Official Luthiers Forum!

Just strung up my second, which a is parlor kit from LMI to which I've added some cosmetic embellishments. I'm pleased with how it turned out, which of course leads to another one (and probably more). Number 3, which is almost built, is a mostly-from-scratch OLF OM that I'm building for my brother.

The particulars:
EIR back and sides
Bear claw Sitka top
Koa bindings, rosette, tail graft, and heel cap
Ebony headplate, fretboard, and bridge
Torch inlay, fretboard markers, and shamrock inlay on heel cap from Andy DePaule
Paua purflings on body and rosette are zipflex from Advanced Shell Tech
Tuners are Gotoh gold 3-on-a-plate
Bridge pins are ebony with a paua dot
Finish is EM6000

Thanks for looking.

John

Nice! Love the inlay....oh ya!

Very nice, John!

Did you spray or brush the finish? I'm about ready to finish my first and have been experimenting with EM6000 on some scrap to get used to it. I don't have any spray equipment so I'm brushing it (sort of). So far it seems reasonably user friendly, but I haven't done it on a guitar yet.

Thanks for sharing the photos. You should be proud. I'm looking forward to seeing the OM when it's done.

Congrats John!

Only guitar #2 ?!?! Very impressive. Yet another forum member setting the bar high. Love the shell inlay and purfling. Awesome work!

Jake.

Very good eye, John.

Nice !

Super job ! That is one nice looking guitar.
L.

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Cut to size.....Beat to fit.....Paint to match.

Top Notch! Good work. Fine looking guitar!

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

MAN that's nice! So cleanly executed. Like a pro hit man.
My only suggestion is that next time you'd make those string ramps come a bit further back, terminate closer to the nut, to buy the strings a little more clearance room on their journey to the tuner shafts.
(And I'd rather not reveal why I'm a bit sensitive about that point! )

Let me say again, that looks flawless.

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

Nicely done. Makes me want to build one.

Pat

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There are three kinds of people:

Those that make things happen,
those that watch things happen,
and those that wondered what happened.

Nicely done. A touch of class!

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

Yo John, Nothing about this instrument looks "kit built" to me. I'd say it's an outstanding accomplishment. I sure wish mine looked this good, and I am not kidding you. Well done!

Patrick

im not going to lie, bro. that looks awesome!

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sweat the small stuff.

Very nice!!

Thanks for all the kind words. And thanks to all the contributors to this forum. I have about six 3-ring binders full of tutorials and threads from the OLF, and without those I know we'd be looking at a very different outcome.

Charlie: I sprayed the EM6000. Since I haven't sprayed a finish before I really have no basis for comparisons, but I found it pretty easy to work with.

Steve: You're spot on about the string ramps-- a couple more coats of finish and they'd be rubbing. I couldn't find any recommendations on how far to take them back, so I did it by eye and got lucky (barely).

Cheers,

John

Not that often a beginner posts a build with this level of fit n finish.

My sincere compliments to you.

Ummm... me do have one small question however.

How does it sound?

perhaps you would be so kind as to bless us all with an audio clip.


blessings
Padma

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Audiences and dispensations on Thursdays ~ by appointment only.


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Nice! You must - should- be very proud.

It's amazing what some builders are putting out these days on their first or second build. sheesh.

Pat

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formerly known around here as burbank
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com

Thats very nice for a second guitar - you are well on your way !!!

For string ramps .. here is what I do and teach .. put a screwdriver thru the E tuner holes - now carve the ramps back until a straight edge sits on the screwdriver and the fingerboard end inline like a string, and doesnt touch the ramp .. you will now have ample clearance once the nut is on ...

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Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

Thank you for that, Tony! I will definitely file that one away in memory.

Beautiful piece of work, and the inlay looks great. A masterful job! You might want to go through your set-up though as the action at the 12th fret looks very high. Too high for good intonation there...

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John Nowicki