#121
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That set is muy guapo! The grain on the top looks nice as well.
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#122
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Today I spent way more time than expected succeeding at bending Herringbone purfling into a circle. And then I glued it into the center of the rosette, and put the backstrip in too, but in the back . . . of course.
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#123
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My favorite combination - herringbone rosette and zig-zag backstrip. So classic.
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#124
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Here are some pictures of my current BRW/Adi D that may give some insight into how I approach "tuning" my braces. I apply my top braces in three steps, working each application to give the structure (response and tone) I am aiming for, and using the next application to further guide to process. This gives me some latitude for correcting overly aggressive brace trimming, which means I can approach the abyss (catastrophic failure) with a bit less conservatism.
Here is the first tier as glued in: First tier shaped, but not "adjusted": And first tier with preliminary scalloping: The apparent angles are parallax, the braces are actually parallel. Bonus pic, the back bracing: |
#125
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Will you cap, or reinforce, the x brace joint?
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#126
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Why the parallel tone bars?
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#127
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No, unlike Martins I have looked closely at, I make the X joint actually fit, and see no reason to cap it. If I did, it would add a bit of weight right were it hurts the most, unless I used the structurally ineffective cloth mask that Martin does.
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#128
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Because we are trying to out-Martin Martin on their playing field, and parallel tone-bars is what they do.
Better isn't enough, it has to be their kind of "Good", but more so. And that's a brag, because there ARE great examples from the Father company, and if mine is only as good as their very best ever, there may be no "better", especially from the Martin connoisseurs' POV. I am describing the target, and the proof is in the pudding; yet to be seen. 2nd Tier, formed but not "tuned": |
#129
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And here is tier 3 in the go-bar deck. In most of my guitars, tier 3 has mare braces in it, but in Martin facsimiles the tone bars are parallel, so both go in in tier 2. More than you need to know . . . I am using a slightly large maple bridge plate in case it turns out to matter, which I do not actually think is true as long as the plate is in the right weight range. But just in case:
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#130
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It's so fascinating to watch these guitars being built. I can't wait to see mine later this year! Keep up the great work Bruce.
__________________
Andrew Heinonen SJ-C Cedar/EIR Sexauer FT-15C-JB2 German/BRW Bourgeois 00c Adi/Hog Furch Yellow G Cedar/Padauk |
#131
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Hi Bruce,
My name is Kyle Fisher from Pennsylvania. I love following along and reading your thoughts and opinions on guitar building. Everything about this art is fascinating. I have already read your 2017, 18, 19 and 20 build journals. It is quite the wealth of information! While being just a beginner player myself, I really enjoy the mechanics of what makes a guitar what it is. Your aesthetic and no-nonsense approach to guitar building is spot on. I'll dream of owning one of yours someday. Thanks again for sharing and best of luck in 2021! Keep up the great work. Cheers!
__________________
_____________________________ |
#132
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Quote:
A very supportive note, and I really appreciate it. I know there is quite a bit of redundancy over the breadth of my AGF blog thread posts, but I have tried to vary them enough that, taken as a whole, they approach being a treatise on my method of building guitars, if not quite in order or complete. I do encourage questions, however, and hope to fill the gaps eventually. Thank you, |
#133
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Hi Bruce, happy New Year. I missed your little get together online, other commitments. I was wondering on the Martin joint with the cloth 'reinforcement'. I wondered if a poor joint would contribute to the Martin sound, loosening up the bracing. I have been too chicken to try it intentionally, the cloth might be added to dampen any buzzing of the joint (just kidding).
__________________
Fred |
#134
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It may be that not all eras of Martin treat the X join the same, but the one I have here in the shop has no meaningful joint at all, the braces appear to have been notched before they knew each other! The cloth can only be to hide the fact that they don't join structurally at all.
I do think the bridge plate is a repair job. This guitar did fail catastrophically. |
#135
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Quote:
__________________
12-fret Small Body Addict & Sucker for Exquisite Craftsmanship
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