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 Post subject: Contrast with Coco
PostPosted: Sun May 18, 2014 12:06 am 
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Brazilian Rosewood
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I'm looking for a contrasting binding material for some coco bolo builds. Ideas? These need to work well in the sapwood as well. Much of what I wanted is so far unavailable.

I plan to line with red maple veneere as a contrast line.

Mike


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 Post subject: Re: Contrast with Coco
PostPosted: Sun May 18, 2014 12:36 am 
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Well, if it were me, and I know you said contrasting, but I'd go with ebony binding. If you want to use the red maple veneer, which doesn't exactly contrast most cocobolo, use a maple, holly, sycamore, etc. purfling line between the ebony/red/cocobolo. Maybe that's the boring option, but I call it classy.

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Last edited by Heath Blair on Sun May 18, 2014 12:38 am, edited 1 time in total.

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 Post subject: Re: Contrast with Coco
PostPosted: Sun May 18, 2014 12:36 am 
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Well, if it were me, and I know you said contrasting, but I'd go with ebony binding. If you want to use the red maple veneer, which doesn't exactly contrast most cocobolo, use a maple, holly, sycamore, etc. purfling line between the ebony/red/cocobolo. Maybe that's the boring option, but I call it classy.

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Last edited by Heath Blair on Sun May 18, 2014 12:38 am, edited 1 time in total.

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 Post subject: Re: Contrast with Coco
PostPosted: Sun May 18, 2014 12:37 am 
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First time I've ever double posted. That's what I get for judging all you double posters. Don't know why/how that happens.

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 Post subject: Re: Contrast with Coco
PostPosted: Sun May 18, 2014 3:40 am 
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Ebony, African Blackwood, Aluminium


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 Post subject: Re: Contrast with Coco
PostPosted: Sun May 18, 2014 3:58 am 
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My top choices would be curly maple and curly koa. Ebony does look sharp and classy with a light purfling line (perhaps curly maple).

By red maple veneer, you mean dyed red? Seems like it would clash with the natural red of the cocobolo to me. If you really want to make a statement with unnatural colors, try any of those 3 bindings woods with a blue veneer. But I think the koa would be better with black/maple/black purfling, and maple would be better with a single black line.

Another option if you can find it would be pink ivory, possibly with no purfling at all. Although black or black/white/black would be good too.


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 Post subject: Re: Contrast with Coco
PostPosted: Sun May 18, 2014 6:50 am 
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Mike consider binding in the very same coco as the sides and back. I call this stealth binding and it can look great especially with rosewoods. Use a thin purf for minimal contrast, red, gold, black, what ever you like. Guitars with matching bindings look like they have been dipped in tonewood to me and it's a look that I really like!

A word about ebony bindings. I like em too but they always look like black plastic under gloss finish.


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 Post subject: Re: Contrast with Coco
PostPosted: Sun May 18, 2014 8:43 am 
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Brazilian Rosewood
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Figured avodire might look nice. Most cocobolo turns very dark eventually, something to keep in mind.


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 Post subject: Re: Contrast with Coco
PostPosted: Sun May 18, 2014 8:51 am 
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I was considering Curly Koa, can't find any (yet)


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 Post subject: Re: Contrast with Coco
PostPosted: Sun May 18, 2014 9:47 am 
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For a koa-like contrast with minimal bling I like a simple cherry binding:


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 Post subject: Re: Contrast with Coco
PostPosted: Sun May 18, 2014 10:38 am 
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I'm with Hesh! Cocobolo bindings make a great contrast to Cocobolo back and sides, particularly if you can find some dark Coco for the bindings. A light purf makes a nice set-up to the contrast.

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P1070235 (Large) (Custom).JPG


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 Post subject: Re: Contrast with Coco
PostPosted: Sun May 18, 2014 2:34 pm 
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Lacewood?

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 Post subject: Re: Contrast with Coco
PostPosted: Sun May 18, 2014 6:03 pm 
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No to lacewood. I don't like the texture issues. The cherry idea is ok, but not what I'm looking for. Was hoping someone would say "curly koa? Try so and so!" So now I'm leaning hard towards Hesh and Waddy. Waddy, what's that between the coco?

