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Old 05-10-2017, 11:03 PM
jessupe jessupe is offline
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Default Jessupe Goldastini: Khaya and Redwood

Hello AGF here is my latest guitar. It is made of the following;

The back and sides are Khaya {African Mahogany} with a Shedua key
The top is a 3 piece flamed Redwood
The Neck is Khaya and Shedua with Khaya headstock laminate with fine silver truss cover with Chrome diopside and logo with 22 kt gold in the JG , the side dots are white abalone
The fingerboard {1 3/4" nut} is Bolivian ebony with Australian opal ovals and teardrops as the markers
The Rosette is Shedua and Sapple
The bridge is a Shedua plate with Bolivian Ebony cap
The top and back feature 14 gauge brass purfling inlay with the back having a double side inlay folding into a intertwining inlay with 4mm Russian Chrome Diopside gems in the apex
It has Ivoroid pins with white abalone, bone nut and saddle with Gotoh 510 tuners

Hope you like it, pics of the build and a sound clip video to come in the following days, thanks for looking, Jessupe
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File Type: jpg khaya6.jpg (20.6 KB, 27 views)

Last edited by jessupe; 07-12-2017 at 09:15 PM.
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Old 05-11-2017, 02:14 AM
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David Wren David Wren is offline
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Love the inlay on the back ... very nice!
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Old 05-11-2017, 10:26 AM
Halcyon/Tinker Halcyon/Tinker is offline
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It's neat and unusual!
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Old 05-11-2017, 11:50 AM
jessupe jessupe is offline
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Thanks guys!
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Old 05-11-2017, 12:22 PM
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rogthefrog rogthefrog is offline
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Hopefully Jesse can give more details about the finish and construction, as they are pretty unusual. I saw this guitar this weekend and it sounds very good.
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Old 05-11-2017, 01:26 PM
jessupe jessupe is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rogthefrog View Post
Hopefully Jesse can give more details about the finish and construction, as they are pretty unusual. I saw this guitar this weekend and it sounds very good.
Hi, thanks for the compliment, I'm glad you liked it, not many people have seen my work so it's a big thrill for me to get positive feedback. I was especially pleased that Ervin Somogyi had nice things to say. He's really a great guy and it was nice to finally meet him.

Well for those that don't know {most people } I make guitars that are built using "Italian violin" making methods, which basically means that an inside mold is used to create the shape/sides vs using a "French" mold and or outer mold that the sides are pushed to. Beyond that, both the top and back are hand carved arches, simmiliar to an archtop guitar, but in this case I am making custom fit "flat top" bridges that contour to the arched top, instead of a "jazz" trapeze tailpeice. This gives us that "steel string" sound but has "arch" advantages.

I will be posting build pics over the coming days where I hope to go into the methods of the madness in more detail...But I will say that I feel there are distinct advantages to using this type of architecture for the creation of good tone as well as allowing for "easy" access for repair work as the top has a "lip edge" vs edge binding. This allows for "easy" removal of the top that allows for access to the inside if repair work is ever needed.

My varnish systems are generally following Italian violin making proceedures with some of my own twists.

Over the years I have developed a sealer that is made from sugar. I have a product that is a colorant that I developed that was patented provisional. At one point in time I was "dancing with the devil" meaning having angel investor meetings with large chemical corporations about buying my patent. That did not happen for a couple reasons, 1. it was right around the time the 2007/8 financial crisis and 2. it became clear that they wanted to buy me out in order to shelve it. So I decided I did not want to do that because I wanted people to be able to have a safe non toxic colorant. So I decided to take the core science behind it and share it with the world. For those interested you can google "Jezzupe sugar seal".....here is a link to my "stain" site

http://waterworksjg.com/

there are some pics and things to look at if interested. I am not selling this product,this website exist as a old relic from another time.

At any rate, once the instrument is sealed with sugar, I primarily use wax free shellac to build base coats and do grain fill, then the instruments are generally always top coated with "JOE ROBSONS VIOLIN VARNISH" these are handmade varnishes that are made by master varnish maker Joe Robson. They are made from linseed oil, turpentine and various conifer resins, my fav uses amber resin. As far as I and others in violin makingare concernd....JOE IS THE BEST!!!!

http://www.violinvarnish.com/

I use these varnishes because I love the look and the formulas have a known 500+ year old track record.as far as performance goes. Their clarity and ability to protect wood while remaining transparent are unrivaled.

