Neck Joint 2
 

Very cool. I've had a chance to play eljay's guitar, and she's a sweetie!



Here Larry drills the heel and glues in the threaded inserts.

The neck is again clamped to the body, and the holes in the heel drilled through the existing holes in the mortise.
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...psaqxxd9ro.jpg


http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...psuxutgqsu.jpg

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...psiuoty26r.jpg

The hardware is cranked into the holes in the tenon and epoxied in place.
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...ps6hfvllza.jpg

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...psufdjesu5.jpg


Here is an extra pic...

Larry found a really nice Macassar Ebony short scale fretboard in his stash. So he ordered some Macassar bridge blanks to match (and have in stock). Here is the choice for my guitar.
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...pshpgudufn.jpg

Rough Neck Shaping
 

The shape of the neck is laid out, and the necks cut to rough shape.

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...psmrciq83o.jpg


Notice here that the curve in the heel is cleaner on the mahogany neck. The maple is harder than the mahogany, thus the saw's cut is rougher on the maple neck.
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...ps3mameh4n.jpg

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...pssvckfvq4.jpg

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...psiykxgrey.jpg


Here the you can see the layout of the sweeping shape of the carved heels.
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...psacdsvcap.jpg

The necks cut down to rough thickness. The rough full-width volute is visible here.
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...psvg1n4sea.jpg

The necks cut to rough width.
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...pseq0lg6d0.jpg

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...pszttit7m1.jpg

Top Tuning!
 

I went over to visit Larry at his shop this morning for top tuning! Always a fun time...

I have a few pics, but not a ton because the process went very quickly on the top. Before any of the brace work the top had a very open and fairly full ring. After mostly narrowing the braces, it was more open and resonant, with a fuller low range component to the tap.

I've included a few videos: Before brace reduction, after brace reduction, and a bit of humor. Well...we were amused. :) The microphone on my phone does not pick up the subtleties of the tap tone, nor the changes therein after the work was completed.

Before brace reduction.


Pics of the braces reduction process. Larry used two small planes and a sanding stick.


http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...pspvdxphcw.jpg

The sanding stick. This thing has been sharp for 11 years!
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...psldlvsrys.jpg


A bit of sanding dust showing.
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...ps20mbll5o.jpg


Working with one of two planes.
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...psmfgxotq3.jpg


After the brace reduction.


And a bit of humor...

Closing The Box
 

Here Larry glues the back to the rims, thus closing the box of the guitar. The back tapped very nicely, so no brace reduction was done. Just a bit of fine tuning on the brace ends and the notches in the rims.

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...psq0h7j6my.jpg

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...psfd4iutbt.jpg


Dry fitting the clamps.
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...pslcm7iini.jpg


A spot of glue.
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...psxuwowkq8.jpg

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...pshul1gvjx.jpg


On go the clamps.
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...psjczmwdyr.jpg

Plates and Necks
 

Here are few other things...

I noted earlier that we changed the fretboard to Macassar Ebony. Now the question is do we change the headplate to match? The choices are staying with the original black ebony or going with an Indian Rosewood headplate. Below I show them dry and wet with naptha. The wet pic doesn't show it very well, but the EIR is a very good match. The black ebony would look fine, too. Black goes with everything. Just depends if I want the headplate to match the fretboard and bridge or to stand alone. I am not sure yet...

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...psca0iso41.jpg

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...pswbosooy0.jpg


Here is a quick video showing the grain figure in the unshaped neck.

Thanks for sharing and taking some of the mystery out of tuning the tops...although not really hahaha...still pretty mysterious....:)

My pleasure. ;)

It is a mystery to me. In my fairly limited experience, each guitar starts at a different place, and moves to its final place in its own way. Some take more coaxing, others are more willing participants. Every guitar has its own personality. :cool:

Fretboard Binding
 

The Macassar fretboard is being bound in black ebony. When oiled up, there will be little contrast. Spartan is the theme that is developing with this guitar...at least the front side.

