A nylon string crossover......

Take us through building your guitar step by step. Post pictures and tell us what you're doing.
Diane Kauffmds
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Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2014 8:13 pm

Re: A nylon string crossover......

Post by Diane Kauffmds »

I'm glad it's going back into design shape for you Kevin. My build started showing signs of lack of humidity. I started storing it in the case, with the oasis humidifier. I started the finish when the humidity came back up.

I know what you mean about being anxious to hear, what months worth of work sounds like. I'm sure it will be all you hoped.
Diane Kauffmann
Country Roads Guitars
countryroadsguitars@gmail.com
Kevin Sjostrand
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Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2008 8:06 pm
Location: Visalia, CA

Re: A nylon string crossover......

Post by Kevin Sjostrand »

Strings are on. D'Addario EJ46 Hard tension strings. It sounds good, well, much like you'd expect a classical guitar to sound. It is really bassy and has great sustain. The strings are still stretching, but in a couple of days I'll "try" and plays something and post the sound clip.
Action is a little high at the 12th fret even though I thought I had it dialed in. I forgot that my fretboard has a 20ft radius on it so I need to radius the saddle to match.
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johnnparchem
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Re: A nylon string crossover......

Post by johnnparchem »

great looking guitar. I glad to see the top came back to normal. That will be a fun guitar to play.
CavalierKingCharles
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Joined: Sun Sep 30, 2012 10:31 am
Location: New Jersey

Re: A nylon string crossover......

Post by CavalierKingCharles »

Love it!

Building a crossover is on my short list, thanks for posting this beauty.
Kevin Sjostrand
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Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2008 8:06 pm
Location: Visalia, CA

Re: A nylon string crossover......

Post by Kevin Sjostrand »

I have finally finished the WWII Japanese Katana semi restore project, so now I can begin the finishing process of this crossover guitar.
I am going to do a pore fill with shellac and sawdust, then do a french polish, mostly for the experience and fun of it. I need to make some action adjustments too.
I hope to begin this process on Thursday night.

Kevin
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johnnparchem
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Re: A nylon string crossover......

Post by johnnparchem »

Well that looks like a cool project. The sword looks scary sharp.
Kevin Sjostrand
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Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2008 8:06 pm
Location: Visalia, CA

Re: A nylon string crossover......

Post by Kevin Sjostrand »

I did maintain the edge while polishing, but not sure it is scary sharp. Hopefully the owner is NOT going to take this out and try and cut anything.
Kevin Sjostrand
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Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2008 8:06 pm
Location: Visalia, CA

Re: A nylon string crossover......

Post by Kevin Sjostrand »

I pulled the neck off last night because the heel at the end cap had pulled away from the body. This is a bolt on mortise/tenon, but I had glued down the fretboard. Man o man, I guess I used way too much glue as this fretboard was a bugger to get loose and I tore up some of the spruce. Also, I found that my threaded inserts in the tenon both had failed and were pulling out, even though I had weeped in CA around the threads. This is the second failure of this type of inserts which solidifies my decision to switch to the barrel nuts set in the tenon from now on.
So I did some patching of the top spruce last night, and I ran a lot of CA down around the inserts, hoping they will hold. I will glue the fretboard extension down again, and I'm considering putting a little glue on the heel cheeks to hold them in place in case those inserts fail again. I know all about how nice the M & T joint is for taking the neck off as I've done this alot on previous builds to get the set angle and all just right. This guitar is for me and at least I'll know what I'm dealing with in the future if I have any neck issues. In my mind I can just treat it as if it was a spanish heel inleted sides construction like a classical guitar usually has. Anyway, I embarrassed myself at the trouble I had getting the fretboard extension loose.
I'll have some hand planing and sanding to do tonight on the top and see if I can get the neck fitting good again.
johnnparchem
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Re: A nylon string crossover......

Post by johnnparchem »

I as well have been considering a switch. Which inserts are you using, One has fine outside threads and one as looser but deeper outside threads. I have been using the latter. Screwing into that endgrain is a pain. I tried barrel nuts for two of my guitars. One went well (I had expert help) on the other the whole tenon popped off while drilling. The Gore\Gilet books show a method that run a square mortise right through the heal back to front. They put a brass rod in to that mortise, drill the neck tenon bolt holes until they hit the brass, pull the rod drill and tap holes where marked. Now they have an inserted rod that can accepted the two bolts right in the meat of the heel.

I have been scared of drilling the mortise because I do not have a mortiser so I have not tried it but I am thinking about it.
Kevin Sjostrand
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Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2008 8:06 pm
Location: Visalia, CA

Re: A nylon string crossover......

Post by Kevin Sjostrand »

I managed to restore my mess adequately. The top is sound and the fretboard extension lays flat and tight against the top covering any of the repaired area so much so that I am thinking I will not glue it down. The neck is fitting good to the body and the bolts feel secure. I'm going to go ahead and French polish the body and neck separate, then assemble, set up the saddle height and play it. I'll post some pics after my trip to the coast this weekend. :)

Kevin
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