The Acoustic Guitar Forum

Go Back   The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > Custom Shop

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 11-03-2011, 05:11 PM
arnelson arnelson is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Hutchinson, MN
Posts: 139
Default New Model, not sure what to call it yet.

Well, after topic of what luthier's dream guitar would be, I really started to think about it. I thought about it so much that I actually had a "dream" guitar come into my mind. Being the impulsive type of person that I am, I couldn't sit on it and had to start working on it to make sure I wouldn't forget what it was that I dreamt about. Anyway, on to the guitar. The back and sides are mahogany, and that is the only thing so far that is set in stone. Also, since this is a guitar borne in a dream, I am not sure how it will work out or if it will even work out yet. So this is as close as I could draw from the dream to get this started. The inner design has changed, but the majority of it is the same. It is my original body design, which is kind of an 00 with a 14 1/4" lower bout.


So after milling and gluing up the back for this project, I spent 7 hours simply drawing the design onto it.
Once I actually started the carving, I have averaged 1 hour per section, with only 35 sections on the back and only 36 on the sides. Speaking of sides, if you are wondering how that will be able to be carved so deeply, I will be doing triple sides to be able to maintain structural integrity.



As you can see after doing the first two sections, I went to the dremel to at least rough out some sections of the carvings to try and make things speed up just a bit.
So, there it is. It is going to take a really long time to finish this one. The dream becoming reality.

Andrew Nelson
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 11-03-2011, 05:30 PM
Tim McKnight's Avatar
Tim McKnight Tim McKnight is offline
AGF Sponsor
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Morral, Ohio
Posts: 5,929
Default

Very cool dream guitar. However, I would hate to dig out all of the buffing compound from the multitude of nooks and crannies though It reminds me of a design one might see in a mid eastern wind screen.
__________________
tim...
www.mcknightguitars.com
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 11-03-2011, 05:47 PM
sayheyjeff sayheyjeff is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 3,376
Default

That is knockin socks off. I love it.

jeff
__________________
Flammang RS35, Flammang el35, SC 000 12 Fret ss, SC H13, SC PJ, Rockbridge 00, Eastman 810ce, Recording King RPH 03, Martin LX (on loan), Martin 0018vs (given to Godson), Lowden F388c (traded), SC OM (traded), Martin OM28v (traded), Martin 00017s (sold), Bourgeois Martin Simpson Slope D 12 fret (sold), Larrivee Parlor (traded), Larrivee L05MT (sold), Gibson LG1 (sold), Seagull Folk (traded)
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 11-03-2011, 06:13 PM
naccoachbob naccoachbob is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Nacogdoches, Tx
Posts: 666
Default

Wow. Tim beat me to is, but how are you going to finish it?
Man so much work, but a beautiful concept and design.
Bob
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 11-03-2011, 06:23 PM
Andromeda Andromeda is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Canandaigua NY
Posts: 14,272
Default

You could call it the Da Vinci because it is such a work of art!!!
__________________
Liam F. 👽🖖🏼👑 🎶
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 11-03-2011, 07:14 PM
gitnoob gitnoob is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Emerald City
Posts: 4,327
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by arnelson View Post
Very nice. If you stopped carving now, it would look like an Escher.

__________________

gits: good and plenty
chops: snickers
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 11-03-2011, 07:36 PM
dekutree64 dekutree64 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Kansas City, Missouri
Posts: 1,263
Default

Whoa, cool concept! A fine dream guitar. Mine hasn't hit me yet, but I'm sure it will eventually. I'm kind of hoping it will be a few more years so I can gain more experience, since I doubt I'll be able to resist jumping right in either

I'd definitely say no buffing compound on that baby Perhaps a brushed on oil varnish, like violins use to get into the nooks and crannies of the scroll?

Looking forward to seeing those sides!
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 11-03-2011, 10:22 PM
CBG_BUILDER CBG_BUILDER is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 35
Default

This is amazing! Your carving detail is awesome! I can't wait to see this build progress!
__________________
"There is no leaving, there is only parting"

A.J.
____________________________

Eastman 412 Natural
Alvarez 5053- Brazilian
Alvarez A-900 mandolin
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 11-04-2011, 06:03 AM
KolayaGuitars KolayaGuitars is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Michigan
Posts: 637
Default

HOLY MOLY!! Great design concept. It reminds me of the Andemento.
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 11-04-2011, 07:46 AM
Haans Haans is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Minneapolis, Mn.
Posts: 1,014
Default

Wow! No CNC work there!
Talk about a renaissance instrument... Renaissance, that's what I'd call it.
Definitely a few of coats of oil varnish and then a light French polish, I'd say. Going to be tough, but you've picked a tough job.
Keep up the good work!
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 11-04-2011, 07:59 AM
arnelson arnelson is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Hutchinson, MN
Posts: 139
Default

Thanks everyone for the nice comments. Tim, the plan was to finish it the only way that I've seen relief carvings finished that appealed to me, and that is oil varnish then wax, but I may end up going with a light french polish over the varnish instead depending on how lucky I'm feeling The progress picks on this are going to be really slow I"m thinking, but I'm glad that you all are enjoying it. Oh and haans, definitely no cnc here, just some knives and sore hands to get this work done.
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 11-04-2011, 06:50 PM
leftybanjo leftybanjo is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: boerne, tx
Posts: 809
Default

That is truly a labor of love, please keep showing pictures, no matter how slow. Great design and a one of a kind instrument.
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 11-05-2011, 08:51 AM
Haans Haans is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Minneapolis, Mn.
Posts: 1,014
Default

Watch out for those sore hands!
Don't want to end up like me...crippled and arthritic.
This instrument will scream for violin peg tuners!
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 11-05-2011, 09:00 AM
HHP HHP is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Indianapolis, IN
Posts: 29,351
Default

I was gonna suggest "Blueberry" but that's probably not appropriate and I think it taken already.
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 11-05-2011, 09:22 AM
arnelson arnelson is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Hutchinson, MN
Posts: 139
Default

I've already lost track of how many hours I have into this, but I have one side of the back done now and have started the other side of the back. I do have to admit I'm not terribly excited about sanding all of these sections. I kind of wish I had a riffler set to help clean it all up. Anyway, I'm really liking the effect this carving is getting. It is so close to how I imagined it so far.
Reply With Quote
Reply

  The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > Custom Shop

Thread Tools





All times are GMT -6. The time now is 06:04 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright ©2000 - 2022, The Acoustic Guitar Forum
vB Ad Management by =RedTyger=