Official Luthiers Forum!

I’m building a J bass knock-off with a redwood burl top and either maple or mahogany on the bottom. I’d like to add a thin stringer of either black (ebony or “ebonized” something) or white (holly) between the base and top woods. The redwood top will be about ¼ inch thick. The hitch is how can I handle the stringer as it dives where the forearm relief occurs near the rear above the bridge? If there were no forearm relief I would simply route a groove and add stringing. I plan to hot-bend the redwood over the base to form the drop. Do I simply add a layer on to the entire base before adding the top wood? Or is there some fancy way of adding a rabbet to the base and then filling it?
Side question: If I add a layer of plastic laminate, glue should I use. Epoxy?
Also, elsewhere in this forum are some descriptions of fancy router jigs that “float” in the z (up and down) direction. Would I have to construct one of these to accomplish this?

Thanks,

Dave

Hi Dave,
I don't have a solution for you, but I would not put a layer of plastic between the body and the top.
Since the top is going to be bent onto the body, I think a glue joint between wood and plastic may not be able to withstand the stress of this kind of joinery. I'd figure out a way to cut a rabbet along the edge of the body before installing the top, or use a piece of veneer between the top and body.
Dan

_________________
wah
Wah-wah-wah-wah
Wah

Thanks Dan,
Didn't think plastic was a god idea, but I wasn't sure how real luthiers do this kind of thing. Looks like I'll have to build a floating z axis for my router. Good thing I have access to a mill, a bunch of aluminum and some zero-play ball bearing sliders.

Dave

Use veneer. Cleaner, easy to do, and gives you some latitude in terms of carving the body/roundovers.

By the way Dave,
I think you have a cool idea to wrap the top over the body.
Dan

_________________
wah
Wah-wah-wah-wah
Wah

Definitely use a white veneer wood. Vacuum clamping will work great for this ad well.

_________________
http://www.CostaGuitars.com
PMoMC