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 Post subject: Number 13 "Lucky"
PostPosted: Fri Feb 03, 2017 2:50 pm 
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Joined: Fri May 09, 2008 2:25 pm
Posts: 1954
First name: George
City: Seattle
State: WA
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
My number 13 is done. It's a Martin OM shape made with red spruce over EIR. Fingerboard and bridge are ebony. The neck is Port Orford cedar. Continued my current practice of using pieces of scrap for ornamentation. I experimented a bit on this one, creating a new headstock shape to accommodate straight string pulls (almost :D ) and purposely selecting a wide, wavy grained top that most would probably reject. (Personally, I think it looks terrific. I have a few more in my stash and am looking forward to using them.) Building this guitar was an interesting exercise, as it blends a vintage shape, bracing pattern, and traditional tonewoods with a relatively modern aesthetic. I'm lousy at describing tone, but this one has a great deal of presence that jumps right out of the box and sustains almost forever. It's pretty bold. I like it.

We don't often get snow here in Seattle, so I ran out this morning and snapped a few pics.

Image

Image

Image

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 Post subject: Re: Number 13 "Lucky"
PostPosted: Fri Feb 03, 2017 3:39 pm 
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Brazilian Rosewood
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Joined: Mon Jul 27, 2015 8:21 am
Posts: 3289
First name: Brad
Last Name: Combs
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Status: Amateur
Beautiful work!! I ordered some of those tuners I think on your recommendation for a more modern look. Do you have a closeup of the position markers? It's an inlay in the fretboard?

Inspired.


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 Post subject: Re: Number 13 "Lucky"
PostPosted: Fri Feb 03, 2017 4:06 pm 
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Brazilian Rosewood
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Joined: Thu Feb 12, 2009 10:27 pm
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Location: South Carolina
First name: John
Last Name: Cox
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That's really pretty. Thanks for posting it.


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 Post subject: Re: Number 13 "Lucky"
PostPosted: Fri Feb 03, 2017 4:26 pm 
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Joined: Fri Jul 10, 2009 4:44 am
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First name: colin
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That's a really nice build George. I like it.
Neat, and I do like the look of the soundboard.

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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.


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 Post subject: Re: Number 13 "Lucky"
PostPosted: Fri Feb 03, 2017 4:39 pm 
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Joined: Tue Mar 01, 2011 1:32 pm
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First name: Alex
Last Name: Kleon
City: Whitby
State: Ontario
Zip/Postal Code: L1N8X2
Country: Canada
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
Nice one, George! I'm with you on the top - I have no problem with wood that looks like wood! Could you treat us with a few more pictures? Maybe of the binding, rosette, and tail wedge?

Alex

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 Post subject: Re: Number 13 "Lucky"
PostPosted: Fri Feb 03, 2017 5:02 pm 
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Joined: Fri May 09, 2008 2:25 pm
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First name: George
City: Seattle
State: WA
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
Thanks, guys. I imagine we all find that building in isolation lends its own set of challenges. Sharing with you all here is a big part of what keeps me going and that helps me improve as a builder. I have a bit of real world work pestering me right now, but will try to post a few more pics soon.

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 Post subject: Re: Number 13 "Lucky"
PostPosted: Fri Feb 03, 2017 5:02 pm 
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Mahogany
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Joined: Mon Sep 07, 2015 7:51 pm
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First name: Michael
Last Name: Waszazak
City: Vancouver
State: Wasington
Zip/Postal Code: 98665
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
Nice work George! A lovely combination of woods. What did you use for the finish?


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 Post subject: Re: Number 13 "Lucky"
PostPosted: Fri Feb 03, 2017 5:11 pm 
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Koa
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Joined: Thu Jan 10, 2008 5:08 am
Posts: 1905
Location: Raleigh, NC
First name: Steve
Last Name: Sollod
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Very nice and very tasteful. I also like the top, as well as the other treatments. I assume that you glued the back strap woods together (probably with Titebond II or III) and then bent to fit the smiley volute... Where did you get your neck wood?

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 Post subject: Re: Number 13 "Lucky"
PostPosted: Fri Feb 03, 2017 5:44 pm 
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Brazilian Rosewood
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Coat of many colors...looks better'n martins 6 jilionth.
What's the matter with the soundboard?


