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Old 06-27-2013, 12:49 AM
Viking Viking is offline
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Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Posts: 234
Default First Build: Western Red Cedar & White Oak Grand Concert

So my first build will be a Grand Concert. The best sounding guitar I've personally ever played was a Taylor GC3. That in itself is kind of a sad statement, but, with time I'm sure I'll have my hands on something nicer.

The top will be western red cedar, the sides and back will be quarter sawn white oak. The stuff I've got has a very nice looking light colored sap wood strip. Not too much figure, considering it's quarter sawn white oak, but it will still be pretty. I'll probably also build the neck, fret board & bridge out of oak. Mostly because it's what I've got laying around.

It will have a 24 3/4 inch scale length and 1 3/4 inch nut width.

I bought and devoured Cumpiano's book. Then Kinkead's book. I've also purchased Somogyi's books. So all of that in addition to being an information hound, I love to research whatever has caught my fancy.

I've started acquiring tools. I'm already set up to fashion nuts and saddles. I've replaced the nut and saddle on my Yamaha FG730S. I also replaced the nut and saddle on my Epiphone J200. But being predominantly a finger style player, it's super thick top really needs a pick to drive it sufficiently, so I sold it to a guy who just likes to strum some chords.

I would like to have my first instrument completed before the end of summer, though that might be a tad ambitious. In addition to building the actual guitar, I'll also be way laid in the coming weeks by the need to build jigs and infrastructure.

I'm captivated by simple lines and earthy colors and tones. I'll probably end up building plenty with spruce, but I love the darker looks of the cedars and redwoods.

I'm also devoted to the idea that a fine guitar is as much a piece of art as it is a musical instrument. And for better or worse, I think the judgment of most musicians is influenced by how a guitar looks. If it doesn't sound good first and foremost, then it doesn't matter what it looks like(lipstick on a pig and all that), but all else being equal, folks will opt for a beautiful instrument over an ordinary looking one. So I hope to achieve this level of beauty with learned precision and complimentary contrasting colors of woods, simple lines and interesting but minimalist inlay.

On finishes, I want to learn how to French polish. From what I’ve read, a French polish finish will have the smallest impact on tone of the various finishes one can use. Though I suppose I’m open to someone trying to convince me otherwise if they feel the need. I do understand that it is a complicated and difficult skill to master.

I know for a fact though, that I will have a very hard time finishing my first guitar. I took a wood shop class in high school. I built a stool and a box(still have the stool, gave the box to mom…). I was so enamored with the look and feel of naked wood, I didn’t "finish" those pieces. Not because I was lazy, but because I just loved the look and feel of the wood all by itself. I know I’ll have to finish the guitar to help protect it, but I also know I will definitely not want to.

Anyway. This thread will actually be as much a thread about my building infrastructure & jigs to perform the various tasks related to building the guitar.

Last edited by Viking; 06-27-2013 at 01:35 AM.
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