Ep 1 - How to Chip Carve a Unique Design into a Zebrano Guitar Top

[@mykhough6614]

The mathematical formula for the number of tools required is N=X+1, where N is Need and X is the number of tools you currently have. This formula also applies to guitars.

[@bakstabbath]

Myk Hough there's photographic evidence on the interwebz of Albert Einstein inventing that equation. You can't argue with Al.

[@rogerj412]

And guns.

[@mattfleming2287]

You know why we watch you, Ben? Because you are a master at this. How many guitar builders would improvise on a guitar? How many could? Thanks for the inspiration!

[@dpdupuis5]

Ben, why have you stopped using zebrano in your builds? I use it often, bookmatched as a center piece for a laminated neck. If there are structural reasons not to contunie using it I'd sure like to know. Thanks for all you do!

[@Lippa100]

Hi Ben, Im a starting luthier (jokelaguitars) and I recently discovered an interesting problem with my latest guitar. Its a baritone 6 string with a finnish birch neck and ebony fretboard. It played great after I finished but after a week or two I noticed that the frets have become proud from the ends. I assume this is because the neck shrunk after finishing it but what is the cause? Was the wood simply not dry enough, do birch and ebony not fit well together since birch is not really used alot. I know that dry wood may even expand when gluing because of the moisture in glue and then shrink again after a while. I know I couldve just waited for the neck to become stable after glueing, or do the fretwork again now that the necks seems to have stopped shrinking. I would just like to know what you think is the cause for this, if you experience anything like this in your builds and workarounds. Thanks!

[@marksadventures3889]

Are you going to finish it off and fill in the shapes with a resin of colourful joy in some form or other?

[@philgallagher1]

Thanks for this, Ben. Chisels are like clamps... you can NEVER have enough! I can now show this vid to 'Er indoors to prove I NEED more of everything!! Thanks again!!

[@Mephiston]

Lovely. I saw you hinting at this on WotB, and was a bit worried when you mentioned filming it for patreon. Thank you for making it available to us, you're a champion Ben. Cheers. Edit: Also, you could continue the theme with the side dot markers, carving out diamonds and filling them with a clear resin or something.

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

My pleasure, the $10 and up patreon supporters, saw the raw footage early on but this was always going to be on KZbin.. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next though, I currently don't have a clue where its going!

[@dirdick43]

With all of these hand tools how do you have time to keep them all sharp ... and still have time to do all the builds?

[@micha-elcleveland1265]

Your an honest man, can't even lie to yourself (the time-lapse thing). Namaste

[@dughuff8825]

Looks great Ben; thanks for the video. As an aside; what are you going to use the pickup selector switch hole for? Coil tap perhaps? Cheers

[@lauried.2708]

Very cool! 😎 do you know if carving on the body affects the tone?thx

[@VAXHeadroom]

When we first saw this guitar, I had thought it was just flat and inlaid. This is actually way cooler. I love the 3d aspects of this!!

[@mac-fife]

I've got an adjustable set square very similar (though not identical) to one you introduce as "new toy" around the 3:43 mark - I bought it when I was an engineering student around 1978 or so. Still gets used regularly in my workshop.

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

I love the random things I find through starting thevintagetool.com is so a treasure hunt and often is the random cheaper tools that just do it for me! There is a tool for every job and a job for every tool, if you wait long enough. B

[@mac-fife]

Crimson Custom Guitars - My dad was a Master Joiner/Cabinetmaker (did his apprenticeship in the 1930's). I've still got most of his tools, including a small suitcase full of wooden bodied planes.

[@sizzloh]

Could you carve small diamonds in a semi circle around the C of Crimson on the headstock? Or use aluminium?? Maybe even match aluminium to the ash part of the carves on the body???... Or.... I'm getting far too carried away.

[@andyt6191]

That would make it a sunburst??? Lol! Seeing the grain looking like it's changing direction? Amazing!

[@robertsparkman8516]

I remember you saying that a batch of zebrano necks twisted, but is it alright for top/back and cavity plates.

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

Not only twisted but actually came with internal shakes and cracks that only appeared when cut into.. It is apparently hard to dry properly.? Anyway, yes, a good clear piece is perfectly fine for tops etc. B

[@IPGuitars]

My grandfather mostly did chip carving and he taught me woodworking. The first tools I ever got were a set of chip carving chisels and knives. I feel like I should finally sharpen those up again and finish some of the work he never got a chance to finish. -T

[@brianpoole9514]

Looking forward to part II! You have a lot of opportunities to play around (I think resin would be interesting).

