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What you working on just now? What was the build up to it? How did you decide?

Last week I published a post about working within certain limitations, about setting yourself a brief. That's what I sometimes do when working on a new design. Here it is:

http://www.theluthierblog.com/articles/ ... ool-voice/

How do you decide on what to make next? Was it informed by the last instrument you made or did an idea just come out the blue?

What you working on just now?

nigel
http://www.theluthierblog.com/

Well, I'm hoping to pay the Hydro bill...

I am setting up a laminated brace, ladder braced GC-6 BRW that I just finished. It's been a longtime project as I replaced the Larson laminated X braced top with ladder as I had good results with a Concert ladder BRW.
Also on the bench are a Stella 12 string ready to buff, a GC-12 and Parlor 6 ready to finish, a GC-6 laminated X brace, half the finish on, a new white oak/red spruce GC-6 with a new purfling, and a F5C mandolin ready to finish if I ever get the lacquer out of the booth...
How I decide what to build next depends on orders. Left to my own, I would probably build another Holzapfel 12 next with some mods on the bracing. GC-6's are heavy on my list, and I would also build more white oak guitars as I am a firm believer in the wood. My instruments are pretty standardized by now, but I do get flashes while building that spur me on to modify bracing, or combine ladder or Larson laminated X bracing with different backs and sides for different tonal qualities. Another goal of mine is to try to achieve that Stella tone in on shorter scale. Twenty-six and 1/2" is just too long for me.

Hi Hans,

When you figure that out, I would love to get in on the secret . I am building a 25.4" scale GC in white oak now (albeit, it takes me a long time to finish guitars). I plan to brace it as close to the 2 Stella GC guitars that I own. I love the 26.5" scale for bottleneck... but conventional fretting, its a bear.

Glenn

Hah!
Glenn, that GC-12 has a 25" scale and ladder bracing, so I am working on it! Actually takes me a long time to build a guitar too as finishing in lacquer is a long term process in itself. Then I also shut it down for the winter, so I probably have a 6 month window for finishing and then also have to deal with the summer humidity.
Should I ever get it figured out, I will document it all...

I've just started a side-by-side build of an OM and a parlor, very simple appointments, laminated sides. I'm hoping to have them look exactly the same except for the shape of the body (and the neck geometry, of course).
I decided to do this so I could have two very different sounding acoustic guitars to show potential clients, all I have right now are classical guitars and that's not everyone's cup of tea.
Part of the reason for making two different body shapes at the same time is to see what steps can be transposed from one guitar to any other, what can be done together and what has to be done separately.

And I've had a possible electric guitar build in the back of my mind for a while, still can't decide on a shape I like, I might have to make one up from scratch. Or just make a simple telecaster, I'm torn. Whichever gets ordered first, I guess.

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I'm still building my workshop and collecting wood and tools for when I reopen hopefully this fall. Fortunately I have a temp repair station set up and have been busy.

currently it's a repair & set-up on a small travel guitar along with a cedar/primavera size 2 build that is almost ready for finish. next will be a 000-12 in adi/walnut for no other reason then just because i want one. i also plan to jump into pick-up winding towards the end of the year as well to coincide with some electric guitar hot rodding. a possible small bodied harp guitar and a parlor sized 12 string have been requested. i also have a uruguayian harp design and some materials for that ready to go.

no plans, no thinking, no lists, i just do. i leave the structured creativity for the day job. i'm told it's a problem but i just don't really care.

I have several that I am at the early stages of.

-two 6 string box guitars, loosely inspired by cigar box guitars, but with Fender style necks. I was doing some work in a remote community and was looking for something that was simple and could be built without a lot of tooling.
-a ladder braced acoustic, inspired to do so by the work of Haans Brentrup!
-two "0" size fan/X hybrids of differing configurations. Inspired by the PRS acoustic efforts. I might do a regular X brace version, too for comparison. I like smaller guitars and I want to explore the potential.
-a fan/laddler hybrid steel string, based upon a Vicente Arias bracing that I used on a previous nylon string. I feel that this has potential. Also, I see that my friend Alan Beardsell has been using it.
-3 Tele Thinline bodies with figured maple tops, two are on Walnut bodies with Walnut binding, and Walnut necks. Because Teles are cool, Thinlines are cool, and Walnut is so chocolately delicious.

