Jay Lichty/John Thomas guitar making workshop build

[jt1]

Originally Posted by riverrummed

So John, what's your initial impressions of having a sound port? Is it really dramatic from other guitars that you own that don't have it or is it something that really wows?

Before playing Jay's soundported guitars, the only guitars with soundports that i liked were John Monteleone's. Others sounded too shrill and unnatural to my challenged ears. But, Jay has a unique internal construction that directs the soundports and I really like them.

I can't wait to compare the new guitar to my non-ported guitars at home.

[jt1]

Another recording of the guitar, some 12 minutes old and not yet bearing any finish:

[Howard Klepper]

Congratulations, John. A very respectable piece of work. You are already a faster builder than I am.

[jt1]

Originally Posted by Howard Klepper

Congratulations, John. A very respectable piece of work. You are already a faster builder than I am.

Thanks for the kind words, Howard!

[nootis]

I really enjoyed that!

Thanks for posting. What a wonderful guitar too.

[jt1]

Originally Posted by nootis

I really enjoyed that!

Thanks for posting. What a wonderful guitar too.

Thank you for the kind words!

[jt1]

First finish coats:

[nashmore]

That is looking real nice. Pretty wood and sounds good too!

[jt1]

Originally Posted by nashmore

That is looking real nice. Pretty wood and sounds good too!

Thanks! I'm anxious to get it back in my hands to hear how it sounds post finish. I'll most certainly post an "encore" on the Fretboard Journal site. Look, too, for an in-print piece on the project.

[jt1]

And, the top after a coat or 2 of finish:

[stuartb]

Sounds great John, and she looks like a beauty.

Congrats,

Stuart

[coopman]

John,

What a great experience, congrats! I had a similar "total immersion" first build experience about 10 years ago in a two week class at Vermont Instruments. It was a major life experience. You may now find it hard to stop at just one ...

... plus: you may need to go back and renegotiate prices with Kim now that you know how "easy it is"

Nice job!

[jt1]

Originally Posted by stuartb

Sounds great John, and she looks like a beauty.

Congrats

Thanks, Stuart! I'm looking forward to hearing it with finish on.

Originally Posted by coopman

John, What a great experience, congrats! I had a similar "total immersion" first build experience about 10 years ago in a two week class at Vermont Instruments. It was a major life experience. You may now find it hard to stop at just one ...

Thanks, Coop.

Originally Posted by coopman

... plus: you may need to go back and renegotiate prices with Kim now that you know how "easy it is"

Now, this is great advice!

[jt1]

It's now a finished guitar!













More images and sound file here.

[riverrummed]

John, it turned out wonderfully and was fun to watch come together. I have three questions: What was the most difficult part of the build for you? And, what would you do differently if starting over? I'm still curious about the relative thicknesses of the top, back, and sides since the guitar is made of the same kind of wood throughout? I don't need actual measurements but is the top one half the thickness of the back or some such? Thanks for posting this up.