Carl's guitar project.

[warpedbored]

This was my week to score wood. First a friend who's moving gave me a panel of Macassar Ebony that's about 7 board feet. Today a friend sold me a sheet of redwood burl veneer about 18" X 48" for $15.00 that is exactly what I've been looking for to make guitar rosettes with.

 

http://oi44.tinypic.com/fodl7d.jpg

http://oi39.tinypic.com/vicu8w.jpg

[warpedbored]

I took my new buffer for a test run today and buffed out the bridge. This is just the natural wood with no finish on it and the first grade of buffing compound not the finest. Oily woods like Ziricote, Cocobolo, ebony etc can be buffed to a fair shine without any finish or wax.

http://oi43.tinypic.com/2mmwv21.jpg

[Mick]

Really nice work, Carl. It is amazing how great the wood looks even without finish or wax. The end is in sight my friend...

[Oldfriend]

It's perfect the way the grain flows with the manmade.

You either have the good eye or one hell of a Zen thing going.

One with the wood, baby!

 

I'll wager that it will be one of those "See the music" highs when you

strum your first augmented-minor chord.

[warpedbored]

 

 

I'll wager that it will be one of those "See the music" highs when you

strum your first augmented-minor chord.

Gee I was thinking more like playing twinkle twinkle little star.

[warpedbored]

Today was buffing day. I buffed out the whole guitar. Next up glue the bridge on put the tuners on, cut the nut slots, shape the saddle and do the set up. Just when I thought I was almost done I realized I still have a lot to do.

http://oi41.tinypic.com/9s3qlh.jpghttp://oi43.tinypic.com/oszeio.jpg

http://oi41.tinypic.com/2z513jd.jpg

[tsap seui]

That baby is shore nuff a shiner, Carl. Soon you'll be a pickin' n ah grinnin' singin' and makin' the cats howl.

 

tsap seui

[warpedbored]

I'm sure you're right about making the cats howl Ronny.

Here it is with the pick guard and tuners on.

http://oi39.tinypic.com/1126djl.jpg

http://oi42.tinypic.com/i20ufk.jpg

[Allon]

Carl,

 

I am late to this project being a newbie but have pllayed and taught classical guitar for years. Also played for a band (lead) in a younger life.

 

Good lutheirs are hard to find. I have been many many places looking for good classicals and flamenco models but I have always noted a skimp of each model, except for the real expensive ones. They would put in a rosewood fingerboard for instance instead of ebony, which is getting harder to find. And rosewood sides and back are often skipped for mahogany or something heavier, nicer, but deadens the sound.

 

And a real flamenco is all cypress.

 

I'm curious, and this may have been asked before, what kind of price would you put on a classical made with all rosewood sides and back (maybe quarter sawed in back?) with an ebony fingerboard? Those are just the basics, a bone bridge and nut, and teflon coated tuning instruments.

 

You might have something here......

[warpedbored]

Carl,

 

I am late to this project being a newbie but have pllayed and taught classical guitar for years. Also played for a band (lead) in a younger life.

 

Good lutheirs are hard to find. I have been many many places looking for good classicals and flamenco models but I have always noted a skimp of each model, except for the real expensive ones. They would put in a rosewood fingerboard for instance instead of ebony, which is getting harder to find. And rosewood sides and back are often skipped for mahogany or something heavier, nicer, but deadens the sound.

 

And a real flamenco is all cypress.

 

I'm curious, and this may have been asked before, what kind of price would you put on a classical made with all rosewood sides and back (maybe quarter sawed in back?) with an ebony fingerboard? Those are just the basics, a bone bridge and nut, and teflon coated tuning instruments.

 

You might have something here......

First off, welcome to CFL. This is my first guitar. I don't have enough experience yet to build them for money. It's an art that takes years to master. It is also a steel string and all of my jigs are oriented that way. From what I've read I think a classical is easier to build in many ways. You don't need such a strong neck joint, the finger board isn't radiused and the bracing doesn't need to be as heavy. Fan bracing is used instead of an X brace. The finish is more time consuming. French polish shellac is used instead of lacquer.

