Bite the Bullet -- Taking a custom order

[firemodel55]

you have my sentiments exactly ... i wouldn't be the best guy to ask as I am not such a fan for flame tops ... i much prefer close to plain tops with lots of grain, mineral streaks and wide small hints of flame here and there... but if I had to pick, I would be on F ... I think your baker has a nice classy top and finish

Thanks.  Just for you, I am attaching some of the other maple tops that were options but I did not find flamey enough.  These are 60 year old Michigan Eastern Maple Cut in the 50s and ARE aunthentically close to the target guitar -- in short this batch has the recommended flame, grain, mineral streaks of the target guitar. 

Top 1:



Top 2:




Top 3:




Top 4:




Top 5:



Top 6:




Luthier had assured me that all the maple tops regardless of the figure will get the sound of the target guitar.

[firemodel55]

fm, is it safe to judge a wood by just viewing photos of what they look like? surely an even and consistent maple flame would put up a beautiful guitar, but shouldn't you check what the wood feels like? - how dense it is, the weight, the consistency of the grain, and other tonal qualities that you'd be able to confirm not by looking at the wood? ika nga, "dont judge the book(match) by what it looks like." 

Luthier already did all that  before submitting the list including using his tap technique.  Of course, after picking the maple top, I guess we will move on to selecting the other pieces of wood required for the guitar and eventually matching them with a tuning fork method which at this point I have no idea. 

[william251082]

uy parang yung kesame namin yung mga kahoy hheheheheh (joke)

Goodluck po sa new guitar sa niyo

[magtataho7]

Luthier already did all that  before submitting the list including using his tap technique.  Of course, after picking the maple top, I guess we will move on to selecting the other pieces of wood required for the guitar and eventually matching them with a tuning fork method which at this point I have no idea. 

I believe they can somehow "map" resonance on a wood blank, by a tuning fork or some other hi-tech method. I've seen videos of a sought-after Canadian violinmaker (damn, forgot his name) using a hammer and an oscilloscope. These resonances are mostly uneven, and luthiers match and cut through these (sometimes including the imperfections) to make some characteristics appear. Hell, some even include wood knots (part where branches grow), even rotting wood, like a Zachary http://www.zacharyguitars.com/

[firemodel55]

uy parang yung kesame namin yung mga kahoy hheheheheh (joke)

Goodluck po sa new guitar sa niyo

Mukhang marine ply yata gamit ng kesame mo kasi kung talagang maple billet iyon nahulog na sa ulo mo sa bigat. heh heh.  Joke rin lang.

Thanks for the support.

[kawal]

any other details on the body? how about the neck and fingerboard material?

[firemodel55]

any other details on the body? how about the neck and fingerboard material?

In time... the first step is to select the top and its already very difficult as it is because of the many choices.  Thats the reason I posted them here to help decide on the top.  Ganon ka galing ang luthier na ito na all kinds of flame maple top are covered.  Wala lang nga na Quilt kasi hindi iyon standard sa target guitar.  But he was willing to order stocks for me.  But given the flame tops here, I don't miss quilt anymore.  Truly high grade stuff that I don't see on high end Gibson and high end PRS.  It only looks flat because it has not been painted yet but the 3D property of the flame is already apparent.  Wala pa nga raw naphta treatment iyan para lumabas ang dimensionality ng mga tops.  What makes this luthier's selection different from Gibson and PRS is the oragnic nature of his top selection.  Usually the Gibson and PRS stuff look too straight and perfect that it does not look like wood -- its more like paint without much action kaya mas nakakasawa talaga tingnan.  Somehow with the boards selected here it feels and looks natural and right.

[superbuni123]

I dunno if its just the lighting, but Top Q really looks amazing! Would be really nice to see that on a Les Paul. 

[magtataho7]

Top W - curved grain, wow
Top 2 - just right...

[pitongjerome]

what i don't hear cannot sound good to me, till i hear it, moreover, a guitar that still doesn't exist.

so let's wait after a year, and hear this guitar.

[firemodel55]

what i don't hear cannot sound good to me, till i hear it, moreover, a guitar that still doesn't exist.

so let's wait after a year, and hear this guitar.

Agree with you... But its kinda fun doing this thing for a year.  And if the luthier delivers on the sound, I promise you based on what I talked about with the Luthier it will knock your socks off.

[pitongjerome]

Agree with you... But its kinda fun doing this thing for a year.  And if the luthier delivers on the sound, I promise you based on what I talked about with the Luthier it will knock your socks off.

i hope so, man, because its a long wait and its very expensive. by the way, are you expecting this to top your suhr or baker?

[firemodel55]

i hope so, man, because its a long wait and its very expensive. by the way, are you expecting this to top your suhr or baker?

Don't know. Probably use the suhr and baker more because I am more comfortable with them body wise.  Heh Heh.

My baker firemodel 55 today in its configuration is a bit far away from the typical firemodel.  I voiced it to be more scooped because I am more into rock and metal than jazz.  So, I am expecting this guitar to have a more pleasing midrange.

With regards to super strats, my suhr modern is IT.  So I don't expect this new guitar to replace it for shred and technical playing.

[shift015]

Passion. pure unadulterated passion. hay.

you can try to put as much science into it as you can but in the end, considering what you're measuring it up against... man, that's a really amazing endeavor.

thank you for starting this thread. i'll be sure to watch it.

[fourth_cycle]

buti nlang wala akong pera...

[galingnamanon]

..hmmmmm..am looking for the top which has "the face of god!" hahaha..would make it easier to choose..haha

..man it's hard to select one..they are all beautiful in different ways (particularly the first set - the ones you rejected do seem a little dull to me too at that stage..although they could look great after painting and stuff..dunno)

..i guess to increase chances..use whatever scientific methods available to determine resonance..but if all are practically the same..go with the top that speaks to you nga..

..this is an awesome venture sir..hoping it turns out better than expected..i hope this guy can capture "mojo" hehe...well if anyone can..he probably could..hehe

simple reminder to all:

"Never look down on anybody unless you're helping him up"

bato at gulong mga kapatid!

[bryanarzaga]

So far my beliefs are on the right track

oye vey! lol

@pangalan

thanks for the MLPFthread, its confirmed alex has the first jewish LP guitar in the philippines!

[Saturn/Return]

I've always drooled at Gil's LP builds. I'm truly amazed with his eye for detail even up to the smallest things, I really admire his passion towards building guitars. Congrats Alex and enjoy the journey of having a custom guitar This will be very interesting and exciting to watch it unfold.

[sargento]

parang similar nga dito > http://www.tdpri.com/forum/tele-home-depot/194271-1959-les-paul-build.html
good luck on the build!!!

[jamming_papu]

with the expectations, risks and the people who are following and will be following this one, this guitar will surely be one of a kind.

Top C, I, W are my pick. since i can only judge and pick according to what I see, me thinks it has the most consistent grains, age/rings info and will have a nice natural effect in the finish.

Best of luck to Fm55. Hope that the final product will deliver and proves some theories in guitar building that are worth doing and trying by actually making one... Love guitars. And again, bato at gulong mga kapatid. \m/

[Red_Strat]

Definitely Tops C, K, and Q for me.  

Firemodel55, when your guitar is done, do you plan on going overseas to pick up the guitar yourself? Or are you going to have it shipped here? It's a bit irrelevant to the building process, I know, but I'm just curious.

Subscribing to this thread.  

[pangalan]

Have you decided on the top yet? With the amount of time and money involved... i REALLY do hope you get what you want. Just a quick question, how do you workout the payment? deposit then installments? or do you have to pay in full upfront? good luck!!!

[firemodel55]

Have you decided on the top yet? With the amount of time and money involved... i REALLY do hope you get what you want. Just a quick question, how do you workout the payment? deposit then installments? or do you have to pay in full upfront? good luck!!!

Actually, I decided to  post the tops because I CANNOT decide.  I am stuck on the first step. I see at least a dozen or tops that I want which means I should book for a dozen guitars?  Heh heh.  Ang arrangement with the luthier is 50% down and 50% upon completion.

[firemodel55]

..hmmmmm..am looking for the top which has "the face of god!" hahaha..would make it easier to choose..haha

..man it's hard to select one..they are all beautiful in different ways (particularly the first set - the ones you rejected do seem a little dull to me too at that stage..although they could look great after painting and stuff..dunno)

..i guess to increase chances..use whatever scientific methods available to determine resonance..but if all are practically the same..go with the top that speaks to you nga..

..this is an awesome venture sir..hoping it turns out better than expected..i hope this guy can capture "mojo" hehe...well if anyone can..he probably could..hehe

simple reminder to all:

"Never look down on anybody unless you're helping him up"

bato at gulong mga kapatid!

Thanks for the support.  Hirap na Hirap talaga ako mamili ng top specially in trying to picture how beautiful each comes out after the paint stage pero bilib ako sa luthier dahil parang alam niya and sabi niya that the top is a personal choice that he does not want to decide for the client. 

[firemodel55]

Definitely Tops C, K, and Q for me.  

Firemodel55, when your guitar is done, do you plan on going overseas to pick up the guitar yourself? Or are you going to have it shipped here? It's a bit irrelevant to the building process, I know, but I'm just curious.

Subscribing to this thread.  

I really have not decided yet because I still have 362 more days to go.  Heh Heh.  So thats double your wait time for that special something you are waiting for.  Sigh.