Summers End

Well summer is done so all the home summer projects are either done or postponed until next year..

Before I did take a break I did finish the two Parlour guitars so they are now up for sale.. The long scale Tenor guitar is almost ready for final polish and buff. and I'm preping for the next builds.

Coming up will be a nylon sting crossover model in Mexican Cypress and Western Red Cedar.

After that one is started I think I'll be working on a new Ukulele design similar to those of Jay Lichty, https://lichtyguitars.com/ukuleles/ Jay has been kind enough to publish his basic design for a larger bodied long scale Ukulele. So I think I'll give a slightly modified version of that a try.

There will also be another L-0 bodied guitar coming as I think that is a great size that fits between the Parlour and OM sizes.

I've also been designing some changes to the basic way I build guitars. For several years now I've done a completely bolt on neck where the fingerboard extension is not glued down to the body and that works but the next logical extension of the is the raised fretboard guitar which will allow future changes to increase the vibrating area of the top> So I'll be doing that on upcoming guitars.

Also I've been looking at arm bevels and scooped cutaways and looking for a way to do them on most of not all guitars with out over complicating things. So to that end I'm going to try some modeled after a version used by Ontario luthier Ted Woodford http://www.woodfordinstruments.com/home.

So That should keep me busy for awhile..

Here are some photos of the completed Parlours

Multi Scale
Rosewood & Spruce 

Claro Walnut &
Torrified Red
(Adirondack) Spruce

 

Just Need Some Strings

Feels good to be finally ready for setup and strings on this guitar. I'm very curious to see how it sounds as it is my first excursion int the classical/nylon sting world.

It is a basic classical body shape but with a narrower  and radiused fretboard. Bracing is based on a Flamenco guitar plan but modified to hopefully give back some sustain. ( Sorry Paco)..

FINALLY.. a Polished Finish!

Well that took a couple of do overs and a bit of cursing but finally go the finish on the Crossover Guitar done.. Used Royal Lac Post Catalyzed finish.. Works nice once I sorted out all my issues..

Now I need to finish the bridge, do the fret ends and glue on the bridge...

Finishing and Starting

Nice when things progress smoothly..

The Crossover guitar has had it coats of Royal-Lac post catalyzed finish applied, A new finish that I am trying for the first time and so far so good, it does get very good reviews by those who have tried it. it needs to cure for 5 days then I can buff/polish it.

The Tenor Ukulele is done and plays actually quite nice despite all the build issues.

The Celtic Hap has had the pillar and neck cut to shape and I need to start on the soundboard glue up soon.

Also new projects are getting going:

I've jointed 3 tops to take to the guitar voicing course I'm going to in June so I just need to fit the rosettes to those and they are ready to go.  Of course that will take some time as I am trying a slightly different way of building rosettes as I mentioned earlier.

I've also started another Tenor Ukulele this one using Wenge (left over from the crossover guitar) and Western Red Cedar.

Lastly I've started a bit of an experimental instrument. I really like the Mandocello sound but personally don't play double courses of strings very well and also that low C on a Mandocello is tough to get enough tension on using a scale length I like so I'm trying what I call a Cello Guitar. A 4 string guitar tuned to Cello tuning CGDA and using nylon strings designed for Goldtone's Cello Banjo... I just need to decide on the bracing for the top.  I'm using a Gibson L0 body shape so either a classical style fan bracing or maybe a version of Gibson old H bracing for that body style. We will see..

"Scraps" from cutting out the harp parts, I'll need to find some way of  using all that Koa and Walnut

The start of a Tenor Uke

Tenor Uke Rosette, Koa on Western Red Cedar

Bridges

The bridges for both the cross over and the uke are made, mostly CNC with a bit of hand work, Came out not too bad, Not attached in the photos, just sitting there.

Now on to pore filling Wenge..

CNC setup

Necks Carved on Both

Both the Crossover guitar and the Tenor Ukulele have the necks carved now.. The Crossover is Wenge for the back and sides so lots of pore filling to do for that one and then I need to make a couple of bridges, finish the fretwork and put the finish on both.

Time for One of the Fun Parts

Progress is good, ready to start carving the neck on the Crossover Guitar and just have to fret the Ukulele and I can start on that neck as well.. that and make some bridges and I can start finish prep..

Binding on the cutaway turned out OK as well..Nice for a first try..

Cutaway point binding, the tricky part.

Neck & Headstock Work

So I'm actually making progress on the crossover guitar..

The neck to body attachment is mostly done and the tuner slots are routed into the headstock.

This will be a completely removable neck so it has what can best be described in wood working terms as a floating tenon which is glued into a mortise in the neck and floats in a mortise in the body similar to a regular bolt on mortise & tenon neck. The reason for the floating tenon glued into the neck is to that propell nuts can be used and there is no possibility they will tear-out of neck end grain.

There will also eventually be a fingerboad support routed into the body.

Tenon with Propell Nuts

Neck Mortise

Glued in Place

Ready to Route the Slots

Done

Came out good!

Test fitting tuners

New Year - Same Guitar

OK this Crossover Guitar just does not want to become a guitar. I've been trying to make progress but it has been two steps forward and one back.. Speaking of backs the guitar has a new one after the last one did not do well with the humidity changes here.

It is however now finally looking like a guitar.. nothing is permanently attached yet but it does all fit.

Whew......

Tops Done

So the Ukulele top and the Guitar top are braced and voiced ready to go on the rims.

I'm bending new Ukulele rims as I was not happy with the original, oh well that's the way it goes sometimes.

Hopefully I can get the boxes closed in the next few days.

The guitar top still needs the cut out removed but I am doing that after it is braced and voiced, not sure if that is the correct approach but that's how I'm doing this one.

Progress.....

I've made a bit of headway on the Crossover Guitar.. The back is jointed and glued and the sides are bent and glued to the blocks with the cutaway done.

I also wanted to make my own bindings so I could try a bit of a different design. Essentially a regular binding with a shallow rabbet cut in the front face to accept a piece of veneer. This should make a nice stiff binding and give the option of using various veneers for aesthetics.. TO that end I made a jig awhile ago to aid int cutting the kerfings in the bindings. It worked pretty well. the jig is based on one from the Australian and New Zealand Luthiers Forum..

http://www.anzlf.com/viewtopic.php?t=1269

Sides with the cutaway defined and ready for kerfed linings

Kerfing going on the back side

Progress thus far..

Two Necks

I had a bit of time this weekend to do some work on the Crossover Guitar and Tenor Uke.. I've got the two neck roughly cut to size..

Maybe time to joint the tops & backs.