I am trying to create my own little paradigm in that I know my work is not like others, beyond the difference in building, I also strive to have a "hand made" look and feel which includes varnish that are not " dead flat perfectly polished nitro" look.

I may not achieve any commercial success as I am sticking to my guns and doing it my way, but so far I have been pleasantly surprised in that my work seems to be well received. My client list is not huge, but it is very quality. I'm not sure where any of this is going, but I'm just going to keep building developing my style doing the best I can.

Again thanks so much for your kind words, its little things like encouragement that keeps many of us going.
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Old 05-11-2017, 05:56 PM
printer2 printer2 is offline
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I was thinking of doing the binding on my last guitar to simulate the lip edge you have. It was only the lack of time that stopped me from trying it. Seeing your guitar I'll make a point of trying it some day soon, might try it on an archtop. I'm glad to see that step out from the tried and true formulas. Congratulations on your latest build.
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Old 05-11-2017, 06:55 PM
jessupe jessupe is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by printer2 View Post
I was thinking of doing the binding on my last guitar to simulate the lip edge you have. It was only the lack of time that stopped me from trying it. Seeing your guitar I'll make a point of trying it some day soon, might try it on an archtop. I'm glad to see that step out from the tried and true formulas. Congratulations on your latest build.
Thank you very much printer. The lip edge is actually quite complex and contributes greatly to the tone based on the design {Amati} influencing the structure both structurally as well as tonally.

The "re curve" area at the edge is where the arch makes a little "ski jump". For a violin this is helpful in attaching a chin rest, but there is much more to it.

If done properly, once the arched top is loaded with string tension it will act somewhat like the rim of a speaker cone and or be "springy" and allow for "air pump" action. If balanced right it dramatically helps harness and maximize energy, and or helps the guitar ring for a long tie and or reduces decay. To clarify this statement I am not suggesting that the dynamic motions of a guitar top are like a speaker cone, I am saying this region, when properly carved allows for this region to have those attributes.

For the back this area helps act like the brim of a sombrero hat {upside down} that resist the folding stress of the string tension that acts on the body.

Ken Parker built an archtop recently that has a lip edge. Coincidentally I believe that guitar, which I think sits in a museum now, has Joe's varnish on it.

Well, I like the look lots and think that once one understands the influence behind it, that it makes lots of sense.

I suppose something similar could be done with a bound edge but I do like the lip as it allows for tapping blocks to be used and no messy fragile edge binding to undo if repairs are ever needed..

Well thanks so much for he kind words and good luck on your build.
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Old 05-12-2017, 03:08 PM
jessupe jessupe is offline
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Here are some pics of the build, starting at the beginning. I'll post from start to finish over the course of a few days as there are many pics. I don't have shots of all the procedures as I forget to snap photos sometimes, but I have many shots of the build. Somewhere in here I'll get a video up. Any questions or comments, feel free.

starting with chunks of wood


all my material is cut from larger pieces of wood, here is a shot showing some rib/side material s well as the "mold" in the back with sides being glued to my "corner blocks"


more of the same


after cutting out the shape and doing the initial arching, the outline for the "table" is defined, this is the set up for the purfling and "re curve" lip at the edge.


as this was a double purfling channel with a center twist, here is channel one being cut


channel one complete


a shot showing the general arching height, with the top and back combined, this increase in the air volume coupled with a fairly shallow or varying rib/sides dimensions adds control mechanisms to tone directing


clearing the double channel



the start of the inlaying of the brass wire, square, dead soft, 14 gauge, and yes thats all cut free hand with a knife



well more to come soon

Last edited by jessupe; 07-12-2017 at 08:14 PM.
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Old 05-15-2017, 12:58 AM
jessupe jessupe is offline
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some more shots of the build...

more of the wire being set



and more



now starting up the center, the wire is butted with a gap and a slight angle to the cut, this helps pre establish the setting that eventually gets ground out with diamond counter sink bits making it so the pavilion of the stone contacts the brass and the girdle is flush with the back. There is a hole drilled though that acts like an azure and also helps mechanically lock the epoxy in the setting, very clear 4100 psi jewelers epoxy is used.



after the wire is in, the back is scooped out rough, refined, and then the final graduations of thickness happen, my Ibex finger planes that have been great over the years.



a shot of the ribs/sides getting the liners glued on...the liners are balsa wood...very light, fast tacking,strong holding and very durable, can withstand many top removals...if they ever need to be replaced, the can be scraped,cut out with a knife very quickly and new material can be installed. They are "let in" to the "corner" blocks , not butted. The "corner" blocks that would form the "points" on a violin act as the surface that the sides are glued to when they are tack glued to the mold. In the case of the guitar no "corners" are shaped in the block, they simply follow the "guitar body" outline.

