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  #1  
Old 07-20-2019, 06:47 AM
Mark Hatcher's Avatar
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Default Hatcher's Studio '19 #2

I have some very nice builds scheduled for this second half of 2019. I want to start this thread with a current custom Piña build:



This build has a Cocobolo back and side set:



The soundboard is a very old curly Redwood set:



The bridge and headstock overlay will be Cocobolo and we had put aside a special Cocobolo fretboard for this build:



A lot of the trim will be curly Koa. Other features include a cut-away, side sound port, sculpted pillow topped headstock and a fretboard extension.

Some unique planned features are a three dimensional rosette to compliment the pillow headstock and add some unexpected motion with reflections in light and the play of shadows. Also, as I wrote in my notes for this build we're looking for a "fancy medallion style back graft".

I'm excited to have this build started!

Mark
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Last edited by Mark Hatcher; 07-20-2019 at 06:38 PM.
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Old 07-20-2019, 07:37 AM
Lonzo Lonzo is offline
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Hi Mark,
Thanks for the beautiful journey you took us on in #1 of your 2019 thread ..and for continuing the same with such a nice build 👍
..wonderful woods , another new touch with the 3 dimensional rosette.
The woods alone are spectacular.. but that fretboard is NICE ! Wow! With all the mentioned appointments this is going to look spectacular!
Very much looking forward to following it !
Klaus
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Old 07-20-2019, 03:35 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lonzo View Post
Hi Mark,
Thanks for the beautiful journey you took us on in #1 of your 2019 thread ..and for continuing the same with such a nice build 👍
..wonderful woods , another new touch with the 3 dimensional rosette.
The woods alone are spectacular.. but that fretboard is NICE ! Wow! With all the mentioned appointments this is going to look spectacular!
Very much looking forward to following it !
Klaus
Thanks for your comments Lonzo, Redwood and Cocobolo make for a great tonal combination. They can be made to compliment each other and add to a more dynamic response.
I think the soundboard, with it’s dark streaks, looks similar to the Koa trim and will give a nice overall earthy look.

Mark
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Old 07-20-2019, 04:15 PM
GeoffStGermaine GeoffStGermaine is offline
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Looking forward to 2019/2. Great build to start it off! Love the pillow top headstocks!
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Old 07-20-2019, 05:24 PM
Stevied63 Stevied63 is offline
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This one is actually for me - will be my first guitar from Mark, and my first parlor sized guitar. I was really taken with Mark’s design style when I saw the lullaby guitar build from a few years back. I’ve given Mark some broad strokes on what I want, but really letting his experience and artistry drive this one. I’m excited to see what people think of the rosette - I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a rosette which wasn’t flush with the top...this design will mirror his pillow top headstock, and will make this guitar very unique.

So Mark...really excited to see this one progress!!
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Old 07-20-2019, 08:39 PM
The Bard Rocks The Bard Rocks is offline
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SteveD - you will no doubt be EXTREMELY happy by whatever Mark creates. He makes a truly outstanding guitar, with craftsmanship as good as it gets. The aesthetics are even better ("better than it gets"?). We've all been wowed by his superb photos - I have seen and played a number of his creations and can tell you they are every bit as good as his photos make them appear.

And he's fun to work with, responsive to your needs and ideas, willing to try new things, and loves wood as much or more than I do (which is going pretty far as those of you who have seen my wood website know).
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Old 07-21-2019, 06:37 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GeoffStGermaine View Post
Looking forward to 2019/2. Great build to start it off! Love the pillow top headstocks!
Thanks GeoffStGermaine, that pillow top headstock has been very popular. I think it's profile goes particularly well with the body shapes of my Penelope 000 and Piña parlor guitars.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Stevied63 View Post
This one is actually for me - will be my first guitar from Mark, and my first parlor sized guitar. I was really taken with Mark’s design style when I saw the lullaby guitar build from a few years back. I’ve given Mark some broad strokes on what I want, but really letting his experience and artistry drive this one. I’m excited to see what people think of the rosette - I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a rosette which wasn’t flush with the top...this design will mirror his pillow top headstock, and will make this guitar very unique.

