RICK TOONE | LUTHIER

What's up, Jack?

2009-11-08T17:18:12-05:00

Let's continue with our discussion about guitar and bass control shielding.

Alex had suggested leaving copper exposed could be an interesting design feature. His comment sparked a whole new thought process and I found myself agreeing with him — it seemed a shame to invest many hours into beautiful craftsmanship that would be hidden. So I've actually modified Simplicity's design to feature the shielding.

The copper shields will be firmly clamped in position by stainless steel plates and screws. Next I will contour the swamp ash guitar body, leaving portions of the shielding exposed. The test piece had a fascinating look as the copper seems reminiscent of an ancient structure emerging from an eroded landscape. The ergonomic advantage is I'm free to sculpt the body as desired, without constraints of access plates.

It will no doubt be interesting to observe public reaction.

Looking at the photographs, one might wonder why there are TWO holes in the upper bout. Ah, I thought you'd ask! Obviously, the lower bout holes are tone and volume. The larger of the upper bout holes is for the Switchcraft 3-way straight toggle. The smaller of the upper bout holes is...

EDITOR'S NOTE: A perfect example of problem vs. solution innovation.

...instead of telling you, we'll pose two questions:

1. What necessary accessory of every electric instrument is a constant annoyance, always in the way, especially so when sitting or in conjunction with body-mounted tuning systems?

2. What frequently used accessory of both acoustic and electric instruments is so comfortable and familiar to us that we never even think about it?

LEARN MORE: Simplicity

Health Care Reform (H.R. 1495)

2009-11-07T11:38:21-05:00

Here's a gorgeously simple solution to reforming health care — make all medical expenses 100% tax deductible. Whatever you pay for medical insurance and treatment over the course of the year is completely deducted from your taxes.

That's it.

Subtract, rather than add.

Previous "reform" efforts all intend to add layers of complexity by granting government power to manage individual health care. But that will directly lead to more spending, more debt, more regulation, more complexity and lower quality care. Government does nothing efficiently.

The paradigm shift proposed by Operation Health Freedom is to remove restrictions and let the ingenuity of the free market provide solutions:

• H.R. 1495 — Medical expenses are 100% tax deductible

• H.R. 2629 — Makes it illegal for the government to force people to purchase health insurance

• H.R. 3217 — Allows purchase of health insurance across state lines (currently illegal) which will promote competition and lower prices

As usual, Ron Paul displays genius.

Nancy Pelosi is going to attempt to force her health care plan through the House today via an after hours weekend vote. We The People have been quite vocal this is not what we want, including nationwide protests and even removing NJ Governor (Democrat) John Corzine from office in an explicitly clear message to Washington, D.C.

Please take a moment to contact your representatives and urge them to vote against Pelosi tonight, and instead turn their efforts toward approving H.R. 1495.

Guitar & Bass Control Shielding

2009-10-22T10:43:32-04:00

Solder fumes must be getting to my head, despite the respirator and working outside. This probably falls into the "way over the top" (unnecessary) category. But I just can't help myself.

It may seem subtle, but the feel of switches and controls is really important.

Doesn't matter if it's a car, camera, watch or guitar — tactile interactions seem to set the mood for our experience with that tool. Smooth, positive, precise and repeatable movements are a strong indicator of intelligent engineering and quality workmanship.

If you've ever used a Manley Voxbox or Avalon Design Vt-737sp you'll have an idea what I mean. Ahh.

Conversely, I am horrified — public confession moment — by the proliferation of plastic guitar knobs on split knurled shafts. The wobble. The pop off. The hollow velveeta "ting" at full stop. I just can't take it anymore...

(sob)

So in an all out assault on landfills, I'm launching an initiative to create the perfect guitar control feel. This is a personal offensive. Join me if you dare, or just watch from the safety of the trenches. Don Quixote rides again!

You already know about my obsession with shielding control cavities. Today's objective is to carry it another step forward.

Using copper plumbing pipe sections purchased from Gene at Frenchtown Hardware, I silver-soldered 1/8" thick end caps, forming precise assemblies similar to those described in my battered (1984) spiral-bound black and white copy of Donald Brosnac's Guitar Electronics for Musicians. Apparently, you can learn new tricks from an old dog.

These will add ounces of weight to the instrument. But the feel of the pots is magnificent...and the shielding. Blissful sigh.

LEARN MORE: Simplicity

Ukulele Got Back

2009-10-20T07:50:50-04:00

And now ladies and gentlemen...the indomitable, immutable, indescribable, indemonstrable, immortal, indemnifying...Gethyn ("G" as we know and love him)...will perform one of the classics for your listening pleasure.

It is certainly time we began taking the ukulele seriously.

Black Cab Sessions

2009-10-15T15:16:10-04:00

I was wandering around on the web this morning and discovered Black Cab Sessions — which premise is simply tossing musicians (and basic kit) in the back of a London taxi, and pushing PLAY on the camcorder.

Minimalist and brilliant.

Music is so...fun...and inspiring when it's close up and raw. And, really, if a song works, it will work on this level. Like sitting around a campfire, except in a tin box on wheels, filled with gasoline.

A few standouts for me (so far):

Ane Brun — Ola Strandberg introduced us to her in his recent visit. Elegant simplicity.

William Orbit — One man, his guitar, a pile of cables and batteries. Organized (great) chaos.

