Sexauer Classical Guitar (2015)

[Ned Milburn]

Originally Posted by iim7V7IM7

Ned,

My point was simply that there are many ways to achieve an outstanding guitar through bracing and other means. I wasn't advocating one approach over another (e.g. Michael Kasha/Steve Klein). I have both fan and lattice braced nylon string guitars and both sound wonderful to me. My steel stringed guitars by different builders are divergently constructed and braced as well. All of them in their own way produce great sounding guitars. That was my point about all roads leading to Rome.

Additionally, as I understood it, this posting by Bruce is in a sense a luthier's journal chronicling his work to share it with others. It is not a posting of a novice builder soliciting directional design or construction advice from others. Lastly, I rarely see another luthier post their work comparatively in another luthiers build thread as you did in your prior post. I frankly think this thread is perhaps a lesson in "how", "when" and "where" to say something instead of the "what" and the "why". I would hope you would want the same professional courtesy afforded you, the next time you choose to journal your work publically.

My $.02

iim7V7IM7,

I am pretty much on the same page as you. Hence, I stated above in earlier comments that both lattice and double top innovations have proven themselves to yield top quality instruments in the hands of master builders.

I also stated above that I do believe, since this being a public forum, that any queries are part and parcel of the whole experience. Either my puzzlement is bunk, or legitimate, or somewhere in between. Perhaps, through the dialogue, we (Bruce, myself, and other readers of this thread) can learn one or two things.

I do not believe I have insulted Bruce's work. No where do I state I think he is a builder of mediocre calibre, and if I had indeed done so (which I would never be so presumptuous to do), it would be my own folly. I don't think, however, it is fair to expect people to respond solely with, "Ooh, aahh, eee!!! Awesome!!" when anyone posts threads of their builds. I would, however, expect people to respond respectfully if they have queries of puzzlement regarding my work or the work of others. This is certainly what I have attempted to do in this thread. The reason I posted a photo, a video, and some comments about my guitars is specifically so that Bruce would not just slough off my comments as worthless empty comments from a worthless builder who Bruce thinks he does not know. Quite possibly this intention was misinterpreted, and I am sorry for us all if it was.

Take a look at my Evo guitar build thread if you want to flame away with queries of puzzlement if they exist for you. My Evo design is certainly much further from any standard than anything shown in this thread so far (other than perhaps the Kasha bracing). With such a unique design, I am certainly opening myself wide for criticism. I would truly hope you would give me both the respect and the opportunity to address your puzzlement at any portion of my building style or design if you ever see such a thing. This is part of what internet forums are about - the sharing of ideas through dialogue. Hopefully we can leave the dialogue with more than we started with.

Through respectful dialogue, together we can all grow. This is my attitude in life.

Peace and Goodwill!! ;-)

[Ned Milburn]

Last thought...

The master craftsman with whom I built my first instrument had one aspect of his guitar dimensions that was clearly well outside the standard range of dimensions for that parameter.

Does it show my "master" (my father's age) more or less respect to point this out to him, or does it show more or less respect to keep this information to myself...??

Thank you to all the people who responded to my thoughts.

Apologies to Bruce for this thread moving on a tangent. However, again, that is part and parcel of public internet forums.

Sorry Bruce. I'll shut my pie hole now!

[Bruce Sexauer]

Perfectly okay, Ned. I am way over it, whatever it was. Moving right along:

I fretted guitar over the holi-daze, scraped and sanded it entirely by hand (just for fun), sealed it, porefilled it, and sealed it again. Can't carve the tuner slots yet as I don't have the tuners and don't want to arbitrarily choose the wrong dimensions. I expect them mid-week to follow.

[Ned Milburn]

Originally Posted by Bruce Sexauer

Perfectly okay, Ned. I am way over it, whatever it was. Moving right along:

Thanks Bruce.

The color looks sweet with the sealing done. (Guessing it is shellac...)

[Bruce Sexauer]

Being on a bit of a roll here late in what has been a slow year for me, I started another guitar today, my 9th of the year I believe, and my second Nylon strung. I will make this one a Flamenco Blanco, complete with friction tuners. Here are the plates I joined today. The top is Eastern North American White Spruce, and the back and sides are Catalpa from Pennsylvania (I believe) which I got from Otterhound last fall in Woodstock, NY. I have built with Catalpa twice previously and couldn't be more pleased with the results. My previous material grew in California and I harvested it myself, this material is considerably harder and stiffer.

[Bruce Sexauer]

I do try to stay out of the shop on Sunday. I adjust two doors in the house to fit our new floors, and I went to the beach with the family. But I also braced the top and the back, though the top is still in the deck. HHG doesn't slow things down much once you figure out the rhythm.

[Bruce Sexauer]

Aside from a small modification I have thought of, the top if the "Blanco" is done and I have made a neck and tail block and glued them on:

[Bruce Sexauer]

I bent the sides overnight, and installed them this afternoon with the peone I split for the job this morning:

[riffmeister]

Great looking grain lines in that soundboard, Bruce!

[Bruce Sexauer]

Originally Posted by riffmeister

Great looking grain lines in that soundboard, Bruce!

I chose a compression grain top because I was after a hard stiff top which I could make quite thin.

[JJI]

Originally Posted by Bruce Sexauer

Perfectly okay, Ned. I am way over it, whatever it was. Moving right along:

I fretted guitar over the holi-daze, scraped and sanded it entirely by hand (just for fun), sealed it, porefilled it, and sealed it again. Can't carve the tuner slots yet as I don't have the tuners and don't want to arbitrarily choose the wrong dimensions. I expect them mid-week to follow.

Just a lovely looking guitar...the Braz reminds me of another guitar I played in your shop that is also just fantastic.

[Bruce Sexauer]

Yes, Josh, the classical is from the same billet as the OMish steel string I made for last year's (2014) Woodstock festival and which was featured with "The Pear" in PegHead Nations video linked on the front page of my site.

[dreamincolor]

Beautiful work Bruce, as always. This thread made me dig out my classical (Tsiorba), re-string it, and do some practicing. Lots of rusty technique, but it felt great! Looking forward to the next batch of photos/progress!

[Bruce Sexauer]

Tuner's come, so I fitted them. Now it's on to the varnish.

[Bruce Sexauer]

I got the first coat of varnish onto the Blanca today, as well as the 4th coat onto the Classical:




This BRW is so beautiful I made an attempt to share it, but it comes up short I think: