Thinline Body Advise

[Gregmw]

Hi,

I am going to build a Thinline which will have a (Qld) Maple body with Tasmanian Blackwood top and back,about 1/4 inch thick.

Should I rout all the main body away so I just end up with the "frame" or should I leave the back in tact and glue the Blackwood straight onto the the Maple back -Hope this makes sence!

I am concerned that if I cut right through it it might be a bit fragile.

Thanks for your input to this project.

Regards

Greg

[tonyw]

Heres a view of a thinline cutaway from Warmoth



cheers
Tony

[j.b.horns]

Greg,

Most will rout out chambers, leaving about 1/4 inch for the back, so the back, sides and, center block are all from the same piece. Then the top is glued on and the pickup cavities, neck pocket, and control cavities are routed out.

In your case, since you're using the blackwood for the front and back, you could go all the way through, leaving just the frame.

Hope that answers your question.

[guitarbuilder]

Well this is just my opinion, but I'd glue the top or back to the maple, then rout out the excess material. I'd be concerned that the maple would warp or even possibly break at the short grain if you did the top and back together at the same time. Mind you, I have only built two thinlines in my life so YMMV. By the way I kept the sides thicker at the short grain spots than I did at the long grain spots.

[Gregmw]

Originally Posted by guitarbuilder

Well this is just my opinion, but I'd glue the top or back to the maple, then rout out the excess material. I'd be concerned that the maple would warp or even possibly break at the short grain if you did the top and back together at the same time.

Wow, Thanks for those fast replies!!!

This is what I was concerned about.I have marked the sides out a bit thicker like suggested but I could imagine it breaking off with the grain.

Regards

Greg

[j.b.horns]

Originally Posted by guitarbuilder

Well this is just my opinion, but I'd glue the top or back to the maple, then rout out the excess material.

That sounds like some good advice. Do that.

[Wally]

I might be leaning toward using the balckwood in one piece for the body...rout it from the top side, and then using the maple for the top. The blackwood is knid of like mahogany in that it has warm tones. The maple cap would lend a bit of brightness and sharper attack...Gibson used this approach for the Les Paul because of the relative darkness and muddiness of the mahogany. The two woods together with the maple on top against the bridge help to bring out the best of both of those worlds. Just a thought..... IT would make construction simpler, too; and it would avoid some of the risk of the warpage that guitarbuilder mentions.