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| Zipflex is cost prohibitive http://mowrystrings.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=54328 |
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| Author: | banjopicks [ Thu Aug 19, 2021 7:55 am ] |
| Post subject: | Zipflex is cost prohibitive |
I just priced enough Zip-flex to build a D45 copy, Approximately $600? Holy crap. I've always wanted a nicely decorated guitar like the D45 but that's a big chunk of change and that doesn't include the bindings. I suppose I could cut out some of it and still have a pretty stylish guitar from the top view. I'd like to see other options for creating something similar. |
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| Author: | Barry Daniels [ Thu Aug 19, 2021 8:07 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Zipflex is cost prohibitive |
I don't see the point of abalone on the sides and back. Top and rosette are where it's happening. I cut my own shell strips from a slab of ablam. Pretty quick and easy. |
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| Author: | Clay S. [ Thu Aug 19, 2021 8:24 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Zipflex is cost prohibitive |
I haven't used any of this stuff but ebay might be a resource worth looking at - a number of sellers offer "knock off" materials of unknown quality but more attractive pricing. https://www.ebay.com/itm/255044809656? P.S. - abalone on the back and sides is done for the same reason as using highly figured woods on the back and sides and adds as much to the sound.  
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| Author: | jfmckenna [ Thu Aug 19, 2021 8:40 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Zipflex is cost prohibitive |
banjopicks wrote: I just priced enough Zip-flex to build a D45 copy, Approximately $600? Holy crap. I've always wanted a nicely decorated guitar like the D45 but that's a big chunk of change and that doesn't include the bindings. I suppose I could cut out some of it and still have a pretty stylish guitar from the top view. I'd like to see other options for creating something similar. I posted something similar a few weeks back and got no reply. I am also going to be builting three 45-style OM's and was wondering about the edge abalone on the bottom of the binding that runs along the sides. Zipflex seems to be perfect for this. I was thinking of using regular abalone for the top and back but the Zip for the edge purfs. That would save a lot of money. But then I wonder if it would look funny? But I have never done side edge abalone before. have you? I used Zipflex a few times for tops when I first started doing this and then I did it the traditional way and was quite surprised at how easy it was. I think I can get a whole top done in less then an hour. So it makes no sense to me to by the Zipflex for that. Plus I think the randomness of piece by piece looks better. So I'm wondering if it's actually easy to do the side purfs too. I just have never tried it. |
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| Author: | Hesh [ Thu Aug 19, 2021 8:53 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Zipflex is cost prohibitive |
Not bling fans here.... again guitars to us are tools for musicians not Christmas trees. |
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| Author: | bluescreek [ Thu Aug 19, 2021 9:03 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Zipflex is cost prohibitive |
I have done my share of 45's Custom pearl inlay in Malone NY will set you up about $1.10 an inch and he has the poly and purflings to go with it. |
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| Author: | jfmckenna [ Thu Aug 19, 2021 10:34 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Zipflex is cost prohibitive |
bluescreek wrote: I have done my share of 45's Custom pearl inlay in Malone NY will set you up about $1.10 an inch and he has the poly and purflings to go with it. John, how do you do the edge binding on the sides like in this pic? Do you install the binding with a teflon strip, pull that out then hammer in the abalone pieces? 
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| Author: | Glen H [ Thu Aug 19, 2021 10:41 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Zipflex is cost prohibitive |
I hope John replies JF, I have wondered the same and was hoping someone would answer your original post. How do you break the abalam or shell on the outside radius without the top layer flaking off? |
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| Author: | J De Rocher [ Thu Aug 19, 2021 12:35 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Zipflex is cost prohibitive |
Glen H wrote: I hope John replies JF, I have wondered the same and was hoping someone would answer your original post. How do you break the abalam or shell on the outside radius without the top layer flaking off? Same here. I was hoping someone would answer jfkckenna's question about the side purfling. |
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| Author: | jfmckenna [ Thu Aug 19, 2021 12:42 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Zipflex is cost prohibitive |
What I started thinking was to just break it into really small pieces and just jam it all in there and sand it flush. The only hard corners on the OM will be the upper bout curve and the waist. I was thinking of using flush cut nippers and cutting like 1/4in sections or something like that. But it would be interesting to know what the pro's do or even the way Martin used to do it. |
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| Author: | James Orr [ Thu Aug 19, 2021 3:37 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Zipflex is cost prohibitive |
I've had such great luck ordering through Rescue Pearl, and I'm always astonished at how reasonably priced they are. |
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| Author: | jfmckenna [ Thu Aug 19, 2021 3:40 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Zipflex is cost prohibitive |
