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I'm pretty new here. 24 years old, almost done with build #1! Got the tuners on tonight to complete the look (almost). It's been almost 4 months since I started this build, working here and there and on weekends and I couldn't help but take pictures.
The guitar is based off of Alex Willis's plans for an OM. (Set neck [never again])
There's still a little buffing compound around the neck and soundport that really showed up in the pics- which don't do it justice. I think it turned out pretty swell.


Gotoh tuners. Sorry the image is blurry











2 fly inlays @ 12th fret

Oops, missed this angle completely. The two tone back and sides always looks weird to me in pictures. The design is much more appealing to me in person but I probaby won't ever mix and match again (or use non-wood bindings).

Hi, congrats, that's looking really good - I like your "scheme", headstock plate and backplate, 3 piece back, pearloid(?) binding. Kind of mix'n match, but it goes well together. Kind of like a patchwork quilt if you don't mind me saying so - it's meant as a compliment!
Nicely done.

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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.

Thanks for checking it out! I will sure be doing something more traditional next time around though.

Excellent work, I love the sound port And only 4 months? I've been working on mine for over 6, and still not done yet... and you're even 2 years younger. Way to go!

So have you got her strung up yet?

Nope. Haven't strung it up yet. The fretboard is radiused at 14 and it almost seems like the nut from LMI is not tall enough. Guess I'll find out when I do get it stringed up this weekend.
It's odd since my fretboard is not even a 1/4" thick but I suspect I'll need a shim under the nut.
We'll see. I'm stoked!!!

That is a quick time to get a first guitar done, but if I were that close to being done and putting strings on, I would put down the camera and get some nut files out.
Nice looking guitar, there is something cool about the mix and match, its like a good looking mutt.
Rob

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Alexander great job on #1 . I still remember how excited I was putting strings on my first instrument. My daughter was almost as eager and was happy to get up at 5am with me after gluing the bridge on the night before just to hear the first sounds.
By the way can you give me some more detail on the woods that you used ,bracing patterns etc etc?

Regards

Craig.

Sure! Thank you for looking. Here's the story-
I was in need of a new guitar. My Dad was in need of a new project- so when he said he was planning on building a guitar I jumped on board and decided to build one too. He had the last of a stash of quilted Oregon Big Leaf maple that he had gotten 12 years ago and planned to use that beautiful lumber up. We were going to test bend on some black walnut but it was so gorgeous when we were resawing the boards that I decided to incorporate them into my design.

The neck and back are quilted maple.

The soundboard is sitka spruce that my Dad got at a local yard and we re-sawed ourselves. It's tight grained and vertical and came in huge boards they said were used for sail boat masts. Tap tone's not nearly as exciting as the sinker redwood I now have waiting for my next build though- so I'll be spending a bit of $ on great quality soundboards from now on.

The bridge and fingerboard are Pau Ferro which I have a huge supply of from buying 5 board feet of at the same lumber place. It is darker than many I've seen and oils up really nice and marbly looking. I'll be using it for fingerboards for the next several guitars I think- just because it can look great with anything I'm sure.

The rosette and headstock are some of the thinnest veneer I've ever seen- sequence matched from a WoodCraft package. Some real killer Walnut Burl though I'll never use it again
.

My Dad's guitar is all Quilted Maple. Mahogany neck. Pau Ferro bindings, fingerboard and bridge. They're not twins but definitely siblings. Alex Willis OM plans. Almost by the book all the way (except I took more off my Braces since he overbraces the plans for beginners).



We actually got his strung up last night and it sounds really good! Much louder than my production piece of crap Jasmine. More sustain. Good note separation and pretty sounds!

Very nice....Where did you find the pearloid binding??