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My friend and brilliant luthier Ryan Gerber designed and made these kerfed lining clamps. They are really, really clever. By far the best lining clamp I have used. I wish I could think this well. I believe he will be offering these for sale in sets, and I highly recommend them.
Hope they work as good as the look. My OCD thinks this is way to aesthetically pleasing š Are those flamed maple sides?
Your thought processes are just fine š¤£
Did he use a 3D printer, or injection mold? Very smart.
Matt Clement they are great. It’s myrtle.
Leroy Dujour I think they are CNC’d out of UHMW.
I want a set!
Dave Staudte contact Ryan Gerber
Clever design.
It's an ingenious design.
Ben Wilborn thanks!
I profile them on a CNC router out of polypropylene. I have also talked with an injection molding company but I'd need some serious demand before the economics of that would work out.
Thanks for the post Ben, I'm happy they are a part of your already beautiful process!
Wow, nice engineering. I might want some if I can get back to building.
maybe something wrong with me but that design makes me smile, Frank Loyd Wright makes clamps.š
Ryan Gerber I love em
Andrew Commiskey Totally get it. āļø
Ryan Gerber Thanks for the details. Great work!
Looks like they would not with the typical triangle linings as in Martin, Taylor Gibson, and most other guitars. Just flat linings
Very cool!
CB Alyn right- rectangular only. But he can make them to specific dimensions
how does it work? :D
Brilliant !!!!
Boy is that SLICK! They are brilliant!
Ryan Gerber I'd approach StewMac or LMI once you have production cost numbers so you can negotiate... You have to solve the triangular edging issue first. I bet you could sell hundreds of thousands of these in a heartbeat. What an amazing design! Bravo
Here are the makings of a new Nautilus for The North American Guitar. Curly Myrtle, Tunnel 14 redwood and Ziricote for the accents. This will be available in November at TNAG. This myrtle has incredible depth to the curl, and Iām making the neck from the same board I cut the back an sides from. Matchy-matchy!
Very interesting wood combo! looking forward to the results
Did you consider using the same wood for the top too (matchy-matchy-matchiest)?
The Myrtle is really nice. The curl almost looks like it folds in on itself as it comes down the back, one of the prettiest sets I think I have seen!
Gorgeous!
Ben…be careful no to get to close to the edge š¤ …you might fall in and drown š
René Bertin triple matchy? Very dangerous!
Ben Wilborn risks of self-combustion when played too much? :)
Wood has come a long way over the years…
none of your old wood 'round here...
Woodwork is done on this Arum. Iron stained Sitka over Madagascar rosewood, ebony binding with a rosewood burl headstock veneer. The blue-grey tint of the Sitka I think is really beautiful.
Impeccable work as always Ben! Love that headstock grain.
Beautiful! Love that headstock!
That top is incredible! Can't wait to see it under lacquer....will those color hues show do you think? And the rest of the guitar ain't too shabby either! šøā¤š»šš°
Super Duper, as usual.
Jim Whelan I think it will be more grey than blue, but still unusual and pretty.
Looking great, Ben!
Wonderful.
Another beautiful guitar!!!š
Your work is impeccable and a Wilborn is definitely climbing toward the top of the list for my “dream” guitar. Thank you for such visually and sonically inspiring instruments!!!
Wilborn Guitars Could the slight yellow tint that (I think) the laquer will add cause the blue to appear green? Maybe experiment with a tiny amount of blue dye added to the laquer, see how that works out and what the client thinks?
Beautiful!!!
Spectacular! (as always!) Love the headstock!
Iām helping my client sell his 2014 Wilborn Parlor guitar. Cedar over Honduran rosewood. Essentially unplayed condition- nary a scratch.
$4800.00 PM me for info
Scrumptious
Beauty!
Without reading your heading. It that Honduran with Cedar…!!! Honduran is killer šš¼
She’s a beauty!
Assume he wants to sell this beautiful guitar to buy a new comma series?
