New Custom Build Collaboration: Edwinson and Pederson

[bubbaprime]

Continuing the update with the neck build...

Steve begins carving the volute coming off the backplate:



Refining the shape: carving the volute with Japanese knife







Puuuurrrrty



The Ebony selected for the fretboard and trimming the blank:



Steve's tablesaw fret-slotting jig



All slotted up...



Radius-sanding the fingerboard with 16" block



Bound and lightly pinned in place as Kevin requested...



Ready for the roadtrip to Iowa...

[TomB'sox]

Beautiful work Steve. That is some carving knife you have there!!! Do you fillet those fish you catch with that also? haha

[theEdwinson]

Originally Posted by TomB'sox

Beautiful work Steve. That is some carving knife you have there!!! Do you fillet those fish you catch with that also? haha

Hi Tom! Yeah, that knife is a longtime favorite tool. It's a single-side bevel, and I keep it super sharp. I haven't filleted any fish with with it, but once I did almost filet my left index finger with it. I sliced pretty deep, but I managed to superglue the cut together right away, and wrap the finger with masking tape. It was such a clean cut, it healed in three days.

That one poor finger has suffered more abuse than any other part of me (except my tortured soul, ha ha)- because it has always been the clamping hand, holding down the thing I'm cutting into, while the right hand drives the blades and such. So I've got saw, knife, Xacto, and engraver scars on my left index finger. Oh, and I got it with a drill bit once too.
It's a good thing we don't use hammers much in lutherie...
But that finger still works without complaint! What a trooper- I ought to give that finger a raise and a vacation!

So back to the neck construction: I usually don't even start the neck until the sound box is fully built, bound, and sanded out. But this time, we're changing up the routine. I wanted to get it to the point where it's a blank canvas for Kevin to do his work on. The fret board is not glued on yet; it's held in place with a couple of tabs of carpet tape and two locator pins. I've NEVER carved a neck before gluing on the fingerboard before. I know Ervin Somogyi does it that way, but that always seemed counterintuitive, like putting the cart before the horse to me. Now, I sort of understand the concept.
Later on, after the box is built, I'll carve the neck joint and finish up the heel.
In the meanwhile, I'm just stoked to see what Kevin creates on the headstock. With Kevin putting his art on this guitar, I had better bring my A++ game the whole way!

[bubbaprime]

The question often comes up around here "Why build a custom guitar?" Some variations to that question sometimes lean into "How good of a player before you 'deserve' a custom...?" Well, I'm a far thing from a "good" player. I'm decent. I can hold a rhythm and I'm able to accompany myself with almost any song I want to play or sing, but "good"? Nah. So, why a custom?

My reasoning comes down to connection to the instrument. Both of my custom builds have started with concepts that are largely some imagined and romanticized ideal that many people would scoff at as a reason to build a custom guitar. I get it, that for many, the instrument is a tool. That's great and I'm down with all that, but similarly there are many folks that their instrument is a tool and much, much more.

I have an artist's heart. I love most forms of art (visual, written, sculpted, played, athletic, natural and ecological, intellectual...the list is endless), but I'm not nearly gifted in the areas that I'd love to be that allow me to participate in performing some of these styles of art. Imagining and participating in a build of a guitar helps me to bond and connect with my instrument in a way that I do not bond with other very enjoyable instruments that I own.

Five years ago, I contacted Steve Sheriff to begin my first custom build. From my earliest interactions with Steve, I knew he "got" what I was sharing with my desire for my first custom build. He delivered in spades. Almost immediately following the build of my first custom, I had imaginations for a second.

Fast forward to present day. This guitar is themed and named The Spirit Guitar. Practically, I use my first guitar for playing out almost exclusively in live settings performing with my church's praise and worship band. It is Steve's largest guitar and can be a little unwieldy for couch play or practicing new material at my dining room table in front of YouTube instructional vids or tab charts. I wanted the Spirit Guitar to be my intimate couch friend.

I enlisted Kevin Pederson to bring some of my ideas to life in the major inlay pieces that will help to define and anchor the theme of the guitar. He has blown my ideas into and beyond the stratosphere...it is all his talent, eye, hand, and God given ability that is bringing these ideas to life, but the origin was my idea. That is part of the joy and the connection. I could not do this alone. My ideas and dreams would remain dormant and unrealized, but building a custom guitar takes my dreams and ideas, bringing them to tangible realization.