I am also planning on doing a trio of Torres guitars as accurately as possible, FE17, FE18, and FE19. This will be a real discipline and other work will need to be cleared up first.

That means I have to get the viola da gamba finished!

But I am also trying to finish some home renovations and income generating work! Money is useful.

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Expectation is the source of all misery; comparison the thief of joy.
http://redrivercanoe.ca/

I like this thread. Have to finish my second Uke. Then I have to begin on a Tenor guitar. That's going to be a trip as I've never even seen one except on TV. Played a tenor banjo for awhile. But tuned it as if it was a 5 string. DGBD. If anybody has any expertise in tenors would appreciate any help. I did order a slotted Tenor fretboard so that helps immensely. Thanks in advance.


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Too much really Pre war spec Gibson AJ, Macacuaba, Red Spruce, 1937 Spec Herringbone D-28 Black Locust, Red Spruce, 1937 spec, 13 fret Gibson Nick Lucas Special, Birdseye Maple, Bearclaw Lutz, 1937 spec O-18 Houduras Mahogany Red Spruce

Well, my sister in law said she wanted a Tele last month.
This one is more of a chore than an inspiration.
I'm afraid I'm getting burned out.

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wah
Wah-wah-wah-wah
Wah

EDIT: My limit on this one is that it had to be English grown woods...

Wasn't going to show it till I'd got some work done on it but I finally got hold of my English grown WRC and can't resist showing it off!!!



And a bog oak fretboard... I just put photos of them into this drawing I did last month, I don't think I'm going to make it a 7 string after all... It's tempting but I'm a bit worried people will call it a gimmick and that maybe even I won't take to playing a 7 string.

I really love the top (thanks to David Dyke!). I'm putting the wider grain in the centre as that's the best quartered side.

If I get it done by Halloween, then I'll be entering it in the 2014 OLF challenge.

Also got an English Walnut neck as almost everyone told me not to use the English Oak neck I had lined up for it.

This is the back and sides...



It has taken me a long time to get all this wood together but I think it has been worth it. I'm liking the look of it.

I'm using English grown Cedar of Lebanon for the bracing as it had the best strength to weight ratio of any of the English grown woods I could find. Very close to sitka. Been quite a fun project just choosing and sourcing the wood! Hardly begun on the actual building of it!

I love it Nick. Nice choice of woods BTW


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I'm working on a cedar/EIR OM and a Sitka/sapele symphony size. The OM is already closed up. The other one is about an hour away from getting closed up.

The motivation for the OM is to build a warm fingerstyle guitar. The motivation for the symphony sized guitar is to see if I can duplicate the success of the previous one which was Sitka/h.mahogany.

In both cases the wood I'm using is really affordable - always has to be. As a hobby builder I'm just trying to get my money out of the instruments and will have a tough time doing that if I let myself get into things like sinker redwood and ziricote. Beautiful as those things are, I'm just a bit too practical about them.

The other motivation that started me off this time around was building two at the same time - to see how many efficiencies there would be, and for the fun of having two new guitars around at the same time. In another month or two I'll know if I like small batching (I already know that the clear coat has the potential to drive me mad), and if I feel like the instruments improved or suffered with the system.

Thanks for asking Nigel!

Phil

Starting a couple of new 640 Classicals.

One with Bob's Curly Padauk, and one with a set of OLF Indonesian Rosewood.

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Hmm well summertime I'm busy with other things like hikes, kayaking and yard work BUT I'm also working on updating a few jigs and getting the forms etc ready to go for some builds in September.. I'm Looking at a tenor guitar based on a Gibson LO body shape but scaled down to a 21.375" scale .. and X braced.. I'm also going to be doing a Tenor Uke of all Canadian woods for some friends who are visiting from the UK, they won't get it until Christmas since they arrive in 5 days LOL...

BTW Lonnie I've done a couple of tenors based on plans out there an old regal copy & one off some Scott Antes plans.. I've also made a tenor based on a Martin size 5 or Terz body.. I'm far from an expert builder but I'd be happy to share what little I know.. I've also got an old 1930s or so tenor banjo that needs a new fingerboard sitting waiting for me to do something with it..

