Three Marklund Customs, 00-42 + D-45S + OM-28

[Brad Ward]

Greetings all,

Welcome to my my first thread on AGF after lurking many years. I decided to commission two builds with Per Marklund this year after hearing and seeing the build threads on UMGF. He is ready to get started making this years batch at this time. I thought I'd share it with all of you.

Edit; 07/12/14. Added a OM-28. Pictures and spec sheet starting on post #56

First up is a 12 fret 00-42 style w/MRW/Josef Berkman Austrian Moon Spruce, based on tracings of a 1935 00-21 model provided by B@H guitars.

00-42 Specification Sheet

Model: 12 fret 00. Plan based on 1935 00-21

Construction: Mahogany Blocks/Dovetail Neck Joint - Carbon fiber truss - Hide Glue Construction – Nitrocellulose Finish

Top: Austrian Alpine Spruce, Picea abies – Shadetop
Top Bracing: Picea abies 1/4”
Back/side Material: Solid Madagascar Rosewood
Back Purfling: Black/Maple strip wood 2 ply
Binding: Figured hardwood
Top Inlay Style: 42 Style Green abalone
Rosette: Complete inlaid in fretboard
Neck Material: Honduran Mahogany
Neck Shape: Modified low oval
Nut Material: Bone
Headplate: MRW. Alternative torch, Green abalone and MOP.
Fingerboard Material: Ebony. Figured wood binding
Scale Length: 24.9
Fingerboard Width At Nut: 1-13/16” at nut. String spacing 2-1/4"” at 12th fret, 2-5/16" at saddle
Fingerboard Position Inlays: Style 42 snowflakes Green abalone and MOP
Bridge Material: Ebony
Bridge Style: Pyramid w/drop in saddle
Saddle: Bone
Tuning Machines: Antique Acoustics Brass open geared w/ pearl buttons. 3 on a plate.
Bridge & End Pins: Antique Acoustics ebony w/pearl dot
Pickguard: None or clear
Case: TBD

Like the Martin 00-45 Stagecoach, this guitar will feature a complete pearl rosette inlayed into the fretboard. Should be a stunner w/shadetop.

Here's the spruce top. Well quartered and lots of silking.


And here's the MRW back. Again, well quartered and the first MRW I've seen with a Flame figure. I'm told there is chatoyance in the figure.


The second will be a a 1933 style D-45. MRW /Josef Berkmann Austrian Moon Spruce. Like the first Martin D-45 made in 1933 for Gene Autry, this one will be a 12 fret model. The plans are from John Arnold and have already been used in two really great sounding guitars by Per. Snowflakes instead of Gene's name on the fretboard for this one.

Model: D-45S
12 fret Dreadnought. Plan based on Norman Blakes 1933 D28
Construction: Mahogany Blocks/Dovetail Neck Joint - Carbon fiber truss - Hide Glue Construction – Nitrocellulose
FinishTop: Austrian Alpine Spruce, Picea abies
Top Bracing: Picea abies
Back/side Material: Solid Madagascar Rosewood
Back Purfling: Style 45
Binding: Style 45
Top Inlay Style: 45 Style Pearl
Neck Material: Honduran Mahogany
Neck Shape: Modified low oval
Nut Material: Bone
Headplate: Madagascar Rosewood Style 45 Torch w/45 Style Binding w/pearl purfling.
Fingerboard Material: Ebony
Scale Length: 25.34
Fingerboard Width At Nut: 1-13/16” String spacing at 12th fret 21/4", 2-5/16” at saddle.
Fingerboard Position Inlays: Style 45 Snowflake
Bridge Material: Ebony
Bridge Style: Belly w/Snowflakes
Saddle: Bone
Tuning Machines: Waverly Nickel 4036 w/Butterbean Knobs and Nickel Bushings
Bridge & End Pins: Antique Acoustics
Pickguard: None or clear
Case: TBD

Here's the top. Again well quartered and silky.


And the MRW. Some of the straightest well quartered MRW i've seen.


That's it so far. Maybe Per will stop in once in a while and give us his take as we progress.

Thanks for looking,

Brad

Epic first thread!! Congratulations on the builds. I'm looking forward to following the progress, especially on the 00...

[permarklund]

Thanks Brad!

I'm back in the workshop now and getting started after my holiday break. I got the spare parts for my bandsaw so that will be up and running soon, hopefully tomorrow.

It has been a really warm winter here so far but on Friday temperatures will drop down considerably to about -15C. And with that humidity finally will drop

Per

[CoolerKing]

Alright brad! You know how I feel about the madrose and Berkmann Austrian spruce that Per uses. Keep up the photos!

[Brad Ward]

ralphj, Thanks! The 42 has some neat stuff going on.

Per, Thanks for joining in. Hope your repairs go smoothly.

For all of you that haven't followed the UMGF threads, Per has adopted a similar building style to that of Blazer and Henkes. They prefer building bodies in low temps and humidity, which have been nonexistent so far in Sweden this Winter. But -15C will do…

Matt, We are getting close. Enjoy the ride.

Brad

[Brad Ward]

Backstrip on the 45 glued and scraped.

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Nice colors on the close up.



Full back shot. Thanks again Per.

[JoeCharter]

Nicely spec'ed builds with beautiful tone woods.

Congrats, Brad.

[CoolerKing]

I love that pile of scrapings, can you imagine the amount of work it takes to make the back strip?

[justonwo]

That is a beautiful back strip. I love it. Please keep posting lots of photos!

[Brad Ward]

Joe, After getting to watch all your cool build threads, I'm glad to return the favor.

Matt, There certainly is a lot of work that goes into these instruments. And Per is quite the craftsman. He's just warming up.

I forgot to mention that...Edit: Gurian Instruments made these strips exclusively for John Hall / Blues Creek Guitars.

justonwo, Will do!

[steveh]

Originally Posted by Brad Ward

And the MRW. Some of the straightest well quartered MRW i've seen.

That madrose is insane; will be a great sounding guitar for sure.

Great to hear of new builders this side of the Pond.

Cheers,
Steve

[CoolerKing]

"I forgot to mention that the backstrips are made by John Hall."

John Hall of Blues Creek Guitars fame? Those things look like they take FOREVER to make.

[steveh]

Originally Posted by steveh

Great to hear of new builders this side of the Pond.

Per - Can't find your website?

Cheers,
Steve

[permarklund]

I think that Gurian Instruments make these strips for John Hall, but I may be wrong.

I love that MRW back, too. It's stunning! And it smells really nice

Steve, I'm working on the website, hope to have it up and running within a week I'll post a link here when it's done.

Per

[Brad Ward]

Thanks for the correction Per, fixed!

Looks like it has gotten colder, but still high humidity, so slow going. Here's a view from Per's workshop.



Some of the outstanding craftsmanship that Per's builds incorporate. Note the fit of the tucked bridge plate.




And finally, a teaser pic of the back of the 42. Looks like chocolate to me. Can't wait to see the whole back.