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Hello everyone,

Just a progress pic on my weissenborn copy.

The fingerboard and bridge are made from Tasmanian Myrle. I don't have any shop tools so these where made with a tenon saw, small Stew Mac saw, wood rasp, microplane, cordless drill and a paring chisel.

A very simple rosette made from Tassie Myrtle is the next job.

Cheers and thanks for looking

Alan

After watching a Ben Harper documentary I feel inspired to try my hand at a Weissenborn as well.  A couple of questions for you:  Are you working from plans?  Hardwood or softwood top?  Know of any resources for learning to play this style?  What do the sheilas think of sit-down guitarists?

[QUOTE=liquid_gabe] After watching a Ben Harper documentary I feel inspired to try my hand at a Weissenborn as well.  A couple of questions for you:  Are you working from plans?  Hardwood or softwood top?  Know of any resources for learning to play this style?  What do the sheilas think of sit-down guitarists?
[/QUOTE]

Gabe,

I built mine frome my own design and did a photo-documentary of the build here, but there are plans - Todd/Alan can tell you more about these. As for learning, there are some good videos and tabs on Rob Anderlik's site here, although not a Weiss the Homespun video/dvd "The Slide Guitar of Kelly Joe Phelps" gives you most of the techniques, plus Bob Brozman has a number of teaching video/dvd's and some useful stuff on his website here.

Girls love them - in fact my daughter loves them so much I had to make her one

_________________
Dave White
De Faoite Stringed Instruments
". . . the one thing a machine just can't do is give you character and personalities and sometimes that comes with flaws, but it always comes with humanity" Monty Don talking about hand weaving, "Mastercrafts", Weaving, BBC March 2010

Dave, thanks for the excellent write-up and the links.  A Weissenborn style is definitely on my ever expanding list of things to build. I can really see how work and family life is really going to interfere with this hobby...

Anyone tried one with a softwood top?

Alan,

The Weiss is looking really good so far.

Gabe,

If you go to the guitar comp. page on Rob Anderlink's website there are some Weissenborn sound clips. One of these is of a spruce/koa instrument. Lazy River guitars do a spruce/walnut instrument.

_________________
Dave White
De Faoite Stringed Instruments
". . . the one thing a machine just can't do is give you character and personalities and sometimes that comes with flaws, but it always comes with humanity" Monty Don talking about hand weaving, "Mastercrafts", Weaving, BBC March 2010

Thanks everyone for your encouragement.

Gabe, i'm using the MIMF. I bought this plan about four years ago with the intension of building a guitar. I have worked the music industry here in Oz for 25 years and setup many stringed instruments. A Luthier I am not !!! So my friend and guitar builder made a weissenborn copy for me. It has a cedar top, narra back and sides. If you would like to hear this guitar go to www.myspace.com/ozziebluesman On the site are two songs played on the weissenborn copy along with some good pics of "Annie" my weissenborn.

So over the past two years learning to play a little on one of these instruments has ignited my passion for music. Because of an overuse condition in my right elbow developed about five years ago my traditional guitar playing days came to an abrupt halt. It has taken years of rest and treatment to get the elbow back to use with no pain. So the discovery of Lap Slide has been a revolution for my music needs as I can play the instrument without pain. It was very frustrating at first and then try to sing and play at the same time. WOW!!!! That ain't easy. After singing and playing guitar for so long it is a natural thing for me but lap slide and vocal, thats another story. I will get where I want to be with the instrument someday!!! And yes the girls love em.

Here is a pic of the wood for the top and back Gabe. This is my first acoustic build. The wood used is Tasmanian Sassafrass. Sassafras is not a common wood used to build guitars from here in Oz. It will be interesting how it comes up.  The wood verges between a hardwood and softwood and its properties are very similar to mahogany. As already pointed out traditional weissenborn guitars where made from Beautiful Koa. There are many builders using spruce, cedar and pine for their tops.  

Thanks everyone for you interest. I will keep you posted. The rosette is the next challange.

Cheers

Alan