The Luthier Community

Damn, I am getting antsy to build another guitar or 2. Since the last 2 went, it looks kinda lonely around here with only 4 sitting around. Ya, I know I have 2 or 3 in various stages, one almost done, but it has been so long since I started anything that it is really getting to me.

I do need to build at least another dred, cuz I am down to one. It should be something from dense wood, because the other one is the low density monkeypod....just too damn many things to choose from.

And I need another smaller bodied guitar, too. And I really would like to build another classical. It has been about 8 ytears since I built my one and only and I have a couple of new ideas, one of which is to use a white cedar top.

So anybody want to make a suggestion or 2 or 3?

First I need to get a few backlog things taken care of, so I would like to start a couple of builds by mid October.

G

Holy guacamole, it is a tall order even trying to visualize all the species you have...

jumping to mind:
Pau Rosa
Katalox (Wamara)
African Blackwood
Snakewood (are you gonna build with it, or sell it to finance all the Snakewood purchases?)
Osage Orange (maybe that wood combo we talked about...)
Granadillo/Maca


As for a Dreddie, how about a 'slope-shoulder' dred? Not as traditional for the bluegrass crowd (that probably mostly want a near-replica of a Martin anyway), but I think the slope-shoulder is a bit more refined and less boxy looking.

You have several examples of old Martin parlors that you have traced, and they have wonderful auras. Maybe copy one of those shapes, and then you could also use some killer piece of narrow wood for the back that was a bit too small for say an OM-sized guitar. (Although, realistically, you have no real need to limit yourself to wood choices, and maybe for the next few, just dive into your stash like a kid and grab something that really inspires you, rather than using something that someone else might have difficulty using.)

A pair of classicals: one made from Holly; one made from African Blackwood would be a sight to behold.

You have also expressed a desire to build an acoustic bass guitar, maybe now is the time.

And then, at some point, you'll probably get excited about building a harp guitar...

Well, there's 2 or 3 suggestions!

Dennis

p.s. oooooooh wait! How about some of the quartersawn curly White Oak? Maybe for the medium-sized guitar, like an OM size?

I'd love to see you build an acoustic bass.
Michael

I would like to see any build with white cedar. I have a ton of posts and logs, some maybe big enough for a smaller bodied instrument.

How about a harp guitar !

Well, thanks for the suggestions. Quite helpful in steering me in a few directions.

As for the white cedar. Yes, that will be one - the classical. I had forgotten that I have one smaller African blackwood set that would work very well for it, so that will be the combination, with a Spanish cedar neck. Now, I don't want to upset the traditional builders. I am very respectful of what you folks do, but I am going to do an updated version of the bracing pattern that I used in my first classical...and I am probably going to do a bolt-on adjustable neck, so I ask forgivness in advance. Hopefully it will be interest, and I will invite anybody here to build along.

Now, the dread...Dennis, I had not considered the slope shoulder, but it sounds like an interesting idea. I don't have a body pattern. Are they always 12 frets to the body? I suppose Joe is the person to ask for advice on this one. Joe????

And it is probably time to build one of those size 2 Martin copies. The 12" lower bout would fit some of my really figured old coco, and since a lot of these were originally BRW, that would work out fine. Ya, and use one of my really close grain white spruce tops that look like red spruce. I have a few too small billets that I could cut one from.

So, that is the tentative program, but I am open to other suggestions.

Now, I do have a body outline drawn for an acoustic bass, and that harp guitar pattern that Micheal S will be building does look interesting. And I do have a bunch of harp guitar sets laying around....hmmmmm. So, maybe those and the "Snapper Archtop" can fit into the next round

Grant,

With your skills in building, I think you should do a harp guitar similar to the Stephen Sedgwick Arpa Viola Caipira built for my friend, Brad Hoyt.

Brad wrote two articles about it, and this is the link to the second one. The photos of the finished instrument are fantastic. At one of Brad's performances, I had the occasion to pick it up and play it for a few minutes, and was amazed at how easy it was to make music with it. And Brad's compositions are beautiful

Brad, by the way, is hosting the Harp Guitar conference in Indianapolis November 12-14. http://www.harpguitars.net/hgg/hgg8/hgg8.htm

Jim

Grant the slope shoulder that I built I believe is based on the old martin 12 fret model. JJ Donahue sent me a tracing of the drawing he got from John Hall of bluescreek fame and he's a martin repair guy. JJ did a 12 string build thread here on the forum from this drawing. I can trace my copy for you if you wish. Now I believe the Gibson J-45 is pretty much considered a slope shoulder 14 fretter, so you might want to check that out. Stew-mac carries some plans for that drawn by Michael Collins taken from a 1957 model.

Get building!

Joe