany or sapele i have to process soon for neck wood

TTony · October 2023

WezV said:

That is mad!!

Jez6345789 · October 2023

I have to also say a big + for G&W good people and tool one of my go-to's when in Spain and about to get some of their blanks shipped over. Extremely lucky for wood in Spain and Portugal, G&W/Lagrima/Maderas Barber and MadInter. Although Madinter was recently bought by Stewmac so price have been going up but the others are good value still.

Will be tagging along with this and looking forward to seeing it progress.

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WezV - Metal top build

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