Hatcher's Studio '19 #2

[Mark Hatcher]

Originally Posted by Guitars44me

This will be FUN TO WATCH. And even more fun to play!!!

Thanks for sharing with us all!

Paul

Thanks for commenting Paul! This is a fun build

Mark

[Mark Hatcher]

I am getting the sides put together now. Because of the deep fiddleback figure
I believe it best to laminate the sides. The Fiddleback Tree wood bends remarkably easily but for long term strength I am more comfortable with a laminated side.

Here is one side being bent and the other being laminated:



Here is the cut-away section being laminated as well:



Thanks for viewing!
Mark

[Lonzo]

Hi Mark,
what do you laminate the sides with if I may ask ? Other hog , a 2nd layer of the same or some other wood?

[Mark Hatcher]

Originally Posted by Lonzo

Hi Mark,
what do you laminate the sides with if I may ask ? Other hog , a 2nd layer of the same or some other wood?

Hi Lonzo, I usually try to use the same wood. In this case I am not going to be to get a Fiddleback Tree inside liner. I was able to get some highly flamed Morado that was pretty close and it worked out quite well on the last Fiddleback guitar I did.

Mark

[Lonzo]

Thanks for th ereply MArk.
informative.
.. but I 1st had to check that wood online.. hadn't heard of it before..

[Mark Hatcher]

It is the end black, the neck block and in this case, the cut-away point support that join the sides together. Here's a couple picture of that all coming together:







Thanks for following!
Mark

[Mark Hatcher]

While the neck is coming together I have also started on the various components of the neck. Here are some pictures of the headstock overlay and the fretboard:







If you look closely at the fret slots on the last picture you'll notice there is a slight bevel on the edge of the slots. That is a tech sometime in the distant future thanking me because he isn't getting a lot of chip out as he is doing a re-fret job

Cheers!
Mark

[Mark Hatcher]

I've been working away on this Fiddleback Tree Josie small jumbo. This guitar has a cutaway and if you are familiar with my cutaways you know I include a unique set up for mounting the front strap button:



This requires me to embed a selected piece of wood into the heel block so I can create the facet that I mount the button to. After I have the sides mounted I cut through them and into the heel block:



I was tickled to find my newer and larger band saw was large enough to clear the body for the cut I just did in this picture (big improvement on how I was doing it)

I usually use the same wood as the binding is for this. Since it's one of my unique design offerings I like to dress it up with a well figured piece of wood:



Where this Cocobolo meets the side inside the cutaway I'll want the black-white-black purfling that will miter up with the side purfling. So I glue the appropriate veneers onto the Cocobolo blank before it's installed into the heel block:



While that glue is drying I can put the sides back into the mold and kerf the back:



More to come!
Mark

[Lonzo]

.. I am already looking forward to seeng those magnificent woods as a closed box and then some of the extra goodies and embelishments applied to it... not even talking about finish being applied..
nice headstock by the way.. is it belonging to a fan fret ?

[Mark Hatcher]

Originally Posted by Lonzo

.. I am already looking forward to seeng those magnificent woods as a closed box and then some of the extra goodies and embelishments applied to it... not even talking about finish being applied..
nice headstock by the way.. is it belonging to a fan fret ?

Thanks for commenting Lonzo! The headstock overlay is not for a fan fret. The perspective is off a bit from the lens angle. I do offset the tunes that go with this headstock but, that's more for looks than anything.
I still have a bit to do before closing up the box. Today I installed the arm bevel support and top kerfing:



I also spent some time contouring the inside of the arm bevel support. This is a lightweight Spanish Cedar and hollowing it out a bit lightens it up even more and leaves a little more room for air inside the box. I prefer a solid lightweight arm bevel support because it is less likely to dampen base response.



Thanks for viewing!
Mark

[Mark Hatcher]

One of the many things I find so pleasurable about building guitars is the major parts are worked on separately in the beginning. There is the top, the sides, neck and the back. So while the glue is drying on one sub-project or I'm stuck on a decision I can easily just work on a different part and not loose any time.



Then comes the first big crescendo of putting these parts together and seeing what this instrument is going to look like.

Of course, the biggest moment is putting the strings on and hearing what I've been aiming at for months.

Thanks for riding along.
Mark

[Lonzo]

.. thanks for that nice start into the weekend! .. my time apparently.
That sure adds to an enjoyable one.

[Nemoman]

Thanks for the ride, Mark--this one is looking really special!

[Mark Hatcher]

Originally Posted by Lonzo

.. thanks for that nice start into the weekend! .. my time apparently.
That sure adds to an enjoyable one.

Thanks Lonzo!

Originally Posted by Nemoman

Thanks for the ride, Mark--this one is looking really special!

Thanks Nemoman, There are a couple more elements yet to come, one of which is a Cocobolo bound side sound port:



I've started gluing the big parts together now with the back being glued to the sides:



Thanks for viewing
Mark

[Mark Hatcher]

Here is a picture of the back joined to the sides. It has a wipe of Naptha to help show off the captivating figure of The Fiddleback Tree:



On goes the top to close up the body:



Cheers,
Mark