Official Luthiers Forum!

Just a quick link to the final page of my very first Weissenborn build: http://home.comcast.net/~kathymatsushita/retirement/htmlpages/weiss20.html
(There's a little video on that page, also, in case you'd like to hear how it looks and sounds.)

I just strung it up today. It was a really fun, different kind of project. Now I have to learn to play the thing!!!!

(Also, thanks, Jeff and Todd, for your help when I asked about the bridge plate thickness a while back...)

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Kathy Matsushita
San Jose, CA USA
http://theamateurluthier.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kathy.matsushita

Very nice! I always love reading through your builds. That dremel binding setup looks a little scary, with your thumb so close to the sharp part Have you tried the gramil and chisel method? It takes a while (especially if your purfling channel comes out just a hair too narrow and you have to carefully widen it freehand like I did last time...), but it's quiet and peaceful work.

Do post a build log of that harp uke case, if that's what you end up working on next. I was planning on making a case for mine as well, in the summer when the humidity is too high for instrument building. But I'm still not fully decided on how to build it... it will probably involve carbon fiber, because it will be more of a prototype for a full size harp guitar case, which I want to be reasonably light weight despite the necessarily large size.

But better yet, how 'bout joining the harp guitar club for your next project? Mine's off to a bit of a slow start, but certainly exciting Maybe smallish like this cool one by Kathy Wingert? http://www.harpguitarmusic.com/listings/hg-wingert.htm

That's lovely work, Kathy. What an interesting project. It had been too long since I last visited your website. I always find a wealth of information there and your positive, generous spirit is truly wonderful. Thanks for sharing the link with us!

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George :-)

Beautiful Weissenborn!! I love the finish....the color is just perfect.

Beautiful. Great job!

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Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from poor judgement.

That's a very beautiful guitar Kathy and sounds good too. I also think I learned how to pronounce 'Weissenborn '

I never heard of these guitars before coming to this forum and I have been interested in them ever since. I think one may have to be on my personal build project list maybe for this year. They are cool for sure.

Very Nice!!!!!!

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MK5acoustics.com

Hi, Kathy always nice to see your build, and what next build?....
nice color....

Beautiful build Kathy! Nice photography too. I must say though, your process is entirely too clean, and I hope your thumb has healed up!

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Kathy, I loved your build thread. That Tasmanian Blackwood is stunning and your bloodwood and Granadillo appointments are perfect! Beautiful instrument!! Thanks for sharing.

What a great instrument & website! You really have a lot of great info there. It's awesome that you share it so others can learn from it also. I thoroughly enjoyed it Kathy! Keep up the good work!

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The dullest pencil is sharper than the keenest mind.

Wonderful job, Kathy. What an accomplishment!

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

Thanks, everyone, for the very kind comments!!! I appreciate them all. It definitely was a really fun project (I thrive on doing all sorts of different things each time).


Dennis: There's no actual danger to my thumb with that Dremel binding attachment -- what I'm doing is pressing down on the attachment extension with my thumb (to make sure it's running parallel to the side) as I'm guiding the cutter along -- the rest of my hand is anchored over the other side of the instrument as I rout. It feels really sturdy as I'm using it, so no chance of slippage. The only thing that sometimes does happen, is that the aluminum extension does get a little bit hot (along with the smoking wood!), so I have to do it in short bits (say, a few inches at a time), so as not to burn my thumb!!!


Thanks for that link, Dennis! I knew Kathy had done a large harp guitar a while back for Frank Doucette, but didn't know she's done a little one more recently. That's an idea to consider!!!


Waddy: Thanks for your concern about my thumb!! Actually, I can't remember why I had the bandaid on my thumb in that picture --- I think it might have been when I had just removed a sliver and it felt better with a bandaid covering the spot. (It had nothing to do with the Dremel cutter!)

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Kathy Matsushita
San Jose, CA USA
http://theamateurluthier.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kathy.matsushita

Very nice looking guitar. I love the sound, so much so, I went on youtube to check out this instrument. Clinton