The Acoustic Guitar Forum - Sexauer ‘19, chapter 2

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- - Sexauer ‘19, chapter 2 (https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=552812)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bruce Sexauer (Post 6123723)

The biggest advantage in Jatoba, for me, is that I have quite a bit of it. I have built several guitars from it, and found it is highly resonant and quite stable. The guitars it makes are loud and even aggressive, making the material quite good for professional performance guitars.

While I have never worked with Ipe, it seems to be mostly used for outdoor decking, whereas Jatoba is perhaps best known as a premium indoor flooring material.

That's a perfectly understandable reason. Your comments in Ipe are correct, but it has been successfully used on guitars as well. I have one with an Ipe fingerboard. With the highest janka rating out there, I don't think I am going to wear divots into any time soon.

That Jatoba 000 is really pretty!

Loud is good, for what I do....

Interesting woods, and beautiful instruments.

Carry on Bruce!

Paul

To the casual observer, Jatoba looks very similar to Honduras Mahogany. As a timber, it put any Mahogany to shame, and the guitars I have made from it are all stellar performers, right up with the very best of the other super hard woods. But Jatoba is not at the top of anyone’s list, or even on anyone’s list. This makes these guitars difficult to sell. If I just said nothing about the wood, people would assume they were playing the best mahogany guitar they’d ever seen and Bob’s your Uncle. Me and my big mouth!

It is perhaps worth mentioning that Jatoba is one of the tonewoods I offer at my base price, along with Mahogany, EIR, Walnut, Maple, and a few others. BRW is another story, adding between $2k and $7K, depending on the set. The current guitar is an example of a $5K set. The price is held down :) by the curvature in the annular rings in the upper bout, and by a few worm holes in the sides. The previous 2 examples, earlier in this thread, are somewhat lower priced.

My last 2 FT-xx-es guitars used the traditional Ivoroid binding, but I have chosen to bind this one with Amazon RW and to use my somewhat more impressive standard purfling system. Because it does a better job, I put my binding on a quarter at a time. Here's the first quarter:

http://mojoluthier.com/LP19/292/firstquarter.jpg

I am aware that my photography is not art, but I do believe it communicates. I hope so.

Here is the current OM28 with the binding complete:

http://mojoluthier.com/LP19/292/boundback.jpg

http://mojoluthier.com/LP19/292/boundtop.jpg

This top is WAY better looking that the previous photo suggests, so I add this shot:
http://mojoluthier.com/LP19/292/silk150.jpg

Not that it helps much.

Photography is indeed tough, but when something is as pretty as this, let's just say it surpasses the limits of the photo!

I moved the new OM into finish today, and the following pics are with Zinnser SealCoat sprayed on prior to pore filler. You may share with myself noticing the number "Mastergrade" sets of BRW which fail the first criteria, which is to be Auartersawn. This set, while not what I would call "Mastergrade", is so well quartered that the medulary rays are easily seen now that the sealer is on the back. The medulary display is ONLY visible when the material is within a couple of degrees of quartered, and even then often eludes the eye on BRW no matter what. These sides are as quartered as the back, for instance.

http://mojoluthier.com/LP19/292/sealedtop1.jpg

http://mojoluthier.com/LP19/292/sealedback1.jpg

http://mojoluthier.com/LP19/292/sealedside2.jpg

Bruce;

What a fantastic looking instrument! Your work is painstakingly delicious to observe... thanks for all the photos (which I know take time and energy away from actually geting the work done!

Although I "knew" about you from this Forum and word-of-mouth, I regret never having come down to visit when I lived up in Fort Bragg for several years... probably a good thing, as I had some "disposable" (sic) income and would have spent it all... right there!

Looking forward to the continued process! Thank you for what you give through your art and love of guitar...

Bruce, if I may ask a question, what do you use for a pore filler? I have followed you threads for some time and have not seen specifics about your pore filling process. Thanks!
Michael

Quote:

Originally Posted by MMdmd (Post 6133893)

Bruce, if I may ask a question, what do you use for a pore filler? I have followed you threads for some time and have not seen specifics about your pore filling process. Thanks!
Michael

I usually say I am using traditional solvent based "Pore-o-Pack" filler. Actually, I am using a Mohawk product which is functionally indistinguishable, IMO. I alter the coloration using artist's oil paints.

http://mojoluthier.com/LP19/292/porefiller.jpg

18 years ago I had a cardiac event which necessitated the installation of a stent in a coronary artery. I was 53 and a non-smoking athlete with very little body fat and a decent diet, so I was quite surprised. Of course I have mostly stayed in touch with my cardiologist since!

About five years ago I first heard the words "heart murmur" applied to myself, and I have monitored myself since looking for degradation of my quality of life, which slowly but surely has eroded my experience. Last Wednesday I spent in the CathLab while they literally poked around in my heart. The procedure went well and I am feeling fine though I am disallowed for a couple more days to drive or play my instruments. They made some recommendations however, and I have agreed to a course of action.

I plan to enter the hospital on September 18 for a double bypass open heart procedure, and to have my Aortic valve replaced with an organic valve at the same time. They tell me to expect 8 weeks of highly compromised recovery time, with the understanding that that may prove optimistic. If I understood correctly, I am low risk for trouble, and they have a 95.5% expectation of success.

This means I will NOT be at the bench from mid-September to somewhere toward the end of the year no matter how well things go. I have been expecting something in this vein, and do not actually have any committed work until the first of January, so I don't have to be flakey with anyone about scheduling.

I am still able to handle packing and shipping for those who may want grab any of the guitars I have in inventory listed on this page.

Thanks for your support up to this point.

Sorry to hear this, Bruce.

Will be sending positive thoughts and vibes during your recovery process!

Get well soon--will look forward to seeing your future creations once you're back in the saddle.