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PostPosted: Sat Jul 06, 2013 5:32 pm 
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First name: Doug
Last Name: Balzer
City: Calgary
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Status: Semi-pro
So #2 is for my 11 year old son. I'm assuming I can enter this in the competition. I started it a few weeks ago and anticipate completing it later this summer. Curly black walnut b&s, bearclaw Sitka top, mahogany neck. We are nick naming it "The Fox" which is Austin's (Ozzy) favorite animal. Look closely at the soundboard bearclaw...it has whiskers much to my son's delight. I put in a sound port in the shape of a fox foot print.
I learned lots from number one that I hope to apply on this one.


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Last edited by Doug Balzer on Sat Jul 06, 2013 5:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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PostPosted: Sat Jul 06, 2013 5:36 pm 
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More pics. Ozzy helping out on this one.


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PostPosted: Sat Jul 06, 2013 5:38 pm 
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Fox theme - whisker-like bearclaw near neck and paw sound port.


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PostPosted: Sat Jul 06, 2013 7:32 pm 
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First name: Zeke
Last Name: McKee
City: Goodlettsville
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Country: United States
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Cool guitar Doug! That's gonna be sweet. And your son is my kinda guy wearing a Hurley shirt lol.


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PostPosted: Sat Jul 06, 2013 10:10 pm 
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First name: Jay
Last Name: Swann
City: Austin
State: TX
Zip/Postal Code: 78739
Country: USA
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Better than the Hurley shirt is the fact that the young man is in the shop with his father where the two of them will make memories that he'll remember every time he picks up that guitar. My grandfather had a wonderful shop, and I still have several of his tools that make me smile when I pick up his torque wrench or miniature pliars. Good on ya for investing in your son! The world needs more fathers like you!!! [:Y:]


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PostPosted: Mon Jul 15, 2013 7:34 pm 
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Jaybird840 wrote:
Better than the Hurley shirt is the fact that the young man is in the shop with his father where the two of them will make memories that he'll remember every time he picks up that guitar. My grandfather had a wonderful shop, and I still have several of his tools that make me smile when I pick up his torque wrench or miniature pliars. Good on ya for investing in your son! The world needs more fathers like you!!! [:Y:]

Thanks Jaybird.

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PostPosted: Mon Jul 15, 2013 7:37 pm 
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Update...and now closing the box. Sure glad I built all those clamps....much easier job this time.


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PostPosted: Tue Jul 16, 2013 12:34 pm 
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Wow, I really need more clamps!!

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PostPosted: Wed Jul 17, 2013 5:00 am 
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Wow. That's some srious bracing, OR, ny bracing is WAAYYYYYY to light for an OM. What plans are you using, Doug?


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PostPosted: Wed Jul 17, 2013 9:13 am 
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nickinbruns wrote:
Wow. That's some srious bracing, OR, ny bracing is WAAYYYYYY to light for an OM. What plans are you using, Doug?

I'm using the Scott Antes plans from LMI and my bracing is considerably lighter than the plans...I.e., using 1/4" rather than 3/8" braces, terminating finger and tone braces short of edges, etc. Brace height is generally the same as the plans. What plan do you build from?

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PostPosted: Wed Jul 17, 2013 6:25 pm 
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I started with Kinkade's book and plan, but have reduced the size of the braces a bit as I've gone along. I'm tending to leave the widths at about 5/16" and reducing the height, which contributes more stiffness than the width.....here's the current one....
Attachment:
image.jpg


I don't have a photo on this computer of my first, which was much more substantial. Will check the other one when I get to work. Mind you, when I built the first, Kinkade recommends tapping until you get the tone you want.....WTF....first build? I just made it pretty.... :roll:

EDIT: Here it is. YOu can see that the X-braces are pretty consistent, but the rest is somewhat smaller....
Attachment:
brunswick rose 005 (Medium).JPG


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PostPosted: Mon Jul 22, 2013 7:17 pm 
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First name: Doug
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Test driving my new binding rig based on Chris Paulick's design. Very happy with this set up.


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Doug

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PostPosted: Thu Jul 25, 2013 6:35 am 
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not fair, you´ve got help with brace shaping and gluing linings from a seasoned pro...