Since I started this project, I've sold 3. Only because folks are cranked about the quality and beauty of the Hibdon coco. I'm learning a lesson here.

Mike


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 Post subject: Re: Contrast with Coco
PostPosted: Sun May 18, 2014 7:44 pm 
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Pretty sure it's Maple/Jatoba/Maple on the sides and back. The Jatoba is a nice brown that goes fine with the Coco.

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 Post subject: Re: Contrast with Coco
PostPosted: Sun May 18, 2014 8:37 pm 
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James Ringelspaugh wrote:
For a koa-like contrast with minimal bling I like a simple cherry binding:

Love it!

Mike O'Melia wrote:
Was hoping someone would say "curly koa? Try so and so!"

I was going to say Allied, but apparently they're out. Even LMI is out, and they charge a fortune for curly koa. And with Shane out of business, that's all my sources dried up.

LMI still has curly mahogany, which would be a decent substitute. There's also Australian blackwood, but I don't know of any American sellers, and shipping from somewhere like australiantonewoods.com is expensive.

Another option would be camatillo rosewood, which LMI still has some of for the moment. Very similar to cocobolo in everything except the base hue, which is purple instead of red. Would make a nice subtle contrast, with a single strip of curly maple veneer for purfling.


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 Post subject: Re: Contrast with Coco
PostPosted: Sun May 18, 2014 9:13 pm 
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Why would curly maple make a good purfling strip? At 0.01" (or so) figure will be invisible. Maybe I'm missing something here.


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 Post subject: Re: Contrast with Coco
PostPosted: Sun May 18, 2014 9:31 pm 
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I put Indian Rosewood on mine. Its a darker brown but not yet black. I think it is perfect and easy to get and bend. You couldnt go wrong.


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 Post subject: Re: Contrast with Coco
PostPosted: Sun May 18, 2014 9:44 pm 
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Mike O'Melia wrote:
Why would curly maple make a good purfling strip? At 0.01" (or so) figure will be invisible. Maybe I'm missing something here.

You can use plain if you like. The curl isn't striking like it is on larger surfaces, but it is visible, and adds just a little shimmer and variation compared to a plain old line. And for single lines, I prefer .02".

EDIT: Just ran across a guitar by Alan Carruth that shows perfectly what I mean about the curly purfling http://www.theacousticmusicco.co.uk/index.php/guitar-luithers/carruth-guitars.html


Last edited by DennisK on Mon May 19, 2014 5:47 am, edited 1 time in total.

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 Post subject: Re: Contrast with Coco
PostPosted: Sun May 18, 2014 10:59 pm 
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itswednesday14 wrote:
I put Indian Rosewood on mine. Its a darker brown but not yet black. I think it is perfect and easy to get and bend. You couldnt go wrong.


I almost said Indian Rosewood for the purfling line to offset the Maple. Sycamore makes a good purfling line, particularly when quartered.

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 Post subject: Re: Contrast with Coco
PostPosted: Mon May 19, 2014 6:55 am 
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I am in the process of building a coco dred now. I used rosewood binding with quartered cherry purfling with thin white black on either side of the cherry. Looks very classy! Like someone said, the rosewood looks dark brown and still shows some grain, contrasts very well with the cherry.


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 Post subject: Re: Contrast with Coco
PostPosted: Mon May 19, 2014 7:42 pm 
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For curly koa binding, try Bob Gleason:

http://www.pegasusguitars.com/curly_koa ... aps_f.html

Lovely work and some good tips on his website as well.

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 Post subject: Re: Contrast with Coco
PostPosted: Mon May 19, 2014 7:47 pm 
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Sorry about the picture quality, but this is curly eucalyptus. I generally us dark binding but I Like it


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 Post subject: Re: Contrast with Coco
PostPosted: Tue May 20, 2014 10:35 pm 
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Joe, that's very nice! Thanks Tim for the link.

Mike


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 Post subject: Re: Contrast with Coco
PostPosted: Tue May 20, 2014 10:46 pm 
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Joe, do u have a source/link for that eucalyptus?


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 Post subject: Re: Contrast with Coco
PostPosted: Tue May 20, 2014 10:48 pm 
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I've not built backs with sapwood before. Struggling with backstrip ideas. Should I or should I not?


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