Hatcher Studio '16

[ukejon]

Originally Posted by Mark Hatcher

I'm sorry Fred, I could have worded that better. This is a thin BRW back with cedar braces in a lattice configuration. A cedar backed guitar would be a whole different animal.

That lively back should be totally magical.

[Mark Hatcher]

Originally Posted by TomB'sox

Wow, that wooly Mammoth ivory is fantastic!!!! I know you are putting it into your spec Greta, I wonder how that might look on one of your smaller models?

Thanks! I really like the pieces with the blue in them but it's the texture of many of the pieces that I find alluring. So far I'm thinking heel caps and truss rod covers. Fretboard markers and inlays are opportunities too. Any of these elements would work with any model regardless of size.

Originally Posted by ukejon

That lively back should be totally magical.

I got the cedar back braces on today and it's a very lightweight back. It occurred to me also that I should be putting a rosewood neck on this guitar as well so I put wood aside for that. The Oak burl made a very nice rosette--go firewood!

Mark

[yoni]

All those materials without an owner in the wings sounds like your making a very cheap guitar. I'd give you $38 and not a penny more. Now if you'll excuse me my straight jacket is a little loose.

[Mark Hatcher]

I am just doing final clean-up on the first of the four show spec guitars I am working on. I should have this ready to ship to the finisher next week.
This is my ​Piña parlor model with a 14" lower bout.

Here are some specs:

Top- Old growth curly Redwood
Back and side- Figured Claro Walnut
Neck- 1850 Black Walnut laminated with maple and cross grained BRW
Open headstock with Schertler tuners
Beveled florentine cutaway
Short scale 24.75"
Fretboard- BRW 16" radius
Bone nut and saddle with 1 3/4" nut and 2 1/4" space at saddle
Binding, headplate, end cap, and end graft- African Blackwood
Purfling- Cross grained Zebrawood
Rosette- Bloodwood w/cross grained Zebrawood borders
Abalone- 12th fret marker and headstock inlays



The inlays are stylized music notation figures done in green abalone





I'm lookin forward to seeing all this figure under finish



This next picture shows the bevel I put into the florentine cutaway:



You can also see the bevel in the African Blackwood next to the heel of the neck. This creates a recess for the strap button. I've done this on several previous guitars. It's a great place to get that button out of the way yet it is still easily accessible with a secure hold to the strap.
Here is a finished picture of the one I did on Graham Maby's bass guitar:



Thanks for viewing!
Mark

[Nemoman]

Beautiful guitar, Mark--really love the sideways treble clef 12-fret marker!

[ross748]

Beautiful Mark. Love the Pina body style. Great proportions. Congratulations on another stunner.

[Mark Hatcher]

Originally Posted by Nemoman

Beautiful guitar, Mark--really love the sideways treble clef 12-fret marker!

Thanks! I think having the strings on will add to the effect.

Originally Posted by ross748

Beautiful Mark. Love the Pina body style. Great proportions. Congratulations on another stunner.

Thank you, it's a very comfortable body shape to play too! This was my first Pina with a cut away, I think it somehow makes the guitar look bigger than it really is.

[Mark Hatcher]

I got the cedar/Bastogne Walnut Josie small jumbo back from the finisher. I pieced it together a bit and took some pictures:



I am very pleased how well the figure came out, even on the White Limba neck!





The arm bevel is African Blackwood. In real life it is a dark brown. The colors of the Zebrawood crossgrain purfling worked out very well:



These are Gotoh mini 510 tuners in antique gold. My usual custom wood buttons are round which I didn't thing would go well with this headstock design so I made these more like Schertler ovals. These are Black and White Ebony to go with the rosette:





I am also very happy with how well the red in the sides blend into the Red Cedar:



That is what it looks like. Now I'll get some strings on this baby in the next few days and hear how she sings!

Thanks for viewing!
Mark

[ross748]

Beautifully executed!

[dbradfie]

Wow! Well done. Can't wait to see it in person!

[TomB'sox]

Wow, wonderful, it all ties together so well, your trademark IMO!

[Mark Hatcher]

Originally Posted by ross748

Beautifully executed!

Thanks! I'm happy that so many small decisions and selections are playing so well together!

Originally Posted by dbradfie

Wow! Well done. Can't wait to see it in person!

I should have it all strung up early next week and will want to hold it for at least a week while it discovers it's new identity as a guitar.

Originally Posted by TomB'sox

Wow, wonderful, it all ties together so well, your trademark IMO!

Thanks Tom! Glad you like my work because we'll be starting up on yours soon!

Thanks again everyone for your comments!
Mark

[Mark Hatcher]

While my first of four show spec guitars is at the finisher I have dug in on the second which is my Greta grand auditorium model. This guitar has a Western Red Cedar soundboard with Brazilian Rosewood back and sides. I am making each of these four specs feature rich so they can represent a good sampling of what I offer. This guitar is also a cut away with my beveled strap arrangement which I now offer standard with cut aways.

I'm keeping this guitar very organic by using some new materials presented in a very natural state. I'm introducing interesting colors and textures so although there isn't any traditional "bling" there is a lot going on.

Here is a picture of where I am on the headstock:



The top laminate is Red Oak Burl (courtesy of my firewood pile) with a lot of rough live edge. The truss rod cover is fashioned from wooly mammoth tusk bark. I'll be using this throughout this build. I love the mottled colors and textures this ancient material offers!



I'm going with a business size sound port and am leaving the sapwood in on the sides.



I love the look of the sapwood on the cut away. There will be Black Ebony binding going in this week. You can see the block of Black Ebony that is glued into the heel block. This is where I will cut in the bevel when I can line it up with the set neck heel.

You can also see more of the Oak Burl used in the rosette

[ross748]

Very nice indeed.

[TomB'sox]

Love it!

So the Beveled strap arrangement is standard on cutwaways? Hmmmm....