Build Thread: EJ Henderson 12 Fret Dread/Oak B&S/Carpathian Spruce top

[mikealpine]

John, I will echo what others said in that thread...what an amazing day and set of circumstances!! Truly and exceptional way to get a "storied" guitar. Thanks for sharing all of that, and for this journey as well!

[cigarfan]

Originally Posted by psychojohn

Thanks Mike !

John

PS: For a few more tidbits check this out if you didn't already see it:

http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...d.php?t=391534

Oh my. A Father's Day for the ages! Isn't life amazing! Unfortunate for me, I took a job as a moderator here and have far less time than I used to for perusing the forum. So glad you posted a link to your story. That is awesome!

[psychojohn]

Assembled back view:

[IMG][/IMG]

Assembled front view

[IMG][/IMG]

D-41 front treatment with dark binding:

[IMG][/IMG]

Getting closer to completion but with the best yet to come !

John

[mikealpine]

This is looking fantastic!

[Treenewt]

That looks awesome! Love the dark bindings!

[psychojohn]

Originally Posted by Treenewt

That looks awesome! Love the dark bindings!

Thanks, the dark bindings were an EJ suggestion. Given the D-41 treatment, they were going to be the Ivroid but she suggested those and I think it worked.

I can't wait to see this beauty stained and clear sprayed to bring out the figuring and flame in the back and sides. Even more so, can't wait to here what I'm sure is going to be it's awesome tone.

Thanks to you too alpinemike

Peace

John

[cigarfan]

Really coming together. Have to agree, the dark bindings really accentuate your abalone purflings. Nice! Although it is small in the pic, I like the top of your headstock as well. Schweeet!

[psychojohn]

Originally Posted by cigarfan

Really coming together. Have to agree, the dark bindings really accentuate your abalone purflings. Nice! Although it is small in the pic, I like the top of your headstock as well. Schweeet!

I too am really excited about the top of the headstock but need to tell you, that is none of my doing (but I am definitely not complaining). That is the EJ Henderson head stock logo. When we get or I take a close up of it, you'll see her stylized initials in the engraving. Depending on the level of the build she ramps it up or tones it down (simplifies it) and it definitely looks like I got a ramped up version, I am delighted to say. She clearly took the time and consideration to use a style and materials that fit or complimented the style of my build. If you want to see something even more amazing look at these hand carved trees of life:

This:



Becomes this:



or one of these two trees of life:



NO CNC MACHINE BEING USED HERE FOLKS ! THESE ARE PAINSTAKINGLY CARVED BY HAND WITH THE "TOOLS" YOU SEE IN THE PIC !! I wish such a tree would have been in my price range, but alas it was not to be, but I am very content with what I could afford. None-the-less just awesome hand carving that I know takes numerous hours to carve out (not to mention then carving the fingerboard to inlay it so perfectly). Quite the artistic and sculpting talent from someone with a law degree specializing in environmental law prior to her apprentiship with Wayne. If I read "Claptons' Guitar" correctly, however, she been doing some carving like this for her dad since she was a teenager. Awesome IMO !!!

John

[cigarfan]

My goodness! Truly art, that is. Phenomenal!

[CoolerKing]

Wow! I may have already mentioned this but John Arnold has made some absolutely killer oak dreds. I expect this will be the same!

[JoeCharter]

Your guitar is looking fantastic, John -- and thanks for sharing the extra photos of inlay work.

[psychojohn]

Originally Posted by matthewpartrick

Wow! I may have already mentioned this but John Arnold has made some absolutely killer oak dreds. I expect this will be the same!

Mathew, In that case, a special treat for you: John playing Jane's and Wayne playing John's (Jane plays Ukes but not guitars)









A little unfair on tone comparisons for Jane's guitar given Wayne is playing John's with his metal finger picks and John is playing Jane's bare knuckled so to speak (not to mention mike positioning) but something tells me that some cross pollination may have happened.

[psychojohn]

Originally Posted by JoeCharter

Your guitar is looking fantastic, John -- and thanks for sharing the extra photos of inlay work.

Thanks for the complement. As a player, I am truly not worthy of either of the awesome guitars being built for me right now (see my "Oooops I did it again" thread for the other) but I guess I suffer through it and in ten or twenty years maybe achieve a playing standard worthy of my guitars.

To me, the hand carved trees of life that she does are literally mind boggling. While I may be wrong, I suspect the abalone must come in sheet form simply because I can't image how you could get such large pieces out of a shell (on the other hand how could you make such large sheet from shell carvings) thus my mind is boggled. No matter, she does an impressive job by hand, IMO.

John

[mikealpine]

John, love the detail at the top of your headstock, and appreciate the level of artistry for the other inlays. Even so, I like your option better. It's personal taste, obviously, but I like a little simpler aesthetic these days. While yours is not simple, it is very tasteful, and the headstock adds just the right flourish without being "over the top".

[TomB'sox]

Everything is looking really nice. Put me down for another like on the headstock detail... Looks really good.