The Acoustic Guitar Forum - Sexauer '17 (chapter 2)

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I have strung up the BRW/Adi dread today and imagine I have hit a new high water mark for my version of the form. Whether it is the sound the customer is hoping for or not I will learn tomorrow morning when Mike comes over for a set-up "reality check". I may get to pictures on Monday, and expect to actually deliver the guitar on Tuesday.

Tomorrow I have 2 gigs with my trio "BLT". First from 12 till 4 in the afternoon and it is predicted to be quite hot; we'll be under a pop up in a parking lot in San Pablo, CA, and the other is my regular 6 - 8 at Le Chalet Basque in San Rafael. Big Day for the left hand.

Pernambuco Mod-D for SBAIC started

The "casual" 4 hr gig turned out to have a lot of "sales presentation" in it and we only actually played 22 of the 36 tunes on the set lists. Thus we were well warmed up for our restaurant gig and played as well as we ever have. Speaking of "warmed up", it was 95 f at 6 pm when we started playing, which is ridiculous in these parts, historically. We better get used to it, I figure.

Mike has played the dread and told me I hit it out of the park. That said, I did not do as well second guessing the relationship between the carbon neck reinforcement and the medium string tension, and got the neck perfectly straight, which is not what I was after. So I have pulled the frets and resurfaced the fingerboard and re-fretted it. The slight relief seems perfect to me now, and Mike will take it with him tomorrow if he agrees. Pictures later today, most likely.

The big news IMO is that I have started the guitar I plan to feature at SBAIC late in August. I am making a Modified D, the sort of thing the Somogyi-nistas are so well known for making. Of course I do not have the benefit of being trained by Ervin, but I think I'll be okay. It will likely sound far more Sexauer than Somogyi, but I think that'll be okay too. I am using Pernambuco for the back and sides, and Adirondack spruce for the top. I will be documenting the build here, so check in regularly if you find this anywhere near as interesting as I do.

Beautiful...

I'll second that!

My goodness that dread is a looker!

May your herds increase...

Cheers

Paul

Beautiful, bound fretboard no fret markers classic

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bruce Sexauer (Post 5411215)

Speaking of "warmed up", it was 95 f at 6 pm when we started playing, which is ridiculous in these parts, historically. We better get used to it, I figure.

Same here in S.W.France. But don't worry Bruce, it's all a Chinese plot. Trump'll take care of it.

A real beauty - certainly in the top 10 of your nicest looking guitars!

SBAIC Mod-D start

I have modified my D concept somewhat for this build, but not exactly as Ervin's progeny conceive it. The waist is tighter, and the lower bout is rounder, and of course the cutaway it rather pointed, but inside it will be more Sexauer than traditional Martin, and that makes the most difference IMO. And it is Pernambuco, which is also a really big deal. . . or is it all in my mind?

http://mojoluthier.com/LP17/SBAIC17/back1.jpg

http://mojoluthier.com/LP17/SBAIC17/backbraces1.jpg

http://mojoluthier.com/LP17/SBAIC17/1sttier.jpg

I can't wait to watch this. I stay away from the forum as much as I can after I found my keeper. But I still come back just for your thread. That and to check the classifieds for my dream Sexauer should it ever pop up on the second hand market.

Thanks for your steady contribution here for so long Bruce!!

Hi Bruce,
That set of Pernambuco looks really nice. I realize most of your builds with Pernambuco have been paired with some sort of European spruce, but I think you've also built a few with Adirondack. Is there any particular tonal goal that drives the top selection?

I find myself playing into Pernambuco's strengths rather than trying to temper them. Thus I have tended toward harder/brighter materials such as tight Euro or Adirondack.

I am about to make the end block and bend the sides. The bracing is complete in these pictures except for the center seam reinforcement. I do not usually fit that until the sides are assembled to the top.

http://mojoluthier.com/LP17/SBAIC17/3rdtier.jpg

http://mojoluthier.com/LP17/SBAIC17/backbraces2.jpg

I like it...:up: Your style of voicing with pernambuco/red spruce will be great combo with that style of body...:)