Official Luthiers Forum!

Well I am going to build an L-OO. HESH INSPIRED. I am thinking about the
top woods. This one is for me since I want one around to show potential
customers. Also it will be my 1st of this size.   I personally like the warmth
of cedar, but I also like Shanes Lutz. ( I have built 4 of each) My playing is
more fingerstyle or light strumming.

What would you use for the top for this smaller guitar???
I have Shanes Lutz and some Curly Cedar from BobC

The backs and sides will be Mahogany. (1st time using Mahogany)

Thanks

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Andy Z.
http://www.lazydogguitars.com

Andy...if you're a finger picker you might want to consider a 12 Fret. It puts the bridge lower on the body (the sweet spot) and that seems to move the top more effectively.

I build more 12 frets and was impressed with the difference. I also happen to love the look of a slotted headstock.

I'm partial to Lutz over Cedar but others may have different opinions. Or you could build both and learn a lot about their effects. I did 2 parlors, one with Sitka and the other with Redwood. The Sitka was superior in my opinion.

You're going to love Mahogany!

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

Andy,
I would consider Redwood, it has all the qualities of Cedar, with more headroom, it can have a sparkle that cedar can lack and redwood can also handle a more aggressive right hand. Although, if you like (warmth) you cant beat cedar.
I think this is a decision that you will ultimately need to make based on what your ears hear, and what it is you like to hear when -you- play.

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Lance@LuthiersForum.com

Now I don't know much about anything, but with the sides being Mahogany, you may want to go with the Lutz to give the guitar some added punch and needed mid's and treble.

_________________
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Purple or Pink Hesh!!!!!

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Andy Z.
http://www.lazydogguitars.com

I would agree with JJ especially if you play finger style. The L-00 is my most popular model and I personally love the 12 fret with a Lutz Top. Right now I am mainly playing a 12 fret L-00 with Quilted Maple back and sides and an Adirondack spruce top but I do prefer the Lutz, and it's cheaper.

Thanks
The lutz is certainly a safe and great choice.   I do have a set of flamed
redwood I might use. (Per Lance)

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Andy Z.
http://www.lazydogguitars.com

Andy...on the issue of 12 Fret vs. 14 Fret for small bodied guitars, there's a discussion over at MIMF you should check out. One of the builders compares his results of L-OO's he's built. He favors the 12 Fret and characterizes it as having a richer tone.

I feel the same especially when played as you describe your style. That bridge will be placed about 1.5" farther back than a 14 fret of the same scale. This is significant, in my opinion. If you haven't yet done a 12 fret, you should seriously consider... especially if you want to show your potential customers your versatility and your ability to offer them even more choices based on their playing style.

I'm sure whatever you choose it will be a stunner.

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

[QUOTE=azimmer1] Well I am going to build an L-OO. HESH INSPIRED. I am thinking about the
top woods. This one is for me since I want one around to show potential
customers. Also it will be my 1st of this size.   I personally like the warmth
of cedar, but I also like Shanes Lutz. ( I have built 4 of each) My playing is
more fingerstyle or light strumming.

What would you use for the top for this smaller guitar???
I have Shanes Lutz and some Curly Cedar from BobC

The backs and sides will be Mahogany. (1st time using Mahogany)

Thanks
[/QUOTE]



Adi..

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

Hi Andy,
My David Flammang L-00 is curly maple B&S, red-spruce top, standard scale (24.9), straight bracing.

Talk is cheap, so see and hear it here: http://www.howardemerson.com/videos.html

You'll hear that no matter what tuning, capo location, style of song, it has any tone I need.

Regards,
Howard

My personal favourite guitars all seem to be mahogany/euro, or mahogany redwood/cedar! But given just the one choice for fingerstyle I'd go for the clarity of the Euro top like Hesh is. Dave White is an advocate of Euro but has used some of Shane's Lutz and says it's the closest US spruce to Euro, and I must say that the Lutz top I've got could pass for Euro. So, for a first mahogany guitar, to hear it's real character, use the Lutz. Then build another one using Redwood!

Colin

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

JJ
I have built 2 12 frets. One was a deep bodied OOO and the other a O
parlor.   Personally I didn't like the sound of my parlor. But maybe with the
L-OO it might be better. That one was PO cedar/Mac Ebony.
Howard
Is your Flamming a 12 or 14 fret???
Also, how deep is it at the neck/tail blocks
Thanks
Andy

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Andy Z.
http://www.lazydogguitars.com

Hi Andy,
It's a 14 fret and I had him make it shallower than a 00-18 Martin.

I'm firmly of the belief that making guitars deeper has nothing to do with making them sound better, and it always makes them more uncomfortable......so.....

It's 3 & 7/8" at the tail and 3 & 1/4" at the neck block.

Regards,
Howard

Copy-cat!



I'm with Brock. I think a nice adi top would be great.

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

Are you trying to make the guitar sound like an L-00 or just look like one. If you want that sound then I'd go with the spruce, otherwise you can use anything you like. You'll find Gibson L-00's of red and sitka spruce or even maybe mahogany but probably not cedar or redwood. It all depends on what you want.John How39071.9162615741

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Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.

Thanks
John I am not making to to necessarily sound like an L-OO considering I
have never heard one!!!! Mostly I want to build a guitar with that body size
but make it a well balanced guitar!!! Great for fingerstyle and light
strumming, nice warmth, but also crisp trebles.

_________________
Andy Z.
http://www.lazydogguitars.com

[QUOTE=Colin S] My personal favourite guitars all seem to be mahogany/euro, or mahogany redwood/cedar! But given just the one choice for fingerstyle I'd go for the clarity of the Euro top like Hesh is. Dave White is an advocate of Euro but has used some of Shane's Lutz and says it's the closest US spruce to Euro, and I must say that the Lutz top I've got could pass for Euro. So, for a first mahogany guitar, to hear it's real character, use the Lutz. Then build another one using Redwood!

Colin[/QUOTE]

Thanks coach, i have a redwood top here, now i know what i will couple it with!

Comparing my 12 fret and 14 fret L-00 guitars (made about 25 of each) I find the 12 fret is much nicer and fuller for fingerstyle but I prefer a 14 fret when using a pick and driving it hard. Driving it hard with a pick I find the 12 fret to be to "busy" and not crisp enough.