Ha! Great word for this, because, although there's plenty of science to explore and unpack, I don't know anyone who believes that a great guitar can be completely explained/understood, The best we can do is try to be smart and figure out how to identify the most important questions to focus our time on, and hope that we don't waste a lot of our efforts on trying to convert lead into gold! I'm having such fun with Archtoppery, and probably learning more than anybody with my efforts to make sense to you all!
Cheers sir, it really is a treat watching the processes involved. Your passion for what you do is inspiring. Ive played a lot of them over the years. Id love to build one 😏@@kenparkerarchtoppery9440
Totally looking forward to this series. I think it's really important that you are putting all this valuable knowledge out to the world. So generous. Thank you so much!!!!
Absolutely amazed we are able to have this explained in such detail. Thank you Ken, truly inspiring. I hope I'll be able to play one of your guitars one day
Thank you very much for providing this interesting well produced series. Everything about your videos are so entertaining and fun. I love my Classic Fly. The best all around guitar I’ve ever played. Thanks again for your passion and hard work.
My God! What a symphony of craft and art! Amazing! I'm sure if Les Paul and Leo Fender were still alive and innovating, they would be doing something like this :)
I wasn't aware of this series being on RUclips! I'm about to break out a new notepad and watch all of these episodes a few times. This is priceless information
The pressurized hose is a fantastic idea. When I was in college in engineering school, I made a big parabolic reflector by gluing aluminized Mylar to a big kiddie swimming pool and the I applied a vacuum cleaner to the back to create the shape I wanted. I never thought about using air to force something flexible in the other direction. Thanks for showing us all this Ken! I learn so much from you.😊
Pour tous ceux qui, comme moi, s'étaient creusé la tête pour comprendre le processus de fabrication des manches sur vos guitares, ces vidéos apporteront toutes les réponses. Quelle formidable générosité dans ce partage ! Can't wait to see all details in this process, thank you Ken.
Wow, fascinating! I not only understood it, it’s so damn clever! I have never had the pleasure of playing a Parker, but I love the innovation. You are a master, sir.
Good morning Ken, this is right up my ally. Takes me back to the CA Guitar days. I still have a few of the old carbon Fly head stock caps we were testing in your old clicker press back in the Boston days. I will be glued to this series, and grading your performance along the way... LOL. Best regards.....James
the man himself.thank you. not much innovation in guitar space til then. had a nitely 2. had to tune my floydroses, that one stayed in tune for 2 weeks gigging.... heavy. that fly shaped gap on my wall is still itching.
1612 views and no comments. Wow, thank you Ken for sharing your amazing designs and fascinating mind with us. A neck type I'm sure I will never build but am looking forward to all you have to say about it.
What an amazing video. I have been patiently waiting to see how your necks are made. Ken, you’re kinda like if Mr. Wizard and Bill Nye the Science Guy had a baby and gave him access to woodworking tools and a full machine shop. Can’t wait to see what is coming in the rest of the series. Thank you!
Thanks so much for making this entire series of videos. You are a generous man for sharing your knowledge, expertise and innovative techniques and use of materials. I am an amateur luthier who has built about a dozen guitars and find the videos to be a treasure trove of information and inspiration.
Thank you for sharing your life time experience, it is incredible to learn the way you are building guitars, really a new way of thinking , worth a lot ! All my respects
It's not that new, Ken and others came up with these kind of non traditional methods in the late 70's already! Many call it the "Superstrat era" with the tuning stable vibratos and locking nuts, using non traditional woods and other materials, high tech glues, heel less neck to body transitions, stainless steel frets, carbon fiber neck reinforcements and two way truss rods, which my very first build (1984) has all of, and I still have it as my main ax. The fret wire was from Jescars very first batch of SS fret wire, I and others had to barrage Jescar for months to make it, and pool our money together to afford to pay for their minimum batch size to make it worth their effort! But besides cat's like Grover Jackson, Steve Kline, Floyd rose, Gary Kahler, Kamen, Hamer, Rockler... there were the acoustic flat top and arch top builders in on it too, and even luthier tool makers. So it wasn't just about improving strat's as the crappy name given to it by one of the guitar magazines at the time suggests, but the guitar as a whole. I just so happen to be one of them too, having studied engineering first, and then developed a passion for guitar building. Even earlier in the 60's one Dr. Michael Kasha (physical chemist & Molecular spectroscopist), teamed up with master Luthier Richard Schneider and came up with a whole new "School" of acoustic guitar design, AKA The Kasha Design school, where some of the original ideas came from. Steve Kline worked with them, and then cot into electrics where he may have been one of the first in the clan I and the before mentioned were all part of. Already existing Industry came in way later, pretending to be the big innovators of much of it (Yeah right), and some like Fender and Gibson still use the sub standard traditional methods.