Shock T. Pot it is an unfortunate issue of arthritis, sadly.
Gee -- have him contact me? The Bantam you designed for me is my go to when my hands are bad (early and late in the day). Tuned down a half step makes it so manageable. My Ibex is the best for sound in the middle of the day when I'm at my best. Last night I was too awake and played it quietly in bed as my husband fell asleep.
This is the Ibex. Iāll be showing him off at Bowersox International Guitarapalooza in Texas this weekend. Heās little, but he has a lot to say.
Looks great! Is that a fanned fret fingerboard!
Bill Parsons it is!
Very cool! Have fun in Texas š¤š¶
Fabulous,Ben!
It's beautiful Ben.. great job. Be safe old friend
Mine? A good boy I am.
What a beauty.
Sharp.
Beautiful pics!
Work of art.
Excited to see this guy in person! šš½
Beautiful work Ben, I love it š
WOW
Looks great Ben Wilborn ! I'd love to try one.
Ben Wilborn amazing work! I know you’ve done lots of multi-scale, but I hadn’t seen a fanned fret model of yours yet. If I get to have a custom build one day, fanned fret would be fantastic. Were these pictures taken with that guitar mount you made to help them hover?
Travis Boyd yes- the vacuum clamp method.
That is just gorgeous. Congrats.
Oh my...
Classy as usual
Beautiful work!
Do you do all your own photos?
Liza Tonetti no way. My pal Jeff Ross takes the good ones (these). The snapshots are mine…
Such a beautiful instrument! But sorry, anything with curves that sexy is definitely a GIRL š¤£
Missing BIG is making me even madder!
Have a great time Ben!!!
One last video before BIG, next weekend. You will know this songā¦
I'll miss you & your music so much guys :(
well done
Beautiful!
Too good.
Wow. Lifelong favorite song and you brought it to yet a more expansive place.
Nice sounding guitars B!
Benjamin Paldacci I wish you were coming!
Sad that i will miss meeting you and hearing you play! Cant wait to try one of these new beasts š
Great song, guys. Well arranged.
Lovely. I can’t attend this year, but I hope you have a great B.I.G. show.
I love this!
Bravo, gentlemen! Love love love the Beatles classics.....
Sounded great, but that was the weirdest version of "Let it Be" I have ever heard!
They’d love this in Woodstock. Call you congressman now! Or mine!
Tom Bowersox The Monkeys are really hard to cover. Sorry.
Very nice boys.
I would say "Good Luck" on your trip but you don't need it. You two are amazing and the guitars are world class top notch music machines! Thank you, Fellas! <3 š <3
Best guitars I think I've ever heard!!!
Keep on building!
Beautiful guys
I got I'm a believer stuck in my head the other day and could not stop singing it, Kathy finally told me to shut up, I thought she was kidding, then I saw her face!
Gorgeous ! thank you for this lovely moment
Tom Bowersox I can't wait for your "surprise" stand-up routine this weekend.
I am here in SA, but cannot find info on where this event will be held. Would someone pls enlighten me?
Micki Kahn it is in Texas, in New Braunfels near San Antonio.
Here Iām gluing the top on this Arum. Wait, you say, that top is blue! And you are right. This is Sitka that was salvaged from a float-log that had an iron spike driven into it, which over the years imparted a blue stain throughout the wood. Itās novelty does not compromise the fact that it is also a really high quality top. It is coupled with a nice quarter sawn Madagascar rosewood back and sides set.
Oh my.. that's going to sound amazing Ben. With your magical touch ofcourse š
The “Spiffy-ness” is high with this one!
Can't wait to see finish on this one.
That’s pretty!
Wow can’t wait to see this one!
It looks to be dead-on quarter sawn too.
That is just going to be spectacular
Oh, this is going to be beautiful.
Blue moon spruce! That’s gonna swing!
Will that blue survive the finishing process?
Ohhhhh…. A little blue abalone binding on this one!
