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Monday, December 25, 2017

Building a Weissenborn Style 4 Guitar

This was a gift which is why there was nothing here until it was done.

The plan was to build a pretty much classic Weissenborn, a style 4 which has the most ornamentation and all Koa wood. The only bits not Koa are the bracing (Mahogany & Sitka Spruce) , the bindings (Mahogany & Maple) and the majority of the peghead (Mahogany). The bridge is also Rosewood veneered with Koa..

This was my first try at making rope bindings it was "interesting" and a bit challenging especially incorporating them into the rosette..

Step One - Make a Form
I like this style because it can be adjusted
In many ways the build was simpler than a "regular" acoustic guitar but it did require a bit of thinking about the order of steps which is a bit different and the rope binding & rosette was challenging ...

Making the binding

Strips of mahogany & maple glued up on a 45deg angle

After the first glue up

Then cut along the 45deg angle into strips

Strips are glued to a purfling for both looks and support.. Lots of clamps
Bindings ready for a final sizing and sanding
Fretboard inlay


Filled with Timbermate harded with ca glue
Rosette

Try #3.. ended up inserting it 3 or 4 segments @ a time
All the rest