BRUCE SEXAUER: FT-0-C (German Spruce/Brazilian Rosewood)

[Bruce Sexauer]

One of the great things about the Bird's Beak is that even if the glue failed completely, the guitar's headstock would stay in place and continue to work. It would not be nearly as strong, but it would be strong enough.

[iim7V7IM7]

In order to accurately align the Style 42 abalone top purfling to the perimeter of the fingerboard Bruce waits until he has fit the neck and fingerboard to draft out the channel location. The final fitting of the neck will skew it another millimeter or so toward the sound hole than seen in this rough assembly image. Since it looks on target as is, Bruce will remove some of the Cocobolo sapwood binding from the end of the fingerboard. Being the experienced luthier that he is, you can see that he accommodated for this by adding some extra thickness there.

[Bruce Sexauer]

I like this picture:


But wait, there are more:

[iim7V7IM7]

If you have ever wanted to see an "old school" method for creating a slot head headstock, check this out. Layout is paramount (top two images). Bruce hand drills 1/6" diameter pilot holes to guide his 1/2" diameter Forstner bit. The two slots will be 9/16" wide when complete so the slightly undersized bores allow for finishing. To minimize "blow out" on the back side, Bruce backs up the headstock (middle, right). He drills out every other hole and then drills the in between bores. The rest will be completed using chisels and rasps (bottom right).

[iim7V7IM7]

The task of shaping the two tuner slots has been completed by Bruce using rasps and chisels to shape them. On to the challenge of hand inlaying an abalone "flowerpot" inlay into the BRW headplate veneer.



The body/neck dovetail joint has now been fitted, and the fingerboard perimeter abalone top purfling channels can be now be properly located to be inlayed. The contrasting look of the Cocobolo sapwood substituting the traditional Ivoroid binding against the ebony fingerboard can begin to be seen.

[Marcus Wong]

This is turning out to be such an amazing guitar Bob! Such great woods and classic styling. Can't wait to see the abalone inlaid around the fret board, one of my favourite aspects of the 42.

[Bruce Sexauer]

The abalone border on the fingerboard extension is the single most intimidating part of this build, for me. There are two reasons for this, and the first one is pretty much handled, I think.

The first is landing the fingerboard on the top in exactly the right relationship with the rosette, so that the corners of the extension abolone interface perfectly symmetrically with the rosette AND have precisely the same reveal all the way around the fingerboard. This may seem like it'd simply be gluing it on in the righ place, but since the fingerboard is glued to the neck before the neck is fit to the body (in my method), the dovetail must become perfect simultaneously with the landing of the extension. I feel like I am landing an airplane on an aircraft carrier in a high sea on a windy day, sort of. Fortunately, I have landed many times successfully on less blustery occasions.

The second is the complication that the cutaway throws into the mix by requiring a very acute miter of a straight line into a curved line. This would be hard enough if it were just the abalone, a very brittle material, but the fact that both sides are bordered by .010" b/w/b purflings which ideally MUST meet properly and are in plain sight . . . We'll see what really happens quite soon.

[Bruce Sexauer]

I spent the entire day on this, and while I can criticize it, it does seem acceptable. My biggest gripe is that the ebony reveal on the end of the fingerboard is visibly less than on the sides, perhaps 1/4 mm. Perhaps I will rebind the fingerboard end.





[iim7V7IM7]

Another shot from Bruce's bench...

[printer2]

Originally Posted by Bruce Sexauer

I spent the entire day on this, and while I can criticize it, it does seem acceptable. My biggest gripe is that the ebony reveal on the end of the fingerboard is visibly less than on the sides, perhaps 1/4 mm. Perhaps I will rebind the fingerboard end.


How perfect is perfect? Get too close and it may look like it was made by a machine. And what fun is that?

[rogthefrog]

Originally Posted by Bruce Sexauer




OK, you win. That's amazing.

[Bruce Sexauer]

Originally Posted by rogthefrog

OK, you win. That's amazing.

My shop address is on my website, and you can send the prize there! (Thank you)

[jt1]

Stunningly wonderful work. Thanks for sharing with us.

[frhdpicker]

Thanks, Bob and Bruce, for keeping us updated on this build. I've been enjoying following it each day. Bob, I've had some ringing in my ears for a few days now, and have been wondering where it came from - then it occurred to me that maybe, being at exit 8 off the turnpike, I'm hearing your heartbeat quicken as you anticipate the arrival of this beauty...

Ray

[iim7V7IM7]

You have keen ears and can hear clear up past Exit 9...

Originally Posted by frhdpicker

Thanks, Bob and Bruce, for keeping us updated on this build. I've been enjoying following it each day. Bob, I've had some ringing in my ears for a few days now, and have been wondering where it came from - then it occurred to me that maybe, being at exit 8 off the turnpike, I'm hearing your heartbeat quicken as you anticipate the arrival of this beauty...

Ray