Fantastic resource to watch, whether you're a guitar builder or just an instrument enthusiast. This is true innovation. I love the part where Ken mentions how wildly different two pieces of wood from the same species can behave - it to a degree trumps the tone wood argument in my eyes, and confirms what I've believed for a long time, that it's down to the stability, structure, grain pattern and moisture content of an individual piece of wood rather than its species that determines how it will behave and influence the instrument's sound. Of course correct me if I'm wrong on that!
You're singing my tune. Just like the finished instrument, each piece of material must be judged on its own merits. Imagine picking your friends by their precise height, or the shape of their earlobes. Sounds crazy, but the "Guitar Press" has a lot of folks convinced that the most important information about a piece of wood is explained by knowing where it grew and what we call it. Feh. A good instrument maker is curious about the material's properties in the same way a chef is about her ingredients for tonight's banquet, and in both cases the proof is in the pudding. Much of the "common knowledge" and "instruction" imparted by non-builders or incurious storytellers in our press is a joke, unfortunately, and has hurt our field. You can't see tone.
I played Parker guitars exclusively for years. When my two Parker Flys were stolen and I realized Parker’s were no longer being sold I tried countless brands to replace them and never found a guitar that could take the place of my Parker Flys. I eventually gave up playing guitar all together because I hated playing anything but Parker guitars. It’s been ten years since I’ve played guitar. Maybe one day I’ll find a used Parker Fly for sale at the right price and I’ll start playing guitar again. Until then I’m sticking to playing synthesizers.
unbelievable!....this is soooooo interesting!...the master !.....ive dabbled in west system with boats and surfboards and guitars so ill be glued!!! to the neckst! episode!..thanks for so much information!
A super genious ...I purchased a Parker Fly Deluxe back in 1994 wich I sold, on specific request and pressure , a couple of years ago ...that was one of the best guitars I have ever seen since 1967 and I really miss it now. The only weak point ? the battery compartment ...too tight to accomodate today's 9V batteries ...I solved the problem with a tight silk ribbon ...pulling out the old battery when needed 🙂 thank you mr. Parker for giving me the pleasure of playing a super guitar for almost 30 years.
I absolutely love my Fly Deluxe. An amazing instrument I will own forever. It’s the one of my 12 instruments I can take everywhere. Ultra strong and light, flawless intonation, a joy to play.
@@kenparkerarchtoppery9440 I was turned on to your instruments by Gustavo Cerati, guitarist for Soda Stereo, some 20+ years ago while producing an MTV Latino live broadcast. I had two days to listen to him, great tones, impeccable tune all night, and he was eager to show it. If you don’t know Gustavo, you might want to. He is an ambassador for your guitars. Someone gave me your brochure with the life-size cherry-finish Fly. I taped it to the wall in my home (in the bathroom of all places!) so I couldn’t possibly forget. One day, my favorite broker gave me a call and the rest is all beautiful music. Thanks for your artistry, Ken.
For "just" an introduction I was exposed to several new concepts, several new construction techniques, an intro to few pieces of bespoke equipment - with each likely to have a full backstory of it's development, a lesson on Douglas Fir grain/ growth patterns and a new type of wood I've never come across before (Cucumber Magnolia?). And probably a few things I've missed on this first watch. All within a modest-length video. It's going to take a while to process in my ape-brain, but I am very looking forward to the rest of the series. Thanks again for sharing your insane wealth of knowledge Ken.
Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge! I'm so excited for this neck series. It's what I've been waiting for since the beginning of this channel.
Those necks are amazing! I love the engineering principles behind what you're doing, and the sandwiching of the materials. The neck joint is also revolutionary. Thanks for the deep dive on how you construct them!
This came across my recommendations and I got so excited that your channel exists! I have been a fan of your guitar work for as long as I have played guitar. I can’t wait to see more of what you have to share!
Great timing with these videos! Some of the topics I've been waiting for and on my birthday, no less. I'm fascinated by the subject of guitar neck structure and I'm always happy to watch theoretical science become proven science.
Yes!! As amazing and fascinating, your processes are for the other aspect of the guitars you build the neck was the aspect that always fascinated me the most. As someone who always had an interest in lutherie thank you for all of your videos and I look forward to the following episodes!
Thanks for giving your time to this I know you have said it takes a lot of time to make these but it is enlightening and a great insight and really appreciated I look forward to all the parts
I can't thank you enough for sharing this mountain of knowledge - it is so inspiring. I'm especially excited for this series!! Had to smile a little when you mentioned 4.5° on your headstock as I tried that angle on a prototype and went up to 5.5° in my final geometry as I was afraid to scratch the limit (low nut pressure) too much.