James Orr wrote: I've had such great luck ordering through Rescue Pearl, and I'm always astonished at how reasonably priced they are. Good to know. I will have to check them out. I have been using the Australian pearl company for a while now and there too quite astounded by their prices compared to others. |
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| Author: | Andy Bounsall [ Thu Aug 19, 2021 4:05 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Zipflex is cost prohibitive |
Guess I’m lucky that I’m not a fan of abalone bling on guitars. Prefer to spend my $$$ on pretty wood. |
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| Author: | giltzow [ Thu Aug 19, 2021 4:24 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Zipflex is cost prohibitive |
I have used zipflex and the Chinese equivalent. You can get a better deal with zipflex if you buy in bulk. I purchased 100 strips several years ago. I treated it like a group buy and offered members on this forum (through market place) a good price. Made a little money on that but probably didn't cover my labor. But did end up with all my zipflex at a discounted price. There are differences between the Chinese and zipflex. The Chinese pieces were about 7 1/2" long and the zipflex is 15" long. Zipflex is encased in a 'U' shaped thin rubber like(or plastic) material while the Chinese has a rubber type material just on the back. the Chinese is tougher to work with as it really wants to twist. Zipflex is a little easier with the twisting. The small Pieces of abalone are easier to see in the Chinese that in the Zipflex. I have always used the Blue Pao zipflex and like the color of the zipflex better than the Chinese Chinese I used:https://www.ebay.com/itm/233384747099?_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20160908105057%26meid%3D22e28a915ae34cfc8aaf868ddafa65eb%26pid%3D100675%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D15%26sd%3D233384747099%26itm%3D233384747099%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D1%26pg%3D2380057&_trksid=p2380057.c100675.m4236&_trkparms=pageci%3Af064bd9f-012e-11ec-870f-fa649420b60f%7Cparentrq%3A602cf9ca17b0a4b4ca234526fffeb9c4%7Ciid%3A1 |
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| Author: | John Arnold [ Thu Aug 19, 2021 5:04 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Zipflex is cost prohibitive |
Doing side purfling is much the same as on the top and back. Just break it into short pieces to negotiate the curves. I have only used solid pearl for this. In some instances, I cut my own strips from raw abalone shells. It is a matter of using what you have on hand. I have used both polyethylene and teflon fillers to create the channel. |
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| Author: | rbuddy [ Thu Aug 19, 2021 6:05 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Zipflex is cost prohibitive |
Many years ago i was duly impressed with some abalone purfs on a guitar being played in low light conditions at a party. Blinking like "Christmas tree lights" on the inherent chatoyance of the purfling, I was mesmerized. I thought I had to incorporate that in some project, some time. At the time I never even thought I'd build guitars. Was a little nervous about investing the $$$ for the purfs. But I finally caved to the desire and ran abalone purfs around a top. Zipflex or the solid shell were about the same price/inch. Zipflex looked easier. But I decided to go with the real deal. Turned out to be really a fun experience. Sure, some care had to be taken creating the channel for the shell, but dang, it was really fun and not at all as scary as I thought. If you are going around a top, sides and back, you better be sure to be able to get takers for the upcharge cause it isn't cheap to buy and it takes additional time to install. But i love it, same thing as fancy wood bling IMO, just a different medium. I use curly maple for the exact same reason, it just lights up on light refraction and looks very cool. How far you go with it or any bindings and purfs depends on what you think you can get for it unless you just build for the love of it, then it just doesn't matter. |
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| Author: | jfmckenna [ Thu Aug 19, 2021 6:12 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Zipflex is cost prohibitive |
Yeah I mean if guitars are not aesthetic then why bother even having bindings or at least nice ones like curly wood and so on. Besides this is what I am getting paid to do so I do it. And it's with some of the nicest BRW most luthiers would be lucky to have so believe me the wood is pretty too  To each there own I guess. It's just a different level of aesthetic. It never really was my think either till I bought a few vintage guitars with bling and then built a few myself. And it is actually fun doing it. It's also surprisingly easy, at least on the top and back, and people are almost always totally amazed at how you could possibly make such a pretty thing. |
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| Author: | bluescreek [ Fri Aug 20, 2021 6:46 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Zipflex is cost prohibitive |
I have used both solid shell and ablam. Just break in . I find going side to side helps it snap I use tite bond or elmers white glue then once snapped I use a small 4 penny nail ground like a needle to adjust the pearl no need to hammer just a light push one note is that when you set up this in the binding process I do a ledge for the purfling at about .o50 and the binding at about .065 and start and send all the miters first |
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| Author: | Mike OMelia [ Fri Aug 20, 2021 7:44 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Zipflex is cost prohibitive |
I used to do group buys here that made it cost effective. we all got a bunch of cheap. Last time I tried to do it there was a great big "meh" sound. I could do it again, But there would have to be some serious participation. No international. Mike |
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