Cutting the FB to profile.
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...psntwrsp0n.jpg

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...psmukjier8.jpg


Cutting ebony stock into binding.
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...psgxvbpncm.jpg

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...pspsmqjzpd.jpg


Sanding the ebony.
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...psqzz0s3jm.jpg


The binding strips and the fretboard.
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...psaqge1mr9.jpg


The fretboard binding jig. Wedges are used to apply inward pressure to join the glued surfaces.
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...psbgi5rl13.jpg

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...psktbf7sk2.jpg

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...psawrxc2p3.jpg

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...psrsm6jsbm.jpg

Fretboard Binding 2
 

The fretboard binding continues.

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...psask6xhpw.jpg

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...pslrq1awcs.jpg


One bound fretboard!
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...ps9gwdxeel.jpg

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...psafi47k2h.jpg


Compare these pictures. One is my ebony-bound FB, the other is a maple-bound FB.

The hard and brittle ebony binding chips when it is planed.
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...pslw0lvorm.jpg

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...psdsdytfwc.jpg


The softer maple planes into classic curled shavings.
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...psaekm1gzv.jpg

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...psxtknyh6j.jpg

Neck Set
 

Larry sets the neck. The requires sanding the cheeks of the heel to bring the neck in proper alignment. The adjustments are very minute. Often "sanding" means using strips of sandpaper like dental floss. The patience and fine skills of a luthier are truly remarkable.

Checking the lateral alignment.
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...psfhmuv3yz.jpg


Checking and adjusting the tilt so the fingerboard "aims" at the plane of the bridge.
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...pswayemw0x.jpg

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...psxi5berxz.jpg

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...psj12blac4.jpg

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...ps2ibkan59.jpg


Looks a bit like a guitar! :up:
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...psj4szv9zg.jpg

Truss Rod Insallation
 

The truss rod is installed.

The router guide is atop the neck.
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...psdmyuashn.jpg


The truss rod slot is routed along the center of the neck.
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...pszih4ykd0.jpg

The rod is fitted into the slot.
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...psci05zbl8.jpg


The glue shield-a strip of mahogany, I believe- is fitted atop the rod.
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...psvrvngdky.jpg

Some rubber gasket compound is laid in the slot. This is insurance against rattles.
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...pszdnddssn.jpg


The rod is set in place.
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...psf82uxgdt.jpg

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...pst1axynws.jpg

Later, the glue shield in glued in place.
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...psa05ugq0r.jpg

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...psn1skthef.jpg

Body Binding 1
 

In this sequence, the EIR body binding is installed.


First, the tail wedge is installed.
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...psewq2ci1z.jpg

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...ps2fkqk25w.jpg

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...psemfatyqh.jpg


Once the tail wedge has dried and is sanded, the body is routed for binding. The top edge gets a dual-level channel to accommodate the top purfle and the binding.
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...psh58u1use.jpg

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...ps6f4fqonw.jpg

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...pssxd2ckt9.jpg


Test fit...very nice.
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...pswgcy0kw3.jpg

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...psczytbamq.jpg

Top Graduation
 

Here are a couple of pics of the top thickness being graduated. Larry does this after routing for the binding, but before installing the binding.

Larry taps the top, listens, and decides how much will be taken off the edge of the lower bout based on how the box is responding. A slot of the proper depth is routed in the edge, and then sanded ("fared" or "faired"?) into the surface of the top. The result is a wedge shape, thickest in the middle, with continuous thinning toward the edge.

On this guitar, Larry took .008" off the edge. This may seem insignificant, but I can attest is makes a huge different in the responsiveness of the box.

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...ps3ix4zttl.jpg

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...psbq1uma9i.jpg

Body Binding 2
 

To complete the binding installation, the body is taped up to protect it.
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...psdz2obove.jpg


Dry run with the top purfle and EIR binding. This also helps with initial positioning of the first strips of glued binding.
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...ps1ttqtlh9.jpg


Glue is applied and the binding taped up
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...ps0yogkrei.jpg


The body is dipped in rubber band juice.
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...ps14210rxe.jpg

The test strips are removed.
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...psilxv1ebo.jpg


That's a lot of rubber band...or several.
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...psr0tua74d.jpg

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...psydknagxb.jpg

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...ps9dalb9bw.jpg

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/u...ps1ityjvon.jpg

Great detail as always, thank you. I thought for a minute the router slipped on that top and a new top was needed!!!!! The reality of what it was is a slightly better option to be sure.