@@kenparkerarchtoppery9440. Agreed, modern materials and methods…..imagine if Antonio had what is available today. But then he might not have made those beautiful sounding instruments. There is a little church in Saranac NY where tears were running down my cheeks from a young Soovin Kim playing a Stradivarius. Absolutely one of the greatest music moments of my lifetime, and I had been to many concerts before, but never with the intimacy and purity of sound.
Glad you like it! it Is awesome, actually, and part of that is that it's just a continuation of a centuries-old pathway. Like lots of things in lutherie, it makes me happy to be part of the proud lineage of wacos trying to make a better mousetrap!
Incredibly inspiring as always Ken! Can I ask why you have decided to go through the trouble of sharing every single of your methods and "secrets" with the world on RUclips?
Lignum is awesome. There is a scientific paper about it. Lignum bearings in a power plant last 45 years, synthetic materials at least a few years ago were good for 45 minutes.
It was a pdf if I remember correctly. I grew up in the Florida Keys which is part of Lignum’s range so it was massively interesting to me. I have a friend with a sawmill in KW that you would enjoy talking to. His direct knowledge goes back to WWII.
The synthetic didn’t totally break down in 45 minutes, it showed shaft run out. So I definitely exaggerated. It’s been a few years. I could not find pdf but found a related article I sent to your email.
Ken,Very informative as usual, would that linen lining work for acoustic and arch-top sides? no reason why not your thoughts ?? peg head angle is critical as we know .....I think the 17 Degree is the angle of a the violin family peg box angle... your thoughts?
I never measured the violin family, so let's have a look at that. We will make a film to explore all those angles and lengths we guitar designers get to tweak, I promise!
Yes, you'll need to heat the epoxy until it fails, maybe 200-ish degrees F, or 95C. It becomes gooey and crumbly at the same time somehow, and lets go of the wood in a nice way so you can slowly pull the linen off without tearing it. Heat gun and four hands is what works in my shop.
This couldnt have come at a better time, i just built my aluminum mold a few weeks ago (Well i had a CNC shop punch one out) and ive been experimenting with different ways to bend the veneer and its kind of a relief that i wasnt that far off, ive had great success with the glued linen and a heating blanket forcing it into a wood mold. Ive considered making a inside press out of aluminum with cartridge heaters or something, but it works for now. The braided carbon tubes you have are way larger than the ones i ordered and im surprised to see that, hopefully more layers of smaller diameter tubes adds up. Im currently struggling with the geometry between the veneer and headstock transition, maybe ill end up doing a little inlay in that area im not sure yet. PS, im sure it will be described later, but are you sneaking some carbon in between the ebony back strap? like you said its an important area but maybe it doesnt need it. Ill be pressing my first neck as soon as my epoxy gets delivered, i opted for system 2000 laminating epoxy from fibreglast, hopefully it has the correct properties. Thanks again Ken
i'm just a player, but i still get sucked into these videos. Ken's the perfect blend of Engineer, Artist, and Craftsman...totally in his own league. did i leave anything out?
Enjoyable glimpse into your process, but I am interested in your thoughts about wood. I share your respect for Douglas Fir as a guitar material and would love to see it used more in the craft. What about some of the other less-used species, like Black Locust, Southern Yellow Pine, et al that might be useful but not as wasteful as the exotic species we know and love?
We’re on the same team, each piece of wood needs to be judged on its own terms, so first off, forget everything you’ve read in the “guitar press”, and then audition any new material with open ears! I have a big pile of old growth black locust that I’ll get into when the Tannewitz bandsaw is ready. It’s a good example of a species that has not seen much use in our field, despite its fine properties. At Parker Guitars, I auditioned many types of wood for the body, resulting in a set of useful choices for the player that we came to think of as a global tone control. In other words, you could order a guitar whose only difference was the species of the body material, and expect it to have a strong tonal bias. Poplar, mahogany, Sitka spruce, figured maple, basswood, koa, butternut, Port Orford Cedar all made great sounding instruments, and quite a few other species were tried and not used for a variety of reasons, usually supply issues like impossible to find it in the 14” width we preferred to start with, or just scarcity, as in the case of unobtainium, which we loved the sound of, but just couldn’t get. The only species that we rejected solely on the basis of sound (after all, here’s our target!!) was inexpensive, reasonably attractive, and available from our favorite vendor! We were all excited to hear this new stuff, which kinda looked like light colored tan mahogany, but lighter and softer. Promising, right? Jelutong, the tropical hardwood I’m speaking of, is also known as a rubber tree, and the sap is drained from the tree during its life like maple syrup, only it makes latex! When we strung up the first (and, as I remember it, Only one) article, we forgot all about how great it was to cut, shape, and finish, because we were all laughing out of control at how awful it sounded. We couldn’t believe it! Think I’m exaggerating? It’s available from several suppliers for short $! Please send audio! When we ran out of laughter and calmed down, it was agreed that the species would now and forever be re-named “Jelly - Tone”. Wood is as wood does! Thank heavens jellytone isn’t the only tropical hardwood on the menu! That guitar is out there somewhere, but I can’t remember where, I was laughing too hard.