[@scottmartinezguitarandbass]

Curious as to why you don't use Zebrano anymore?

[@WRXBase]

Just screen shotted at 23:47 for a computer desktop image. (Love watching you work, too Ben) :)

[@poodlenoodlesoup1]

Absolutely beautiful. Love your excitement at the end there.

[@springy-2112]

I think this is lovely very creative and original this week I respect your work (last week I had a major rant ) but that was last week , thanks for sharing 👍💜

[@cesararias4633]

Absolutely loved this!!! I will try it someday! Much love from Barcelona!

[@doegywhail728]

I cant say that I like that particular wood. It reminds me of old coffee tables and desks that were always banged up and vandalised back in my school days. Hope you can make it really pop by the time you’ve finished with it. maybe stain the finish in green or red. And how heavy is that guitar?

[@narbonneguitars9331]

Hello Ben, i love that you have artistic side with your work I'm not sure if its been said or you know but your technique show here is called Intaglia...the opposite. Of relief ...i cant wait to see it finished .I know being a busy man an all but i have asked before if the is a friendly way to share. Build pics ...but never heard anything ...i have have hand carved a maple strat with roses an lilies on the same carve layout as this one primarily....

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

Thank you for that! I would love to see your build, I don't have much time free these days but if you upload pics to the forum at crimsonguitars.com and email a link over I will certainly check it out,sounds very interesting! B Ps.. Flowers and more intricate carvings are a life goal for me!

[@narbonneguitars9331]

Crimson Custom Guitars. Hello again i am sorry for this stupid question...!.iam rather ignorant when coming to computer or android tech savy things i cant seem for the life of me figure out how to upload in the forums on the web site i see editing features an viewing ...just dont how to submit anything...any help or responce on this would be great thank you..

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

Hi Jim, the simplest way to send Ben build photos is to email them to [e-mail] and I will pass them on - T

[@narbonneguitars9331]

Crimson Custom Guitars thank you , i can build a guitar but cant figure out technology?...lol...

[@ydin9]

Nice work, it's already a lot more striking than it was. I think it doesn't need more BIG diamonds atleast, perhaps a row of even smaller ones below the neck or something to that extend so the overall effect appears to be diminishing towards the neck and bottom?

[@Michael_Dolences.]

Ooh, I'd love to do something like that. Unfortunately I can't work in time lapse speed. :(

[@intralimpidus6216]

I'm making a guitar and it has a live edge with bark, what's the best way to finish this to strengthen the bark and stop it crumbling away over time? Should I use epoxy resin or something or will oil do fine?

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

Superglue works well but be gentle, it is not nice to clean off love edge bark, drip thin superglue into the side of the bark not onto the outside. B

[@intralimpidus6216]

thanks! should I oil the bark when I finish it or leave it raw?

[@tho2ea]

Zebrano is such gorgeous wood, your three dimensional tetrahedrons really show off another facet to the grain... Another nice trick like the silver inlay from the guitar in the "heel carving" video! I like that the carving penetrates all the way into the ash too, very cool! When I picture a tetrahedron, I think of the shape of some fern leaves. Maybe a fibonacci spiral instead of just radiating from the "center" might give a complimentary geometric/organic feel, (and a real helluva thing to carve too, lol) Aaaand now I'm thinking you're probably too far along to consider that!

[@GK-we4co]

I think you should add another diamond to the outer circle on the bottom next to the knobs. In that case, it's center line will meet with the center line of the diamond on the outer circle right above the neck. It will look a bit more balanced :) A complete outer half-circle and a complete inner half-circle which are rotated around the center of the body in respect to each other.

[@heathbarnhart1092]

On one hand I like seeing the gain in 3d. On the other, silver leaf would make a cool effect while playing in lights.

[@ettumama]

that would be SO cool as a hollow body with the cut outs as sound holes. Where the ash pokes through it would be open space.

[@Uncle_Buzz]

Why did you stop using Zebra wood ? It's one of my least favorite to work with because it so fibrous, but results are always killer. Cheers! Chris.

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

As you said, it is not the most enjoyable wood to work with.. We also couldn't find a reliable and cost effective supply for the amount of guitars we wanted to build in the stuff so axed it as an option for our production guitars. crimsonguitars.com/product-tag/production-guitar/

[@marshalmallow1844]

I think an epoxy finish would be a nice addition, or at least a resin fill the carves to give a diamond look. It looks great and I'm looking forward to seeing the final form

[@viktortulbya2107]

I think it's really cool I like how the zebra wood grain looks I think you should put mop over the body wood or something

[@cracgor]

Just an idea, but if you stained/dyed the deep wood a bright color...crimson perhaps...it might create a very cool jeweled effect.

