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Mackie
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 10:56 am 
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Mahogany
Mahogany

Joined: Sat Feb 10, 2007 5:20 am
Posts: 74
I have a question that I've been pondering for some time now. Can I use a
pre made tailblock from one of the supply houses for my Weissenborn, and
If so what kind?

I see that that Stew Mac has tailblocks that they say are made to "match the
curvature" of specific guitars. They have one for Dreads, and one for ,0, 00
and 000. which one would be good for a Weissenborn If any.

Your help is, as always appreciated.


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Brock Poling
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 12:17 pm 
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Old Growth Brazilian Rosewood
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It only takes just a couple of minutes to make one of these. I wouldn't hesitate for a second and just make your own.

Also, I have switched to plywood rather than mahogany. It doesn't look quite as nice, but it is much tougher and won't crack.

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Rick Turner
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 12:51 pm 
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If you can make a Weissenborn-style guitar , you can certainly make a tail block.   

I concur re. plywood, but use Baltic Birch. I like how it looks, and it's vastly superior to prone-to-cracking mahogany end blocks.

And I have to say, I find it kind of offensive when people call them Weissenborns...they're not because you are not Weissenborn. Just because he's dead doesn't mean we should go and appropriate his name. Let's call them Weissenborn-style or acoustic lap steels or something.   You wouldn't call your 000 or OM a Martin, would you?
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Mackie
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 2:56 pm 
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Mahogany
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Posts: 74
Rick your'e right, the politically correct name is 'Weissenbeon Style".
There was a pretty heated dissusion on a guitar forum about the use of
the name Weissenborn.

I know that I can make a tailblock, as a matter of fact I already cut a
Mahogany block out with the grain running horizontally. I just want to
know If a pre made block can be used on a "Weissenborn Style" guitar?

There is some controversy about the grain orientation for tailblocks. Is
this an issue If plywood is used?

I think I have some Baltic birch scraps left over from the shooting board
that I made. Brock, do the same specifications (grain orientation etc...)
apply to plywood tailblocks as they do for mahogany and basswood?

Thanks for the replys.



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Brock Poling
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 3:00 pm 
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Honestly I pay very little attention to the orientation of the grain on the plywood blocks. Since every layer runs perpendicular to the last it really doesn't matter.

Like Rick, I am also using the high grade stuff. I am getting a 13 ply stuff from woodcraft. It is expensive, but a small sheet makes a about 20 blocks.

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Mackie
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 3:11 pm 
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Mahogany
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Thanks Brock. I'll give It a try.
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Mackie
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 3:48 pm 
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Mahogany
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Thanks Todd.
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Mackie
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 4:35 pm 
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Mahogany
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Hey Todd, I think it's time for a belt sander ( something with a fence). What
size/brand belt sander would you recommend for arching braces, tailblocks
etc... Nothing to heavy duty, but something that can handle multiple guitar
building task with out breaking the bank? Thanks
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TonyFrancis
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 7:34 pm 
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Koa
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Thanks for that Rick. I also find it offensive when small minded builders call their guitars "Weissenborns" or worse still, abreviated versions like "weiss" or "weissey" etc.


Very, very few if any builders of new instruments have any clue about how vastly different the new "design in mind" guitars are vs the old ones.


 
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Mackie
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PostPosted: Sat Nov 03, 2007 1:14 am 
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Mahogany
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Thanks Todd for taking the time to post the illustrations. I appreciate It.

In the future I'll make sure that I refer to my one guitar that I'm building for
myself as a "Weissenborn Style" guitar, so I won't be called 'small minded".
I'm not doing to this for profit, but for fun. I searched the archives and read
plenty of references to these guitars as 'Weissenborns", and no one called
them "small minded or even bothered to correct them for that matter.
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Rick Turner
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PostPosted: Sat Nov 03, 2007 2:47 am 
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Todd, please go back to making Fords...
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old man
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PostPosted: Sat Nov 03, 2007 2:56 am 
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Brazilian Rosewood
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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

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old man
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PostPosted: Sat Nov 03, 2007 3:09 am 
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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......
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TonyFrancis
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PostPosted: Sat Nov 03, 2007 7:53 pm 
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Not meaning to offend anyone. But I just really think its important to respect the name and builder who designed and developed this guitar over 20 years of his life. Build a hawaiian guitar, thats just fine... but call it a "Stock" or whatever, not a Weissenborn.


 
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TonyFrancis
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PostPosted: Sun Nov 04, 2007 1:58 pm 
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Koa
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The original Weissenborns had spruce tailblocks. You can usually cut them from the ends of your bracewood billets, no problem at all. Good luck.
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Mackie
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PostPosted: Mon Nov 05, 2007 12:20 am 
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Thank you Tony.
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Richard Wilson
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PostPosted: Mon Nov 05, 2007 11:20 pm 
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Spruce tailblocks here. Out of interest I weighed one now and it's 3.5lbs strung; Tassie Blackwood with Ebony bridge and fretboard.


Also, I generally refer to the design as 'Weissenborn style' or 'original Weissenborn guitars' or variations on that. I try to stick clear of calling them simply a Weissenborn, but I have no problems saying to a buyer or player "the Weissenborns I build..." etc. which implies separation and something different from originals.


Had Hermann Weissenborn had an Anglicised name, I'm sure we'd have something better to call them to distinguish remakes from Weissenborn's. Unfortunately 'Weissenbornian' is a mouthful and a half. I also see no disrespect or other problems in referring to them as a 'Weiss' for this reason.


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