Thanks for following along!

Thanks tkoehler1! I have lots of new ideas for this guitar. The Penelope is usually the model I try new things on first. It's my oldest design and probably the most "Hatcher" of any of the models I make.

Thanks Cigar fan!

I can't help but go with the olive theme on this guitar!

Did you get to try any of Tim Doerr's guitars? He does great work. Tom and I went through Somogy's master voicing classes together and have been in touch regularly since.

Thanks Again,
Mark

Yes I did! Very nice. A little heavier than yours though.

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2938/...5a3bb9_o_d.jpg

I love watching innovation like this at work! Keep up the great work Mark, it's really nice :up:

Thanks for commenting Marcus!

It seems innovation mostly comes when you discovery your vision isn't as easy to reach as you thought it would be!


Mark

Agreed. This is really impressive workmanship and the design is gorgeous.

Thanks Ukejon!

I've been trying to get this design to work for weeks now. It's 93 pieces and every one of them is different. I wanted this design put right into the Spruce top. In order to maintain the strength with all of those cutouts I have a wide maple ring set into the inside which gives the needed support. I've thrown away two tops so far and hundreds of cut out pcs of Verawood, walnut, and Yellowheart. It's coming together though as I'm working the bugs out of this new technique.

Mark

The finish is on!
 

Well the finish is on and we're heading into the final stretch on this Bear Claw Spruce and bacon flame figured African Paduak Josie small jumbo!:

https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2915/3...55c24009_c.jpg

Stunning Mark!!! Should be a very happy customer!

Now that is pretty! Go Roland!

Hatcher
 

I am now working on my schedule to find a few hours next week to get up there to see it and then have it come home with me. Then I won't have so much time to write these things, not with a new one needing attention and finding its place in my arsenal. Right now, all I can do is imagine how whatever piece I am currently playing will sound like when Padauk gets behind it.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MARK HATCHER!!!!

:guitar:

Thanks! :)

Well done Mark, that's lovely!

Steve

Thanks Steve!

Tuner Buttons
 

I make a large number of custom tuner buttons. I include them in my base price when using Gotoh minis. My favorite ones are the round ones I use for my sculpted pillow topped headstock. They remind me of those worry stones that were so popular back in the seventies, well actually they have been popular throughout history and have shown up independently in many cultures around the world. I often get comments from customers appreciating the "feel" of these "worry stone tuner buttons". I guess I'm a bit OCD investigating every touch point between the guitar and player. It's just that there are so many which I'm certain contributes greatly to the popularity and icon status of guitars.

One on the problems I've had making custom wood buttons is there are woods I can't use because the countersunk screw head that holds the button on can act like a wedge and split the wood when it's tightened. The proper way to fix this is to use a brass flat bottomed counter sunk washer which eliminates that wedge effect. Using brass also make turning that set screw smoother. I think most players know that in addition to holding the tuner button on the tension on that screw eliminates slop and play in the tuner gears and also sets the turning resistance. A brass washer there makes it easy to finely adjust the tuner to just they way you like it.

I've been looking for these little washers for years while having to avoid softer woods like Koa or brittle woods like Bloodwood. So I guess this is the long way of saying, sometimes if you want something done right you just have to do it yourself. So after some trial and error I can make them and I now provide an improved custom tuner button and more woods to choose from;

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4175/3...350e1929_c.jpg

And I can get back to finishing up Roland's guitar! It has Macassar Ebony tuner buttons made from the same board the bridge and fret board came from;

https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2881/3...1b7b2b82_c.jpg

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4180/3...73f40c53_b.jpg

Thanks for viewing and reading all that!
Mark

They look beautiful, Mark!

Definitely a great finishing touch to complete the whole look...

I love your tuner buttons. Feel like they were meant to be.

Thanks Nemoman!

Thanks cigarfan!

Here is what else I do when I make tuner buttons. I draw a circle on the wood blank, I cut the profile, rough them out on a sanding drum, clean them up with sandpaper, then buff them out. It would be a lot faster to use jigs but, then they would all be the same (partly why I try to avoid jigs whenever possible) They all have subtle differences. When mounting them I usually sort them out from thickest to thinnest and they go on that way from low E to high E. The big strings tend to have bigger buttons etc.
Eventually, as you become familiar with your guitar you'll likely become unconsciously aware of which string you're about to tune without needing to look. Of the hundreds of tuner buttons I've made and mounted no one has ever said "hey, these buttons don't match!" :)

I love that!

