Sexauer '21

Bruce Sexauer · #1 02-18-2021, 07:19 PM

Just today I realized that I hadn't started a new folder in my website for 2021 builds, and so having now done that task, I thought I might as well get with the program here in the AGF as well.

This is a continuation of my Sexauer 2020 (Chapters 1, 2, and 3) thread which can be found HERE. I have been doing this "Blog Thread" in the AGF since 2014, and I believe all of the the chapters are linked backwards and forwards. My intention has been to freely share my insights and methods, and these chapters offer a great deal of information to those who are interested. I am in my 53rd year of lutherie, and I know stuff. IMO, of course.

Here is a repost of the current build, which I just started yesterday. It is worth mentioning, perhaps, that all of my AGF posts are real time, not an idealization of the past. This guitar will be an OM inspired MadRose/German spruce cutaway.In my nomenclature, it is an FT-15-C-JB/2.

cigarfan · #2 02-20-2021, 05:25 AM

Great to see the 2021 continuation. Happy New Year Bruce!

BTW, picture links are showing up as broken. Probably some type of typo.

Teleplucker · #3 02-20-2021, 11:23 AM

I can see the pictures ok my iPad

canuck7 · #4 02-20-2021, 04:16 PM

I’ve got the pictures on Tapatalk...

awchiu · #5 02-20-2021, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tadol

I am extremely happy that another Sexauer is getting built with that Mad RW - We picked out 3 premium sets in Cremona, and it was a very hard choice as to which set to use for my build. I was completely convinced I’d chosen the best one - right up til I saw your back joined and sanded - thats gonna be spectacular!

And you’re right - you may get Bruces best guitar yet - but you won’t know for sure ‘til you get your second!

;-)

After it's built, you can go play and compare to yours. But they could be different just because mine is built for fingerstyle and yours for strumming.

All I know is it'll be the best one in my tiny collection!

tadol · #6 02-20-2021, 11:32 PM

Rest assured - I will go out of my way to try this one!

Bruce Sexauer · #7 02-26-2021, 04:22 PM

My current customer, Andrew (awchiu), has an above average internet pipe, it seems, and has asked for high res photos. That means I haven't been taking the time to resize them for the forum, and so haven't been posting much.

Today I closed the box on his FT-15-C-JB/2 (15" cutaway, 1/4" MultiScale), and thought I better do a bit of photo editing for y'all. Andrew has receive many times more pics than I am offering you, but I remain more interested in lutherie than Photoshop.

nashrb · #8 02-26-2021, 04:58 PM

Hey Bruce. Good to see a post from you! Based on your recent history I was getting a little afraid when we hadn't heard from you in a while. Great work as always!

Nemoman · #9 02-26-2021, 06:03 PM

This is looking very nice, Bruce! Love the way the grain angles and continues across the butt end where the endgraft will reside--great stuff!

Bruce Sexauer · #10 02-26-2021, 08:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nemoman

This is looking very nice, Bruce! Love the way the grain angles and continues across the butt end where the endgraft will reside--great stuff!

I made an error when profiling the sides, and couldn't back out. So I offered another set of side I had which were in some ways a better match to the back (though not as pretty as these), but Andrew chose to keep going with what was actually happening, citing Feng Shui as his motivation. If I had been building for myself, I would have had much the same feeling, but sides book matched at the graft are so "standard" in our work that I never would have demanded a customer accept my moment of idiocy. How I appreciate Andrew's attitude, and I too am tickled with the result, so far.

Guitars44me · #11 02-26-2021, 09:48 PM

I, too, really like the way the sides swoop across the butt! Wabi-Sabi worked well here!!!

I can certainly understand liking building better than photoshop...

Salud

Paul

awchiu · #12 02-26-2021, 10:06 PM

I appreciate Bruce's honesty when he brought this issue to my attention. After thinking a bit, I actually prefer the endgraft done this way where the lines are flowing like a single piece of wood all the way around the sides!

And I think the result speaks for itself, I love it!

Glad some of you think the same.

Bruce Sexauer · #13 02-27-2021, 03:20 PM

By Tuesday we should be able to see the bottom end of the guitar framed by the binding mitered into the graft. I expect to find it refreshing.

Here is the first section of binding going on just minutes ago:

Bebo · #14 02-28-2021, 10:20 AM

I kinda like the sides. A happy accident.

printer2 · #15 02-28-2021, 02:33 PM

Like your cutaway, a happy accident. As soon as I saw the picture it looked right to me. Then I had to think through what was up with the wood, how it would look otherwise. Then after being satisfied with understanding it (as well as reading on) I had to take a while longer taking it in. Almost a shame putting in an end graft.