Here follows an example of some of the process and how I get to be involved. I shared with Steve that I wanted the rosette to be part of the canvas for this "spirit" theme and I wanted his artistic sensibilities and input in the process. He shared a desire to try an asymmetrical rosette design that he had seen from a build of TomB'sox

This design is from Steve Kinnaird and Ryan Middlebrook, so I used as a template, a photo from one of those builds to develop a mock-up for a rosette design Steve Sheriff might work into for my guitar.

I started with a drawing from my own poor unartistic hand the idea for what I might like... My idea was to use the Hebrew language for Holy Spirit, which is Ruach haKodesh. This was one of my first efforts.



I shared it with Steve and after a little back and forth, decided I needed to do some research for authenticity and accuracy of text/lettering and more work with the layout ala' asymmetrical rosette. So, to the books I went.

I jumped into my Hebrew Lexicon to check the language and text:



Then I jumped into some study sites and language software to help accurately recreate the lettering







Next, I imported the vector image (above) into my image editing software on my computer and opened the photo of the asymmetrical rosette to serve as a template. I cut out each individual letter, so I would have scalable vector images to align on the rosette template image.



I found the image of a dove with an online search that I liked...since I didn't care too much for the hand drawn dove from my first drawing.



Then I started assembling and aligning until I got a form that I was somewhat happy with...this is what I ended up with more or less.



I sent off the mock-up to Steve and he returned his work back to me in a turnaround time of less than 24 hrs. I was blown away... Here are his words:

Had a really pleasant evening cutting tiny figures out of pearl. Here are some pictures of where I finished up tonight. The paper copy was taken directly off the mockup you sent earlier today. I scaled the prints to the exact size of the rosette, so I could use your design as the actual working pattern.

I used exactly what you sent, because that looked the most definitive; and I really like the gestural look of the calligraphy. I tried to replicate that hand painted look as I cut the pearl . I got all of them cut except the tiny dots-that will be the last step.

I'm really enjoying this. One thing I miss about the Seattle shop is that I used to love working late into the night. I got to do that tonight, sort of, because cutting pearl with a jewelers saw is pretty quiet work.
When I take my glasses off and get real close up, I can see minute detail. it's a whole different head space than the woodworking stuff.

I have even more respect for Kevin, cutting those individual wheat kernels, and the grapes, all perfectly fitted together... I'll have more soon. The tricky part is coming next- cutting the inlay cavities. Expect a good outcome.

And here's what he sent me showing what he's done from my drawing and playing on the computer:





We have a few more ideas about the finished look of the rosette with some purfling, so there's more to come with this particular part of the project... it's not finished yet

This represents a small piece of why I love the custom build process. There are so many reasons to take as a serious consideration, building your own custom guitar. It's not just for virtuoso players or deep pockets. In my opinion, it is also a very affordable option for mediocre players like me. My sincere thanks to all those who make these dreams possible.

[TomB'sox]

[QUOTE=theEdwinson;4721063]

But that finger still works without complaint! What a trooper- I ought to give that finger a raise and a vacation!

QUOTE]

You got to be careful, I gave my finger a raise today several times while driving, not sure it was appreciated as much as I thought it would be...

[TomB'sox]

This is a great build, thanks Bubbaprime for sharing some of the thought processes behind your ideas and how they came to fruition. Also glad to see the Kinnaird eccentric rosette living on in your build. I love the look on mine!!!

[theEdwinson]

Hey, Tom, I'm glad you recognized the source of the eccentric rosette idea- it's pretty close to home, eh? For everyone else, I want to give a shout out to Steve and Ryan at Kinnaird guitars for this great idea. I'm sure many of you have seen this epic, two-volume thread on the creation of Tom B'sox's brilliant new Kinnaird guitar.
http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...=385667&page=8
I was really impressed with this eccentric rosette design, and thought it would translate nicely into the rosette design that Jeff and I were discussing. So I studied this ingenious device that Ryan came up with, which they called the KAERT (Kinnaird Adjustable Eccentric Radius Tool), and tried to figure out how it worked. Then I made a similar one, and now having an implement in my hands to experiment with, it suddenly made perfect sense.
So I want to thank Ryan and Steve for providing the inspiration and the method for doing this.
I made the eccentric ring for the rosette with Ziricote.
I have some photos of the process that I'll post soon- I still need to upload them to Photobucket first.
I'm a big fan of Kinnaird guitars, and I want to state for the record that in this case, imitation is indeed the sincerest form of flattery.

