X-Braced Parlor, 4th build

[Joe Sustaire]

I just got this one finished and strung up, plays and sounds good.
Have been taking photos as I build so I want to share it here in the community.

It has a 13 1/4" lower bout and a 24 1/2" scale. It's inspired by the nice curvy shapes of the 20's and 30's.



Here's the forward shifted x-brace.




And this shows a nice and curvy side, bent on the propane heated pipe bender.





Building on the building board.




And this shows my creative recovery after finding the body was somewhat warped after removing from the building board. The neck block end was out of square for my neck angle. So I used a brace jack I'd built for repair, placed one end against the cross brace, took the block off the other end and screwed it to the neck block. Now I can dial in the angle I want and hold it until the back is on. Then it can be removed through the soundhole.



Another shot before closing it up.




Roping on the back.




Walnut binding ready to go on.




My first guitar with wood binding and rosette.




Glued up mahogany neck blank.




And shaping the neck with a super spokeshave courtesy of Eric.

And I think I better get this posted before I lose it.
Tomorrow you get to see the end result.

Thanks,
Joe

[Joe Sustaire]

Okay, we continue.



Headstock is slotted and drilled, and we're gluing on the fretboard.




Masked and receiving first coats of a tung oil finish.




Check out those curves.







New old-style tuners from stew-mac



Got lucky with the pretty grain on the back of the headstock.



And my label. That's one of my sculptures on the left. A self-portrait. A pair of my worn-out overalls made free-standing with fiber-glass resin, crow on my shoulder, standing on my soap-box. Title "Delusions of Grandeur", naturally I'm a legend in my own mind. Now I only have to convince everyone else!

Thanks for looking,
Joe

[whitespruce]

WOW!! Joe, man looks like you are waaay down the road with knowin how to build these guys. That'aa mighty fine, mighty fine.

Whatcha gonna biuld next for us?

G

[expatluthier]

Beautiful work, Joe! I didn't catch what kind of wood you were using for the back and sides. Looks like ribbon sapeli?

[WaddyT]

Wow, Joe, that really looks great. Beautiful wood too. What did you say it was?

[Joe Sustaire]

Thanks Grant and Randy,

Praise from luthiers like you, I'll steal Randy's signature here, makes me feel like I pee'd myself! Warm all over.
It may be sapele Randy, it is some kind of mahogany type. I bought it a long time ago on ebay for cheap because the sides were warped. I fell for the line, "hey you're going to bend it anyway right?" It worked out good though. Should have marked down what it was, but you know, at the time you know what it is and can't imagine forgetting.

Thanks for the praise guys,
Joe

[Manuel]

Great work and beautiful guitar, I like very much.
Congratulation.

[gilmoreguitars]

Joe
That is awsome! How big is the soundhole? It looks large...
David