I donāt get the opportunity to apply French polish that often, but on this Arum, Iām doing just that. Itās a nice, quiet sort of contemplative way of building up a finish, and the results are very beautiful and thin. For those of you who notice itās hanging in a spray booth, well itās just curing in there in between coats on the bench.
very beautiful!
That’s some juicy redwood
You make beautiful guitars. We graduated Reno HS together, your music is super cool and your guitars are truly art. Good on you friend. Stay safe and blessed
Love that dark espresso bottom!
What's the upper dot for (and shouldn't it be red if the back is/were Indian rosewood š )?
Love it
It is quite lovely.
Ahhhhh. So beautiful. Does French Polish mean the sound will be fuller? Is this Tunnel redwood?
Adrianne O'Dell hi! And thank you.
Shock T. Pot it is Tunnel 14 redwood. The French polish ends up being thinner than the lacquer I generally use. That means less damping of the wood, and presumably more sound.
René Bertin that is where the fingerboard extension bolts to the body through the neck block. It’s a 3M earplug in there.
absolutely scrumptious top
Wow, can’t wait to hear what that one sounds like with the French Polish!š¤
A new tune called Spin.
www.frogandtoadmusic.com
Sounds incredible, guys.
Nice job, fellows. Almost piano like tones from the Ibex. Your music, like your instruments, elegant and understated. keep up the good work.šš¤
Frog and toad....Is that like dog and butterfly?
Really nice new song, hope you remembered how you wrote it so you can tell us in your workshop! The Ibex is really quite nice, really works on those treble notes and holds it own against that beast of a guitar Brad is playing. Really nice combo right there.
Hey Ben. So you play a small bodied guitar, and once again capo it. The tone is amazing, even given the media limitations! You are like a prize fighter boxing with one hand, while still showing great skill and ending the “fight” in one round. Wonderful tune as well, Frog and Toad. Brad’s killing it. Thank you.
Love this tune. Sounds so beautiful
Lovely, as usual! Playing anywhere in town soon..I hope?
Consummate creativity.
Ahhhhh!! Thank you! The sound of the Ibex when you bend notes is breathtaking!
A Nautilus for the B.I.G. Guitar show.
German spruce, Brazilian rosewood.
I love it when you are playing a really special one and you start a sentence only to be interrupted by your fingers and after a few minutes you realize you were suppose to be talking haha. This appears to be one of those guitars. Thanks for bringing it to B.I.G. and see ya in 12 days!
Sustains wonderfully and really nice looking!!
Wow, just speechless
Life Goals, Owen a nautilus guitarā¤ļø
The tone is in the top…
Robert Berger it’s the truth. We luthiers want to pretend it’s all our skill, but without a good top, we ain’t nuthin’.
I want it!
If you can do what you say you can do, it’s not bragging! Beautiful guitar!
That’s a pretty one, Ben. Sounds delicious.
And then just give that German spruce a couple of years….
Another beauty, Ben, I love it š
A beautiful piece of work Ben. š
Really great, Ben!
Frankly...im not sure which I like more....Your craftmanship at building your guitars?...or your talent at playing them! You da man! :)
Ben Wilborn this sounds amazing! Looking forward to experiencing it first hand.
Beautiful! Once again I wish I knew how to play!
HUGE sound for a BIG show!
Robert Vardaman This one has your name on it š
Andrew Commiskey If only left handed
Molto particolare..bella ed originale..sento buon legno..gran suono.. Splendida !
I share this beauty..tx.
WoW That Top is whiter than your legs Ben
Robert Vardaman sorry my bad
This is a adjustable post vice I made some years ago that is an indispensable part of my building process. The post is made of a laminated Baltic ply beam, and on top is a machinist vice atop a universal joint swivel thingee called a Powerarm Junior. (Which implies the existence of a Powerarm Senior; oh, beautiful dream!) I use this assembly anywhere 360 degree access to the work is useful- like carving bridges and gluing blocks into ribs. Itās bolted to the floor, and I only occasionally smash my elbow into it.