Jim

tuners
 

Now, everybody is going to scroll back up to see why they didn't notice that.

Final set up
 

I did the final set up on Roland's (The Bard Rocks) guitar this morning;

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4160/3...a6ab7bec_c.jpg

As you can see the Sitka top has some crazy bear claw figure and a lot of red in it which goes quite well with the coloring of the back;

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4161/3...4ecf76c3_c.jpg

The back is African Padauk "bacon" figure and there is a lot of flame figure too. I've taken to calling it flaming bacon. We went with the same wood for the heel cap, center laminate of the neck, the back strap, rosette, and the sculpted pillow top of the headstock;

https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2813/3...0d8b20f9_c.jpg

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4193/3...6b9d92da_c.jpg

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4192/3...4956ca6a_c.jpg

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4168/3...03da86ee_c.jpg

The binding on the body, neck and headstock is African Blackwood;

https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2884/3...a91b9274_c.jpg

The bridge, fret board and custom tuner buttons are Macassar Ebony;

https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2818/3...6386e4a0_b.jpg

And the sound port is made of nothing at all :)

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4157/3...b7abdaa0_c.jpg

This is my Josie small jumbo model. It has a 25.5" scale length with 1 3/4" nut and 2 1/4" spacing at the saddle. We used Evo gold frets. The orchid inlays on the headstock and 12th fret are done in white mother of pearl and pink fresh water clam.

So how does it sound? Well Roland is coming to pick it up tomorrow. ask him!

Thanks for following along an this build it's been a lot of fun working with The Bard Rocks!

Mark

Breath taking!!!!!
 

Hi Mark,

I must say that this is just tooo beautiful for words!!!!

I've been following most of your work here without commenting much on any post and couldn't hold myself back to at least tell you how your work has inspired me!!!

You have an amazing touch and taste!!!

Thank you for sharing with us!!!

Amazing work again Mark!
Travis

Beautiful piece Mark! Knocked it out of the park as usual.

Wish I could be there to watch Roland when he gets to hold and hear this beauty for the first time. Congrats!

Looks fantastic, Mark.

That sitka is really amazing as well with the red coloring it has!

But the padauk--WOW!!!

Well this sounds cliche, but you have truly outdone yourself on this one Mark. This guitar is just a stunning piece of art and it will sing like angels I am sure of that. I am so glad for having played even a small part in helping to get this project underway as it turned into a masterpiece beyond words. Although you did not build this part, I will give you credit for finding it, but the bearclaw figure in the upper bouts that projects at 90 degree angles to the fret board in a linear fashion is just mesmerizing to look at. That is very unique. Maybe I have seen it before, but I think not.

Congrats to both of you, but really to you Mark on your artistry.

I love how quietly Mark comes in, drops a bunch of photos as though it's nothing, then quietly accepts the praise that is heaped on him!

Me? I'd come in with trumpets blaring "Check out This!!!!" then boom!! *Mic Drops* walks out with one hell of a strut!!!
https://media.giphy.com/media/3o7qDE...RQ2c/giphy.gif

I've run out of words to say Mark, yet another beautiful guitar!

my face
 

Cigarfan, if you want to see my face when I get it, you'd best start driving now. I leave this area around 11 tomorrow and can give you a ride for the last 3 hours of the way.

But I have a pretty good idea already of what it looks like. I think the playability and sound will be what surprises me if anything does. Mark does such a good job with the photos that we don't have to imagine much, other than how it sounds and how it plays - and, based upon others of his that I have played, I think both of these can only surprise me in one way - very pleasantly.

Thanks cigar fan! I am looking forward to Roland coming this afternoon. I enjoy being there when one of my guitars is played by it's new owner. Also, it is often the first time I hear the guitar played by someone else.

Thanks Travis!
Thanks for commenting Loggerenguitars! I'm glad to hear my work is inspiring to you!


Mark

Congrats Roland on this beauty....Mark works his magic again.