Steel String Penelope Build Thread for TAMCO

[Battleman]

Very clean build, You do great work.

Cheers, Mike

[CoolerKing]

Originally Posted by Mark Hatcher

Thanks Matthewpatrick,

Personally, I love the look of a fourteen fret guitar. Twelve fret guitars can have such a sweet sound that you don't ordinarily get with a fourteen fret. Also, with the reduced stretch, twelve fret guitars are really comfortable to play. When it came time for me to design Penelope I wanted all the advantages of a twelve fret conceived through my fourteen fret eye.
My issues with twelve frets designs are they tend to look so squat IMO, especially when they have a flat bottom. Also, I don't like the look of all that extra fretboard going across the upper bout. So knowing what I didn't like I set out to make a twelve fret look more like a fourteen fret.

-I made the bottom very round. I even gave it a tight waist to accentuate how round it was.
-I made the body extra long. In fact, longer than my larger models.
-I reduced the apparent length of the fretboard by putting the little S turn cut away on the end
-I gave it a very open waist to make it more svelte.

With the large radius waist the widest point of the upper bout was moved way up, which created that acute angle to get back to the neck. Somewhere along the line I noticed it was taking on the profile of the headstock which I considered the clincher.

What I find really interesting is that a guitar body is basically the same size as a human torso. And being humans this is the exact size and general shape that we would naturally be the most sensitive to. It's amazing the impact an 1/8th" here or there has.

Thanks Again,
Mark

Great explanation. Btw looks like we both abandoned Jersey; you for colder weather and me for warmer. I was in morristown for 3 yrs and LBI for six.

[Mark Hatcher]

Originally Posted by matthewpartrick

Btw looks like we both abandoned Jersey; you for colder weather and me for warmer. I was in morristown for 3 yrs and LBI for six.

Thanks matthewpatrick,

New Jersey has a lot going for it and there are many opportunities there, but New Hampshire has been a better fit for us. I'm loving my new shop and the area we're in. It's a very beautiful and inspirational environment, art is much more a part of life here. I suppose our little coastline wasn't enough to lure you up here?

Mark

[Mark Hatcher]

The pillow top sculpted headstock seems to always get a reaction. Sometimes good, sometimes bad but, it is consistently the more popular headstock I offer and comes standard on the Penelope steel string model.
I have been making this basic design and it has been evolving for about eleven years now and I've learned what I feel are some pretty tricky techniques to pull one together. I thought I'd go step by step here.
For those of you that don't like this headstock I can only say Look Away.

I usually start off book matching the top laminate. In this case it is Indian Rosewood to match the body wood;



Here are the rest of the woods making up the top laminate;



I cut the basic shape;



In order to have a sculpted headstock I need a thick laminate so I have some meat to cut into. Because it is so thick I sink the tuner washers down;



I then cut a lip around the outer edge, level with the tuner washers. I'm doing this with what amounts to a pin router using my drill press and a brass referencing pin. I'm cutting with a little round router bit so I get a curved transition for the beginning of my sculpted pillow top;



The top laminate is thick so it's best to sink the truss rod cover into it leaving plenty of room for string clearance. Using a wood marquetry technique I cut both the truss rod cover and the laminate it is going into at the same time. I am also cutting it at a 10 degree angle so that the truss rod cover will wedge down into the hole. This is a tough cut, if it goes a little astray you throw everything out and start again;



The part of the top laminate that is cut out drops down into the hole also and is glued to become the floor for the truss rod cover;



With this method you get a perfect fit;



From there it's a matter of bringing it to final shape with sandpaper, lot's of sandpaper;



To be continued..

Thanks!
Mark

[Mark Hatcher]

Today I pretty much finished up the headstock to be ready to glue on.

I was back at the drill press cutting the edges to prepare and install the binding and purfling;



Here is a picture of the binding ready to go on. At this point it is a very delicate piece of black ebony. There will be a maple purfling line as well;



This is the top laminate all set to be glued to the neck;



That's how I make a sculpted pillow top headstock

Thanks for following!
Mark

[gstring]

It is not possible to fully appreciate the beauty of these pillow headstocks until you actually see one in person.

That is a whole lot of work Mark, but the end result is unique and defines elegantly your Greta pillow headstock model.


daniel

[ross748]

I'm in the love it camp.

[Cornerstone Guitars]

Mark,
very nice build you have going on there.
BTW, phenomenal display and photography! I love it....

[Mark Hatcher]

Originally Posted by Cornerstone Guitars

Mark,
very nice build you have going on there.
BTW, phenomenal display and photography! I love it....

Thank-you for your comments Pete, Daniel, and Ross748!
I am enjoying the build and have high expectations for the result

Thanks Again,
Mark

[rogthefrog]

I had not seen Mark's guitars until the two build threads going on right now, and I am smitten. <3

[Dewar Wilson]

That is beautiful work. Very nice.

[Mark Hatcher]

Originally Posted by rogthefrog

I had not seen Mark's guitars until the two build threads going on right now, and I am smitten. <3

Thanks rogthefrog and Dewar,

And welcome to the forum rogthefrog!

Mark

[Mark Hatcher]

I'm very please how this guitar is shaping up. I'll set the frets and do final clean-up and it will be ready to have the finish applied;









I look forward to seeing it with the finish on!

Mark

[ukejon]

Looks great. That won't hang around the shop in Brighton very long!

[Trevor M]

Me too, its looks incredible.