Grand Concert for Freegift, Builder Swap

[DaveWhite]

Joe,

That's looking good - onwards and upwards

[Mark Schrier]

Hey Joe,

Just a thanks for your detailed documentation on this one. A couple of bumps along the way, but a hell of a journey!

I'm planning on building a pair of parlors with the Scott Andes AGP-01 plans. Following your lead in an x-bracing and ladder brace comparison build.

The sunburst looks great and I'll definitely be stealing that. Keep up the good work so I can rip off some more ideas!

Regards,

Mark

[Joe Sustaire]

Thanks Dave and Mark!
Yeah, this one has taught me a thing or two, nothing like doing your laundry in public!

I hope you share your parlor builds with us Mark, love to see what you find out with your ladder versus x bracing builds.

Thanks again guys,
Joe

[Joe Sustaire]

Well last we saw I was gluing on the new back with fish glue. After sitting a few days I came back to it and had some pretty major separation, so I got to do it all over again. After posting my problem on OLF, JJ Donahue offered his experience that fish glue requires being stirred well before use. He had done some test joints and had some failures before he started stirring it really well. So live and learn, it's on solid now.

I tried the egg white pore fill method and still had major pores after two tries and found the egg white really tough to sand back to wood, might be my free ranging country eggs. So then I did the shellac and pumice which did the trick but had lots of problems with scratching from the pumice showing in the shellac, so level sand to get out the scratches. I'm going back to the tinted spackle which I've used several times before. I learned this from Robbie O'Brians Luthier Tips du Jour series on youtube. Rub it in with a piece of burlap, fills fast, and sands back quick and easy.

So I used Permalyn gunstock finish, an oil/varnish, rubbed on with a small piece of paper towel, many coats, and it turned out nice.








Got the fretboard made and fretted. This is one of Ed's 2nd grade rosewood boards with some nice color and grain patterns.


And I cut the bridge out of another one of those fretboards.

So I've got to fill and finish the neck and then wrap it up, getting closer.

Joe

[Dean Kumbalek]

Looks very nice Joe. I will get back to building and working on yours soon.

My house has sold and I closed on it 2 weeks ago. The moving and packing and total selling process seemed like a prolonged prison sentence to me. It went on, and on...but now it is over and new routines and energy are possible.

I have a laptop at home now too, so I may be more of a regular poster once the build resumes.

I find you work encouraging, as always. Thanks.

Dean

[stevens]

Hi Joe,

Glad to see you pulled this one out of the fire.

Very glad.

I like the amber shade you have put on the top. Makes it look aged.

The humidity thing is a very real issue that I have struggled with too.

My approach has been to limit my top/back bracing to humidity levels below 50%.

That works for here but you need to establish your own set of limits.

I know Dean will enjoy this guitar.

Steve

[Bert Foster]

Hi Joe,

I just started looking at this thread and I like what you're doing. The bracing pattern especially. The nice tight rosette and bindings. Excellent workmanship.

I loved your line about "airing dirty laundry in public". I'm sure most beginners watch builds and think, "These pros never make mistakes or have material failures." Of course any of us with a few builds under our belts all do and it's a good thing to show them so they won't give up and quit the first time a problem arises.

I wish I could see some out-takes of Norm Abrams (New Yankee Workshop) cursing and or throwing an object across the room because of a mistake he made.

I look forward to the finished product.

Bert

[Joe Sustaire]

Thanks for checking it out Bert and Steve! And yeah, this one had me jumping thru a few hoops trying to stay on top of it.

Sounds like you've kinda been thru the wringer yourself Dean what with all the changes going on. Glad things are settling down for you a bit so you can get back to some of the things you love doing!

Well I've had this one strung up about a week or so and slowly working out the kinks in the set-up. Letting it get used to being a guitar and by golly I think it just might be one. Sounding pretty nice. I really don't know how to "talk" sound, so I'm not even going to try but I'm enjoying playing it, very alive feeling in your hands. This is the first time I've ever played one with a sound-port and I have to admit that's pretty cool, really does help to immerse you in the sound. I'm such a fan of old vintage guitars that visually it's a bit disturbing to me, but the surround sound might just win me over on occasion.

So here are some pics...






I've carved a very vintage soft V neck here Dean which I like the looks of, but it is a bit of a handful if you're used to playing skinny necks. This can be carved down if it's a problem for you.







And there you have it. Or at least someday will. I'll keep breaking it in for you till we can make the swap!

Joe