The Steel Guitar Forum

Here are a few photos of an aluminum Weissenborn, which I am just finishing up building. Only the fingerboard is wood (Padauk).






















Wayne

Cool! How much does it weigh?

How nice is that!
Would love to hear it and also see photos of the building if you have any?
Best wishes,
Andy

Jack Hanson wrote:Cool! How much does it weigh?

Weight is 6lbs.

Wayne

Andy DePaule wrote:How nice is that!
Would love to hear it and also see photos of the building if you have any?
Best wishes,
Andy

I took a few WIP photos. For the design I used Weissenborn plans which I purchased, made my own paper template. I made my own form for bending the sides (going to make something better for the next one.) On the next one I might go with a deeper body, this one is according to plans, 3" deep at big end.

I mistakenly removed all the protective plastic from the metal, except for the back, so I ended up having to do a lot of sanding the finish. On the back I didn't have to do anything to the finish.














Wayne

Way too cool for school!

Way cool for sure... Thats the basic way most acoustic instruments are built.
I'll be back in Oregon for about 6 to 8 weeks in June and July.
Will try to get down there to meet you this time. Missed it my last time there.
Best wishes,
Ansy

Andy DePaule wrote:Way cool for sure... Thats the basic way most acoustic instruments are built.
I'll be back in Oregon for about 6 to 8 weeks in June and July.
Will try to get down there to meet you this time. Missed it my last time there.
Best wishes,
Ansy

Good to hear. I will be keeping this one, if you make it here you can play it. I may have an 8 string built by then, maybe. I've wanted an 8 string acoustic for a long time. There is an 8 string resonator made but it is too expensive for me.

Wayne

That is amazing! Would love to hear it. Also, Aluminum Weissenborn would be a great band name.

How are the top and bottom attached to the sides?

Bill Groner wrote:How are the top and bottom attached to the sides?

Strengthened epoxy. I made kerfing from 3/4" x 1/16" aluminum angle. The aluminum kerfing was an idea I had. Next time I'll probably use wood kerfing. The method it is put together is, I think, conventional for an acoustic guitar. It was a real challenge. Acoustic guitar building is at another level from building solid body lap steels. I used 1/4" x 1/4" square aluminum rod for bracing of the top and bottom. I certainly am not the first to build an aluminum guitar. I have heard there was someone in the past who built aluminum Weissenborn lap steels, but I have not seen any photos on the internet of his work. I will building other acoustic instruments from aluminum, like a mandolin, ukulele, and a dreadnaught D-28, but these may not relate to this forum.

Wayne

how about a sound clip, amigo?

"I have heard there was someone in the past who built aluminum Weissenborn lap steels, but I have not seen any photos on the internet of his work."

http://www.meloduende.fr/fr/guitares/originals/15

http://www.meloduende.fr/fr/guitares/or ... /16-Aluha2

Very similar to the way I did mind, but with all the curves you need more anchoring points. I have had no problem holding the two I made this way.....I chose to bolt mine together, but on yours screws wouldn't look good. Nice job Wayne.

Bill Groner wrote:Very similar to the way I did mind, but with all the curves you need more anchoring points. I have had no problem holding the two I made this way.....I chose to bolt mine together, but on yours screws wouldn't look good. Nice job Wayne.

I actually built an acoustic from aluminum, a few years ago, and bolted it together. I named it 'The Thing'. I used 1/4" thick aluminum plate. It is an 8 string, and I play it all the time. It weighs a ton. It is keyless. I actually never finished it 100%, but it's playable and I left it at that. Mine is very very ugly. Yours looks nice.

I was considering TIG welding, until I discovered epoxy can work. Aircraft actually uses epoxy in some of it's construction, which really surprised me a lot. I figure if airliners (usually hold together) use this, certainly a guitar can. I saw others had also built aluminum guitars like this, so I pursued this method.

I considered using some screws at the headsotck to body, but it really does not need it. I did bolt on the bridge plate.

Wayne

Ralph Czitrom wrote:"I have heard there was someone in the past who built aluminum Weissenborn lap steels, but I have not seen any photos on the internet of his work."

http://www.meloduende.fr/fr/guitares/originals/15

http://www.meloduende.fr/fr/guitares/or ... /16-Aluha2

Thanks so much for the link. 'Aluha', love the name.

Wayne

When you say that the only wood is in the fretboard, does that mean that there's no bracing? I suppose there's no need if the aluminum is sturdy enough to withstand the tension.

Noah Miller wrote:When you say that the only wood is in the fretboard, does that mean that there's no bracing? I suppose there's no need if the aluminum is sturdy enough to withstand the tension.

Strengthened epoxy. I made kerfing from 3/4" x 1/16" aluminum angle. The aluminum kerfing was an idea I had. Next time I'll probably use wood kerfing. The method it is put together is, I think, conventional for an acoustic guitar. It was a real challenge. Acoustic guitar building is at another level from building solid body lap steels. I used 1/4" x 1/4" square aluminum rod for bracing of the top and bottom. I certainly am not the first to build an aluminum guitar. I have heard there was someone in the past who built aluminum Weissenborn lap steels, but I have not seen any photos on the internet of his work. I will building other acoustic instruments from aluminum, like a mandolin, ukulele, and a dreadnaught D-28, but these may not relate to this forum.

I had an aluminum Weissenborn made for me by Meloduende. There’s a You Tube video of me playing it that they asked me to do so others could hear it in action. A great ax, those Frenchmen know how to make a killer machine. In this video I’m playing it with a bit of gain thru my Carr Skylark amp. Open D tuning and bluesy riffing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUbtBs4T3Io

Peter Jacobs wrote:That is amazing! Would love to hear it. Also, Aluminum Weissenborn would be a great band name.

Here is a link to a short audio file, just some simple arpeggios so you can here the tone and sustain:

http://elektrolumens.com/AL-Weissenborn ... clip-1.MP3

Wayne

I came across this Cast Aluminum Resophonic on the Kay Kraft facebook page.
Was made by someone in Indonesia.
The casting is rough and pitted, but the design and workmanship is quite nice.
My guess is the usual trouble with getting good castings done.
Still I bet it might sound good, or at least I'd hope it would after all that work.
Looks to be set up for standard playing and not slide.

Andy,

Great find! I want one....

Lance

Lance Clifford wrote:Andy,

Great find! I want one....

Lance

Yes me too, I'd put up with the pitting just to have that!
Wonder if it would be possible to get a 7 string?

I used to have a matched pair of Kay Krafts, Guitar and Mandolin from the 30's.
That was back when you could fine them at Goodwill cheap....
Now I'm building a matched pair for myself.