All,
John Osthoff and I are currently working together on designing an Osthoff SJ which is available for purchase here at Dream Guitars. We will continue to update this thread as the build progresses!! I love John's guitars and the process of custom building is a passion of mine. Working closely with a builder is exciting and rewarding. I can't wait to see this guitar, but I really can't wait to play it!
This beauty features the following specs:
Top Wood: Italian Spruce
Back/Sides: Cocobolo Roswood
Fingerboard Bound: Snakewood (non figured)
Binding / Purfling: Snakewood (lightly figured)
SidePurflings: BWB
Rosette: Some Variation of the Spiral
HeadStock Veneer: Cocobolo Front & Back
HeadStock Bound: Snakewood
Tuners: (Gotoh 510’s Gold, Buttons TBD)
Bridge Pins: Snakewood
Bridge Pin Spacing : 2-1/4”
Neck Width @ Nut: 1-3/4”
Nut/Saddle material: Bone
Frets: Gold EVO
Scale Length: 25.4”
Finish: Gloss - Neck Gloss
Case: (Ameritage)
Electronics: NO
End Graft: (Wedge is standard, matching binding material)
End Pin(s): NO
We started brainstorming about the SJ and talked about a couple of different woods. Cocobolo has been selected for the back and sides:
The top selection photo shows just a couple of Italian Spruce tops that John grabbed from the stack. They have been on the shelf in John's shop for over 10 years. He got them directly from the sawmill in Italy:
John is currently evaluating the tops via spectrum analysis and mode testing to get some feedback on the top. It helps to guide John in the initial thicknessing of the top and back. It also is a way for John to accept or reject tops, although most of that (accept/reject) has been done prior to them going on the shelf:
Here is a photo showing how John “candles” the top to make sure the seam is good before gluing and then a shot of joining the top (gluing):
Here is a phot of the cocobolo sides before bending:
And after:
John uses double sides on his guitars - here they are getting laminated together in this shot:
More to come!!