If you say so!
I have the big PowerArm (the hydraulic one!) and it is a gift from the heavens for neck carving.
Love it!
having the right tools is half the battle!
Your shop is always so organized.
Martin Keith lucky dog!
Ben Wilborn eBay for under $100. Sometimes you get lucky!
This is the Nautilus I am taking to Bowersox International Guitarapalooza (BIG). Itās German spruce over Brazilian rosewood and it is a MONSTER!
That looks amazing. Were it nit for the travel ban, I’d be finally trying it out in a couple of weeks!
Gorgeous. You do such elegant, understated work.š¤
ā¤ļøā¤ļøā¤ļøā¤ļøā¤ļøā¤ļøā¤ļø
It's beautiful Ben, I love it š
Crafty devil good luck at the BIG Show šø
BIG guitar, BIG sound, BIG show!!!
Oh my!
Sometimes I feel like a monster…
Shazam!!!
That video you posted sounded monstrous.
Adirondack spruce is among my favorite tonewoods. I just received this stack of truly excellent mastergrade tops from Randy Lucas, who cuts and grades his tops right.
Adirondack, though among the most powerful and articulate top woods, has a tendency towards being, well, kind of plain, even homely looking. But these are cosmetically very pure and handsome, as well as being stiff and light as they should be.
Wow! Those look excellent.
Very nice.
Ooooo! And they age very well š¤
This is the stuff! Gorgeous Picea Rubens!
Best Red spruce tops I have seen, his master grade is stiff and clean. His lower grade tops are better than most suppliers Master grade.
Looks like it it may be an excellent top for an octave mandolin.
Beautiful stuff!
James Garner I suspect so!
Extremly tight for Adi
Beautiful
How much age do they have when you get them ?
Boris Buttner the older ones are marked 2015, the newer 2019
Thanks, love your guitars
I am going to turn this gorgeous Brazilian into an Arum for the Woodstock Invitational Luthiers Showcase, being held this October 22-24 in Bearsville, NY. Perhaps a lovely Lutz spruce top, and some Macassar ebony binding? Yes!
That is some beautiful wood…
That should do.
I don’t know how you build so fast. I build like a turtle that gets mocked by the other faster turtles š¢
Will it be available to play and possibly purchase at the show?
Jake Maclay Same thing here š¢š
Nice set Ben…šš¼
Wow!!!!
Joe Policastro I am just guessing, but I think the answer is a resounding YES!
Whoa, I gotta pick my socks off the floor as that BRW just knocked em off. Yikes!
Oh yes!
Wow. Nice piece of wood. I'll see you there, Ben.
Absolutely, Joe. It will be there, and available.
David Furlong woohoo!
elves.
Are the elves supplying you with the unbelievable wood as well?
Wilborn Guitars I have a parrot, but he just know french-curses...
Ryan Gerber You have great elves yourself too!
Pretty sure that’s koa.
Juston Smithers looks like black walnut to me
Robert Pierce yeah good point. Or black koa. But Brazilian?! Uh, no.
Juston, you should see what my Koa looks like.
Can’t wait to check it out.
Ben what is your favorite wood you’ve ever seen or used for a build?
Curvy color!
Ok there’s a reason to go!!!
Back after a much appreciated vacation, Iām working away on this Arum with renewed vigor. Tunnel 14 redwood, lovely near-black Brazilian.
Was wondering where you were. Another beautiful instrument…
Astonishing as always
Incredible. Masterfully and tastefully done, sir.
Beautiful
Welcome back š
Another beauty!
Rahoul Waghmare…yes š¶
That sound hole... š„š„š„ so swoopy. Beautiful
If it looks right... It will sound right!
Thanks, TNAG!
Sounds AMAZING Ben!
Nice to hear one being finger-picked (even if it's just a few notes)!
Nice review
Kudos, Ben!
"A really, really joyful instrument to play!" Yes yes yes!
Great to hear this out in the world, the guitar and player sounds just beautiful!