Build thread: Stehr dreadnought

mikealpine · #1 03-13-2013, 06:45 AM

Hey all,

Well, after patiently waiting, it is my turn for Joel Stehr to start taking a pile of wood and turning it into something that will make beautiful music!! It's exciting and a bit nerve-wracking all at the same time. I'm making decisions, but allowing Joel to guide me so that my decisions don't impact the tone of the instrument or bankrupt me. I completely understand that each additional item adds time for which he should be justifiably compensated. I think we're building a beauty. Hope you enjoy the process along with me!!

OK, so my journey began with my BTO (as you see, for sale at the bottom), which is a gorgeous-sounding instrument, but didn't have the volume I was looking for. It does now, and I think I understand "opening up", but it didn't at the time I contacted Joel. We initially decided on a Jumbo because I wanted serious volume/projection. In the intervening time, my shoulders have become a mess, and I am concerned that wrapping my 5' 5" frame around a jumbo, even with bevels, could eventually become an issue. I plan on owning this for the rest of my life, so at almost 50, I may still be able to do it, but 10 years down the road? So we changed to a dreadnought. I still love the more traditional look of a dread, and Joel believes we can get to the sound and volume we're after with a dread. I am more of a strummer/singer than anything else, so I believe this will suit me very well.

Here's what we're building:

Dreadnought
14 frets to the body, 25.4" scale.
Carpathian top
Blackwood back and sides; double sides (inner: Honduran mahogany)
Monterillo Rosewood for fretboard and other spots
Cool rosette design TBD
Cool inlays with slightly larger side fret markers
Gold EVO fretwire.
Bound headstock
Back and side purfling
Cutaway- Venetian, with bevel (if possible), otherewise Florentine with bevel
Rib and Arm bevel
Sound port
Laminated neck- wood TBD
510 tuners
Cool rosette design TBD
Cool inlays with slightly larger side fret markers
Anthem pickup

We're still working out the final details on the design of the neck and rosette, but that's a start.

I have some pictures to post, but had some trouble doing so this morning and will try again later.

Thanks for coming along on this journey with me!!!

ZekeM · #2 03-13-2013, 09:02 AM

Lucky dog!

hnuuhiwa · #3 03-13-2013, 09:57 AM

Congrats Mike and enjoy the journey!

SuperB23 · #4 03-13-2013, 10:03 AM

Congrats, it should be a killer guitar!!!! I look forward to checking out the pics.

mikealpine · #5 03-13-2013, 11:02 AM

Thanks everyone! Here are some of the pictures. They are a bit small, but I don't know the process of enlarging them. If someone can share that tidbit of info for future pictures, I would appreciate it!!

Wood choices

Closer shot of the fretboard wood

Same wood for the headstock (front; using Malaysian Blackwood for the back), although Joel has something planned for carrying the inlay idea over

I'm a fan of contrast, so the laminated neck woods will contrast with the back, using Mahogany on the outside and Peruvian Walnut for the thin inner line

And here with my neck in a vice...

Thanks for looking!!

mikealpine · #6 03-13-2013, 11:14 AM

I didn't put up anything with the fretboard inlays or rosette because we're still working out the details. I originally thought I'd go for the rectangles that Joel has been doing, and wrapping around to the side of the neck as the side fret markers. I've been playing guitar for over 40 years and still do the more-than-occasional neck check as far as positioning. The small dots in typical instruments have been fine, but lately I've been playing guitar with a group of 40-somethings and we occasionally are on a darker stage, so I can't see the little dots.

Joel, however, being a creative madman, presented another option with sexy curves and flowing lines that looked dfifferent and very interesting, and very pretty without being ostentatious. The flowing lines were to wrap around the side of the neck and act as postition markers. However, as with many things, these were more easily drawn than inlaid, so before we ruin a very pretty fretboard, we're seeing if there are alternatives that will work out. If not, I'm OK with going back to the rectangle idea, but will leave that to him.

Updates to follow as they come in! Again, thanks for taking the ride with me!!

ZekeM · #7 03-13-2013, 11:45 AM

Nice wood mike! And the pics are perfect size for me. Being on the app I usually have to scroll around to see the entire pic, but yours are just right.

Pearl B · #8 03-13-2013, 11:54 AM

Thanks for posting!

I want to build soon and am loving threads that show builds in progress.