Have you ever tried pressing and gluing the veneer onto the neck shaft without the linen? I am not sure it has any structural effect after glued to the shaft and it creates a separate operation to glue on the bias linen. A backer of linen without glue would also work to support the fibers from splitting as it is pressed in shape and glued to the curved shaft. You would need to make the linen somehow pulled tight like a trampoline bed. But the linen will support as the veneer is pressed into shape on the shaft.
Видеоклипы
Ken is the master. I can’t believe we get the opportunity to learn from him. He’s incredible.
Thanks!
What an incredible opportunity to glimpse behind the magicians curtain! Thanks Ken! 😘
I love telling the story.
Thanks very much. Extremely generous of you to take the time to show us mere mortals the alchemy of producing such fine things. Cheers
Ha! Great word for this, because, although there's plenty of science to explore and unpack, I don't know anyone who believes that a great guitar can be completely explained/understood, The best we can do is try to be smart and figure out how to identify the most important questions to focus our time on, and hope that we don't waste a lot of our efforts on trying to convert lead into gold! I'm having such fun with Archtoppery, and probably learning more than anybody with my efforts to make sense to you all!
Cheers sir, it really is a treat watching the processes involved. Your passion for what you do is inspiring. Ive played a lot of them over the years. Id love to build one 😏@@kenparkerarchtoppery9440
Totally looking forward to this series. I think it's really important that you are putting all this valuable knowledge out to the world. So generous. Thank you so much!!!!
My Pleasure
The perfect antidote for January blues! Thank you for sharing the process, Ken. I'm looking forward to the rest of the series.
Lots to come!
Holy cow! The Legend has a youtube channel, this is amazing!
Cow!
Absolutely amazed we are able to have this explained in such detail. Thank you Ken, truly inspiring. I hope I'll be able to play one of your guitars one day
Me too!
Wow, the maker of the most innovative guitars IMO. I need a Parker now.
Available!
I've been looking forward to this part! As usual, even more involved than I thought.
Yeah, me too!
"nothing hard is ever easy"
Thank you very much for providing this interesting well produced series. Everything about your videos are so entertaining and fun. I love my Classic Fly. The best all around guitar I’ve ever played. Thanks again for your passion and hard work.
Wow, you're welcome, friend. Thanks so much for your praise!!!
As always, thank you for sharing your wisdom! Your approach to the neck is fascinating. Cheers to the production team too!
The team rocks!
My God! What a symphony of craft and art! Amazing!
I'm sure if Les Paul and Leo Fender were still alive and innovating, they would be doing something like this :)
Let's ask 'em!
I wasn't aware of this series being on RUclips! I'm about to break out a new notepad and watch all of these episodes a few times. This is priceless information
Glad you're digging it!
The pressurized hose is a fantastic idea. When I was in college in engineering school, I made a big parabolic reflector by gluing aluminized Mylar to a big kiddie swimming pool and the I applied a vacuum cleaner to the back to create the shape I wanted. I never thought about using air to force something flexible in the other direction. Thanks for showing us all this Ken! I learn so much from you.😊
Sounds like big fun!
Thank you for this walk-through - you're amazing, Ken!
Just doin' what I love to do! Glad you're digging it!
This is fantastic! Real engineering at its best. Thank for for sharing.
Thank you very much!
Pour tous ceux qui, comme moi, s'étaient creusé la tête pour comprendre le processus de fabrication des manches sur vos guitares, ces vidéos apporteront toutes les réponses. Quelle formidable générosité dans ce partage ! Can't wait to see all details in this process, thank you Ken.
Je suis ravi de vous expliquer ce voyage du cou, qui me fascine depuis des décennies. Stay tuned!
I‘m flabbergasted by the amount of knowledge and detail you share. Thank you so much!
It's my playground, so you're most welcome!
Wow, fascinating! I not only understood it, it’s so damn clever! I have never had the pleasure of playing a Parker, but I love the innovation. You are a master, sir.
Thanks!
This is extremely fascinating. Thanks so much for a look at this journey behind the scenes.
More to come!
@@kenparkerarchtoppery9440
Here's looking forward!!!
I look forward to the next instalment
Me too!
Incredible and fascinating stuff here.
Thanks, glad you like it.
Good morning Ken, this is right up my ally. Takes me back to the CA Guitar days. I still have a few of the old carbon Fly head stock caps we were testing in your old clicker press back in the Boston days. I will be glued to this series, and grading your performance along the way... LOL. Best regards.....James
Hey James! I hope to get a passing grade this time!
the man himself.thank you. not much innovation in guitar space til then. had a nitely 2. had to tune my floydroses, that one stayed in tune for 2 weeks gigging.... heavy. that fly shaped gap on my wall is still itching.
