Official Luthiers Forum!

If you didn't catch the other dicussion here it is.
viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=40326
OK, now it's onto the front!
Edit;
Oh yeah, Inspired by Weissgerber Guitar's carvings by Paul Uhlemann.

Stunning!

This is awesome Chris!

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Alain Moisan
Former full time builder of Acoustics, Classicals and Flamencos.
(Now building just for fun!)

I am impressed. I don't even want to think about the amount of work involved in that head-stock.

Bob

Now there's a pretty sight!

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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.

Now there's something you can sure be proud of Steve. I love to see beautiful workmanship and that does not get any better.

Cheers,
Danny

Chris, it really is a remarkable bit of carving. With regard to your first thread on the subject, I don't think you need a class. But if you think it will help you, go for it. I am pretty sure you will be more accomplished than the instructor. However it goes, please let us know, and don't be falsely modest about it. You have done a wonderful thing with the back of this headstock. What does the front look like?

Patrick

I'm starting to work on the design of the front . The back was practice.

Very cool Chris,
Looks like leather.
L.

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Cut to size.....Beat to fit.....Paint to match.

I was thinking the same thing, kinda looks like carved leather!

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Old growth, shmold growth!

Old school kewlness.

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"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

That's beautiful Chris!

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Jim Watts
http://jameswattsguitars.com

Can't stop staring...
The intricate design alone is amazing, and the fact that your implemented it to near perfection is inspiring!
Congratulations!

Chris, this really is the most impressive piece of headstock carving that I've seen, and it's the underside. Don't know how you could top this (no pun intended). I'll be saving a picture of this for inspiration. Thanks for posting.

You sir, are one talented dude.

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

Thanks, if you all are interested in seeing some amazing guitars and some with amazing carvings then check out this book which is about Richard Jacob and his Weissgerber Guitars several of his high end models have the head stock carvings by Paul Uhlemann. Richard Jacob was definately a progressive Luthier who produced an amazing amount of instruments with some new looks .
http://www.guitarsalon.com/p4002-master ... erber.html
Also check out this Facebook page by Christian Koehn, Koehn Guitars.
Christian did the photos and guitar specs for the book and has done repairs on Weissgerber Guitars over the years.
he has made an amazing repo of a Weissgerber , check it out.
https://www.facebook.com/chris.paulick? ... 731&type=1
https://www.facebook.com/chris.paulick? ... 731&type=1
As you can see Christian is an Amazing Luthier as well. I was blown away when I first saw his Repo and that's what got me interested in learning to do this type of appointment. Another way to have an enjoyable artistic outlet other then the rosette.
I hope others will give it ago too.

Looks great Chris !

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Anderson Guitars
Clearwater,Fl. 33755

If anyone is interesting in seeing some progress photos of this venture then check out the thread I posted over at MIMF.com
http://www.mimf.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=2225
I'm not sure but you may have to join to view it but pretty sure most have registered over there. If not then do, cost nothing and they have a valuable library there. I'm pretty sure they may have been the first Lutherie forum out there, at least the first one I knew of. I'm startin to feel old???

Chris,
That is absolutely beautiful
I agree with others that you'd probably know more than the instructor
in a class.

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Gene

Politicians and diapers must be changed often, and for the same reason- Mark Twain

Excellent work. Is that ebony? What sort of tools do you use?

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http://www.tinyhouseandland.com

Simply amazing....!

That is pretty amazing. How many hours do you think you have invested in that?

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http://www.CostaGuitars.com
PMoMC

That's too cool for me not to copy!
Well, I'll at least try to copy

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A man hears what he wants to hear, and disreguards the rest. Paul Simon

Yes Ebony, Several gouges , knives , gunstock checkering liners, V tool chisel and a 400K rpm pneumatic handpiece(denist type drill) with small carbide ball end bit for the stippling.
Not sure on the hours carving. Maybe 50 or more. Hard to say since I worked mostly on weekends and would carve and walk away for a bit then carve and the such. I might think someone who knew what they were doing could do it way faster then me. A lot of time in design and layout and getting up tools and learning watching videos, reading books, searching the web..
I do know and have learned a good designed will not done perfectly will look better then a bad design done perfect. Also laying out correctly is very important. Not unlike any art project. After all the carving is the craft and the design is the art. Not unlike lutherie or inlay. I mean anyone can get a guitar kit and build it or even build a guitar and learn the craft but when does it turn into an art or a piece of art?

Chris, that is totally sick!! (My kids tell me that's a modern
compliment)