Sexauer '24

[Bruce Sexauer]

The current JB-16's top is complete. Withe any luck, I'll get the blocks in and the sides bent tomorrow, and possibly installed!

[Palladio]

I have enjoyed reading and learning from this forum for 11 years now, but have not made many comments. As someone who primarily played electric guitar for most of my life, I didn't have much to offer other than asking questions.

Since Bruce so kindly agreed to make this guitar for me, I feel I should now join the conversation. I am also grateful to several fellow AGF members here who took time to speak with me at length on the phone and via emails, to impart their wisdom as I considered this process.

Nearly all the guitars, both electric and acoustic, I've owned and played over the years have been from the 1930's to early 1960's. I started playing in bands in the 1980's, when most young people wanted pointy pink hair band guitars. I lived near Nashville and was lucky to be able to buy some great vintage guitars when they were cheap. In those days with a bit of time and patience at pawn shops, in the classifieds, and local music stores, one could still find a great 1940's Gibson Banner J45 or a 50's Les Paul Jr. for about what Chinese copies cost now. I bought them and kept them, and that's what I played for the next 40 years.

Now I'm older and don't find many opportunities to play electric guitar on gigs, so I've moved towards acoustic guitar again. I was intrigued reading here about the Renaissance in single builder luthiery that has taken place over the past several decades.

I had never encountered a modern factory built guitar (Gibson, Martin, Taylor, etc.) that I liked or bonded with anywhere near as much as my vintage ones. That all changed one day when after several long phone conversations, fellow AGF member Racerbob generously offered to send me one of his Sexauer guitars to try with no obligation. That guitar blew my mind from the first few chords. It was the first modern guitar I'd played that felt as alive and responsive as my vintage ones, but even more so! I bought it, and still feel it's the finest acoustic guitar I've ever played. So here I am, eagerly awaiting another one of Bruce's masterpieces.

[Palladio]

I also will say I can't believe how quickly this guitar has progressed. I had read a number of past threads about Bruce's builds, but never really looked at the dates of each post. What I thought would take weeks has only taken a few days!

[Richard Mott]

Yes, Bruce’s builds really seem to progress unbelievably quickly! I think his build-it-in-the-air approach, free of molds and the like, probably gives a deeper awareness. And yes, his guitars (thinking here of the red Narra instrument he showed at Harrisburg last year) are among the most supple and welcoming anywhere. Best of luck awaiting this build!

[Bill Kraus]

I'm really digging that beautiful rosette, very classy.

[Bruce Sexauer]

Originally Posted by Palladio

I also will say I can't believe how quickly this guitar has progressed. I had read a number of past threads about Bruce's builds, but never really looked at the dates of each post. What I thought would take weeks has only taken a few days!

While it is true that I have become increasingly efficient in my building process, having honed it through over 500 repletions, the main reason it seems like I build unusually quickly is that I am building one at a time rather than in batches. My typical standard guitar requires about 150 hours of my time over an 8 week period, including a month of finish curing. The actual woodworking construction time is only the first 2 weeks, generally. They are 50 hour weeks, down from the 70 hour weeks of my first 45 years or so of doing “the work”.

I am glad to see you here in “our” build thread, Palladio.

[Bruce Sexauer]

I did get the sides bent and glued to the blocks today. The peone are in place on the cutaway, and I may even get the rest in before supper.

Someone mentioned that working without molds might be a reason for my apparent speed. I think that is unlikely. I do it mostly because it allows me to make ongoing design changes without have to make new fixtures. Making new fixtures would definitely slow things down!

[Treenewt]

Beautiful work, as per usual, Mr Sexauer. And huge congrats to Padallio on being the future owner of this build! You have chosen wisely!

[Guitars44me]

Originally Posted by Treenewt

Beautiful work, as per usual, Mr Sexauer. And huge congrats to Padallio on being the future owner of this build! You have chosen wisely!

I second Treenewt! Congratulations

And I liked Palladio’s post about how he came to Bruce a lot! Very nice!!!

Carry on and have FUN

Paul

[Racerbob]

This thread is another example of what the forum does best, exposing it's members to new avenues within the broad tapestry of wood guitars and all they can be.

I sold Palladio ,aka Woody, a special 12 string guitar from the classifieds and during all the conversations between us got to know what he was looking for in a 6 string. It combined with my having met Bruce some years ago at a local guitar show and spending time in his shop playing some his numerous guitars always there.

As a result I had a feel for his work and though it was just of what Woody was looking for and that the Sexauer I had would be a great fit for him. I also recommended a conversation with and better yet a trip to Bruce's shop.

The end result has been a positive for all involved. Without the knowledge and experience of the forum and it's members who knows if or when the player and builder would have ever come together.

[BrunoBlack]

Originally Posted by Racerbob

This thread is another example of what the forum does best, exposing it's members to new avenues within the broad tapestry of wood guitars and all they can be.

I sold Palladio ,aka Woody, a special 12 string guitar from the classifieds and during all the conversations between us got to know what he was looking for in a 6 string. It combined with my having met Bruce some years ago at a local guitar show and spending time in his shop playing some his numerous guitars always there.

As a result I had a feel for his work and though it was just of what Woody was looking for and that the Sexauer I had would be a great fit for him. I also recommended a conversation with and better yet a trip to Bruce's shop.

The end result has been a positive for all involved. Without the knowledge and experience of the forum and it's members who knows if or when the player and builder would have ever come together.

I totally agree. If I hadn’t joined AGF and become engaged with thoughtful members I would have never been introduced to Bruce and his guitars. And, I would not have one of the best guitars on the planet made by one of the finest human beings. Palladio will have a fantastic experience and get a fantastic guitar to boot. I’m watching.

[SuperB23]

Beautiful work Bruce, I’m excited for my buddy Woody on this one, I’m sure this will be a stellar instrument!!

[Bruce Sexauer]

Always hard to predict EXACTLY how a half built guitar will actually be, but since this is a highly involved builder/client project, and things seem to be going exceptionally smoothly in the shop, all the signs are good. When the box in complete and I hear the quality of the drum it then is, that’s when I will have well founded opinions. Of course my track record suggests it will be just fine.

[dosland]

With this "just fine" from the master builder as the understatement of the year, though I suppose the year is still quite young and you're perfectly able to outdo yourself in what remains...

[tadol]

Thought this might be interesting - before heading out to dinner, Bruce had to get the reinforcement in for his latest guitar, so I took a couple pics to show his process -

After the sides are attached to the top with the peone (small blocks that are cut from adirondack spruce in a slight parallelogram shape, then split by chisel one at a time) and hot hide glue, he figures out the size and shape of the soundport he plans to cut in, and gets a second piece of wood and bends it to match the inside curve of the side where it will go. 2 very fine holes are drilled through the 2 to define their alignment, and the reinforcement is glued in with HHG, with 2 small finish nails to maintain the alignment while the clamps are put in. The holes will later define the approx. end points for the soundport when it gets cut out and refined. Bruce can probably post pics of that later. Also - note the camouflage tape that is glued perpendicular to the grain on the sides. They reinforce the sides very nicely, helping to minimize the potential for cracks, while adding almost no weight.