Most welcome!
1612 views and no comments. Wow, thank you Ken for sharing your amazing designs and fascinating mind with us. A neck type I'm sure I will never build but am looking forward to all you have to say about it.
Fun ride, for sure.
This is priceless, amazing information. Thank you Ken!
Glad you're digging it.
What an amazing video. I have been patiently waiting to see how your necks are made. Ken, you’re kinda like if Mr. Wizard and Bill Nye the Science Guy had a baby and gave him access to woodworking tools and a full machine shop. Can’t wait to see what is coming in the rest of the series. Thank you!
Thanks, proud to show it all off1
Thanks so much for making this entire series of videos. You are a generous man for sharing your knowledge, expertise and innovative techniques and use of materials. I am an amateur luthier who has built about a dozen guitars and find the videos to be a treasure trove of information and inspiration.
So happy to hear this, thanks!
I'm a Douglas fir enthusiast and I approve of this neck invention.👍
I love this approval, Thanks!
Thank you for sharing your life time experience, it is incredible to learn the way you are building guitars, really a new way of thinking , worth a lot ! All my respects
It's not that new, Ken and others came up with these kind of non traditional methods in the late 70's already! Many call it the "Superstrat era" with the tuning stable vibratos and locking nuts, using non traditional woods and other materials, high tech glues, heel less neck to body transitions, stainless steel frets, carbon fiber neck reinforcements and two way truss rods, which my very first build (1984) has all of, and I still have it as my main ax. The fret wire was from Jescars very first batch of SS fret wire, I and others had to barrage Jescar for months to make it, and pool our money together to afford to pay for their minimum batch size to make it worth their effort! But besides cat's like Grover Jackson, Steve Kline, Floyd rose, Gary Kahler, Kamen, Hamer, Rockler... there were the acoustic flat top and arch top builders in on it too, and even luthier tool makers. So it wasn't just about improving strat's as the crappy name given to it by one of the guitar magazines at the time suggests, but the guitar as a whole. I just so happen to be one of them too, having studied engineering first, and then developed a passion for guitar building.
Even earlier in the 60's one Dr. Michael Kasha (physical chemist & Molecular spectroscopist), teamed up with master Luthier Richard Schneider and came up with a whole new "School" of acoustic guitar design, AKA The Kasha Design school, where some of the original ideas came from. Steve Kline worked with them, and then cot into electrics where he may have been one of the first in the clan I and the before mentioned were all part of. Already existing Industry came in way later, pretending to be the big innovators of much of it (Yeah right), and some like Fender and Gibson still use the sub standard traditional methods.
I love doing this.
Ken, you're such a good explainer! Thanks
Thanks!
Great video. Learned a lot. Can't wait to watch the next episode. Thanks
Glad you enjoyed it!
Fantastic resource to watch, whether you're a guitar builder or just an instrument enthusiast. This is true innovation. I love the part where Ken mentions how wildly different two pieces of wood from the same species can behave - it to a degree trumps the tone wood argument in my eyes, and confirms what I've believed for a long time, that it's down to the stability, structure, grain pattern and moisture content of an individual piece of wood rather than its species that determines how it will behave and influence the instrument's sound. Of course correct me if I'm wrong on that!
You're singing my tune. Just like the finished instrument, each piece of material must be judged on its own merits. Imagine picking your friends by their precise height, or the shape of their earlobes. Sounds crazy, but the "Guitar Press" has a lot of folks convinced that the most important information about a piece of wood is explained by knowing where it grew and what we call it. Feh. A good instrument maker is curious about the material's properties in the same way a chef is about her ingredients for tonight's banquet, and in both cases the proof is in the pudding. Much of the "common knowledge" and "instruction" imparted by non-builders or incurious storytellers in our press is a joke, unfortunately, and has hurt our field. You can't see tone.
Fantastic.. Highly informativ! Makes creative people do something of your own.. Thank you Ken..
Glad you enjoyed it!
this is pure gold for guitar makers, thanks mr parker for this series really preciate it
My Pleasure
This is a privilege to watch. Ken is a true inventor.
Thanks!
Thanks Ken...enjoyed this episode. Cheers!
cool
I have always wondered how it was done, now it makes sense.
Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain
I played Parker guitars exclusively for years. When my two Parker Flys were stolen and I realized Parker’s were no longer being sold I tried countless brands to replace them and never found a guitar that could take the place of my Parker Flys. I eventually gave up playing guitar all together because I hated playing anything but Parker guitars. It’s been ten years since I’ve played guitar. Maybe one day I’ll find a used Parker Fly for sale at the right price and I’ll start playing guitar again. Until then I’m sticking to playing synthesizers.