You picked some very beautiful woods. I am looking forward to seeing how your build goes

mikealpine · #9 03-13-2013, 03:46 PM

Thank you Zeke and Pearl. The fretboard/headstock wood is a bit of a deviation for me in that all of my guitars have had solid backgrounds, and that's more or less what my vision was for this guitar. I figured we'd go with some nice contrasting light inlay work against a dark backround for a bold look. However, Joel urged me to keep an open mind and as this is a custom instrument, to do something different. I'm glad I'm following his lead!

Here's the basic idea for the fretboard. Joel did a very rough touch-up, and the wood is obviously simply laid across the fretboard, and Joel certainly expects it to look much better when it is all done.

Basic design:

Insecurity markers...uh...fret markers...

And just for fun...Joel is bending the inner sides

We had a mishap with the Malaysian Blackwood. Joel was bending one side and it cracked. On closer inspection of the second side, that didn't look like it would hold up to bending. Joel contacted the tonewood supplier, a forum member (TonewoodSupply) who immediately sent out a replacement set. So big thanks to Henry for being so willing to rush to do the right thing!

Thanks all!!

mikealpine · #10 03-13-2013, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hnuuhiwa

Congrats Mike and enjoy the journey!

Than Hen! Can you tell me if you've experienced any changes in your Stehr since you received it? I'm curious if it takes as much time for a custom built guitar to open up as it did with my Taylor, and if it is still continuing to evolve.

dk63 · #11 03-13-2013, 08:10 PM

I'm really looking forward to following this build! I think the woods you have chosen look fantastic and Joel certainly is an artist when it comes to design.

justonwo · #12 03-13-2013, 08:26 PM

Sounds awesome. Have fun!

Tom Doerr · #13 03-13-2013, 09:00 PM

Congrats Mike! I know you have been chomping at the bit for this custom build. Enjoy the process and I am sure Joel will build you a great guitar. I'm looking forward to seeing this build thread.

hnuuhiwa · #14 03-14-2013, 02:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikealpine

Than Hen! Can you tell me if you've experienced any changes in your Stehr since you received it? I'm curious if it takes as much time for a custom built guitar to open up as it did with my Taylor, and if it is still continuing to evolve.

Hi Mike, yes it continues to open up, but I'm hastening the process by occasionally putting my Tonerite on her - I know Tonerite is controversial (just look at all the threads on the AGF), but I've had good experiences with it so far. My other Stehrs all got better with "age". It took anywhere between six months and a year (without Tonerite) for my other Stehrs to reach its "mature" voice - depending on play time

mikealpine · #15 03-14-2013, 05:59 AM

Quote:

I'm really looking forward to following this build! I think the woods you have chosen look fantastic and Joel certainly is an artist when it comes to design

Thanks DK63! The design process has been fun and he's being very patient in explaining everything.

Quote:

Sounds awesome. Have fun!

Thanks Juston!! So far it's been a blast!

Quote:

Congrats Mike! I know you have been chomping at the bit for this custom build. Enjoy the process and I am sure Joel will build you a great guitar. I'm looking forward to seeing this build thread.

Thanks very much, Tom. You know I'm a big fan of yours, and I am really glad you're watching along!

Quote:

Hi Mike, yes it continues to open up, but I'm hastening the process by occasionally putting my Tonerite on her - I know Tonerite is controversial (just look at all the threads on the AGF), but I've had good experiences with it so far. My other Stehrs all got better with "age". It took anywhere between six months and a year (without Tonerite) for my other Stehrs to reach its "mature" voice - depending on play time

Hen, thanks for the info! I figured on about a year to break in a bit. I plan on recording something fromt he day I get it and then periodically over time. It won't be scientific, nor meant to prove anything...it'll just be for me to see if I notice any changes. By the way, I'm in the Tonerite camp. At worst, it can't hurt, but I think it is, in part, some of what helped my BTO come along. It didn't seem to have as much impact on my maple guitar, but that was a bit older and already more mature. I intend to use it on this one because, as I said, it certainly can't hurt.

Ok...here's how the inlays will lay out with the rosette. As Joel said, this doesn't contain the binding or purfling, or any other "ing" as it was more to show layout and how the rosette and inlays would tie together:

On another note, we might have to change back/side sets. The wood that came in was just too wet to use. Joel is going to check another source. It takes nothing away from Henry's immediate response...it's just that what he currently had is not build-ready. More to come on this...