They serve a very important role not only structurally increasing the crush strength of the rim dramatically, but when every thing is done right they "freeze" the dynamic motions of any body roll or energy loss that can happen when your guitar body is wiggling and moving, not your plates. Understanding weak/ strong/ thick and thin and not just how these things effect pitch and tone of "taps" , but also how they can be used to direct energy and or focus it in other areas is very important to understanding making good tone. Thicker areas can anchor and allow for thinner weaker ones to really pulse. Material choice for blocks in this case is very important, the lightest strongest material is desired.



the rosette being glued up



a shot of the top already cut out with the hole cut made



a shot of the rosette being glued in. The rosette is a very difficult thing with arches, it has to be thick enough to shape the arch on the top side without burning through it, and yet not too thick lest it intrude on gradutions on the inside and you will expose or burn through from the bottom side, thus leaving it with no support.



a shot with the rosette glued in with rough arching done and the table for the recurve established



So more to come later...
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Old 05-15-2017, 04:52 AM
Glenn23 Glenn23 is offline
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What a fascinating instrument. Well thought out and explained. Anxious to here its voice!
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Old 05-15-2017, 08:40 PM
jessupe jessupe is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Glenn23 View Post
What a fascinating instrument. Well thought out and explained. Anxious to here its voice!
Thanks Glenn23, well I'll be posting a vid soon, probably before I finish all the build pics....if I don't I might not get a chance, I have a meeting coming up in next few days where it will be a choice of a few for a potential client, so it might get picked, I mean it might not either, but if it does it will be gone and I won't be able to post a vid, so I need to get on it! Thanks again,more to come...
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Old 05-16-2017, 05:53 AM
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Super cool! I know of only one other builder who's doing this right now, Alexandr Svistonov. I see his guitars from time to time on the Gruhn site, but I don't know where he works.
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Old 05-16-2017, 01:59 PM
pgilmor pgilmor is offline
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This is absolutely fascinating, and a very beautiful instrument to boot!! Sure would love to see something like this in person.
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Old 05-16-2017, 04:24 PM
jessupe jessupe is offline
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Thanks Matthew and pgilmor, I appreciate the kind compliments very much.

Well here are some more shots of the build...

here is a shot of the top after the arching and purfling have been installed and I'm working on graduating....



here is a shot showing the start of the bracing process...all my internal braces are cut from large3/4" billets of Balsa wood. Balsa wood can vary dramatically, some being extremely light and soft , some being more "wood like" but even that stock is very light compared to other woods. When cut in the proper dimensions and the proper property type has been choosen for the individual brace needed, nothing, imo, surpasses its sonic capabilities, with its radiation {speed of sound travel across the material} being the highest of any wood and its unusual stiffness characteristics of being able to support static load yet have a very broad range of motion in a dynamic states makes for a very "hot" material.



here is a peek of the braces half done, as seen in the previous shot the braces must be contour fit to the curvature of the inside of the plate. Those that have made violins and fit bassbar understand this process, its like that but many more than just one bar. Fortunately the Balsa shapes fast and easy.



a shot showing the fingerboard being made with my trusty stew mac jig.



a shot showing the fret slots cut and the inlays for the Opals



a shot showing the Opal after being epoxied in. These are Opal made for the jewelery industry, they are fat cabochon cut stones with flatish backs, being 6.5 on the morh scale, they are "reworkable" so I flattened down the rounder side to make a flat rougher than polished surface and then installed them upside down leaving the factory flat side up exposed about .5 mill so when ground they would be nice and flat with the fingerboard.



a close up of the Opal fit, real impossible to get a good shot of the Opals, they do real cool stuff under regular lights inside at night, glow blue with red sparkles.



put in the label



getting ready for the corpus connection



the Chrome diopside goes in much later after the varnish starts...

well more later, thanks for the interest in the build.
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