Sad story. Nothing on Ebay? try FlyClone too
@@kenparkerarchtoppery9440 never heard of Flyclone. And everyone on eBay price gauges for damaged or modified Flys unfortunately.
Nice one Ken as ways love your work
Thank you kindly
The perfect explanatory balance between Experimental Insights and their Theoretical Groundings. Beautiful work!
Big thanks!
Good show!
Amazingly complex engineering.
One step at a time, not too bad
unbelievable!....this is soooooo interesting!...the master !.....ive dabbled in west system with boats and surfboards and guitars so ill be glued!!! to the neckst! episode!..thanks for so much information!
Glued, just like we all are!
Sir, I am practically in tears. I am a better person for having watched just this one video! Thank you ❤
Amazing
Big Thanks.
A super genious ...I purchased a Parker Fly Deluxe back in 1994 wich I sold, on specific request and pressure , a couple of years ago ...that was one of the best guitars I have ever seen since 1967 and I really miss it now. The only weak point ? the battery compartment ...too tight to accomodate today's 9V batteries ...I solved the problem with a tight silk ribbon ...pulling out the old battery when needed 🙂 thank you mr. Parker for giving me the pleasure of playing a super guitar for almost 30 years.
Right on!
This is absolute magic, completely pushing the boundaries of guitar construction, how awesome!
Thanks!
Amazing engineering Ken, thanks so much for this. I love Douglas fir as well.
It's my pleasure.
you sir are a genius and a pioneer!!! Thank you!!
Thanks
Show time!
Wait! I’ll make a coffee and sit in my comfort armchair🙂
I wonder with what new ideas you will scratch my brain with!
Thanks Ken!
Ha! Let's take some time out of it, shall we? Best ever, Ken
You are a legend! ❤
Aw Shucks
I've been waiting since the beginning of the series for the neck videos! Thank you so much for the information you are sharing!
thanks for your patience
What treat! Thank you for sharing your incredible knowledge
Glad you enjoyed it!
Loving this already, thanks Ken. Greeting from Len in Oz :)
Oz! I wanna go!
This will be fun...Thanks Ken !!
Good clean fun, I hope!
This is FANTASTIC
There's more to come, wait till it all bonds together!
Stellar work!❤
Stars always seem inspiring and helpful, even if you can't put your finger on exactly how, Thanks!
I absolutely love my Fly Deluxe. An amazing instrument I will own forever. It’s the one of my 12 instruments I can take everywhere. Ultra strong and light, flawless intonation, a joy to play.
Thanks, Mon!
@@kenparkerarchtoppery9440 I was turned on to your instruments by Gustavo Cerati, guitarist for Soda Stereo, some 20+ years ago while producing an MTV Latino live broadcast. I had two days to listen to him, great tones, impeccable tune all night, and he was eager to show it. If you don’t know Gustavo, you might want to. He is an ambassador for your guitars. Someone gave me your brochure with the life-size cherry-finish Fly. I taped it to the wall in my home (in the bathroom of all places!) so I couldn’t possibly forget. One day, my favorite broker gave me a call and the rest is all beautiful music. Thanks for your artistry, Ken.
Oh yesssss! Neck videos . Thank you Ken!
Neck, the final unexamined energy sink
For "just" an introduction I was exposed to several new concepts, several new construction techniques, an intro to few pieces of bespoke equipment - with each likely to have a full backstory of it's development, a lesson on Douglas Fir grain/ growth patterns and a new type of wood I've never come across before (Cucumber Magnolia?).
And probably a few things I've missed on this first watch.
All within a modest-length video.
It's going to take a while to process in my ape-brain, but I am very looking forward to the rest of the series.
Thanks again for sharing your insane wealth of knowledge Ken.
You're welcome, this is big fun for me!
Thank you so much for sharing your methods and techniques
My pleasure
Thanks for sharing this knowledge and wisdom 😀
Welks!
Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge! I'm so excited for this neck series. It's what I've been waiting for since the beginning of this channel.
It's so great to be able to share this! Go get it!
Those necks are amazing! I love the engineering principles behind what you're doing, and the sandwiching of the materials. The neck joint is also revolutionary. Thanks for the deep dive on how you construct them!
Sure thing, just trying to solve the vexing old physical problems, and get on with making Music!
Incredible! Ken, you’re awesome and many thanks for sharing your methods and knowledge.
My Pleasure
This came across my recommendations and I got so excited that your channel exists! I have been a fan of your guitar work for as long as I have played guitar. I can’t wait to see more of what you have to share!
Welcome!