[@lvonh9388]

yes, this guitar definitively needs color!

[@rowlandstraylight]

Looks nice. I really want to see how surface and finish the cavities.

[@rohlmonster6520]

What's better a radius sanding block or straight for getting frets level?

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

Defenitly a leveling beam or leveling file, a radius block is really only useful for sanding wood down, not precise enough imo for fretwork.. B

[@justenclark3788]

i would love to see you crave away most of the un needed parts of and give it a encradable textered look

[@U014B]

I don't know if I'm more impressed or less that the design was actually carved from the existing wood and not inlaid with separate pieces. In any case, I think flooding the pits with transparent colored epoxy would be cool. Maybe a nice forest green...

[@shiraga0516]

The "3-D grain pattern" presented is very interesting.

[@alee_enn]

I am sure many will like the carving you are doing, but I would have preferred the top as it was, it was (and maybe still is) beautiful. You say it didn't sell, but if I had known you had it and no-one wanted to buy it, I'd have made you an offer.

[@timbeaton5045]

Yeah. Not overly keen at this point but i'll reserve judgement until he completes this particular "journey"

[@elijahwilliams7975]

I need more carving tools too you can never have enough for tasks at hand.

[@claudevieaul1465]

It looks enough from where I'm sitting, it's a beautiful pattern - but I can see the allure to take it a bit further Ben, being the whittler you are... :-) Personally I'd clean this up, sand it totally smooth, and finish it - oil / varnish for preference.

[@pplo]

awesome. can't wait to see more of it

[@claudevieaul1465]

At 09:13 I was still thinking "no, please no", right up to where you started with the double bevel... But as usual you know what you're doing - even if you just wing it 😜

[@budgenatorP]

Oh Ben, you have to keep going, just keep a flat area around the pup and bridge and facet everything else out to the outer row

[@bilbarker9519]

Liked it before you started carving, then hated it when you first chiselled into it then thought " perhaps it's not so bad!" Now, I really don't know!! But at least you had the balls to give it a go.

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

I had similar feelings as I went through the process.. I love it now though and still have more to do.. I hope I don't go too far and flip in my opinion! B

[@firesalt]

In carving the best way to know when you are finished is when you are no longer confident that it is unfinished. When you begin to question is a good place to stop, otherwise you can do too much and ruin the piece.

[@jamiemerritt3533]

What about diamond inlays? That could look pretty cool

[@ThunderBulb]

Cool idea could be to have the diamond shaped carving to recess vol/tone/switch controls on another guitar.

[@y007p3]

The centre diamond shapes would look cool with a partial fill of bright coloured resin…maybe?

[@Kweesh]

Looks awesome so far.

[@DavidRosario69]

Definitely an interesting design

[@stuwilde361]

How long did it take in real time Ben? Lovely carving :)

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

It was about 4 hours all told, once I got. In the swing of things and kind of knew what I was doing it got pretty fast. B

[@stuwilde361]

Thanks for replying Ben and keep up the great work. Just finished watching all vids right from the start lol Cheers :)

[@tobiastk5391]

I know what you can do. You can give it to me when it's done! That looks sick!

[@ryanwilson5936]

Hmmmmm, you could fill those diamonds with a clear epoxy and some metallic flake matching the color scheme you choose. Or use a few different colors with a clear epoxy and marble the colors.

[@GediSpock]

The ash below. That’s a metal album name that. 👊😂

[@fotogfitzfoto412]

It can be a tad risky putting safety glasses and ear-defenders on when holding a chisel upwards in your hand.

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

Yep, the sad thing is this is only the first video series where I've noticed myself do this... do you have any idea how much a bald man's scalp bleeds without even the excuse of an expertly honed blade, it's not a pretty sight! Amusing sometimes, but not a good look! Thanks for watching. B

[@joseftromer7596]

Fill it with resin! that would look really nice

[@baplfrhe]

Part II now!!! :-)

[@stickman393]

At 11:00 that got crazy satisfying to watch

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

Thank you! B

[@MEGAMIGA]

So nice!

[@dismafuggerhere2753]

wasn't sure where this was going... mind slightly blown. shame it's not possible to precision oil or stain the recesses with something rich and dark.