Kerry

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My Luthier's Blog...http://klwstrings.blogspot.com

days away from finishing my second electric, kind of the opposite of Nigel this one didn't really have any limits, except for backing off of the original inlay idea I had which would have probably killed me. If I hadn't messed up the finish around the countersinks for the neck bolts it'd be ready for electronics today, but I don't like to make it that easy I guess. I'm not going to show any pics right now as I'd rather wait to post them once I get her all together but I'm feeling pretty happy with this one.

I have 3 in the works - a tenor uke, 13 fret L00 and a fan fret parlour.
The fan fret is the second I have made. The first one I made with ladder bracing and has potato chipped somewhat. It is a good sounding parlour though and I love the shape but have decided to go with an x brace for this one and also build in a better controlled environment!
I usually have the overall look of a build in my head before starting but have decided to try to just let this one happen....
Happen so far is struggling with bending padauk!

Derek, if your top is potato chipping, you either need a thicker top or stiffer. My guess is the top is not thick enough. Do not be afraid to make the top in the .115-.120" range.

Thanks Kerry; I'll be building this tenor on a Martin L2 body with a 23" scale. Glad I've got someone to bounce ideas off. Not ready to start it yet. Have to clean up a few things first. Getting everything together. Back and sides black Limba I got from Aaron Hix a nice WRC top. Sitka bracing a. Haven't really decided on the neck wood yet. Either Khaya or Honduran mahogany. Probably Ho Duran as the rich brown should go real well with the black Limba. Ebony fretboard bound in curly maple. Planning on Ebony to bind the box. Abalone purfling. It's for a girl so gotta make it kinda girly.


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Thanks Haans. It was one of my first builds and was just feeling my way. The top is too thin and I think my bracing was a bit light too - maybe why it sounds so good though!!
I have based my design around a 12 fret slothead - I made the first with a paddle head though

BTW I am a great admirer of your wonderful guitars/mandolins.

Kerry just received my slotted fretboard in the mail. Surprised me to see a zero fret on it. Now it's supposed to be a 23" scale. But measuring from the zero fret to the 12th fret. I get approximately 11 3/8". Doubling that gives me right at 23 3/4. Checking on different websites shows that to be the case. I was told 23" I expected 23". Also the zero fret threw me off as I've never dealt with one before. As the scale length was from the nut to the saddle. Now I expected to use a fixed bridge. Would I be better served by putting a tailpiece and moveable bridge for proper intonation?


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I'm trying to get in the mood to go back to work on a mandolin. All the critical glue ups were completed in the early winter months. Then I stepped away from that to put the finish on a tenor banjo--many thin coats of Tru Oil, so it was a long process. More recently, I've been trying to figure out how to actually play the thing. My fingers keep looking for two more strings. I also took some time to complete a painting that had been on and off the easel for a year and a half. I had a lot of "chore" work, too. We had the very old floors throughout our house restored, and I've been trimming out base shoe. Last week I re-hung a swinging door between kitchen and dining room. There are always lots of unfinished projects surrounding me.

Lonnie, I'm thinking you typo-ed and your actual scale is 22 3/4" which would certainly work for a tenor but you are right is not 23"! I have built one tenor with a zero fret and fixed bridge. I have also built one tenor with a tailpiece and moveable bridge (and one with no zero fret and fixed bridge - yes I'm all over the map).. obviously that makes intonation easier but you can also get the intonation right with a fixed bridge, I'm a bout 50% successful in my builds getting really good intonation on fixed bridges so I have not got it dialled in for tenors yet.... I can get them good but I would not call them 100% on all of them...

I do find the zero fret makes set up easier as the nut is out of the picture as far as string height goes but of course the nut gives you more flexibility as well pretty much a personal thing, early on I built mostly with the zero fret, then lately I have stopped using it.. Zero fret has no effect on intonation other than of course you can't do compensation at the nut if that is your thing...

I do think the zero fret is a legit choice and have no issues with it..

Stewmac has a good trade secrets video about how to find the exact correct bridge position with a temporary tailpiece..

Kerry

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My Website http://klw-strings.com
My Luthier's Blog...http://klwstrings.blogspot.com