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PostPosted: Thu Jul 25, 2013 9:54 am 
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Very nice, Doug! You are going at an amazing pace, too.


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PostPosted: Thu Jul 25, 2013 10:18 am 
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Nice binding rig, after doing it by hand on my competition build, i think im going to invest some time making one.

Sent from my KFTT using Tapatalk HD

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PostPosted: Sat Jul 27, 2013 2:41 pm 
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First name: Doug
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Kind words. Thanks. Loving the bearclaw on this top. Next step: fretting over fretting for the first time. My first build was a fretless bass. Fortunately I have a 7 lb sledge hammer to knock home those frets ;)


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Doug

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PostPosted: Fri Aug 09, 2013 3:41 pm 
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My "customer" helping press in the frets. I tried hammering in a few and then decided to order the fret press caul for SM. Love it!


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Doug

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PostPosted: Fri Aug 09, 2013 3:43 pm 
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Doug Balzer wrote:
My "customer" helping press in the frets. I tried hammering in a few and then decided to order the fret press caul for SM. Love it!

BTW, as per a different current thread...he's not even 12 years old but this guitar will be for his 12th birthday coming up.

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PostPosted: Sat Aug 10, 2013 3:54 pm 
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That's a great idea, have the kids make their own darn presents. laughing6-hehe Just kidding, that guitar will be some thing that he will cherish for a long time, but not cherished as much as the memories being made in that shop. Good job.

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PostPosted: Sat Aug 10, 2013 4:52 pm 
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Doug Balzer wrote:
My "customer" helping press in the frets. I tried hammering in a few and then decided to order the fret press caul for SM. Love it!


Wow...getting the customer to do his own fret job...makes it harder for them to complain if they don't like it, huh?
I bought that fret press caul too, but after feeling like I was abusing my drill press by using it (yeah, maybe my slots weren't wide enough, or I'm too heavy-handed) I bought their fret press arbor too. Glad I did.
Looking good, Doug!


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PostPosted: Fri Aug 16, 2013 6:24 pm 
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Piñata party! (Not really). But lacquer spraying is underway on the body. I am using TruOil on the neck as my "customer" prefers the feel.


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PostPosted: Fri Aug 16, 2013 10:19 pm 
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Doug, your "customer" needs to learn that you will break your bat if you hit it on the label. laughing6-hehe

Alex

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PostPosted: Fri Sep 06, 2013 9:52 pm 
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So the lacquer cured for three weeks. Buffed and now getting fitted with the bridge.


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PostPosted: Fri Sep 06, 2013 11:56 pm 
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How exciting! It's looking really great, Doug.



These users thanked the author Beth Mayer for the post: Doug Balzer (Sat Sep 07, 2013 7:20 am)
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PostPosted: Sat Sep 07, 2013 10:04 pm 
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FINISHED!! #2 seemed to go so much better than number one. I strung it up today...very bright, responsive with lots of volume. I am hoping the low end develops a little more as it settles in. Now that the pics are taken I will be installing a K&K Pure mini pickup. I'll post audio/video later on. Some other specs (to save you from having to go back to the beginning of this thread):
-Scratch build
-Started June 14, 2013 - finished Sept 6, 2013
-Bearclaw Sitka top, sitka bracing
-Curly walnut sides and back
-Curly maple binding
-African mahogany laminated neck
-Ebony bridge, fingerboard, headstock veneer
-Nitro Mohawk lacquer on soundbox, TruOil neck
-Weight: 4 lbs, 3.5 oz
-25.4" scale
-Gotoh 510 tuners
-I built my own outside mold using Estes' plan
-Total cost= approximately $900 including everything except shop supplies (but includes the ridiculous but obligatory shipping charges we Canucks have to endure).

BTW - my son nick named this "The Fox" with three related elements: fox paw sound port, natural 'whiskers' in the bearclaw pattern on upper bout, fox head inlay at 12th fret.

Thanks for 'tuning' in and for the help and encouragement along the way!
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Last edited by Doug Balzer on Fri Nov 01, 2013 10:01 pm, edited 9 times in total.

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