HOWE - ORME neck in need of body

[George Roberts]

I have had this Howe-Orme neck for years, hoping that eventually I would come across a body needing a neck.  No luck thus far.  If anybody has a body, let me know.

The neck is missing the tuners, the nut, and one pearl dot.  The fb is ebony, and beautiful Brazilian on the peghead.  The end of the peghead is stamped "U.S. PAT. 13 FEB 94"  Serial # is 2658.

I hate to see it go to waste.

George

[Jeff Highland]

George , I'd be interested in taking this on to build a replica if you can't find a body.

[George Roberts]

Ned,

You are correct.  There are tiny jack screws in the corners of the neck, below the fingerboard, at the 12th fret.

It takes only minor adjustments of these screws to change the action, but it does make a slight change in the intonation, as well.  I rarely play high enough up the neck to notice much difference.

The original bridges were curved to match the top, and had fret wire for the nut.  The fret wire is straight across, no compensation, so the intonation is off from that, also.

 

Jeff, let's see what turns up.

 

George

[nigel forster]

I've made a number of instruments based on the Howe-Orme design, and the cylinder arch is now one of the most popular options for my instruments.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YN16lL5lDE4

Ironically, I now own a Howe-Orme guitar that has an original body and a new neck! If only I'd come across this thread earlier.

nigel

http://nkforsterguitars.com/nkforsterguitars.com/the_book.html

[Ned Knepp]

Hi Nigel. You build beautiful instruments.  Would you mind giving us some details of your construction methods?  I'm particularly interested in how you couple the vibration from the strings to the top on the "charlie" guitars.  How much downforce is there on the bridge you place under the end of the fingerboard extension? Is the fingerboard attached to the top or floating?. 

[George Roberts]

Hey Nigel,

Great to hear from you.  I have been trying to get this neck hooked up with an appropriate body.  Too bad we didn't connect earlier.  I recently contacted Rick Fuller, who apparently collects Howe-Orme guitars.  He didn't know of any spare bodies, but is thinking about tooling up to make Howe-Orme style guitars.  He seemed interested in the neck.  Would you consider putting it on your original body?

George

[nigel forster]

Oh - two lots of questions. Right, Charlie first - I'll put a picture on here to show those of you who don't know the design Ned is talking about.

The down pressure is quite simple to create. The neck is solidly fixed to the body around the 15-20th frets, and under the neck at the saddle there is a gap of around 12mm to the soundboard. The bridge is around 14mm high. So you're "squeezing" a 14mm wedge into a 12mm gap. The neck and top have to share the load. It works fine. You can move the bridge under this pressure but it's difficult - rather like trying to move the bridge on a normal archtop when it's strung up. 

The whole idea came about by chance but makes what I (and my owners) consider to be a superior amplified archtop - it has sustain aplenty, and tonally is somewhere between a solid and a hollowbody. I love 'em!

Right, Howe Ormes - I've been thinking about making them too! Replica's that is. mmm. It's tricky to get the neck design accepted by folk though. the decision I have to make is to invest in making a kind of replica - ladder braced and tilt neck, or pursue my own version of the design, with fixed neck and X brace. The ladder braced guitars really suit how I play - kinda old fashioned. But the X brace really suits the modern fingerstyle player.

I actually have just bought another rather dilapidated mahogany H-O off a chap who came across a guitar when clearing out an old bar in the US. The body has "had it" but the neck is pretty good. It's on it's way. If it fits, I have my neck, if not then yes, I'd certainly consider putting the two together. I'd also consider making a new body for any spare bits of guitar that turn up.

I fear I may be coming down with a dose of Howe-Orme fever.

nigel

http://nkforsterguitars.com/nkforsterguitars.com/the_book.html

[Tim Mace]

far out ....more details...pics regarding the arch tech...great concept...side view?Is this done with an induced curve or is the top carved?