Thanks Ken, Fascinating stuff. I'm looking forward to all the coming videos
mee too
That was great! I'm up for an education and so look forward to the series. Thanks.
cool
So interesting, thank you, Ken. I look forward to the upcoming videos.
Hang in there.....
Great timing with these videos! Some of the topics I've been waiting for and on my birthday, no less. I'm fascinated by the subject of guitar neck structure and I'm always happy to watch theoretical science become proven science.
In Theory, there's no difference between Theory and Practice. In Practice, there is. -Yogi Berra
I really enjoy your videos, very impressive craftmanship , all your special built tools , all the knowledge… its very interesting. Thanx!
Cool, thanks
I’ve been waiting for this though I’ve spoken to both you and Cam about some of it and you’ve been very generous with me. Thanks Ken!
Cool
Amazing!!!!!
Guitarmaking is Amazing, I agree! It's a bit like being an alchemist, making sound out of wood.
Can't wait to see the secret sauce being made. Thanks for sharing, I really appreciate it!
Yeah, it's the recipe, ain't it?
Yes!! As amazing and fascinating, your processes are for the other aspect of the guitars you build the neck was the aspect that always fascinated me the most. As someone who always had an interest in lutherie thank you for all of your videos and I look forward to the following episodes!
Cool! Here goes!
This is wonderful, I’ve been waiting to see the inner workings of your necks (and coming up with my own solutions) ever since you started the series!
Have at it! Old world recipe, and some new ingredients!
Thanks for giving your time to this I know you have said it takes a lot of time to make these but it is enlightening and a great insight and really appreciated I look forward to all the parts
Thanks
I can't thank you enough for sharing this mountain of knowledge - it is so inspiring. I'm especially excited for this series!! Had to smile a little when you mentioned 4.5° on your headstock as I tried that angle on a prototype and went up to 5.5° in my final geometry as I was afraid to scratch the limit (low nut pressure) too much.
Yeah, under 5 is a bit hairy.
that 45 degree bias cut is also used in shoulder pieces of shirts to give elesticity. Smart move!
Yeah, good observation. Fiber orientation is a powerful tool.
subscribed! You had me at Archtoppery!
It's a great device, that arch!
thanks again, for sharing your heard earned experience.
At your service, sir. Hey, wait a minute, how did you know it was hard-earned???
Haha, I've been listening!@@kenparkerarchtoppery9440
Ken, we need those Parker’s back! I need one, left handed please 🙏🏼
So YOUR"E the guy!
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 I will building an acoustic bass guitar and these videos are helping me look at my own project in a whole new way 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
As intended!
I'm looking forward to this series. I always suspected Douglass Fir would make a good tone wood due to its high specific stiffness.
Gotta love that Doug Fir!
Genius stuff 😮
Thanks!
Fantastic - just what I've been waiting for! And in 'excruciating detail' too - even better :¬)) Thanks again!
I'll try not to hurt you
Thanks a lot !
❤❤
My Pleasure!
Very cool!
thanks
Physics at two a.m. Love it! And Mr. Ken, that neck is anything but normal 😂. Wonderful to get smarter again. Thanks 😊
Lute makers would have gone nuts for carbon/epoxy!
@@kenparkerarchtoppery9440. Agreed, modern materials and methods…..imagine if Antonio had what is available today. But then he might not have made those beautiful sounding instruments. There is a little church in Saranac NY where tears were running down my cheeks from a young Soovin Kim playing a Stradivarius. Absolutely one of the greatest music moments of my lifetime, and I had been to many concerts before, but never with the intimacy and purity of sound.
Super Matter!!
Unobtanium!
The "neutral" line is generally called the line of longitudinal shear. That's where the shear force is highest.
Thanks for pointing out the correct term, it helps us make sense of the forces at play.
Awesome
Glad you like it! it Is awesome, actually, and part of that is that it's just a continuation of a centuries-old pathway. Like lots of things in lutherie, it makes me happy to be part of the proud lineage of wacos trying to make a better mousetrap!
15:22 flick of the switchblade
Straight out of west side story
Dada - da da da - dada da da dada da
Ken’s got street cred !!!!
One's gotta have a sharp blade, doesn't one? And what's more satisfying than the quick flick, I ask you!
Incredibly inspiring as always Ken! Can I ask why you have decided to go through the trouble of sharing every single of your methods and "secrets" with the world on RUclips?
You can't even imagine how much fun this is for me.
Lignum is awesome. There is a scientific paper about it. Lignum bearings in a power plant last 45 years, synthetic materials at least a few years ago were good for 45 minutes.
Link to the paper you're mentioning? Please, Please?
@@kenparkerarchtoppery9440 I will do some research as it was a couple years ago.
It was a pdf if I remember correctly. I grew up in the Florida Keys which is part of Lignum’s range so it was massively interesting to me. I have a friend with a sawmill in KW that you would enjoy talking to. His direct knowledge goes back to WWII.
