Build Thread: Sexauer JB-16 Pernambuco/Italian Spruce
 

Specs:

13 fret to the body with slothead, Wedge and MultiScale asymmetric
Pernambuco back and sides
Italian Spruce Top
Ebony bound Sound Port
Bindings will be in Ebony and Maple
Ebony bridge w/carved wings.
Headstock inlay of Black Pearl S on Pernambuco headplates with Black/White underlayment,
Paua Flock of birds neck treatment WITH major MOP Egret centered.
4 ring Paua interlocked rosette and top border binding of ebony and .047 Paua with Maple outline.
.030 Paua Fingerboard edging inside ebony binding and capping end
British Robson tuners
Oil varnish finish
Jeff Hoffee Carbon Case natural carbon finish

Bruce starts on Monday so might have pics of back and front joined by end of day.

The Pile of Wood:
http://stevensommers.com/images/S_Wood_Pile.jpg

Back and Sides:
http://stevensommers.com/images/S Back SIdes1.jpg

Close Up:
http://stevensommers.com/images/S Back2.jpg

Closerer Up - Maybe a little flame in there:
http://stevensommers.com/images/S Back3.jpg

Top:
http://stevensommers.com/images/Top1.jpg

Top Close Up:
http://stevensommers.com/images/Top3.jpg

Finished Guitar will look like this but with my specs:
http://stevensommers.com/images/JYfront2.jpg

I am very greatful to Bruce for all the time he has spent with me leading up to this build and I expect this to be a very active and detailed build thread.........Steve

I think that Pernambuco is beautiful! ;) This will be an interesting thread to watch. Congrats!

Congratulations, Steve!

I am one who likes a lot of interaction with my client, and Steve is a dream come true in this sense. We have talked several times a week for months now. One of my claims is that the more contact I have with the Father of the guitar, the better the fit will be, quite beyond the mere specifications. This one should be a doozie.

Today I am participating in a little local guitar show. I say little because it's right around the corner from where the Healdsburg Guitar Festival will be and has a similar name, Sebastopol Guitar Festival, but it is the first attempt by musician and promoter Kevin Russell and has far fewer luthiers etc. Stevie Coyle and Michael Dowling will be playing music there, and I saw them just last week in a Jam Session at the Luthiers Consortium presentation which also included luthier Michael Dunn; some of the best extemporaneous music I've ever witnessed. If you're near Sebastopol today I hope to see you. Might be bigger that I think, by the way.

Then on Monday I get to work!

Great selection of woods and appointments, and from what I hear of Bruce's reputation great choice on builder as well. Love Bruce's asymmetrical design. The body size is a bit bigger than what works best for me; what style of playing/music do you do?

Steve, don't hold back now.... is there any upgrade you actually turned down? ;) This is going to be one spectacular guitar... the pernambuco looks a treat. I'm really looking forward to watching it all come together... thanks for sharing. Cheers, Berf

I thought I ticked off all the options and made up a few not on the list. You did make me remember that Bruce is doing an Ebony bound soundport. I know that Bruce likes to keep it simple, but he can be pushed to put a little glitter here and there.

ChuckS: I actually took up this sport in ernest 6 months ago, so I have my Majors down and am working on minors and m7s. So gonna be a strummer in a rock and roll band (in my mind) at first and then work on some finger style.

I grew up in the 70s, so I do not think some Neil Young or James Taylor will kill me but I will feel like I am making it when I can play Allman Brothers "Mellisa" well.

I do put at least 1 hour in a day and am working to make that 2 hours a day and lots of weekend time.......Steve

definitely gonna keep an eye on this one! :D

Jonathan

Should have pics of the back and front joined sometime later today.....Steve

I'll send the joined pics to Steve as promised, and perhaps he'll share them with you, but meanwhile I am preparing the surfaces at the moment, and can show you how this is going. On the top you can see a couple of pencil lines. One it scribed to make the actual ring line more obvious, and the other is an averaged idealization for me to reference as I create the joint.

http://mojoluthier.com/lpics13/SommerP/topjoin1.jpg

http://mojoluthier.com/lpics13/SommerP/topjoin2.jpg

The back joint is created here. We are looking at the inside, which is the unmatched surface. There is quite a lot of delicate flame in this set.

http://mojoluthier.com/lpics13/SommerP/backjoin1.jpg

http://mojoluthier.com/lpics13/SommerP/backjoin2.jpg

Wow Steve this is going to be one heck of a build!

So is your Razo #10 it is going to be fantastic.......Steve

Now for build day 1 updates with top and back plates joined:

http://mojoluthier.com/lpics13/Somme...nedplates1.jpg
http://mojoluthier.com/lpics13/Somme...nedplates2.jpg
http://mojoluthier.com/lpics13/Somme...nedplates3.jpg

The Paua we are using for the rosette came in the mail yesterday, so the work is moving toward getting that done, or at least started, today. So I have done preliminary plate thicknessing and accurately cut out the top template, and then transferred the shape to the back, adding a bit for insurance.

http://mojoluthier.com/lpics13/SommerP/toptemplate1.jpg

http://mojoluthier.com/lpics13/SommerP/toptemplate2.jpg

Oh boy, we haven't had a Bruce build in a while. Somehow these always seem to cost me $...can't imagine why.

I am going to go out on a limb here and say that you have one or more of Bruce's guitars or just seeing one give you GAS really bad.........Steve