Greta guitar build / Mark Hatcher
 

Mark Hatcher has started my 13 Fret Greta.

We are going with Sitka and Wenge. Mark has a wonderful selection of master grade Sitka......something for everyone. At first I was a little intimidated by the thought of choosing the best set for my needs but Mark explained the subtle and not so subtle characteristics of each set and the choice quickly became obvious.

Mark calls this particular set '' Floatwood Sitka '' and I will let him describe a little about it.

It will be matched with some very nice straight grained Wenge.

Mark will be jumping in from time to time with comments and pictures as he progresses. And of course you are warmly welcome to follow along and please comment freely.

daniel

Enjoy the process! Mark has been displaying some beautiful work lately, so yours will be a pleasure to follow.

Tell me more about your rationale for going with a 13 fret model. I'm intrigued....

13 Fret Greta
 

I originally asked Mark for a 12 fret Greta. He did a design layout and found the bracing pattern could not fit the bridge placement. It could however work with 13 frets.

A little less stretch makes a big difference in comfort ( for me ).

daniel

It is always exciting to start a new guitar. Daniel and I have been discussing this design for a couple months now and have worked out many of the details.
Choosing the sound board, I believe, is the most important part of the design.
Sitka seems to be underrated, I suppose because it is more accessible than other choices and I think sometimes people ask themselves why would they go with Sitka since they can get that with any of the manufacturer's production guitars.
One of the great advantages of a wood that is more accessible is the great variety of choices within the species that the shear numbers provide.
Daniel and I compared very lightweight Sitka to some that was so finely grained it was much harder and stiffer than Adirondack. We compared Sitka taken from a tree that stood dead for over 60 years to Sitka that had been used as floats to hold up a dock in Alaska for over forty years.
After carefully comparing the weight, stiffness, and tap tone of these and others we landed on this float wood set:

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3775/9...1df596b5_c.jpg

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3675/9...12a7c166_c.jpg

Want to guess what color that float was painted?

Here is the top being joined and the basic woods going into this Greta:

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3791/9...93357cf7_c.jpg

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2838/9...73e358fb_c.jpg

Thanks,
Mark

Mark, does the 13 fret design alter the position of the bridge in any significant way?

Greta
 

Hey Mark.....is that actually my guitar in the making !!!
I just went from nervous to excited.

dgd

Yup, and I just went from passive to jealous!

Mark's a very talented luthier, his work seems to progress with every build.

Also, an amazing photographer.

Hi Jon,

Going to a 13 fret moves the bridge back the distance between the 12th and 13th frets. You can nudge that around some using a different scale length.
But the short answer is no. A 12 fret is yes.

Thanks
Mark

It's got your name on it!

Greta 13 Fret
 

Mark sent a rough layout of the rosette. I think that means he will be posting a few pics showing his progress.

It's true, waiting to start a build takes forever, but when it begins it seems to move along in leaps and bounds.

dgd

Setting up the back
 

Here are some progress pictures of the back getting set up:

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3761/9...5c6e1c973f.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7398/9...3b34569efa.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7282/9...33a500a174.jpg

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2837/9...8c979e1412.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7312/9...f02f1f435e.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7342/9...fd56109420.jpg

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2832/9...810ff477b2.jpg

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3729/9...a376109da9.jpg

I'll finish up on the back tomorrow and will be working the rosette and top.
More pics to come!

Mark

!3 Fret Greta
 

Hi Mark

That Wenge is going to finish to rich brown. I am very glad you suggested it for the sound that I am looking for and..........the color and grain are an exceptional bonus. Also, I could not have hoped for a better set of Sitka. It is truly master grade all the way.

I am holding my breath in anticipation of seeing the rosette.

Mark, you must truly love working with wood.

daniel

You are going to be a happy guy. Mark make some killer guitars. He also takes outstanding pictures of the build process, which is nice.