NEW BUILD: ENGLEMANN/ ZIRICOTE OM CUTAWAY ##FINISHED!!!

[TEK]

Well, as some of you know I have "hung out" here on the forum for quite some time. I am a business owner and in my spare time I love building guitars. Many of the guitars I've built were for friends and family and of course, a few I've kept. All total, I've built a total of 24 guitars. I have posted a few pictures over the past year or two of a couple of my builds, but really was just in the learning mode at the time. Pretty much everything I've learned has been a product of reading and studying a lot, but mostly it is the school of experience. I know it would be safe to say that i am still learning a lot as I study builds here on AGF and talk with a few builders along the way. All told, I gotta say that I'm pretty proud of the results I've been getting overall, and tonally I think my guitars are sounding reasonably good. Some people have told me that they sound amazing, but I'll stick with "pretty good" for now.

I'm very happy in the business I've been a part of for 30 years and owned now for the last 8 years. As such, I really don't see myself as a "builder" per se, except on a few distinct occasions when people have asked me to build them a special guitar. So, since this actually is one of those builds, I thought I'd share it with all of you. So yes, this is one I'm building for a friend who has been a big help to me in lots of ways. He doesn't know that he's getting this one so help me keep it a secret . Also I would welcome any input from anyone including any of you "professional builders" out there who want to lend a hand to a rookie like me . I'm all ears for ideas and constructive critique.

The plan on this build is a OM with a cutaway. I have picked out a Englemann Spruce top to be paired with Ziricote back and sides, ebony fingerboard and bridge as well as binding. I will be going with a 13 fret, shorts scale mahogany neck.

Here is the wood that I have picked out for this one.


Travis

[Nemoman]

The woods look great, Travis--looking forward to seeing this come together!

Lucky friend!

[TEK]

Thanks for checking in Nemoman,
I love the colors that pop when wetted on this Ziricote. I am planning on pulling out some of those reds and browns you see in the sides with some other appointments on the guitar.

[invguy921]

Originally Posted by TEK

Well, as some of you know I have "hung out" here on the forum for quite some time. I am a business owner and in my spare time I love building guitars. Many of the guitars I've built were for friends and family and of course, a few I've kept. All total, I've built a total of 24 guitars. I have posted a few pictures over the past year or two of a couple of my builds, but really was just in the learning mode at the time. Pretty much everything I've learned has been a product of reading and studying a lot, but mostly it is the school of experience. I know it would be safe to say that i am still learning a lot as I study builds here on AGF and talk with a few builders along the way. All told, I gotta say that I'm pretty proud of the results I've been getting overall, and tonally I think my guitars are sounding reasonably good. Some people have told me that they sound amazing, but I'll stick with "pretty good" for now.

I'm very happy in the business I've been a part of for 30 years and owned now for the last 8 years. As such, I really don't see myself as a "builder" per se, except on a few distinct occasions when people have asked me to build them a special guitar. So, since this actually is one of those builds, I thought I'd share it with all of you. So yes, this is one I'm building for a friend who has been a big help to me in lots of ways. He doesn't know that he's getting this one so help me keep it a secret . Also I would welcome any input from anyone including any of you "professional builders" out there who want to lend a hand to a rookie like me . I'm all ears for ideas and constructive critique.

The plan on this build is a OM with a cutaway. I have picked out a Englemann Spruce top to be paired with Ziricote back and sides, ebony fingerboard and bridge as well as binding. I will be going with a 13 fret, shorts scale mahogany neck.

Here is the wood that I have picked out for this one.


Travis

Travis, I'm really interested to see this one come together. I've gotta say that I've certainly been impressed with what you have built so far. The fan fret that you built recently was quite good...really enjoyed playing it. I'm very impressed with what I would call your "signature tone"...really nice.

On this one, I like your choice of design as I think a 13 fret OM cutaway is just about the perfect size. And of course I like the wood choices. Englemann is my favorite top wood, and that Ziricote looks really sweet .

I'll definitely be following this build! Thanks for sharing it!

[TEK]

Hey Mike,
Thanks for checking in and the kind words. I will make sure to let you know when she is ready for a "test ride". I always enjoy hearing a build from the other side.

In the mean time, I fired up the ol side bender and cooked up some sides.



Everything went great, first time bending Ziricote and it bent like a dream. I have to use the hot pipe method to bend the cutaway section and that went well also.



With the sides bent it is time to put the rims together. For the tail blocks I like to laminate two pieces of mahogany with the grain running different directions for added strength and crack resistance. I also run a tongue off the neck block that runs under the fingerboard extension. This extension will run up to the UTB brace to help prevent the neck block rotation. You can also see where I drill and run a couple of dowels through the tongue and into the neck block.



Travis

[j. Kinnaird]

Looking good Travis
Im anxious to see what you do with purfling and binding.

John

[TEK]

Originally Posted by j. Kinnaird

Looking good Travis
Im anxious to see what you do with purfling and binding.

John

Thanks for checking in John, I am flattered that you did. I have always enjoyed following your builds.
Travis

[TEK]

I got the rims together, the kerfing in and and the side reinforcements glued up.

[invguy921]

Lookin' great Travis! That is some really pretty wood. And, my goodness you are flat out making some time on this build. Nice looking work!

[Neil K Walk]

Wow, TEK! That is a beautiful set of wood. Your friend is going to be positively floored!

[jessupe]

Lovin your Zircote, it's got a face, gotta charge extra for that

[TEK]

Originally Posted by invguy921

Lookin' great Travis! That is some really pretty wood. And, my goodness you are flat out making some time on this build. Nice looking work!

Thanks Mike, I am trying to take my time on this build and not spend all my free time in the shop but I keep getting drawn back to work on it.

Originally Posted by Neil K Walk

Wow, TEK! That is a beautiful set of wood. Your friend is going to be positively floored!

Originally Posted by jessupe

Lovin your Zircote, it's got a face, gotta charge extra for that

Thanks Neil and Jess, This is some pretty cool Ziricote. It amazes me the difference in it dry and with it wetted.

[David Wren]

Definitely some sweet Ziricote alright!

[TEK]

A little "dress up" for the back....

And some bracing for the inside..

[TEK]

A few "curls" from carving the braces,


a bunch of clamps, a little glue and I have the start of a box.


Next up, Rosette..