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PostPosted: Sat Apr 12, 2014 8:08 pm 
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Walnut
Walnut

Joined: Sun Mar 16, 2014 10:03 am
Posts: 12
First name: Newell
Last Name: Allison
City: Chattanooga
State: Tennessee
Country: USA
Status: Amateur
Hey guys,
What do you guys think of a Jumbo acoustic guitar with mahogany neck, back and sides, and a Sitka spruce top guitar with a rosewood bridge and fretboard. I already have the mahogany back, sides, and neck, and the Sitka spruce top, but I have some choice of what kind of wood I can use for the fretboard and bridge. How do you think this combination of woods would sound with the rosewood fretboard and bridge? All input is appreciated. Thanks!!


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PostPosted: Sat Apr 12, 2014 11:13 pm 
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Koa
Koa

Joined: Sun Sep 16, 2007 1:27 pm
Posts: 705
Location: United States
First name: Dave
Last Name: Livermore
State: Minnesota
Focus: Build
Status: Semi-pro
Sounds like a winner.

Very traditional, time tested.



These users thanked the author Dave Livermore for the post: Telemaster (Tue Apr 29, 2014 4:14 pm)
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 17, 2014 4:39 pm 
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Contributing Member
Contributing Member

Joined: Sun Jan 27, 2008 4:10 pm
Posts: 2764
First name: Tom
Last Name: West
State: Nova Scotia
Country: Canada
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
Newell: Sounds like this may be your first guitar, excuse me if not, and your choice of woods is excellent. For your first few guitars(there will be more the one)your focus should be on the carpentry and process. Exotic woods can wait a while as you develop your building chops. Good luck and have a good time building.
Tom

_________________
A person who has never made a mistake has never made anything!!!



These users thanked the author Tom West for the post: Telemaster (Tue Apr 29, 2014 4:13 pm)
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 17, 2014 5:19 pm 
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Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2009 9:34 am
Posts: 3081
What kind of rosewood? What kind of mahogany?
The rest sounds as Dave said, traditional, and if it is your first guitar, Sitka is probably a better choice than Engelmann, cheaper than red. For a first or arguably 50th, Brazilian RW will not make much if any difference, tonally. Some nice, cheap ebony like Maccassar would work just as well. More important that you get your "chops" down without chopping anything off...
Find a good plan and follow it religiously to start. Make sure your wood acclimates for at least several months in 45% humidity before you start cutting, and don't let the humidity levels deviate from that 45% much. Don't be afraid to put plenty of arch in both the top and back to eliminate the possibility of ending up with a flat or concave back. Most important is count you blessings and fingers every night an take a very slow, careful, methodical approach to the build and all the steps.
Have a wonderful time building it and do not be afraid to ask questions.



These users thanked the author Haans for the post (total 2): Telemaster (Tue Apr 29, 2014 4:14 pm) • Beth Mayer (Thu Apr 17, 2014 8:04 pm)
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 29, 2014 4:13 pm 
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Walnut
Walnut

Joined: Sun Mar 16, 2014 10:03 am
Posts: 12
First name: Newell
Last Name: Allison
City: Chattanooga
State: Tennessee
Country: USA
Status: Amateur
Yes, this is my very first guitar build. I plan on taking my time, as I sincerely hope to build a good guitar and do not plan to cheap out on anything. I plan to use this mold- http://www.bluescreekguitars.com/shop/i ... cts_id=206
I'm using this kit-
http://www.martinguitar.com/guitar-make ... etail.html
I plan on replacing the cheap richlite fretboard and bridge with rosewood.
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Bridges,_ta ... 3&xsr=9501
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Bodies,_nec ... &xsr=17135

With a colortone Satin Finish and Titebond wood glue. And I'm replacing the imitation pearl inlay dots with real pearl. Call me a perfectionist, but I don't like imitation, no matter how small.

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Inlay,_pear ... &xsr=22008
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Finishing_s ... cquer.html
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Glues,_adhe ... &xsr=10389

I've obviously thought this through, and I want to know if there is a good book or really what would be best would be a DVD that will help me go through all the steps of building this guitar. I'm really willing to put a lot of time and dedication into this process, because I really want a good guitar. I know there is a learning curve, as this is my first guitar, but I am hoping for a good result. If you know of any good resources or DVD that would help, please give me a link. Or if you have any tips, they are much appreciated. Thanks!


Last edited by Telemaster on Tue Apr 29, 2014 4:18 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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PostPosted: Tue Apr 29, 2014 4:15 pm 
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Walnut
Walnut

Joined: Sun Mar 16, 2014 10:03 am
Posts: 12
First name: Newell
Last Name: Allison
City: Chattanooga
State: Tennessee
Country: USA
Status: Amateur
Tom West wrote:
Newell: Sounds like this may be your first guitar, excuse me if not, and your choice of woods is excellent. For your first few guitars(there will be more the one)your focus should be on the carpentry and process. Exotic woods can wait a while as you develop your building chops. Good luck and have a good time building.
Tom

Above post in response to^


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PostPosted: Tue Apr 29, 2014 9:20 pm 
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Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Thu Nov 04, 2010 1:46 pm
Posts: 2124
First name: Freeman
Last Name: Keller
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
That should make you a really nice little guitar. Double check the scale length and pin spacing on the parts you are buying to make sure that they are the same as your kit (Martin uses two scales and at least a couple of different spacings).

You will want something besides the instructions that come with the kit - at least down load the free pdf at StewMacs site for theirs. The classic references are Cumpiano and Nelson, but they do things a bit differently than you will - they don't use a mold and have a different neck joint. Jonathan Kinkaed is another good book, and there are many good blogs and build threads on the internet. You might want to check out John Hall's kit building website.

John also has a good online tutorial for setting your dovetail neckjoint. That along with finish and bindings seem to give first time builders problems. I used Colortone rattle cans for my first few guitars - it works well but is toxic, explosive and you should either have a spray booth or shoot outside. Wear a full on respirator - the stuff is nasty. I happen to like gloss tops even on satin guitars - at least give that some thought. Also read thru StewMac's detailed instructions for finishing - including pore fill and all the prep.

Take your time - building is almost as much fun as playing the final results. My go to guitar is still the 000 kit that I built 8 years ago, in spite of the fact that I've now made 15 of them. Don't ever be afraid to stop and ask a question here - you will find some of the most helpful people that you can imagine.


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