First amateur scratch guitar build, continued: cedar/mahogany medium jumbo

[XYRN]

Re: Notching braces to keep strip intact; your explanation makes sense, thanks!

I'm excited to see how you think this one sounds in the end.

[Neil K Walk]

Without further ado, this morning I strung it up:



It still needs a setup but the intonation is good enough for my tin ear. I still have to slot the nut and adjust the neck angle for some slightly high-ish action but it plays well. Being that it's brand new and has light gauge strings I'd consider the tone to be "adequate" but it's got to settle in a little.

Thanks so much to John Kitchen for everything, from inspiring me to giving this a go to providing materials and the use of his shop to get things going to the occasional kick in the pants when I would get complacent or too adventuresome. Thanks to Tim and Mary McKnight for advice, parts that I couldn't make when I got and all the inspiration they've given me from their fine guitars. Thanks as well to John Hall and all the guys over at the Kit Guitars Forum who gave me tons of good advice, support and the drive to see this through.

I feel like I should say more but I'm also a little nervous as the strings settle in and the guitar's voice blooms. I don't have any recordings yet but I'm working on it.

[Kitchen Guitars]

YEEE HAW! Get your butt over here so I can hear it! I knew you could do it!

[Neil K Walk]

Not so fast. It seems that one of the bridge wings popped up so I took off the strings. For four glorious hours I played it and I swear I could hear it find its voice. Maybe it was the new strings but it sounded tinny at first, yet by 2:00 the bass woke up.

Anyway, I'm about out of glue since it took a couple of tries. Them first batch was took thick so I cleaned everything off and did it over with a little more heat and turns out a little took much water. I also need to slot the nut.Other thanks that the finish could use a buffing or maybe even another french polish/spiriting session.

[Mary]

This is absolutely wonderful that you have come with your very first instrument. I am impressed with your continuous "get up and go" with so much on your plate.

It's neat that you have John in your corner to share his space with you on a regular basis.

Tim and I are honored to be a part of your build memories. We look forward to seeing this up close and personal.

Plan to share the experience with the attendees of the 2014 McJam!

[Neil K Walk]

Sure bet, Mary, though I took the bridge off and need to do it all over again for a third time. The bond really wasn't that good and the bridge came off easily just by flossing a piece of paper between it and the top. I think it was because I didn't put hide glue on both surfaces. Anyway, a couple of fibers came up too but nothing major. I can fix it.

[Kitchen Guitars]

Originally Posted by kwakatak

Sure bet, Mary, though I took the bridge off and need to do it all over again for a third time. The bond really wasn't that good and the bridge came off easily just by flossing a piece of paper between it and the top. I think it was because I didn't put hide glue on both surfaces. Anyway, a couple of fibers came up too but nothing major. I can fix it.

100% of the back of bridge must touch. Is the back of the bridge sanded to the curve of the top all of the way?

[Neil K Walk]

Yes, the main body of the bridge had 100% contact and I made sure that the wings did too, but for some reason they wanted to curl up - whether it was because of this kooky weather we've been having or what, I don't know. Regardless, I made sure that I got even clamping pressure but I neglected to spread glue on both gluing surfaces which is what I think is what caused the glue joint to fail. Lack of substantial squeeze out should have tipped me off. If anything though, my mistake also made it easy to fix. There's not much residue to clean up.

Meanwhile, I have more hide glue granules and a pipette syringe on the way to give it another go.

[Neil K Walk]

Ugh. Last night I took off the clamp and caul and headed over to the Kitchen homestead where I proceeded to string up for the second time. Within minutes of being placed under tension to back side of both wings popped up. I'm befuddled.

[Kitchen Guitars]

It sounded great for those few minutes! Really did!

Like I said, Titebond is more tolerant of small imperfections in the sanding hight surface to surface.

[Neil K Walk]

Thanks, John. You're my witness. It does indeed play!

Today I cleaned up both sides of the glue joint and set it with Titebond 1. I'll check on it Monday.

[Neil K Walk]

Good news! The Titebond held! I must have mixed the hide glue incorrectly or something but 48 hours after glue up and 24 hours after removing the clamps I strung it up and have been playing the guitar for several hours. There are just some minor setup and cosmetic issues to take care of but I'm calling this a success. I'll post pics and clips when I can but this week family is in for the holidays and the kids might get called off school because of a looming winter storm.

[naccoachbob]

Neil, CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!
Ya finally got 'er done. Can't wait to see the pics and hear some clips.
I know you learned a heckuva lot building this one. Wondering if you set a record on the time it took - j/k. What a journey.
Bob

[dekutree64]

YAY
This has been an awesome build to follow. Huge props to you for never giving up, despite the slow pace any many setbacks!

My guess is not enough water in the hide glue. That usually results in an overly thick and brittle glue line if you can't get pressure on it within a few seconds. Too much water is more forgiving, but may result in a weaker joint... I need to run some tests on that sometime to see just how much weaker. I had trouble with the bridges on my first few guitars, but a lot of it was poor fit, as well as being too lazy to make proper cauls. Nowadays I just rub joint them. No failures yet, even with the 20%-70% humidity range throughout the year, and one of them being a harp guitar with 285lbs pulling on it.

But Titebond is good too, as long as you don't plan on leaving it in a hot car

Can't wait to hear it

[Tim McKnight]

Hey Neil,
Its looking great. Man you are almost ready to string that puppy up. Perhaps an early Christmas present?