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I'm planning a cutaway on my latest build and when I was looking for ideas I found this one.
Has anyone done here done this? If so how would one go about it?

My mentor just built one, very similar really an outstanding look and feel

When I do a Venetian cutaway I use a squared off heel profile to make my life a bit easier than what I see in the picture. Bending the sides and bindings are harder than a non cutaway but other than a modified heel block and the tougher curves it is built like a non cutaway. I have a cutaway insert that I can put into my mold to help keep the tight curves of the cutaway. The classical heel on the guitar in the picture is really neat I have not thought of doing one that way. I have seen classical heels on a guitar with a squared off cutaway on the heel block leaving a ledge where the heel narrows. That would drive me crazy as a player.

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http://www.Harvestmoonguitars.com

I will be building in a mold this time around and I made the mold regular with the plan of adding the insert. I was thinking of making the insert with the shape I need, cutting the heel block to the heel profile, then bending the top as if it's a regular cutaway in the bending machine then tune it in to the right shape on a bending iron. I wonder if I would even need to do the last step there maybe just clamping to the heel block and the form would do it.

If it is your first cutaway, I'd recommend not trying to bend the end of the side to match the heel profile. Walk before you run.

But if you've made up your mind, do a search here on this forum for a tutorial thread entered by Mark Blanchard (is that his last name??). He put up a picture by picture tutorial on the whole process. I remember he said "and if you don't get this right... you're screwed" more than once! LOL.

I never tried to form to a classical shaped heal for a cutaway so I am not sure If trying to bend the end or force it to the block is the best way to go.
I bend bindings on a pipe as I felt I had a bit more of a feel. On the bending form I cracked bindings while bending also I use spring steel in the bending machine so getting the bindings out without exploding them took some thought. Ultimately I found I had more consistent results using a bending iron for the bindings.

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http://www.Harvestmoonguitars.com

Wes Paul,
I found it, but it wasn't actually on this forum, just mentioned here.

http://www.blanchardguitars.com/cutaway/cutaway.html

Good luck.

Dang, that's slick! Looks beautiful, too. Well done!

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

That's very beautifully done and well executed. On the Selmer guitars I built there is an angle that follows the heal but it's a straight line angle not curved like that. That was hard enough to do straight.

Wow!! that is pretty intense!!! It seems like it might be worth giving it a shot. Hmmmmm..... I might do that......
Thanks for the link Glen!!!! Thats exactly what I was looking for!

That bend to the heel block is beautiful. Got to imagine it adds an order of magnitude of difficulty. BTW, it never fails to amaze me that wood can be made to bend venetian style.

That's the kind of heel block I do for most of my cutaways and I like it a lot. I don't have a slick tutorial like Mark's though. That's spot on with all the pitfalls for this kind of cutaway. Follow that and Bob's your father's brother. I do one thing a little differently though and that is my neck is a butt joint bolt on. I used to do them like Mark but I didn't like how little thickness there was at the bottom of the heel between the mortise and the outside of the cutaway. I think the heel block is stronger without a mortise. I also make laminated heel blocks so that I'm gluing to some side grain in places. Otherwise the side of the cutaway is just glued to the end grain of the block.

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Ken Franklin
clumsy yet persistent
https://www.kenfranklinukulele.com

A couple pics of Steve'scompond cutaway

With a small headblock like that I can envision an unstable north end prone to headblock rotation. I would imagine it would be wise to have some kind of extra support- carbon tubes etc.

On my cutaways I've found it easier to cut the mortise for the neck tenon after the box is closed and bound. It's been easier to get the fretboard flush with the side

Thanks for the Blanchard link. Very cool.

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

I love the look of that. What I do not understand is:

1) How do you come up with the profile for the side of the block
2) How do you transfer it to the Heel Block.

Can anyone fill that part in for me?

Thanks you in advance!

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EddieLee

What drives me crazy as a player is those gradually sweeping heel-to-neck transitions. Blocks your thumb on the back of the neck when going for the high frets.

Yes, of course, your own attached photo proves that it can be done. That said, it won't be easy, so don't attempt it if you don't have lots of experience.

Doesn't that pretty much holds true for every step of guitar making? LOL

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Pat