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  #31  
Old 10-07-2009, 02:34 PM
walrus walrus is offline
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Default Binding's Done



Pernambuco binding and purfling:








Next up, the neck...
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  #32  
Old 10-10-2009, 02:26 AM
walrus walrus is offline
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Default To The Depths Over A Neck...

I had another nice visit to the Sexauer shop...drooled a bit over the "in the white" soundbox. Some shots:










We decided most of the remaining details, most important of which was the neck. It's going to be his "Sexauer" shape, which starts as a mild V at the nut to a C at the heel. Now to choose the wood. Bruce carves 1 piece necks. The criteria was something well-quartered, of sufficient density to promote sustain, and maybe some figure to give it pizazz.

After some time digging, we pared it down to 2 Honduras Mahogany blanks. One was from his stash of about 15 (from Belize he thinks) that's been seasoning in his shop for 10 yrs+. It was relatively quartered, of medium weight, and had some medullary ray figure. Unusually, it had a deep, orangey color many expect from raw mahogany but normally isn't the case. Bruce called it AAA grade.


The second blank he rated Master. It was from a big stash he painstakingly culled from a supplier a couple years back. It was of sufficient density and uncommonly well quartered:


Bruce plained the mahogany blank to better show the exceptional figure and silking. It didn't have the color of the first, but was the looker of the two. I couldn't decide. I liked the "romance" of the first; it was from Belize, it had been seasoning for a long time (older is always better, right?), and it had that warm, orange color. Bruce assured me either would make a great neck, but he liked the qualities of the second. He felt the importance I placed on long time air seasoning was misplaced, that beyond a couple years it made no difference. He thinks much of what people obsess over in regards to guitars comes from sitting in front of the computer for too long. Hey, I resemble that remark! I chose the second:


Finished, the neck might look like the back of this Collings:


I'm not even going to mention my back and forth on carbon fiber inserts (it'll have 'em) and tint (trans black). Ahh, the joys of a custom build

Last edited by walrus; 10-10-2009 at 03:09 AM.
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  #33  
Old 10-10-2009, 07:02 AM
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Was that the picture of the Collings that you intended to post? We don't get to see much of its neck, though the back is nice. Your Sexauer is coming along beautifully!

cotten
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  #34  
Old 10-10-2009, 11:12 AM
walrus walrus is offline
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Thanks Cotten. Yep...that figure you see on the back of the mahogany Collings might look similar to my neck after varnish.
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  #35  
Old 10-20-2009, 11:23 PM
walrus walrus is offline
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Default Neck Part Deux

Carbon fiber neck reinforcement:


Bruce selected his best, quartersawn, master grade Ebony blank for the fingerboard:


Clamping the Brazilian veneers:


The neck in the rough:




Headplate shots:






Rough carve:


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  #36  
Old 10-20-2009, 11:34 PM
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The best neck shapes I've experienced have been Sexauers.... Mine is my favorite, can't say exactly way, it just feels right... I think AL Petteway said the same about one of his Dream series.... lookin great!
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  #37  
Old 10-21-2009, 08:50 AM
Martin_Nut Martin_Nut is offline
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Love that "swoopy" florentine cutaway and wonderful straight grained Braz - WOW! Enjoy the experience - and much luck in the process!
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  #38  
Old 11-03-2009, 12:20 AM
walrus walrus is offline
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From humble beginnings...




...to a beautiful result




Tools of the (slothead) trade:


Extension's carved:


Test-fitting:




Porefiller and sealer time:


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  #39  
Old 11-03-2009, 06:51 AM
TaylorKoaFan TaylorKoaFan is offline
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Wow, gorgeous looking build. I'd love to have a commission with Bruce. If I would ever look to commission one, it would be very similar to yours.
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  #40  
Old 11-03-2009, 04:03 PM
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Lookin great! Good step by step pictures, can't wait to see it post finish.
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  #41  
Old 11-03-2009, 06:09 PM
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Steve Kinnaird Steve Kinnaird is offline
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What a fine looking guitar! Many thanks for posting, and...keep 'em coming!

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  #42  
Old 11-03-2009, 11:45 PM
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Thank you everybody for the wonderful comments...

Some more:








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  #43  
Old 11-04-2009, 03:36 AM
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That is a smoking build you have going. Bruce is certainly a master!
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  #44  
Old 11-04-2009, 07:36 AM
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Headstock and neck look great! Congratulations.
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  #45  
Old 11-04-2009, 10:11 PM
walrus walrus is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cpabolting View Post
That is a smoking build you have going. Bruce is certainly a master!
Quote:
Originally Posted by tkuane View Post
Headstock and neck look great! Congratulations.
Thanks...and both of you have some pretty nice builds (understatement) going on too
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