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Old 05-19-2015, 12:01 PM
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Mark Hatcher Mark Hatcher is offline
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Default Hatcher's Studio '15 #2

This is a continuation of my first shop activity thread for 2015:

http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...373187&page=21

I have a lot going on this year and I will pick-up where I left off here!

If you've been following along you may know that I have a series of 3 Josie small jumbos going. The first as shipped to my client yesterday the second is due back from the finisher pretty soon and the third just got wrapped up and sent to the finisher yesterday. Here are some parting pictures of the third. This guitar has a cedar top and abalone top purfling and a bit in the rosette:





















Thanks for viewing and welcome to thread #2!
Mark
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“Let me make the songs of a nation, and I care not who makes its laws.”. Andrew Fletcher
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Old 05-19-2015, 01:08 PM
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Great photos! Apropos of nothing I'd like to pick your brain about the cello tuners on the acoustic bass, as I have -no-experience with them and I've been discussing using them on a build next year with another luthier. You may have read my thread in the custom shop last week about this, but I think some hands-on experience may help. I'm coming to Memphis so I'll stop by your booth and introduce myself.
  #3  
Old 05-19-2015, 01:31 PM
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Looks great as always Mark. Is the rosette spalted maple???

Too bad the one guitar is off to its new home already. It would have made for quite the photo shoot to have all three done and lined up with all the different appointments in one photo-op!!!!

Tom
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Old 05-19-2015, 04:11 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TomB'sox View Post
Looks great as always Mark. Is the rosette spalted maple???

Too bad the one guitar is off to its new home already. It would have made for quite the photo shoot to have all three done and lined up with all the different appointments in one photo-op!!!!

Tom
I try not to let that happen. You see how I say I am building three in a series? I try to stay away from "batches". It may save time to make three necks at once or 18 custom tuner buttons at a time but, to me, that becomes mind numbing production work and I loose track of each individual guitar I am building. So much of the completed design of each guitar comes while in the process of building it. The individual guitar becomes a participant in it's development, if you will, and I need to give it individual attention to hear what it's telling me. I can, however, post some side by side photos when they are all done.

The rosette has spalted Tamarind which looks like spalted maple but, I find it stays brighter under finish than maple .

Thanks!

Quote:
Originally Posted by matthewpartrick View Post
I'd like to pick your brain about the cello tuners on the acoustic bass, I'm coming to Memphis so I'll stop by your booth and introduce myself.
Hi Matthew,

I'd be happy to answer any questions you may have about my impressions of the Cello geared tuning pegs but, I am not going to be at the Memphis show so you might PM your questions to me.

Thanks!
Mark
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Last edited by Mark Hatcher; 05-19-2015 at 06:09 PM.
  #5  
Old 05-20-2015, 07:01 AM
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Default High Figures Koa/cedar Penelope Crossover

I've finished this highly flamed Koa/cedar Penelope nylon crossover:





Here are some specs and more pictures:

Top is Old Growth Western Red Cedar from standing dead wood
Back/sides, endgraft, and headplate are flamed Koa
I pc Mahogany neck with 2 way adjustable truss rod
Cocobolo binding, heelcap, trussrod cover, back headplate laminate, and bridge
Bone nut and saddle
Black Gabon Ebony fretboard and tuner buttons
Knilling planetary geared tuning pegs with 4 to 1 turning ratio
Radiused fretboard with 1 7/8ths nut and 2 5/16ths saddle string spacing
25.5" scale length
14 7/8ths lower bout
12 frets to the body

This is a very lightly built guitar with great balance and responsiveness
The total weight is 3 1/4lbs

[/url]















I will have this guitar up for sale and will post sound clips as soon as they are available.

Thanks!
Mark
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Old 05-20-2015, 07:19 AM
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Beautiful Mark. 3.25 lbs wow.
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Old 05-20-2015, 09:03 AM
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Beautiful Mark. 3.25 lbs wow.
Thanks!

Part of what makes this guitar so light it the way I made the back. This guitar has a very active back which tends to surround the play in sound. Because the back is active it responds with a very alive feel while playing.

Mark
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  #8  
Old 05-20-2015, 02:46 PM
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A1 stuff Mark. The peghead on that nylon is gorgeous.
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Old 05-20-2015, 11:56 PM
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Superb guitars Mr. Hatcher! I really like the overall artistic sense that you bring to guitar building, not to mention that you make wonderful wood selections. Really great work!

I especially like the back laminate on this one...

  #10  
Old 05-21-2015, 04:03 AM
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Originally Posted by nootis View Post
Superb guitars Mr. Hatcher! I really like the overall artistic sense that you bring to guitar building, not to mention that you make wonderful wood selections. Really great work!

I especially like the back laminate on this one...

Thanks nootis!

With all of the straight lines on the back from the center strip and neck laminates it needed a splash!

Mark
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Old 05-21-2015, 04:06 AM
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Originally Posted by stringjunky View Post
A1 stuff Mark. The peghead on that nylon is gorgeous.
Thanks

I wish I could find a way to use this on steel string guitars.

Mark
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  #12  
Old 05-21-2015, 08:07 AM
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I have written on the forum a number of times, that one of my great joys in lutherie is the materials I get to work with. Another great joy is the tools one works those materials with except one must be very careful with tools. An easy mistake to make is one starts "building to the tool", meaning that a tool you have does something so well that that thing starts overly influencing the design of your work.

Designing to the tool is just plain wrong in my book.

That's one of the great things about small hand tools, they tend to be much more versatile. They are not so influential when you are designing to the dream. OK, enough said on that.

Recently there was a local antique tool flea market and auction in my area where I was able to pick up this little gem:



It has a cast bronze handle and a decent steel plane blade. It required a bit of love which came to good result. I cleaned and sharpened the blade and polished the business end:



And it works marvelously!



When I was purchasing it from the elderly women sitting in her lawn chair by her table of wares she said, "That used to belong to a musical instrument maker".

I handed her my money and said, "It still does!"

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“Let me make the songs of a nation, and I care not who makes its laws.”. Andrew Fletcher
  #13  
Old 05-21-2015, 08:13 AM
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That is a great story and cooler outcome. I would put that into the category of "it's the little things in life that make it worth living" and yes, pun intended, I had no idea how small the plane was until the picture of you using it!

What a great find for you and who knows what and how many instruments that little guy has worked on right!!!
  #14  
Old 05-21-2015, 09:37 AM
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Thanks TomB'sox!

It is all the little things that add up!

Mark
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“Let me make the songs of a nation, and I care not who makes its laws.”. Andrew Fletcher
  #15  
Old 05-21-2015, 03:53 PM
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You convinced me, I have to make one for myself.
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