Yep, we'll be there. I thought the podcast gives a good personal connection for those who are interested in your work. For those that are interested, Michael Bashkin has started the podcast "Luthier on Luthier" that's sponsored by the Fretboard Journal. Great insight into the minds of custom builders, and Burton was the second interview. You can find it at the link above or on iTunes.

I noticed that also.

OFF WITH HIS HEAD!

I was hoping you'd post the link, because I was going to listen to it tonight!

Thanks. Remember, that compound curve is perhaps something never to be duplicated again, and I have huge respect for what you've done so far. I'm so excited to see how the headstock and tuners turn out!

Thanks again
Matthew

Any updates?

Was planning on posting a few pictures either tonight or tomorrow. I've been deep in tuner-land making tooling to be able to make these (and future) modified machines. Its been.... slow, as you can probably tell!

I also have the neck (really) roughed out. I'll get something together tonight.

I was just looking at your headplates from Diamonddave's guitar today, getting excited! :)

Here are a few shots of where we are! I wish I could put them in line with the text but if that is possible uploading them through the AGF I haven't figured it out yet.

The neck is more or less fit to the flat plane of the body and the extension lays flat and is tight. As with everything on this guitar even the neck bolts needed to be custom. The normal 1/4-20 bolts were too big for the skinny tenon. I made some smaller ones that work very well. Its going to be fun to carve the heel. Still trying to figure out the order I want to do it in.

I've laid the fingerboard over the neck to see what it will look like. On this guitar any mismatch on the geometry of the sides would be real obvious as they taper in to meet the fingerboard. I was a little worried but its fine. Looks so much like the guitar it is based on. I install the frets with hide glue and haven't cleaned the excess yet- That is the squeezeout if anyone was wondering.

The tuning machines are coming along nicely. It took me a while to get the procedure and correct tooling to be able to make these repeatably for the future. I'm pretty close now. Not sure if I'll send them out for anodizing as they won't be visible but I am very curious to see them done that way. The CAD drawing is of the layout and spacing for the headstock. Making all the pockets is tricky work, there isn't really any room for error. I'll make the titanium string posts and install them to get the hole spacing aligned just right. I still have to tackle the imitation tuning pegs as well.

I showed a few shots of the shaping jig on the lathe. It allows me to turn the main barrel and keep it concentric to the string post bores. It could be quick work on a newer machine but I have to take it slow and work in sections. Everything came out well though.

I also have the Carbon fiber rods prepared for the neck. Those will get glued in tonight. That process works so well. No complaints from me :)

It seems so close but I can picture the machines still eating up some time. I hope not! But we'll see-

Thanks everyone who is following along. I am getting very excited to have this guitar on my table at Woodstock. If you are planning on being there please stop by and see it.

A true tour de force! Literally makes me gasp!

I know I'm biased but I really think this is one of the coolest build threads I've seen on AGF in the four years I've been here. I'm so glad I got to work with such a genius as Burton and that he talked me into the renaissance concave parlour (I was initially leaning towards a small ditson.)

Wait until you see the bridge and tuners/headstock. You might have an aneurysm they're so cool! I sadly won't be able to make it to woodstock as I'll be in Chicago for the ER oral boards as an examiner (my chance to sadistically take it out on others! :))

I can practically no one will ever build another guitar like this one, and since Burton took measurements from the original, there will really only be two of these in existence. So cool!

I'll definitely be stopping by at Woodstock. This build has been fascinating to watch. Can't wait to hear how it sounds. :)

There needs to be a higher cool factor scale than 10 for this one... WOW...!

I would have to agree with this statement, pretty incredible stuff.

Ten thumbs up :up::up::up::up::up::up::up::up::up::up:

Thanks guys! Dennis, make sure to give me your unfettered thoughts.

Having seen and played R. Corwin's Martin Renaissance parlor on which this build is partially based, its great to see it approaching the finish line in such fine form and fashion. A treat for the senses and the spirit ....

That's not so hard, all my oral examiners kept repeating over and over again was "anything else" after I thought I had covered all possible bases....oh wait they also said "I hesitate to move forward as once I do we can't go back" hahahaha....