Looking better every day! I like the way the end graft ties in with the side port geometry too.

Col

Kraut 00
 

That's a nice observation Colin. I hadn't thought of that. Ray does like his designs to be cohesive.

Thanks Fred! I like your "Dancer's Interlude" song in your signature.

John, can’t believe I missed this!! Excited your build is finally here. Loving the design and the wood choices so far. Can’t wait for final product!

Kraut 00
 

Thanks for the nice thoughts Matt. Great to hear from you.

[QUOTE=Cocobolo Kid;6286768]

https://photos.smugmug.com/Guitars/K...GluingNeck.jpg





John, I have never seen a square "sound port". Is shape only aesthetic, or is there an acoustic reason?

Steve

Kraut 00
 

Thanks for asking Steve. The shape is purely aesthetic. I let Ray choose the shape. I suggested a boring oval since it was near the sound hole. As Colin suggested, Ray may have wanted to tie in the shape with the end graft. Ray did tell me that the shape was not made for sound or structural reasons. The shape of the side sound port is actually a trapezoid; the two sides are parallel, but the top and bottom edges follow the edges of the top and back of the guitar. At that point, the back is sloping from being shallower toward the front of the guitar and deeper towards the back. The difference is subtle, and I don't think I have a photo that shows it.

Can’t wait to see and hear this beauty! Ray is the man!

Kraut 00
 

Thanks Dustin! Yes, Ray is the man. I am constantly impressed watching him create a playable work of art from a few pieces of wood. He makes it look so easy too.

Wow, beautiful and unique headstock and end graft. Super nice. Congrats on what looks like it will be a masterpiece.

Kraut 00
 

Thanks so much for the bump Jamiejoon. I see in your profile that you live in the Bay Area. I lived there for most of my life. I miss all the good restaurants and Gryphon Stringed Instruments. A lot of great luthiers work near there too!

I'm not sure how I've missed this thread, but what a treat to find it. I mean this as no disrespect to anyone, but no one builds a guitar like Ray. I can't tell you how much I enjoyed all the pictures, from the very first shot of that insane top.

Kraut 00
 

Thanks so much James! I really appreciate your post.

I will try to post more photos soon.

Kraut 00
 

My guitar is still at finish, so I thought I would post some other interesting photos I have taken at Ray's shop over the last year.

Here is one of the many vacuum clamps Ray uses. This is gluing the laminated/double sides together:
https://photos.smugmug.com/Guitars/K...acuumClamp.jpg

This is Ray using a jig he made to route the binding channel:
https://photos.smugmug.com/Guitars/K...ingBinding.jpg

The following is one of my favorites. This is the rotary tool that Ray uses to carve his unique rosettes. The tool uses compressed air to spin at a crazy 50,000 RPM's and he routinely uses bits as small as 10/1,000 of an inch! A typical piece of paper is about 3/1,000 of an inch thick. The metal jig that the tool sits in was machined for Ray by a friend of his.
https://photos.smugmug.com/Guitars/K...RotaryTool.jpg

The next photo shows a closeup of a rosette Ray created last year. It is amazing to watch him carve all the intricate lines, and not even use a magnifying glass. This is NOT the rosette for my guitar.
https://photos.smugmug.com/Guitars/K...etteSample.jpg

That's all I have for now. Ray and I should be picking my guitar up from finish next week. The guitar will still have to cure for a month before Ray sands it by hand and buffs it.

If Ray wasn't a luthier I suspect he'd be a neurosurgeon. His patience and eye for fine detail are incredible!

Is the finish being done locally John?

Kraut 00
 

Thanks Colin. Yes, Ray does have a great eye for detail. I especially like how he is able to create interesting, artful shapes out of simple lines and curves.

Ray's finisher works in Phoenix, Arizona, about a two hour drive from Tucson. We will hopefully be driving to pick up my pore-filled and nitro-sprayed guitar in a couple days. I will post some photos of course.