[@quintinolix1035]

why is there a hole for a switch if there is only one pickup?

[@levierickson8999]

Quintin Olix I think it would be for an on off, or a humbucker split set up.

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

Full humbucker, direct to Jack socket and through a tone boosting circuit... Sounds awesome!

[@bakstabbath]

I was cursing you out in my head for ruining such a lovely top, but that looks really cool. The star pattern should go right around the whole top in a circle.

[@caseygecko]

you should add diamonds to the zebrano bits on the back

[@xHansax]

Carve opposite diamonds between the diamonds, like weird shaped pyramids pointing outwards.

[@Jbeliski]

Very nice.

[@Venge94]

Has the colour and warmth been tones back? it even looks cold in the video! :d

[@timbeaton5045]

think there is still an issue with the camera white balance, and/or the lighting. Colour temperature looks off, and lacking in saturation. That's what DaVinci Resolve is for.

[@U014B]

Nah, England is just naturally grey everywhere.

[@rollipollirock]

Shallow purple expoxy would have been cool in the diamonds

[@davidyisrael007]

Hmm, interesting idea, but Im not sure the design you picked was the right one.

[@mrnikau1]

More. Much more.

[@seanfuller1561]

Always remember 'Less is More"!

[@richwatts1981]

oh I have to many tools I must get rid of some! SAID NO WOODWORKER EVER!!!!

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

Yep! B

[@riley0187]

Thumbs up vid!!

[@andrewwilkinson2436]

Cool video. \m/ and I would leave it as is. :)

[@babakkhoramdin3146]

Have you lost weight lately? You look become slimmer since the last year 6 hrs build videos.😀

[@johnnypk1963]

Badass...

[@johnmonroney8614]

this video is peculiarly similiar to Crimson Guitars videos.

[@andrewwinch474]

Continue the pattern all the way around and fill with resin.

[@PajakTheBlind]

Dunno what to do? S T A I N I T !

[@RomainWhatever]

Stain inside the curved shapes , and get a video of how not to stain the top with the color of the cavities, with the lighter wood cavities could look like they are in flames like a yellow to red stain job, and maybe stain the zebra I with white to get more contrast with the cavities But I would like to know how to avoid the stains to merge at the borders of the cavities

[@timbeaton5045]

re stains, i am trying out the use of Danish oil to "mask" against staining. Specifically in my case to give a "natural" binding effect on the edge of my Crimson Kickstarter guitar. Used a fine paintbrush to oil the sides right up to the edged of the top, so when i stain the top the il will, hopefully, not take the stain.

[@intralimpidus6216]

ohhh this whole time i thought those were inlays

[@jkcymbal]

finish it! :-)

[@mykhough6614]

Are you finished??? I've always taken the view that you should quit while you're ahead........well, maybe one more diamond in the lower horn?

[@BOTzerker]

Doesn't look finished

[@AbsoluteAbsurd]

I prefer without music

[@Neil-Aspinall]

"did I look psychotic?" Mmm well I suggest you take a look at some of these vids as your tattooed head and your strange upper class accent are a weird combination and a little creepy.

[@neilmacke4039]

Neil Aspinall Total agree😊 I can see Ben in the next Die Hard movie.. Americans love an English villain lol

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

Bring it on! B

[@frmcf]

You ok Ben? You're looking a little blue

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

Really well thanks, apart from the crushing cold in my studio the past few weeks! B

[@frmcf]

Good to know! Get a wooly hat on you! ... or just start burning and baking wood and forging copper to get the temperature up

[@scottman-cl4jm]

Zebra wood smells like a wet dog when you cut in on power tools

[@A.M......]

#pray4ben2018

[@TMACLE10]

Kenneth Armstrong what

[@alexoest]

Interesting video. Could you please make a version without the background music and sound effects?

[@zionlee1004]

What is a Descendant?

[@haakman123]

zionlee1004 the guitar model

[@benford1726]

It's for legal reasons not a Telecaster ;)

[@droy333]

Boy you pom's waffle on lol

[@callumhughes01]

I wants it

[@CherryKirktown]

Chip carving, use a knife

[@peterannesley8554]

I hate it.

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

I don't know why but your comment made me lol, I love how taste is varied and fully appreciate your honesty. Thanks for that man! B

[@therealjamespickering]

Constructive criticism is always so valuable.

[@georgeslavin6137]

Why do you need financial support? You get free advertising from your videos.