Today I received a very upbeat note from the fellow I shipped the recent Myrtle CN3 to. It arrived in good condition and he seems to like it as much as I did, which is not actually a surprise to me.

Yesterday and today I blocked and buffed the Oz B’wood JB-16, glued the neck to the body, created the playing surface, inlaid and fretted it, and installed the black Schertler tuning machines. If I can manage to make a bridge and glue it on this afternoon, I may be able to remark on the sound tomorrow!

Then it’s back to the Bluegrass Tool!

More mostly words: Today, as expected, I strung up the Oz B'wood JB-16. It meets all my targets for a week old guitar on the first day, so it does seem to be bound for glory, in one sense or another: certainly don't need a break in period. When I have made the PG and the truss rod cover, I'll show it to you.

And after that, I made the neck block and tail block for the current build, a BRW/Hampton Adi Bluegrass Tool. Then I glued them in place with HHG:

http://mojoluthier.com/LP20/307/blocks.jpg

I am about to bend these sides for the Bluegrass Tool:

http://mojoluthier.com/LP20/307/sides.jpg

That is some nice looking wood there Mr. S.

The bending went REALLY well:

http://mojoluthier.com/LP20/307/sidesbent.jpg

So when do you rest???
 

My goodness, Bruce. You are certainly on a tear!!! I do hope you have enough free time to play some of your cool music on your boss guitars...

They all are looking spectacular! And I know they sound it, too!

Salud

Paul

Paul: I get in music most days. Today I got an hour on the fiddle, and played the new JB-16 for longer than that. Special treat; a local Berkeley trained double bassist came by to purchase a 1600's Baroque bow I had laying around, and we ran through a few tunes I remember from my singer/songwriter period in my 20s and 30s. Monster ears on the guy. Maybe I'll look for a recording contract. ;)

Here are about a third of the Bluegrass Tool's peone:

http://mojoluthier.com/LP20/307/peone1.jpg

Here are all the peone plus the side ribbons. The next shot is the kerfed kings being glued in over the ribbons.

http://mojoluthier.com/LP20/307/ribbons.jpg

http://mojoluthier.com/LP20/307/clips.jpg

I closed the Bluegrass Tool this afternoon, and will now make the binding /purfling package.

http://mojoluthier.com/LP20/307/closedtop.jpg

http://mojoluthier.com/LP20/307/closedback.jpg

The side are sanded much more roughly than the back, which accounts for the different look.
http://mojoluthier.com/LP20/307/closedgraft.jpg

The Oz B'wood/Guhl German spruce JB-16 is ready to ship on Monday. Weather permitting, I will take decent pictures (for me) tomorrow. Here is it on a scale, and in a Hoffee case.

http://mojoluthier.com/LP20/307/weight.jpg

http://mojoluthier.com/LP20/307/Hoffee.jpg

Under 4 pounds!
 

Nicely done, Sir!!!

A 16" body under 4 pounds. And such a pretty one too...

Looking forward to the glamour shots!

Salud

Paul

As hoped, I made a page for the Oz B'wood JB-16 and it should come up if you click HERE.

Or on the headstock pic:

http://mojoluthier.com/LP20/306/doneheadfront.jpg

Here are the 4 strips of binding for the Bluegrass Tool. Martin uses ivoroid, but neither the customer nor I want to bind this guitar with plastic. This stuff will emulate Martin's aesthetic . . . plus purfling, which isn't Martin at all. These are about 7/32" wide each.

http://mojoluthier.com/LP20/307/cocobolosapwood.jpg

Here's a taste of what the binding is actually going to look like:

http://mojoluthier.com/LP20/307/2ndquarte2.jpg

Bruce, would you care to elaborate on how you created the binding/purfling?