headstock
 

I especially like the way Mark was able to blend the truss road cover in so well that it almost disappears. The B/W purfling sets everything off extremely nicely. Classy. Simple, Special.

More decisions
 

I offer several design styles of headstocks, fret boards, and bridges. At this juncture we have several choices for the fingerboard and bridge style so a couple samples go up;

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/639/32...ae091be4_c.jpg

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/698/32...c1323f06_c.jpg

And symmetry wins the day on this guitar;

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/655/32...427de851_c.jpg

Thanks for following!
Mark

symmetry
 

And that looks even better than I'd visualized it.

More choices
 

Another choice to be made. Should the heal cap be African Blackwood?

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/519/32...5bd67e42_c.jpg

Or should it be African Padauk?

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/699/32...db1ea3f2_c.jpg

The African Padauk heal cap is make from the same wood the back was cut from. That way we could match the grain on the back and that is the choice!;

https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2816/3...e0f0682d_c.jpg

I really like this cross grain padauk as the center laminate for the maple neck.
Does the cross-grain padauk go all the way through the neck making right angles with the long grain of the maple? Or is it just 1/4" or so deep so that the
grain in the neck all runs the same way?(I am just wondering if it is okay to build with a cross-ply in the middle of the neck-you must know)
thanks. mike
anyways, i really like it.

Thanks mcgr40,

The cross grain center laminate doesn't go very deep. I would be afraid to go all the way through with the cross grain especially since the torsion rod is in there.
I just wouldn't want to depend on an end grain glue joint there.

That is what I would have thought, but I did wonder if perhaps you had used the cross grain center laminate and had learned that it would work.
I am sure it takes some thought/effort to get that center laminate laid up correctly.
Very nice touch

Well were coming along on this guitar. The neck is pretty well set up;

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/581/32...b1ccf244_c.jpg

A little more clean up and installing the Gold EVO frets and it will be ready for finish;

https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2225/3...bb4bb41e_c.jpg

https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2604/3...d523f570_c.jpg

Austere yet visually sublime with those amazing woods. One of the most beautiful pillow headstock guitars you've made.

A stunner! Wonderful choices all the way around.

Thanks ukejon, I'm very pleased how this is coming out. We'll still making a few choices such as the color for the tuners. The choices become easier as you go though, as the individual look of the guitar tightens up.

Thank you cigar fan. Yeah, I think we found a nice paring of some unusual looking woods!

We've been working on inlay ideas for this African Padauk guitar. One idea was to do a grape bunch here is a mock up;

https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2473/3...299448cb_b.jpg

The consensus was it just doesn't stand out enough. So we went to the idea of orchard designs;

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/580/32...48bb0676_b.jpg

Here it is a bit larger with white mother of pearl and pink fresh water clam;

https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2691/3...4b88d559_c.jpg

The sparkle of the shell will stand out nicely on the headstock.
I'm working to design a 12 fret inlay that ties in as well. This photo of orchid buds is giving me some ideas. With a couple more hours and a pencil I think we'll be there!;

https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3939/3...6f5ce1b2_o.jpg

It is nice to be working on flower inlays. We've had better than 36 inches of snow here in New Hampshire these past 2 weeks and all the flower pictures have got me thinking of spring coming back to my shop;

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/546/32...d89d7786_c.jpg

Oy Mark. This guitar is so gorgeous. The wood is, as with all your guitars, silly gorgeous. But your small aesthetic touches are so choice. That cross grain center stripe. Yow! Do you think it would pop the same way if it was narrower? I'm just curious...

Thanks Louis,

I think the center cross grain strip would show up well even if it were a bit thinner. It's made from the same Padauk and is very bright. I went a bit thicker on this one because it has rather thin black borders. I usually have 3/32" maple borders but, since it's a maple neck, I went black to keep it crisp looking.

Mark

MOP
 

I just mentioned the orchids made me think of spring at the shop but, it seems this winter is not to be out done. I also am selecting the MOP shell to use and I noticed the sky outside the shop;

https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2117/3...ac2e5592_c.jpg

I captured it quick with my IPhone. The winter clouds are full of ice crystals doing their best impression of mother of pearl!