The Luthier Community

So I've coned a friend into taking a guitar. He's been a mentor and pal for the last 12 years (holy cows!!), yeah crazy 12 years. Anyway thought it was time to repay him for... the laughs and screaming giggles.

Problem: He's recording Mid March and needs the guitar by then!!! Here's to lighting the fire!!!

The Brazilian

Yipe, that's purty - This'll be cool too - I like it when you're way busy, T!

E

Time to rock-n-roll then! Post pics when ya have time.

This has now morphed into twin GH's, slope shoulders. Dennis got in on the bid to build a guitar for our pal so we'll see if we can make 2 guitars for him to pick from.

Added option (2nd GH) will be a really nice walnut (waterfall) back and side set and a whitespruce top from whitespruce.

I'll take and post pics tonight.

Todd

Woo Hoooooooo! Cast your magic spell, Todd!

Dennis

Todd, that other top should be there tomorrow or the next day at the latest. It does have a bit of color, but it taps almost like glass. Hope it will work OK.

G

Whitespruce top got here around 11:30. Got a lot done but had a "Crack Attack" or a "Brazilian Break" (whichever makes you laugh instead of cry) so I'm poaching another side set from my worst flatsawn back and it'll match up great. Such is life.

So here's the new stuff: So the Waterfall Walunt Dennis sent:





I also bent one side last night, I left them a little thick to keep some stiffness and they bent like butter.



I also glued the "wonderwood" top Dennis sent too. I've been working the Brazilian set for the last week here's the pictures to catch you up. I'll also show my rosette process but this was on my Red Spruce top that my vinal seal didn't seal so it's got thinned and will be used for the Marriage strip on all of these guitars. Hurry for other options!!!

Thickness the back, it's ready for the marriage strip.



The Mike G Rosette. Real simple, classic with a twist. I start with a board and draw my center line. I then punch a hole for my rosette center (helps me visualize it in place) and I also punch a hole in the middle of the body for my filler. This will a standard 3 ring with B/W/B on B/W/B outer rings and a B/W/B Brizilian B/W/B center ring. I just use a circle cutter and route my rings. Once my template is right I'll then put it into the top. My template is also my depth guide.




Then I've got to make my Brazilian rings, grain orientated out. I locate a few holes for my guide post and then route the outside of my insert pieces and then the inside. When I cut the inside radi' I back route rather then forward route. That way the piece stays whole and doesn't flair out in pieces. Once I have my 6-8 pieces I'll take them over to my edge sander and feather them to a 90 dgree end so they will all butt together cleanly.





I hot soak my purfling stick ins warm water in the coffee maker I took to college. I never drank coffee anyway and it works fine. Steal the bosses pyrex bowl and the old coffee maker and your set.




Here's the end result before the seal leak and the over thin.



I now get to rerosette my 2 new tops but I dig the puzzle piece work anyway. More to come.

Todd, did you really bend the Claro Walnut sides at .100" thick? I had no idea they could be bent that thick.

It's fun to see that Claro back in progress. I call that pattern a "supernova."

I had a flash of insight looking at the Claro that Koa will look really good as a binding against Claro. (I'm just making a mental note of it for myself - I have a "few" sets of Claro.)

Dennis