Latest in progress from AHG

[GGJaguar]

Everyone who complains that US-built hand made guitars are too expensive should be forced to watch this thread in real time.

Yes, this!

 

[AcornHouse]

Back thicknessed to ~2mm, sanded to 180 grit, cut to shape, marked for brace location (on the other side), and a wash coat of medium amber shellac for protection during the rest of the build process (and it will be the finish coat of choice as well, via French polish.)

 

[JohnW63]

This is a real time version of " How it's made ". I like the hand built episodes more than the machine cranked out ones.

 

[AcornHouse]

Back bracing positions marked and bracewood cut to length (still waiting to have the bottom arced). Center seam reinforcement cut out of the soundboard waste and glued and shaped. Many, if not most, builders will just glue in a long strip and then chisel out the bits where the braces go through. I think this is a waste of time and materials. Easy to cut to size right from the start and use hot hide glue to glue them in one by one, using a scrap piece of bracing to get the gaps right. (A ruler clamped in place gets them aligned.) Then you can shape them the same day.

The empty space at the top? That’s where the foot will be. Again, it baffles me when I see builders run the reinforcement all the way to the top, only to have to chisel it off.

 

[Opsimath]

Back thicknessed to ~2mm, sanded to 180 grit, cut to shape, marked for brace location (on the other side), and a wash coat of medium amber shellac for protection during the rest of the build process (and it will be the finish coat of choice as well, via French polish.)

Gasp!

I'm becoming envious of whoever is getting this guitar!

 

[AcornHouse]

Kerfing for the back going in (with fresh Tone Shavings!)

 

[GGJaguar]

Luthiers keep clothes pin companies in business.

 

[davismanLV]

Luthiers keep clothes pin companies in business.

They're harder to find these days. I forget where we ordered ours. Probably Walmart!

 

[AcornHouse]

Luthiers keep clothes pin companies in business.

There are purpose-made clamps for this out there, but because of the quantities needed, it gets very pricey very quickly. These are cheap, but do need a little stiffening with the rubber bands.

 

[LeFinPepere]

Please post pic of the whole guitar with it's clothes pins-headdress around the body like some wooden Big Chief! (if you have enough pins, that is!) Sure reminds me my Torres-copy days!! Clothes pins are a must-have , anyway!

 

[AcornHouse]

Please post pic of the whole guitar with it's clothes pins-headdress around the body like some wooden Big Chief! (if you have enough pins, that is!) Sure reminds me my Torres-copy days!! Clothes pins are a must-have , anyway!

While I have plenty of clothes pins, when I was adding the rubber bands, I just used what I had on hand (mostly ones the mailman had used to bundle mail with a parcel). So I don’t have enough for a complete round the rim. Never remember to get more.

 

[fronobulax]

Luthiers keep clothes pin companies in business.

So do musicians who play outdoor gigs with music stands and printed music.

 

[GAD]

So do musicians who play outdoor gigs with music stands and printed music.

That’s why guitarists don’t read music.

 

[Nuuska]

That’s why guitarists don’t read music.

I know - but Frono mentioned "musicians" - Not guitarists . . .

 

[fronobulax]

That’s why guitarists don’t read music.

But sometimes they do read lyrics and chords and not everyone can afford a tablet. You'd be surprised how many times a guitarist wants to borrow my extra clothespins

 

[fronobulax]

I know - but Frono mentioned "musicians" - Not guitarists . . .

Humor noted but I actually chose the word because I first used clothespins in my tuba gigging days.

 

[The Guilds of Grot]

So do musicians who play outdoor gigs with music stands and printed music.

Black binder clips for me!

 

[AcornHouse]

And, now back to our story (sorry all you washerwomen.)

First back brace on. The underside is arc’d to provide a gentle, shallow dome.

 

[JohnW63]

"Black binder clips for me!"

Being a 2nd grade teacher, my wife has a tub of the clips and Popsicle sticks for art projects at school. We learned a new thing to use them for.

 

[AcornHouse]

All kerfed up.