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| Metal Usage and Zemaitis http://mowrystrings.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10123&t=43469 |
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| Author: | kodac [ Sat May 17, 2014 9:42 am ] |
| Post subject: | Metal Usage and Zemaitis |
I was wondering if people have experience using metal (aluminum, brass, steel, copper) for guitar bodies? Do's or Don'ts? I know solid body is out of the question (wasn't there a 78 lbs. solid brass ibanez?). I know there are some builders known for their use of metal but was curious as to if the type of metal has an effect on the sound and how it sounds as say a top on a semihollow with wood back and sides, or metal back and sides and wood top? I guess looking for any input when it comes to using for guitar bodies or necks. I guess it's a little outside the realm of luthiery as it usually involves the assistance of a machinist. |
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| Author: | Freeman [ Sat May 17, 2014 10:59 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Metal Usage |
My experience is only with acoustics and then mostly resonators. Metal resonators are typically made of either steel or "bell brass" - and while most of the sound of a reso comes from the cones the body material definitely colors it (just as back and side woods colors the sound of an acoustic). Metal resonator bodies are either silver brazed or can be welded - you really don need a machinist. In the archives at MIMF there is a very good tutorial on making a metal bodied tricone. Most metal resonators have wood necks - usually attached with a neck stick (like a banjo), however a few are square necks and the neck is metal too. fwiw - even tho they are hollow, a metal resonator is pretty darn heavy. At one time I harbored a crazy idea of making a resonator out of titanium - I worked in a metal fabrication shop at that time and one of my friends was a welder for Moots Cycles (titanium mountain bikes). It would have been much lighter than steel or brass and very expensive - maybe you would call it a "ti-cone". I ended up building it out of wood with techniques that I knew. This is rather interesting - an acoustic built out of aluminum. It is not a resonator - the top is the sound board just like other acoustics, but it does have a reso tone. At one time I had communicated with the builder - you could shoot him an e-mail http://www.eddowling.com/pages/Technophonic.shtml Lastly, when I worked for the fab shop I did use their metal working tools (particularly a laser cutter) to make jigs and fixtures - many of my router templates came off the laser. If you can hook up with equipment like that it should help with fabricating parts for your guitar. |
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| Author: | kodac [ Sun May 18, 2014 1:48 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Metal Usage |
Wow, great info. As to the reso's, yeah I remember the first time I picked one up I was kind of shocked that it really was as heavy as it looked. Plus playing a few acoustic beforehand, didn't help with the change in weight. |
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| Author: | kodac [ Sun Jun 29, 2014 6:03 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Metal Usage and Zemaitis |
Also looking (if anyone is willing to share) for any notes or specs on any original zemaitis guitars. I know the basic: 3-piece mahogany neck 3-piece mahogany body Ebony Fretboard set-neck Looking to see if anyone has any notes on unique deviations, or specs on things like body thickness, scale length, screw/insert materials (length, and or diameter), type of aluminum, top thickness, etc. Not sure on what the best way to attach the metal top is, whether it's epoxy or screws (maybe with inserts). |
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| Author: | Chris Pile [ Sun Jun 29, 2014 8:28 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Metal Usage and Zemaitis |
I remember the Veleno guitars - made out of aluminum. Travis Bean and Kramer guitars were both aluminum-necked guitars when they came out. I built an aluminum tread plate topped Strat for Mark Shelton of Manilla Road way back in the 80's. http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/500/6 ... a+Road.jpg Do metal pickguards count? With all the steampunk interest these days, I've seen a number of guitars featuring metal. |
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| Author: | kodac [ Wed Jul 02, 2014 9:54 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Metal Usage and Zemaitis |
That's a cool guitar, like the tread plate look. Did you try different thicknesses for the metal top? I've seen some cool stuff being built with customized metal pickguards. Thinking of the whole top being metal though, like the one you made. |
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| Author: | Chris Pile [ Sun Jul 20, 2014 4:09 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Metal Usage and Zemaitis |
Quote: That's a cool guitar, like the tread plate look. Did you try different thicknesses for the metal top? Thanks. I didn't try anything else. I was walking one of the local aircraft scrapyards, and spotted a perfect piece. It's 1/4 thick. Sawed it out with a jigsaw, rough ground the edges on the belt sander, bent the armrest over a telephone pole, handfiled to smooth the edge, and buffed with a stiff pad. This was done way back in the late 80's. The guitar is now in a local history museum. |
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| Author: | dzsmith [ Sun Jul 20, 2014 10:11 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Metal Usage and Zemaitis |
I bet them Veleno guitars were really cold to the touch in the winter time. |
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| Author: | Stuart Gort [ Sun Jul 20, 2014 10:26 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Metal Usage and Zemaitis |
Of all the things I could easily do it would be to make a metal guitar...lol. But metal or composite guitars always seem a bit, I don't know, "gimmicky"? I can imagine a nice aluminum body and neck would at least have a unique tone...but I'm never going to bother to find out.  After cutting enough metal, cutting wood seems like a vacation.I like creativity. I can certainly appreciated that when see these instruments. |
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| Author: | Jason Rodgers [ Sun Jul 20, 2014 10:52 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Metal Usage and Zemaitis |
Rick Toone is doing one-piece aluminum necks. |
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| Author: | John Sonksen [ Sun Jul 20, 2014 12:46 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Metal Usage and Zemaitis |
these guys do aluminum guitars http://www.electricalguitarcompany.com/models/ |
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| Author: | Stuart Gort [ Sun Jul 20, 2014 6:13 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Metal Usage and Zemaitis |
John Sonksen wrote: Maybe the humidity down there DROVE them to it.
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| Author: | dzsmith [ Sun Jul 20, 2014 7:15 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Metal Usage and Zemaitis |
I like the look of the metal V. |
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| Author: | James T [ Fri Sep 12, 2014 11:00 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Metal Usage and Zemaitis |
the detail pics on the Zemaitis site show the top thinner than a pickup ring , that wouldn't present much of a weight issue . http://www.zemaitis-guitars.com/our_gui ... tom_metal/ |
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