 

You mentioned rosewood but didn't specify which one. Rosewood is a big family. I'm going to assume you mean Brazilian rosewood since that is highly sought after by classical players. Brazilian rosewood is an endangered species and illegal to import to the US the same as ivory or tortoise shell.. A back and sides set can cost anywhere from $300.00 for poor quality to $4500.00 for grade A stuff. You can still buy it from within the US from people who brought it here many years ago. Another major problem is because of the Lacey Act, if you took the guitar out of the country you could be arrested trying to bring it back in. Indian Rosewood is a popular substitute but many other woods are very good. Ziricote or Pau Ferro for example.

 

Ebony as you mentioned is getting scarce. The really jet black stuff is almost impossible to find. Most guitar builders these days are using Gabon ebony which has streaks of gray in it. Madagascar ebony has also been banned from import but can be found if you're willing to pay the price. Macassar ebony is also used but is usually very stripey. It's a good choice though because it's more stable than other ebonies and is still available quartersawn.

 

Here in Portland where I live top notch luthiers are easy to find. Some of the worlds best live here. Charles Fox, Peter Tsorba, Jeff Elliot, Mike Doolin and George Smith to name a few, all build great classical guitars. I know Charles and George personally and wouldn't hesitate to recommend either of them. Expect to pay a sizable chunk of change though. I would estimate $6K and up for one.

 

Now if you want to embark on an adventure into lutherie check out The American School Of Lutherie and come to Portland to build one. http://www.americanschooloflutherie.com/ Charles Fox is a hero of mine. A man I admire greatly. There is no one better at teaching the art. The price is $3500.00 plus materials which isn't bad considering you go home with a guitar.

[warpedbored]

Today I glued on the bridge, drilled the bridge pin holes through the body and reamed them to fit the pins. I'm ready to shape and slot the nut, shape the saddle and get on with the set up. It looks like a finished guitar even if it isn't. I can always hang it on the wall and call it art.

http://oi43.tinypic.com/27xmett.jpg

[warpedbored]

Today I finished slotting the bridge so the strings will clear the pins and started shaping the nut and saddle. Tedious painstaking work. A few months ago I bought an already made nut and saddle so I would have something to compare mine to. They won't work on this guitar because they are too narrow. I finger pick so I like a little wider nut and string spacing than most steel string guitars. More like the old 1930s Martins. Anyway I decided to pull out a string and test fit it into the bridge slot to make sure it would clear the pegs. While I had a string out I decided to go ahead and put it on. Not having a finished nut or saddle I put the ones I bought on. I tuned it up to pitch and tried it out. Naturally the action is still a little high but there was no buzz and the compensation on the saddle I bought sounded pretty close. The notes were nice and crisp with good sustain. Now this was just one string mind you and I still have to adjust the truss rod, fine tune the nut and saddle and zero in on the saddle compensation but I have every reason to believe this is going to be a great sounding guitar. Also now I know the nut and saddle height will be pretty close to the ones I bought so I have a closer starting point than I would have otherwise.

[Randy W]

A nice little test run there - great job!

[tsap seui]

Carl, I've got the perfect song for you to play on that thar beautiful geetar. I have been practicing the words to this song and almost have it down pat even though I can't carry a note in a 55 gallon drum. If'n you will just keep the strummin' going without laughin' at me too much I think we'll have a hit.

 

This song is one of my favorites of all time, and sung by a guy I idolized as a kid. Why he took an Elvis song and kicked ol' Pelvis Elvis to the curb with his dynamic singin' voice which would have the women swooning and throwing their underwear on stage like we were at a ban the bra convention.. I've got me a few years of practice in at this point and I have a feelin' you and I could go on the road with our act. In that event I've even bought myself a Pee Wee Herman look alike suit so that folks would easily tell that this was serious stuff.

 

Here's the song, get yoreself some more strangs on that beautiful geetar and start practicing. I'll fly out to Portland and we'll git down to some serious rehearsin'. You and I is going places buddy, and I mean well beyond the funny farm....hopefully. What with yore fancy pickin' n' ah grinnin' and my hip shakin' n' smooth woman tantalizin' voice accompanying you the sky is the limit....well beyond pigs in space so to speak. Only potential problem I can see is if'n our wimmin folk is okay with us'in travelin' around and performin' with a bunch of star struck wimmin throwin' their clothes at us onstage.

 

 

tsap seui

 

I'm both proud and in awe of your craftsmanship Carl. Not many folks could done what you have done with this project. That geetar is indeed a work of art.

Edited July 25, 2013 by tsap seui (see edit history)

[DocMartin817]

I love it. Great -- I can imagine the performance!