Official Luthiers Forum!

I was trying to sand the angle on my kerfed linings and my finger got pulled into the sander. I now have 9 fingernails. But luckily I still have 10 fingers.

Todd, wow strung up at noon and delivered later that afternoon, do you have a scheduled visit to tweak the truss rod/action? My #1 has been strung up since Christmas Eve and I tweak it every string change, its on its fourth set and its finally right where I want it.

Busy with carving necks, making fretboards and fitting the wile e. dovetail:) Catching #3 up with #2

Ouch, gosport! Yanked or sanded?

Nice fat tone, Todd, even through that mic. Still amazing, considering it's phone, though.

This one is getting its final buff and bridge today, to ship next week. L-00, EIR/Master Lutz, koa bindings, varnish.







Pat

_________________
formerly known around here as burbank
_________________

http://www.patfosterguitars.com

Sanding isn't the answer to everything. Use a cutting tool. A block plane will do that in a couple of minutes.

I agree. Thanks for posting it.

I practiced planing some of Shane's spruce from the swapmeet and liked the results. Consistent, full width, .001" shavings, but there were also some plane tracks I need to figure out how to get rid of. Also hot-rodded my Wells/Karol jig with threaded inserts where the UHMW had stripped. This is how Sylvan sells them now.

I spent some time carving the rough shape of my first scratch-built neck, while thinking about my late father and his four brothers, not all of whom made it home from battle.

George

I am leveling and buffing finish on an OM today and hope to get it strung up tomorrow.

Todd, those second numbers on your setup...ie: .050/.075 .... are those your 12 fret action? The OM I did a second setup for (including a new nut because a few of the slots were too low) is coming back with some back buzz on the 6th string. I really don't think it is a low nut slot because I was really careful not to slot below my target this time, but maybe fret misalignment if a fret end has come up? I'm going to take it through another setup and see what happens. Disappointing because he was planning to play it out at a gig that we're going to for the first time tonight. Hopefully we can make it so.

Bracing the top of a modified Hauser 43 design with open transverse braces based on the way Jeffrey Elliott braces his guitars.

_________________
http://www.Harvestmoonguitars.com

These are definitely my favorite threads. I really like the snapshots of where everyone is at in their builds and in their shops.

Pat - that's a sexy looking guitar!
Todd - you always rock - love the carrier board.
George - how are you liking carving your very first scratch build neck?
Clinch - what's the back and side wood on that guitar?

And for me? Finally getting back to sanding the wenge after having to drop fill some spots that weren't coming out with sanding. The neck buffed out beautifully.

_________________
Rob Flindall
Flindall Guitars
http://www.flindallguitars.com
https://www.facebook.com/FlindallGuitars

Ahh.....lets see the fretboard? Maple on outstanding curly maple?

Around here its "far wood" Quarter sawn White Oak locally sourced

Thanks. Yep, koa. Like those old-time finishes, Epifane's especially.

Pat

_________________
formerly known around here as burbank
_________________

http://www.patfosterguitars.com

I have been working on a Irish Bouzouki for the last few weeks and now have the rim completed and the top and back braced and ready to close the box.





Fred

_________________
Fred Tellier
http://www.fetellierguitars.com
Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/FE-Tellier-Guitars/163451547003866

Waiting for lacquer to cure on my challenge build so I started on my first commission!

Finishing up #1!! Hope to string it up tonight.

_________________
Doug

Don't let fear or common sense stop you from trying to build something

Nada here since the attempt to carve myself a second navel two weeks ago. Been busy doing the annual gardening (which didn't start until May this year) and sprucing up the yard for a big graduation party this coming Saturday. (Twins finished college, with graduations on the past two Saturdays. I'm glad I didn't have to figure out how to attend two graduations in separate states on the same day.) After this Saturday, I'm due for many a weekend in the shop.

_________________
Jim Kirby
kirby@udel.edu

Starting to integrate my old shaper into the instrument making processes. Check the clamps twice. Vacuum pressing everything I get my hands on. The heel insert and the foam core laminated sides are my first time using some things from the Charles Fox class.
The project is an all POC "grand tenor" uke I am calling it. To make sure I had the same or more volume, I did the laminated sides by building out from the plans, meaning that the OA size is 1/2" larger in all ways. Scale is 18 3/8, which gets the bridge into the center where it would go on a 12 fret, but with 14 fret to the body.
Next project, I think I need to finally make one of these: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4ubNo3pS0g

_________________
http://shastaguitar.com/
http://www.kalimbakit.com/
http://www.youtube.com/user/comfyfootgr ... ature=mhee
http://www.facebook.com/robert.renick.7

OK, so, with all of these guitars getting shown you're probably wondering "Where are all of the viols?" Well, I've been plugging away on the inlay for the fingerboard and tailpiece. it takes a long time when you've got to keep the paying work moving along too, some of which you can also see here as a new batch of paddles. I've also been getting a 1975 canoe built by Joe Seliga of Ely,MN back in order. I just finished the last coat of paint and varnish.

_________________
Expectation is the source of all misery; comparison the thief of joy.
http://redrivercanoe.ca/

working on 2 commission builds and did some swapping for the Colt!!! added some rosewood grips and a little mag polish, beautiful pistol!!!
there was a Les Paul involved in the trade!!!!

_________________
MK5acoustics.com

Many great projects in the works! Nice sounding guitar, Todd! Filippo, let's see that Tele!

I will be buffing out my two commissions tomorrow. Depending on how the day goes I may get bridges glued on and frets installed.

Ken

_________________
http://www.casperguitar.com

Working on restoring an old Kay archtop, as well as an old ladder braced no name acoustic. Retopped that using X bracing. Still slowly building a P bass for a friend of mine.

_________________
Mike

The only thing nescessary for evil to thrive is for good men to do nothing.

We're having triplets...

_________________
Rian Gitar og Mandolin

Awwww, isn't that nice!

_________________
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.

Taking a day or two off from the shop to do some canoeing with the family, but I just shipped this off to its new owner in NYC, who is moving back to Japan in a couple of weeks, so this is my calling card to Japan...

Great work everyone, always inspiring!




Ken Jones
Mountain Song Guitars
Dream Guitars

_________________
Mountain Song Guitars www.mountainsongguitars.com

Wow, thanks, Todd for your kind words.

I, too, love the Schertlers, but for one thing -- I always wind up having to file the edges of the string pass-through hole as they're left very sharp, and eat strings very quickly during setup when we're repeatedly loosening and re-tightening the strings. Anyone else experience that? Shout out to Sharpie black for the touch-up save!


Ken Jones
Mountain Song Guitars

_________________
Mountain Song Guitars www.mountainsongguitars.com

Good looking guitar Ken, is that based on an L-OO? Very nice shape and execution. I need to get over the mountain to see you and James.