Smoke Fairies — It's very seldom music grabs me immediately and viscerally. I love her low voice. Here's a YouTube embed if you can't get to the BCS link...

Non-Intervention Foreign Policy

2009-10-10T13:00:12-04:00

I've been told we have a new President in the White House, but honestly it's been so busy in the guitar shop I hadn't really noticed a difference. Apparently he got an award for peace or something this week that got folks all stirred up.

I don't know why everyone's so excited, because the last time I checked news headlines, things looked pretty much the same as last year: bailouts for politically connected bankers, ever-growing and intrusive federal government, offshore prisons, and undeclared wars throughout the Meddle East.

I can't seem to remember the new guy's name — blue pinstriped suit, oval office — but it does seem like a good opportunity to explain the subtle differences in how we relate to other nations.

Ahem.

Let's pretend we're neighbors.

We live in a typical suburb with fenced yard, 1.5 kids, dog. Lawnmower. Grill. Narrator's perspective will represent US foreign policy options:

Bush Doctrine (current US policy including preemptive strike option) — I'm going to watch you and your family over the fence. I've got wiretaps on your phone, and surveillance cameras in your potted plants. And in my house as well, so I can spy on my wife and children. If you say or do anything I don't agree with (including argue with your wife, or hit your child) I can and will break into your house and, at my discretion, kill any member of your family and/or hold them indefinitely in a pit I dug in my basement. Not even the police can help you, because I am the only one with a nuclear weapon.

(makes you want to get a nuke to protect yourself with, right?)

United Nations — Same as above, except now I run the local homeowner's association, where I might (or might not) discuss with them the fact that I'm going to whump your butt. There's the possibility I will enlist a few others to come in and help me whump your butt. It will depend on who I'm "friends" with, and whether or not they like you or just want your grill and lawnmower for themselves. Only me and my homies can have nukes.

(definitely need a nuke of your own, right?)

Isolationist — I've got nukes. I have no friends. I'm watching you over the fence. I won't let my wife or kids talk to you. Incoming calls are screened. And you can only communicate with me using mathematical symbols, inscribed in purple plastic, and placed beside the mailbox on Tuesday. My windows are boarded. No, you may not borrow a cup of sugar. Get off my grass.

(you're checking real estate prices on the other side of town)

Non-interventionism — Got nukes as a deterrent, because an armed society is a polite society. My house has an alarm system, in case someone tries to break in. I still have a fence, but you and I talked and decided to build a gate in the fence so our families can visit and grill together whenever they want. We go fishing together, borrow BBQ sauce, and talk politics and religion over a couple of beers.

So you see, Non-interventionism is much like Star Trek's Prime Directive. Here, I'll just let Dr. Paul explain...

Fret Not, My Love

2009-10-04T20:00:16-04:00

One of the skills I have worked hard at mastering is fretwork. You might be surprised by the influence frets have on the tone of an instrument. The art and science of installing these fine bits of wire can steal vibration — tone — from an otherwise excellent instrument, or they can elevate an already fine instrument into the realm of transcendent.

As you think about the physics of the guitar neck, realize the fretboard is the portion under primary compression. The force of the strings is attempting to collapse the neck on itself, and the humble fretboard withstands the full brunt of the onslaught.

Remove a fretboard from an instrument and it becomes a noodly appendage. Two octaves worth of slots sawn nearly through a sub-quarter-inch piece weakens it nearly on par with kerfling. Frets — tiny "T" shaped bits of wire — fill the slots, shore up the structure, and provide convenient intonation points as well.

Most kind of them.

Subtle differences become greatly amplified (or subtracted) when multiplied times twenty four. If there are any air gaps in slot-to-tang fit, or the frets don't perfectly seat against the fretboard, valuable tone is stolen. Compounded over the full fretboard, the difference becomes quite audible.

The technique I'm currently using is a combination of press and hammer. Once the fretboard is leveled to tolerance, I pre-bend each piece of fretwire to match the fretboard radius, including compound radius instruments. Slot depths have been precisely cut to match the tang dimensions — plus a 32nd or less (for changes in temperature and humidity) — so when the fret is fully seated the remaining gap below the tang is negligible.

It can be a time consuming process. The multi-scale (fanned fret) guitar shown below is an investment of nearly two days, pre-leveling and crowning, to slot and install frets. I prefer stainless steel fretwire, which lasts much longer, is non-toxic, does not tarnish, and contributes upper register harmonics to notes.

Warmoth 6100 is the good stuff.

I'd like to take a moment to introduce Simplicity, the guitar I am currently building. All other projects — including Cupid (which will get retrofitted) — are temporarily on hold, because this headless demonstration instrument will test my new hardware system...the partnership collaboration with Townsend Machine:

• Multi-scale capable string height and intonation adjustable nut
• Multi-scale capable bridge
• Multi-scale capable body-mounted tuning

The Trapezoidal Neck Profile under construction below is quarter-sawn curly red oak and hickory. The fretboard is hickory. Side position markers are walnut. All indigenous hardwoods. Frets are stainless steel as mentioned before. Abalone octave inlays. 7075 aircraft grade aluminum truss core. Click to enlarge.

LEARN MORE: Simplicity

Guitars or Politics?

2009-09-25T18:25:32-04:00

Just wondering what you want me to write about next. Interesting stuff happening in both spheres. Leave a comment or email me with your preference...