Build Thread: Brazilian Rosewood/Swiss Alpine Spruce Custom Design Crossover Acoustic

[Joost Assink]

Well, since I posted last time, a lot has happened and we've made some great progress, so here are some major updates.

We started off by gluing the binding and the purfling around the fretboard. The koa had to be bent in this complex shape on the lower end



Then it was time to glue the back plates on the headstock



Then we could rout the headstock shapes on both the outside and the inside




And a very cool moment: test fitting the tuners!! Gorgeous!


Here are some of the pieces tested together!

[Joost Assink]

Now we had to outline the shapes of the slots on the top and make them blend together with the shape that'll be on the bottom.



Another beautiful view from the side


The next day we could take the back plates out of the clamp and start shaping the back of the headstock, the ducktail, and the shape of the neck around the first two frets. Check it out.




Then, you shape your neck around the 10th fret as well as the heel of the neck. You leave the middle of the neck square so you can still put the neck and the entire guitar assembly in a clamp or vice




And now that we have taken off the top thickness off the inside of the neck joint, we can test fit it together again.




Here's the results of the shaping of the headstock with the front slots and back slots blended together


Now we can fret the fretboard. You start by carefully test fitting each fret to see that the width of the fret and fret tang match your fretboard. Then you press in the tang on one end and put it in the fret press to push it all the way.

[Joost Assink]

Here you see me pressing in one of the fret ends.


Now, I tape off the fretboard carefully, because it is time to glue in the frets. Glued in frets are much more stable and give you a much more consistent setup.



After all the frets are glued in and the excess glue has been cleaned up roughly, I clip off the fret ends that stick out as much as I can.


The fret ends are sanded down flush with the binding on the belt sander.


Then I use this special filing tool to file down the fret ends into the correct angle



Then, even though the tape has only just been removed an hour or so ago, you have to cut new tape to the correct size and tape it up again. Because then, with a special file, you have to round off the edges and finish it off by polishing it with steel wool.


Fretting a neck properly is a couple of hours of work, but it is well worth it. Check it out.


Then comes the router again to route out the channel for the purfling and the binding around the headstock

[Ryudas]

God, all of these little details, the colour contrast, the fine purflings , the beautiful neck, the amazing tuners... that's by far the prettiest classical guitar i've seen so far. (and it isn't even complete yet )

[CoolerKing]

Your woodworking skills are impressive! I really like the headstock, as well as the beautiful tight grain on the top.

[Richie H]

Great work, Joost. I met mr. Waanders twice at the DGBM and you're very lucky to have hime as your mentor, he makes beautiful guitars with great workmanship, as do you!

[Joost Assink]

Thank you Richie, and is more then a mentor for this build, he does all the really tricky stuff for me.

Would you look at that! I'm so happy how that turned out! Here's the headstock with the bindings and the purfling and the tuners fully tested-fitted.

[VJP5]

Ok......this isn't even MY guitar and I'm excited as all get out. It is really coming together nicely.

You no doubt will look back at this thread from time to time with a huge smile on your face, and beautiful tones in your ears.

[Joost Assink]

My popular demand, here are some more high-resolution, high-quality pictures of the neck, fretboard and headstock with the tuners fitted.

[DBurson]

I'm not one to follow build threads in general, but I've bookmarked this one and check it daily. Beautiful work - I can't wait to see the final product! When it's done, I hope you'll make some good sound clips so we can enjoy its tone as well!

[CoolerKing]

I'm so consistently impressed with this build because I have the attention span of a coffee drinking squirrel and these have so much patience and attention to detail. I get through fretting and if they're all on and not buzzing, "only a Partrick is 1/2 *** good enough"

[pgilmor]

I'll echo some of the previous posters: this build thread is fantastic. I particularly love the tuners you selected, but everything is gorgeous!!

[Joost Assink]

First of all, I updated the plans a bit, because I slightly changed the headstock and also made a new design for the soundports in the bevel. Let me know what you think.



Anyway, things are moving fast now, because all the parts are done, now it is time to start putting everything together.

Here we are fitting the top to the neck, checking if we scooped out enough room at the end of the neck to fit the top between the neck and the fretboard that will be glued on later. Everything fits, so we glued the top to the neck. Left of the frame, you can see the beginnings of the bevel sticking out of the sides after it has been glued in. You can imagine this is a very solid construction with the top glued straight onto the neck, as well as the sides straight into the neck, neading no neck joint and no need for a two part fretboard, as is common on steel strings.



Here you see close-ups of the bevel support being made




Now we are testing the sides to the top and making the end block.



As you can see, now we need to cut out slots in the kerfing to accommodate the bracings. Making a solid connection.


Check. Ready for glue.


So it is time to glue on the rest of the Kerfing.


Finally, gluing on the end block and the top to the sides.

[Joost Assink]

Looks like we have a guitar! Looks weird without bindings or bridge, but it'll give you an idea! I am loving this.








Now it is time to rout the bindings and purfling. Every one of those needs to be routed separately, because they are if different width and thickness

[Fngrstyl]

Looking great, Joost!