Hatcher Penelope Model in the "Tree"

[Mark Hatcher]

I'm very excited with this start on my second guitar using "The Tree". I received such a great and supportive response on the forum with my Greta "Tree" build which I am very grateful for. This time I'm working with my Penelope model and I'll be going an entirely different direction with the colors and design concept.

Here are the general specs:

Penelope steel string 12 fret model
"Tree" quilted mahogany back and sides
Alpine Italian Spruce top
Cocobolo binding, pillow headstock, and other trim
Black Ebony bridge and fingerboard
Short scale 24.75"
Gotoh gold 510 minis with Cocobolo custom buttons
Bone nut and saddle
Nut 1 3/4"
Saddle string space 2 1/4"
Red Sunburst top finish
Voiced purely for fingerstyle

Here are some pictures to get us started:



















You may have noticed on the spec list I said "Voiced purely for Fingerstyle".
That starts with the selection of Western Red Cedar braces for the very active back this guitar will have.

Hope I have your attention!
Mark

[fountainhead]

Mark........ I'm already sensing a problem with this thread and build...........

My uncontrollable urge to check the AGF constantly in hopes of updates and new pictures!

I do believe it is time to admit that I'm a Hatcher-addict!

Thanks Mark! ;-)

[swiftz07]

oh my this is going to be awesome

Mark, i realised people have used mahogany and spruce for back braces. and here's your unique build with cedar as well. Could I seek your thoughts on how the choice brace material for the back will contribute to the guitar?

[Mark Hatcher]

Originally Posted by fountainhead

Mark........ I'm already sensing a problem with this thread and build...........

My uncontrollable urge to check the AGF constantly in hopes of updates and new pictures!

I do believe it is time to admit that I'm a Hatcher-addict!

Thanks Mark! ;-)

Well the first step is to admit you have a problem.

Thanks fountainhead!
Mark

[Mark Hatcher]

Originally Posted by swiftz07

oh my this is going to be awesome

Mark, i realised people have used mahogany and spruce for back braces. and here's your unique build with cedar as well. Could I seek your thoughts on how the choice brace material for the back will contribute to the guitar?

Thanks swiftz07!

I use a standard starting profile on my back braces. They all start out at basically the same dimensions. I use their weight and deflection under weight to select and pair them. Because I'm shooting for a fingerstyle only guitar here I'm building extremely lightly. WRC is very light compared to other woods mentioned. It is also very stiff. So one way to build very lightly but stay within my standard starting dimensions is to use a lighter material as long as I'm not paying too heavy a price for loss of stiffness which isn't the case with cedar. My goal in using the WRC is to have a very active back which will extend particularly the bass response and give the overall guitar a very lively feel.

Mark

[ukejon]

So one way to build very lightly but stay within my standard starting dimensions is to use a lighter material as long as I'm not paying too heavy a price for loss of stiffness which isn't the case with cedar. My goal in using the WRC is to have a very active back which will extend particularly the bass response and give the overall guitar a very lively feel.

I asked Mark to make my recent Greta as light as possible and to make the body as responsive as possible. He used WRC braces on the back and it truly does seem to make a difference, both in terms of the very active feel of the body and also, as he suggests, in the extension of the bass response. We both were pleasantly surprised by the deep but crystal clear and complimentary low end on this guitar.

[swiftz07]

Thanks Mark, for that detailed answer it makes it very clear now. I'm just full of respect with the level of thought and purposeful execution you put into every guitar, starting from the materials. I'll be watching this thread closely, and you take some of the very best photographs too! - Zeke

[Mark Hatcher]

Here are some pictures of the back being joined and the rosette coming together.
We're going with a very creamy Alpine Italian Spruce for the top. This is a very good sounding light weight top and it is also a very clean looking top which will be a good base for the red sunburst to come:



Here are the tiles and ebony border pieces. They are spalted Tamarind, "Tree" mahogany, and Cocobolo. I cut in some sapwood on a few of the Cocobolo tiles. You can see them. They look like candy corns:









I'm bringing a lot of red into this rosette which will show more with a finish on it. This is again to go with the red sunburst. The Greta "Tree" from my previous build thread was accented with Brazilian Rosewood. It's color was dark chocolate with brush strokes of caramel. This Penelope will be accented with red Cocobolo along with the sunburst. You might say we're going for hot cinnamon fire cracker!

Thanks for viewing!
Mark

[Mark Hatcher]

Here are a couple shots of the rosette going in and cutting the sound hole:










Thanks!
Mark

[Mark Hatcher]

Here are a couple pics of the parts I'm selecting;



Here's a closer view of the headstock laminate. It's got the red I want and I love the figure which will really come out when I sculpt the pillow top;



Thanks for checking it out!
Mark

[Leftyprs]

Looking good! What kind of cutter are you using there to cut out the sound hole?

[Billy Boy]

Here we go again...oh, boy...another "Tree" build...my cup runneth over...

[mjz]

wow!
max...

[Mark Hatcher]

Originally Posted by Leftyprs

Looking good! What kind of cutter are you using there to cut out the sound hole?

Thanks Brad,

I got the circle cutter from Duluth Trading but, I don't think they offer it anymore. There are a bunch of similar ones out if you look for them. They usually require some modifications such as filing one of the bevels flat on the cutter blades. Once they are set up though, they work not only for the hole but, are great for scoring edges for clean rosettes cutouts.

Thanks,
Mark

[Mark Hatcher]

Thanks Billy Boy and Max!