The synthetic didn’t totally break down in 45 minutes, it showed shaft run out. So I definitely exaggerated. It’s been a few years. I could not find pdf but found a related article I sent to your email.
Ken,Very informative as usual, would that linen lining work for acoustic and arch-top sides? no reason why not your thoughts ??
peg head angle is critical as we know .....I think the 17 Degree is the angle of a the violin family peg box angle... your thoughts?
I never measured the violin family, so let's have a look at that. We will make a film to explore all those angles and lengths we guitar designers get to tweak, I promise!
Ken, do you peel the linen off the back of the neck veneer similar to what you do after bending the sides?
Yes, you'll need to heat the epoxy until it fails, maybe 200-ish degrees F, or 95C. It becomes gooey and crumbly at the same time somehow, and lets go of the wood in a nice way so you can slowly pull the linen off without tearing it. Heat gun and four hands is what works in my shop.
@@kenparkerarchtoppery9440 Thank you!
This couldnt have come at a better time, i just built my aluminum mold a few weeks ago (Well i had a CNC shop punch one out) and ive been experimenting with different ways to bend the veneer and its kind of a relief that i wasnt that far off, ive had great success with the glued linen and a heating blanket forcing it into a wood mold. Ive considered making a inside press out of aluminum with cartridge heaters or something, but it works for now. The braided carbon tubes you have are way larger than the ones i ordered and im surprised to see that, hopefully more layers of smaller diameter tubes adds up. Im currently struggling with the geometry between the veneer and headstock transition, maybe ill end up doing a little inlay in that area im not sure yet.
PS, im sure it will be described later, but are you sneaking some carbon in between the ebony back strap? like you said its an important area but maybe it doesnt need it. Ill be pressing my first neck as soon as my epoxy gets delivered, i opted for system 2000 laminating epoxy from fibreglast, hopefully it has the correct properties. Thanks again Ken
Exciting! Hope to see evidence of your success!
i'm just a player, but i still get sucked into these videos. Ken's the perfect blend of Engineer, Artist, and Craftsman...totally in his own league. did i leave anything out?
Musiclover?
Enjoyable glimpse into your process, but I am interested in your thoughts about wood. I share your respect for Douglas Fir as a guitar material and would love to see it used more in the craft. What about some of the other less-used species, like Black Locust, Southern Yellow Pine, et al that might be useful but not as wasteful as the exotic species we know and love?
We’re on the same team, each piece of wood needs to be judged on its own terms, so first off, forget everything you’ve read in the “guitar press”, and then audition any new material with open ears! I have a big pile of old growth black locust that I’ll get into when the Tannewitz bandsaw is ready. It’s a good example of a species that has not seen much use in our field, despite its fine properties. At Parker Guitars, I auditioned many types of wood for the body, resulting in a set of useful choices for the player that we came to think of as a global tone control. In other words, you could order a guitar whose only difference was the species of the body material, and expect it to have a strong tonal bias. Poplar, mahogany, Sitka spruce, figured maple, basswood, koa, butternut, Port Orford Cedar all made great sounding instruments, and quite a few other species were tried and not used for a variety of reasons, usually supply issues like impossible to find it in the 14” width we preferred to start with, or just scarcity, as in the case of unobtainium, which we loved the sound of, but just couldn’t get.
The only species that we rejected solely on the basis of sound (after all, here’s our target!!) was inexpensive, reasonably attractive, and available from our favorite vendor! We were all excited to hear this new stuff, which kinda looked like light colored tan mahogany, but lighter and softer. Promising, right?
Jelutong, the tropical hardwood I’m speaking of, is also known as a rubber tree, and the sap is drained from the tree during its life like maple syrup, only it makes latex!
When we strung up the first (and, as I remember it, Only one) article, we forgot all about how great it was to cut, shape, and finish, because we were all laughing out of control at how awful it sounded. We couldn’t believe it! Think I’m exaggerating? It’s available from several suppliers for short $!
Please send audio! When we ran out of laughter and calmed down, it was agreed that the species would now and forever be re-named “Jelly - Tone”. Wood is as wood does! Thank heavens jellytone isn’t the only tropical hardwood on the menu!
That guitar is out there somewhere, but I can’t remember where, I was laughing too hard.
Have you ever tried pressing and gluing the veneer onto the neck shaft without the linen? I am not sure it has any structural effect after glued to the shaft and it creates a separate operation to glue on the bias linen. A backer of linen without glue would also work to support the fibers from splitting as it is pressed in shape and glued to the curved shaft. You would need to make the linen somehow pulled tight like a trampoline bed. But the linen will support as the veneer is pressed into shape on the shaft.
I imagine it has to act like a monolithinc object in order to move the zero point.
Go get it!