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Wow! Great looking first guitar. I really like the purflings. Overall a great level of craft shows in the guitar.

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http://www.Harvestmoonguitars.com

Well done Bob! 2 things that stick out in my mind. It appears you've done a perfect job of cutting and removing finish under that very cool bridge. A bit of an awkward shape to cut and looks like it might make for a wee bit of stress. What was your technic? The other, the backstrapped diamond volute. Looks killer. Any photos of the process. I've got a couple one piece neck blanks to practice on. I'd like to give one a go sometime.

I think you might possibly be ready to move on from a kit.

Cheers,
Danny

Hey Danny,
No stress at all removing the finish under the bridge. What I do is tape off the area where the bridge goes marking my center line of the neck and guitar body. Lay out exactly where the bridge sits and draw around it with a pencil. Then I use an X-acto knife to cut just inside the lines making sure I leave the pencil line and about 1/64". Peel the tape off that section I just cut out and use a flat blade in my X-acto knife and carefully scrape the finish off up to the tape. I then put about 3 layers of tape over the original so the bridge just slips into the space and I can feel it drop in. The last thing I do is use my X-acto blade to scrappe a slight bevel on the bottom edge of the bridge where the finish will be (that is the 1/64"). HHG and clamp it down. Been doing it like that for a long time and it seems to work for me. I have done it enough that It is no big deal any more.

As for the Backstrap around the Volute I didn't document it on mine but I pretty much followed this video on Youtube:
[url]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6Uiy5PCoes[/url]


Cheers,
Bob

Robert! What a beautiful guitar this is. Fabulous execution in all respects! So many things about this guitar that I like especially the carved volute and the purflings. Oh yes and that this was your first is my favorite of all!! Bravo!!!

Thank you Randolph, But I do not want to mislead anyone on what I did. This guitar started out as a kit and the neck was pre-carved with a blank headstock. The volute was already there but I did have to modify it to install the backstrap of Peruvian Walnut. Since I didn't have to carve it out I did have to mate it up with the backstrap which I used the method I showed in that video I just posted.

I really appreciate all the kind compliments I have gotten on this build it is after-all still a kit guitar. My initial intentions for my first build was to build from scratch but when I first came here the kind people with great advice told me I should start with a kit. I am really glad I did and I really learned a lot by doing so and my advice to anyone wanting to build their first would be exactly the advice I got.

My #2 will be from scratch and will be another parlor based on the same plans this one is. I know I will change up some of the details but it will be in the style of the Romantic Era which I have really fallen in love with.

Again, I would really like to thank everyone that helped me understand the things I thought I knew but really didn't. And for the advice to start with a kit. There is still so much to learn but I do have the basics down enough to feel confident in building my next from scratch.

I have been around a number of forums but OLF is the place to be if someone wants good advice and want to rub threads with some great people (well you cant really rub elbows )

Cheers,
Bob

Looking at that bridge just makes me smile and the rest of it is real nice too.It's very ornate but not in an in your face kind of way, more natural looking if that makes any sense.

Amazing guitar. Superb work.

Fantastic first effort !
You must have spent a fortune on purfling though...

I too love the old designs from that era. Great stuff.

_________________
"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 much gentelmen.

@jfmckenna.

The bridge is pretty much in the style of Louis Panormo. If you are not familiar with the Romantic Era Parlor Guitars a lot of them had similar bridges and styling. I actually designed this one in CAD and transfered it onto my bridge blank and cut it out using a jewlers saw and chisels. I tried to keep the classical style while adapting it to a steel string bridge so the body of it had to be a little bit beefier. I think I got the proportions about right though.

@Johnny, Thanks, I am just starting #2 in a similar style (Romantic Era) and just laying out the rosette and perfling scheme. I like #1 but think #2 will be really special.

@Don Williams,

Actually the cost on the perfling was really time. I had the 4/4 maple stock and bought the Peruvian Walnut which was also 4/4 stock. I think I lucked out on the Walnut because I found a 8"X 10' 4/4 board that was almost a perfect quartersawn board at Woodcraft. I bought it for the perfling but have enough to cut a few backs and sides out of. It has beautiful straight grain so it should make some nice pieces.

Bob

Fantastic Bob!!!! Amazing first guitar...kit or not.

Well how cool is that!
Love everything about it.

Oh my....I am searching for an appropriate descriptor....pretty, tasteful, clever execution.....they all work. I'll go with colloquial....dang that is nice! Congratulations on such a fine first effort!

What's next on the build list?