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 Post subject: Re: Number 13 "Lucky"
PostPosted: Fri Feb 03, 2017 7:57 pm 
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Koa
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Joined: Sun Jun 22, 2014 1:45 pm
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First name: Michael
Last Name: Colbert
City: Anacortes
State: WA
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Very nice work, as usual!

How do you like the Schertler machines? I sure like them aesthetically!

I'd love to hear the guitar sometime...

Cheers from Nelson, BC

M


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 Post subject: Re: Number 13 "Lucky"
PostPosted: Fri Feb 03, 2017 8:22 pm 
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First name: Tim
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City: Santa Cruz
Zip/Postal Code: 95060
Country: United States
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Status: Amateur
Like the new headstock shape. Good looking guitar George


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 Post subject: Re: Number 13 "Lucky"
PostPosted: Sat Feb 04, 2017 6:38 am 
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Old Growth Brazilian Rosewood
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Very nice George and I love that stripy Adi top too. Congratulations!

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 Post subject: Re: Number 13 "Lucky"
PostPosted: Sat Feb 04, 2017 8:35 am 
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Location: Andersonville
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Nice, I like the top, and have several just about like it.


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 Post subject: Re: Number 13 "Lucky"
PostPosted: Sat Feb 04, 2017 9:49 am 
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First name: Aaron
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Zip/Postal Code: 30705
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Looks fantastic!

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 Post subject: Re: Number 13 "Lucky"
PostPosted: Sat Feb 04, 2017 6:42 pm 
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Super!

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 Post subject: Re: Number 13 "Lucky"
PostPosted: Sun Feb 05, 2017 6:01 pm 
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Location: Western North Carolina
First name: Mike
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City: Granite Falls
State: North Carolina
Zip/Postal Code: 28630
Country: USA
Focus: Repair
Status: Amateur
Wow, that's beautiful!

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 Post subject: Re: Number 13 "Lucky"
PostPosted: Mon Feb 06, 2017 9:01 pm 
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Joined: Fri May 09, 2008 2:25 pm
Posts: 1954
First name: George
City: Seattle
State: WA
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
Thanks all. I would have responded earlier but was unable to log in here for the past few days.

Yes, the tuning machines are Schertlers. First time using them and they seem fine so far; quality feel and smooth operation. I really like the looks of them.

The finish on this one is Tru-Oil wiped on over a shellac seal coat. So simple even I couldn't screw it up. laughing6-hehe

I usually make up my headstock veneers, complete any necessary bends and then glue them in place. However, the diameter of my homemade bending iron is too large far that smile volute, so it's tough to get a tight fit. This time I tried something different. If you look closely at the photo above, you'll see that I used thin pieces of scrap through that area. I shaped those so that they mated well and used CA to place them one at a time. Once I got to the the flat part, I glued down the pre-made veneer.

Thanks again for the kind replies. I don't yet have a shot of the end graft, but it compliments the other elements.

Here are a few more pics:

Image

Image

Image

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 Post subject: Re: Number 13 "Lucky"
PostPosted: Mon Feb 06, 2017 9:43 pm 
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Looks great George!

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 Post subject: Re: Number 13 "Lucky"
PostPosted: Tue Feb 07, 2017 7:40 pm 
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That guitar makes quite a statement! Well done George

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 Post subject: Re: Number 13 "Lucky"
PostPosted: Thu Feb 09, 2017 7:43 am 
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I really do like the headstock and rosette designs; gives the guitar an Art Deco look that really I find particularly appealing.


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 Post subject: Re: Number 13 "Lucky"
PostPosted: Thu Feb 09, 2017 1:04 pm 
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Beauty George. I have a couple sets of Adi from Aaron that look like that. It looks great. As well as your new headstock shape. I didn't want to say anything because us Canucks are suppose to be a very polite lot, but your last one looked a little out of proportion. Pick guard is nice. Also like the shape of your bridge.


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 Post subject: Re: Number 13 "Lucky"
PostPosted: Thu Feb 09, 2017 6:20 pm 
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Joined: Fri May 09, 2008 2:25 pm
Posts: 1954
First name: George
City: Seattle
State: WA
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
Thanks again!

No worries, Danny. I've had other people say my last couple of headstocks looked a bit out of proportion, so you're not alone there. I've also had people say this one is weird, too! I guess it's a to-MAY-to/to-MAH-to kind of thing. [:Y:]

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