Sexauer/'17 (chapter 1)

[Bruce Sexauer]

Got the rosette and back strip into the Dread:

[Bruce Sexauer]

I don't think so, but I can see where others might. It is my life, after all!

I bagged the top I was going to use for this pre-war D-28 inspired guitar. It was a great top, but there was going to be a little more visible run-out than I want for this customer. The new one, in the go bar deck right now receiving its X braces, is an example of "Old Standard's" AAA grade and is stupid expensive, but I am throwing it in as compensation for a few more worm derived pinholes than I expected in this otherwise great set of Brazilian. I have had very good luck with Old Standard's grading in the past, and doubt they'll have let me down on this one. The other top will likely get used soon enough, and whatever guitar that is will be privileged to have it.

The back braces are in!

[Howard F.]

Originally Posted by Bruce Sexauer

Hello Bruce, this is a gorgeous set of BRW. But I wonder why it dosen't have any center strip to reinforce the seam, is it because the joint is tide enough or are you going to add the pyramid-patch treatment later like your All tree uku.

[Bruce Sexauer]

I don't put in the center strip reinforcement until the back is ready to go on to the otherwise completed box. It will be Martin-esque, when it exists, much like most of my guitars.

[j. Kinnaird]

Such clean work, and such beautiful brw. There is something about the vintage look that calls to me and I'm looking forward to following this build.

[jessupe]

Originally Posted by j. Kinnaird

Such clean work, and such beautiful brw. There is something about the vintage look that calls to me and I'm looking forward to following this build.

Yes, aside from that I hear they're reworking the song "John Henry" cause Bruce is a guitar making machine! The volume of output is quite amazing, let alone the quality.

[Bruce Sexauer]

Thank you, my friends.

I acquired the set of Brazilian I am using for the guitar about a dozen years ago during Allied Lutherie's "stumpwood" era. I am fortunate to have known the principles in that endeavor for as long as they have had the business plus a few days, and I was allowed to cherry pick several thousand sets as they were being sawn, which accounts for much of the great BRW I still have. Some of that wood was too knarly for me to ever consider using, and some of it was indistinguishable from the best of 50 to a hundred years ago, and that is mostly what I chose. However, I also chose a few special sets which seemed great to me, but had other qualities. This is one of those.

This set is nearly perfectly quarter sawn despite its curvature. All the way across.

This set is flitch matched. Usually, Flitch matched sets are four pieces wide enough for backs and long enough for sides. This set seems to have been cut from two billets generated from one biger billet. I wonder how that happened, but I recognized it immediately and grabbed it.

Many stumpwood sets are flamed at one end only. This set has a mild flame running from one end to the other.

I have just done the thicknessing work on the sides, and will bend them soon. As must be true with flitch matched wood, they are a replica of the back pattern:

[The Bard Rocks]

Now, how cool is that?

[Bruce Sexauer]

Originally Posted by The Bard Rocks

Now, how cool is that?

Pretty cool! Thanks for noticing.

This truly incredible set sat in plain sight on my "woodlocker" page for years before this customer noticed it. Truly a one of a kind opportunity. Of course there are others.

[Howard F.]

Originally Posted by Bruce Sexauer

This truly incredible set sat in plain sight on my "woodlocker" page for years before this customer noticed it. Truly a one of a kind opportunity. Of course there are others.

Absolutely stunning BRW inventories, the black cocobolo (#17) also looks amazing...would love to see the finish guitar if that's not too much trouble to ask!

[clinchriver]

Originally Posted by Bruce Sexauer

I don't think so, but I can see where others might. It is my life, after all!

I bagged the top I was going to use for this pre-war D-28 inspired guitar. It was a great top, but there was going to be a little more visible run-out than I want for this customer. The new one, in the go bar deck right now receiving its X braces, is an example of "Old Standard's" AAA grade and is stupid expensive, but I am throwing it in as compensation for a few more worm derived pinholes than I expected in this otherwise great set of Brazilian. I have had very good luck with Old Standard's grading in the past, and doubt they'll have let me down on this one. The other top will likely get used soon enough, and whatever guitar that is will be privileged to have it.

The back braces are in!

Another back with off the chart character, plus matching sides, incredible! Hope you can do a quick comparison of these D's

[Bruce Sexauer]

Here's the new top, fully braced:



This is as creamy a red spruce as I've ever seen.

[iim7V7IM7]

Very traditional bracing... It is going to be a killer dread no doubt...

Originally Posted by Bruce Sexauer

Here's the new top, fully braced:



This is as creamy a red spruce as I've ever seen.

[Bruce Sexauer]

As many of you know, I have been building "in the air" for the past nearly 20 years now. That means I don't use molds, relying instead on things fitting well enough to not need the support. Here is an example of a side which nearly fits the template just sitting there. For any luthiers who are tempted to say "but mine are bent that well", I suggest you try moldless construction. It turns out to be easy and quick, but mainly means increased flexibilty and has the side benefit of leading one more rapidly towards mastery, IMO, of course.



This was bent in my Fox Bender, and I used my new Keenovo blanket/thermostat/timer device. Turned it down to 251 f from 260 f, and upped the minutes to 12 from 10. This thing is a Mercedes compared to the blankets I was using for the last 20 years. Look on eBay.

[Bruce Sexauer]

Tomorrow I plan to close the dread.