Guitar #6 (in progress )

[JLB builders LLC]

Amazing!!!! from someone who has been playing guitar for 23 yrs  [eek] I bow to you

 

[fritter63]

Amazing!!!! from someone who has been playing guitar for 23 yrs  [eek] I bow to you

Thx!

 

[fritter63]

Haven't posted an update in awhile, in fact, haven't even had time to lurk the FOG lately. Here's an update on why:

DISASTER STRIKES.

Here's the body of the guitar, all finished with it's last coats of lacquer sprayed on it.

Beautiful, eh? Well, what you can't see in the pictures, is that I turned it over after the last coats to find that the back had no less than 3 cracks in the wood. These were along a single hairline flaw in the wood (mirrored on each side of course due to the bookmatching of the wood).

I certainly knew this flaw was there, and had in fact taken steps to mitigate it by cross patching on the inside of the back on one side, but you can't fight the forces of mother nature. It may have been triggered by the cold when I left it in the barn while the lacquer vented, or maybe I put too much pressure on it while resting on four bench cookies (which would have been suspiciously located where the cracks were). But nevertheless, it was destined to open up.

after considering my options (route the back off and make a new one, route the top of off and try to put it on a new body) I realized the only choice was to build a new body from scratch.

This one won't go to waste.. I'll put a simple pre-fab neck on it and give it to my son for his "beach guitar".

So here's a couple pics, will post pics of the new body next:

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[fritter63]

Here's some pics of the new body. I decided to give up on the Granadillo rosewood for now. The replacement set arrived with another crack halfway down one side. That's 3 sets in a row that had issues (the first set warped and cracked on a flaw before I even got started on it). I did get a good set of Granadillo from the seller, but it arrived just this friday, too late for me to use it.

So this is Higuerilla Rosewood. Tonewoods arrived on Tuesday night, I finished the binding work on Saturday around lunch.

Four days, maybe 20 hours (I think less). It's like I'm getting the hang of this....

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[Michael Kellough]

Mighty fine work!

Which type of glue is that and where do you use it?

Do you use hot hide glue?

 

[fritter63]

Mighty fine work!

Which type of glue is that and where do you use it?

Do you use hot hide glue?

It's just Gorilla brand wood glue (PVA).

I don't think many luthiers use hide glue anymore, too much problem with creep.

Main thing you need is ability to release with heat for repairs.

 

[fritter63]

Mighty fine work!

Which type of glue is that and where do you use it?

Do you use hot hide glue?

Forgot to add that for bindings and purflings, I use superglue (hot stuff).

I fit them dry with lots of tape , then dribble the glue in. It wicks in on its own.

Reduces stress a LOT

 

[Sparktrician]

The replacement set arrived with another crack halfway down one side. That's 3 sets in a row that had issues (the first set warped and cracked on a flaw before I even got started on it). I did get a good set of Granadillo from the seller, but it arrived just this friday, too late for me to use it.

Fritter, what do you mean by "sets"?  Are these rough pre-cuts?  I'm not a luthier; just curious. 

 

[fritter63]

The replacement set arrived with another crack halfway down one side. That's 3 sets in a row that had issues (the first set warped and cracked on a flaw before I even got started on it). I did get a good set of Granadillo from the seller, but it arrived just this friday, too late for me to use it.

Fritter, what do you mean by "sets"?  Are these rough pre-cuts?  I'm not a luthier; just curious. 

Yes, when you buy tone woods for a guitar, you buy a (book matched, two pieces) back set with a two sides. I'm not sure how they get the sides, but they are at least color matched to the back. Usually about 3/16" thick. I join them rough (using the TS-55 to make the cut!) and then run them through the drum sander to get a perfect flat and thicknessed back at about .110" thick. Sides, usually .090 to .110 after thinning (need something left to sand down after assembly).

This set of Higuerrilla, they recommended bending at .080. I bent at .110, that just seemed too thin to me.

 

[fritter63]

Some pictures after the last coats of lacquer. I have to say I'm amazed at how good it is. No sign of "orange peeling" at all, this will be easy to sand down.

Not bad for a rattle can spray!

Look at that curly Koa binding pop....

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[peter halle]

Stunning would be an understatement!  WOW!