[Fast Jimmy]

Hi,
I had Steve build me a guitar earlier this year the way I wanted it to be, not what some factory thought it should be.
I am not a "great" guitar player, just a middling guitar player/singer but with hope that hard work will elevate my playing and singing.
There is a connection that forms with one's instrument (custom made or not) and at least in my case that connection with my Edwinson is far deeper than with my Martin, Gibson or Taylor. When I play Steve's guitar, I seem to feel something almost mystic in it's tone and playability.
It just makes me want to play more and get better and better at it.
I don't think anyone has to justify having a custom build just because they're not the worlds best picker.
Enjoy your dreams!
Jim

[bubbaprime]

You said it, Jim, describing perfectly the connection I was trying to share in my slew of words.

[nacluth]

Wow! Steve and Jeff, the rosette is beautiful. I wish I had either the skill with computers to layout the concept like Jeff did or get the design cut out in a day like Steve did. In whatever small way we helped make this a reality quicker (because y'all would have got it sooner or later), we're honored to have helped inspiration. And indeed, I'm flattered.

Steve, I'm glad you could use the KAERT. Your version is probably much superior to mine. What a special build this is. I'm really enjoying watching it come together.

[invguy921]

Very very nice. I love everything about this build.

[Zandit75]

Originally Posted by bubbaprime

Puuuurrrrty

I feel cheated looking at these two photos! We are missing about 6 shots of progress here!!
Seriously though, between these two photos, what kind of time frame are we talking here? Minutes or hours?
While I'm sure you have a template to work from, I'm certain a lot of the finished product would come down to a practiced eye of what is aesthetically pleasing to the eye, yes?

BTW, I love looking at all of these photos this forums group of luthiers share with us. The amount of work, skill and patience used in each work of art is so satisfying to see.
I keep on joking to my wife that I will have her killed off so I can get her life insurance, but now I have a goal to put that money to use!!! (Seriously joking on this, please don't report me!!!)

[theEdwinson]

The rosette is still a work in progress, but the Ruach haKodesh is inlaid into the eccentric ring now. Work is proceeding on two fronts, and I look forward to having all the parts here, so I can begin concentrating on the back and top bracing and tuning, so that this guitar will become a sonic marvel, and a beloved musical companion to Jeff.
Here are a few more photos of recent progress.
The rosette ring blank, glued up:



And the very simple but effective jig used to cut an eccentric ring- based on the Kinnaird model that inspired the idea:



Plotting it out...



Making a test cut on some scrap spalted maple...



...which turned out to be nice enough to keep for a future guitar!



And fortunately, the blank is just the right size for the rosette ring. This must be my lucky day!



I love this StewMac circle-cutting tool.



And here's the ring, successfully rendered.

[theEdwinson]

A close-up of the Ziricote ring. The figure in the wood doesn't show very well here, but it looks very pretty in person.



Now, I'm preparing some shell blanks. I made a 100% scale print of the design that Jeff put together (in the background), and I'm super-gluing cut-out swatches of the print to the shell blanks.



Using the jeweler's saw with a 000 blade to cut the MOP...





Now, with all the tiny parts cut out, the rosette ring is inscribed for the cavity-cutting procedure.

To do this, I super-glue the shell parts to the rosette ring, and use a scribing tool to etch the lines around each piece. Then, the tricky part is to remove the pearl parts cleanly, without breaking them. I use superglue solvent and a razor blade for this.
I use drywall compound, rubbed into the etching lines, to give me a visual aid for staying INSIDE the lines.



And jumping ahead a little bit- the surgery is done, and the patient survived!

[Nemoman]

Amazing! The exacting and precise work that you've done on this rosette is really spectacular. Thanks for taking us along through the process. Can't wait to see all the elements come back together into the finished guitar. Great work thus far, Steve and Kevin!