I agree BRW is hard to rival in terms of looks, well you might as well add sound, workability, and even smell. Opinions and taste will always vary but, for me, the top tier woods are BRW, Koa, and Cocobolo. BRW has the edge.

Mark

Ebony Trim
 

I've started putting on the black ebony trim on the cut-away Josie. There will be Blue Paua abalone purfling and the top, sides, and back. Abalone really sparkles when it's bordered on black:

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7459/...1c8ba096_c.jpg

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7458/...a7bf68f4_c.jpg

Mark

Darth Vader comes to mind when I look at the back of that guitar. Ominous looking. With the abalone it's going look like a very rich Darth Vader. :)

Not to me! It reminds me more of, um, Georgia O'Keefe, shall we say? The abalone and ebony will make it even more seductive. ;)

Darth Vader, Georgia O'Keefe? There's an unlikely combination! :)

Thanks,
Mark

Where does my peacock come into play with those two????

You know, I just don't know?
I'm confused :rolleyes:
You know?

The Neck
 

I've been working on the neck of the full bodied Josie with the Bloodwood trim.

Here is the fretboard which is BRW and Bloodwood bound with maple purfling:

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8619/...87ff0308_c.jpg

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7453/...ac6aca2b_c.jpg

I'm working on the headstock today which will carry on with the same theme.

Mark

I know, I think I know, I'm still digging out from the snow and winds last Sunday, I know you know that, you know?

Boy oh boy, the rosette and the fret board with the bloodwood binding, all come together there in a piece of artwork to be sure. Looking great Mr. Hatcher! These two builds are definitely Brazilian Beauties!

Thanks! I like seeing how two guitars that are the same model and back and side woods can be so different.

Now that both guitar bodies are closed up I was interested in what the pitch difference would be when tapping the tops. They are both the same model and have the same back and side woods but there are a lot of differences:

The cutaway would have a bit less air volume so that might raise the pitch

The full bodied guitar has a sound port which may raise it's pitch

One has a ADI top the other Swiss Spruce but, the tops were voiced similarly so that should pretty much be a wash.

Typically the things that effect the body pitch would be;
The air volume
The size of the sound hole
The location of the sound hole
The flexibility to the top and back
The body shape, dimensions, and depth

Without putting them on a strobe, it turns out that they are exactly the same pitch to my ear. Go figure.

Does that mean they will sound the same? Absolutely not, because the strung up sound adds another whole can of worms like the fact that one has a 25.5" scale length while the other is 24.75". The tops, although voiced similarly, are different species of spruce with different density and Q values.
One top is rung with abalone purfling, the other with wood. Does that make a difference? Beats me

These are the kind of things you think about when it takes you six hours the make a sculpted headplate for a headstock:

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7407/...f7cf2b78_c.jpg

Thanks for reading through all that!
Mark

And a scrumptious looking headplate at that. Gorgeous Mark. Gonna be really special and fit the esthetic perfectly.

Thanks cigarfan,

I'm getting that all glued up today along with the fretboard. I'll carve the neck and once it's fretted we'll have it off to the finisher. I'm hoping Monday or Tuesday (weather permitting)

Mark

1st BRW Josie off to finisher
 

I wrapped up the Bloodwood BRW Josie and shipped it off to the finisher today.
Here are some parting shots:

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8568/...825ab710_c.jpg

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8679/...b5c42fe8_c.jpg

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8675/...43b46f66_c.jpg

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8617/...4180a80f_c.jpg

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8679/...daa32865_c.jpg

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8592/...f0f7e9b3_c.jpg

The second Josie is still coming together. I'll have more pics of that one up soon!

Thanks for viewing,
Mark

Another beauty Mark. The rosette and the fretboard are really nice looking together, incredible actually.

Of all the instruments I have seen you build, this is my favorite Hatcher, Mark!

Hatcher Guitars
 

Very very nice Mark.

I watch all your beautiful builds and I keep asking myself if it is possible that these new builds sound better than my '' Plain Jane '' Float Wood Sitka and Wenge Greta. I mean.. how is it possible ?

Hope I don't sound like a broken record when I keep saying how much I appreciate my Greta and...... sorry for hijacking your build thread (again ). LOL LOL

daniel

Great! I'm glad you like it. Thanks for commenting

Mark

Thanks Daniel,

I'm glad that Greta keeps going strong for you. Your Jane isn't that plain though. I'd love to have a dozen more sets of that Sitka float wood!

Mark

Of all the instruments I have seen you build, this is my second favorite Hatcher, Mark!

I think you may be a little bit biased:)

Mark

Looks incredible! Love the colours in the BRW and the bloodwood binding. Beautiful guitar.

Thanks Mau!

I'm looking forward to seeing this with finish. I believe the darker shading we'll get when finished will further tie the coloring together.

Mark

Abalone
 

With the first BRW Josie sent out for finish it's time to finish up the second. Here I am binding the back with black ebony with Blue Paua abalone purfling:

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8665/...30a12884_c.jpg

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8598/...b610bfb7_c.jpg

You can see the abalone is already wanting to shine!

Mark

Walnut as standard offering
 

I've made several guitars from walnut and I have to say, what a wonderful tonewood. Tonally it's halfway between mahogany and rosewood making for a very versatile instrument. Combine it with a cedar top and it will soon earn an honored position in any guitar collection.

I now have Black Walnut and Peruvian Walnut selected sets offered at my base price. Because Black Walnut is available domestically I have taken some time to find some nice figured sets:

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8606/...799fa2a4_c.jpg

This set was cut in the 60s. Both the back and sides are all book match cut from the same board:

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8668/...e4efefc9_c.jpg[/url]

This one is the more figured:

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8669/...f2511e44_c.jpg


Thanks for checking them out!
Mark

Love walnut and cedar guitars for fingerstyle. These one your are making will be amazing.

Those sets are beautiful Mark! Oh My! I still like the set we picked out but those sure give a body pause.

And the paua on that second BRW just can't help but peak out there. Awesome!

Thanks Ukejon and Cigarfan,

We did pick you out a really nice set.
These are the sets I have available without an upcharge.

Here are some upgrades,
This is a Claro Walnut set and a bass acoustic I made from it's sister:

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3949/...b3805e59_c.jpg

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3879/...0f049e97_c.jpg

I have two Black Walnut sister sets that I call the 1850 wood because it was cut and has been seasoning since before the civil war! Here is one of the sets and a crossover I made from another one of the sister sets:

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3676/...4486a0a4_c.jpg

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5615/...f7ed31ba_c.jpg

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3870/...872fa695_c.jpg

Finally, if you really want to go nuts. I am very excited about this recent purchase of two billets of extremely figured Claro Walnut. There is one for backs and one for sides. I should be able to get 4 maybe 5 guitars out of these:

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8683/...14c191f8_c.jpg

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8664/...f4c77620_c.jpg

You have some super nice walnut there sir.

The back on that bass is beyond words. Mark you have an eye for wood that is indescribable