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Old 04-03-2016, 09:51 AM
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Mark Hatcher Mark Hatcher is offline
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Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Green Mountains
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Default Hatcher Studio '16 #2

This is a continuation of Hatcher Studio '16; http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...411876&page=21

I have four guitars that I have been building as my "Show Spec Series". My first two are sold and the third one is a small jumbo Josie model with a highly quilted maple back and side set, it is currently at the finisher. That leaves my fourth guitar which will be a Penelope Black Ebony guitar with lots of abalone and an elevated fretboard. The back and side set comes from this group of sets all cut from the same billet;



But this is where a guitar really starts;



I bring this up because I've recently had an epiphany that I'd like to share.
I've felt guilty because technology has been advancing for quite awhile for drafting plan layouts. There's CAD, Sketch-Up, Illustrator, all kinds of great ways to draw up designs and here I am like an old Luddite sitting at a drafting table. When my brother needs to do a quick sketch he reaches for his laptop not a pencil.
So here's my epiphany; Guitars aren't large, I can draw an entire guitar on this table full scale. I'm going to build it full scale so it's better to draw it full scale. So lets say I'm designing a bridge like so;



Once drawn I can look at it this way and that until I'm happy with it's lines and size. After that it get's drawn on the wood blank and cut out;



See anything familiar? It's the same pencil drawing and now I'm going to use the band saw and follow those curves again. But it's going to be easier because I've already followed those curves by hand a couple times while drawing them full scale.

I think as builders we all need to be the gate keepers for what and how we let technology in and not just reach for the next new shiny thing.

And we're off!



Thanks for getting through all that!
Mark
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Mark Hatcher
www.hatcherguitars.com


“Let me make the songs of a nation, and I care not who makes its laws.”. Andrew Fletcher