So Mark...really excited to see this one progress!!
Thanks Stevied63! Your request for a dimensional rosette was certainly a wonderful challenge. Luckily for me you have trusted me with the leeway to make it work. This is a very different element to add to a guitar and the challenge is to make the rosette look like it was always supposed to be done this way. My next post is going to be about putting the back together which I hope will help set the context of what we are doing with the rosette. It's my pleasure working on this with you!

Quote:
Originally Posted by The Bard Rocks View Post
SteveD - you will no doubt be EXTREMELY happy by whatever Mark creates. He makes a truly outstanding guitar, with craftsmanship as good as it gets. The aesthetics are even better ("better than it gets"?). We've all been wowed by his superb photos - I have seen and played a number of his creations and can tell you they are every bit as good as his photos make them appear.

And he's fun to work with, responsive to your needs and ideas, willing to try new things, and loves wood as much or more than I do (which is going pretty far as those of you who have seen my wood website know).
Thanks for your kind words Bard! I was just reading your impressive tonewooddatabase. You obviously are a kindred spirit in your love of woods!
It is certainly the woods I get to work with that are the most consistent and influential inspiration in my joy of building guitars.

Thanks Again,
Mark
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Old 07-21-2019, 07:02 AM
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Default The Back of the the Back

Most times the first glue joint on a new guitar is the one that joins the back:



It my first "How do you do?" to a new guitar:



You can tap and flex and prod wood all day long but you don't really get to know a piece of wood until you start working it and gluing.

We're doing a special back strip on this guitar. We chose Koa for the trim. Koa goes great with Cocobolo. Judicious use of the lighter Koa sapwood can add visual dimension and contrast with the Cocobolo where you want it.

Here are the initial Koa cutouts:



Here is a mock-up of the purfling I want to use for the Koa:



The purfling defines a crisp edge to the Koa shapes and make those long thin points look longer and pointier:



I used an all sapwood for the center Koa round with a touch of spalting to keep things interesting.



The curly figure in the Koa will also come alive under finish and it's orientation and chatoyance will also help it pop.
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Old 07-21-2019, 03:49 PM
ukejon ukejon is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Stevied63 View Post
This one is actually for me - will be my first guitar from Mark, and my first parlor sized guitar. I was really taken with Mark’s design style when I saw the lullaby guitar build from a few years back. I’ve given Mark some broad strokes on what I want, but really letting his experience and artistry drive this one. I’m excited to see what people think of the rosette - I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a rosette which wasn’t flush with the top...this design will mirror his pillow top headstock, and will make this guitar very unique.

So Mark...really excited to see this one progress!!
You indeed will enjoy the build and especially the guitar. Mark’s judgement as a luthier is impeccable and his instruments are sublime....they start out amazing in terms of tone and playability and then just keep getting better.
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2014 Pono N30 DC EIR/Spruce crossover
2009 Pono koa parlor (NAMM prototype)
2018 Maton EBG808TEC
2014 Hatcher Greta 13 fret cutaway in EIR/cedar
2017 Hatcher Josie fan fret mahogany
1973 Sigma GCR7 (OM model) rosewood and spruce
2014 Rainsong OM1000N2
....and about 5 really nice tenor ukuleles at any given moment

Last edited by ukejon; 07-21-2019 at 03:55 PM.
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Old 07-22-2019, 11:26 AM
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Default Let's get to the Front of the Back

Quote:
Originally Posted by ukejon View Post
You indeed will enjoy the build and especially the guitar. Mark’s judgement as a luthier is impeccable and his instruments are sublime....they start out amazing in terms of tone and playability and then just keep getting better.
Thanks for kind words ukejon!

With the back joined and the center strip in, it's time to turn it over and do the front of the back. First it's gluing and cleaning up the back center graft:





Then the logo made of Koa with a little sapwood:



After selecting, splitting, shaping, weighing. flexing, pairing, mitering, and joining the back braces get glued on down to the back:



That takes care of the back for awhile. Top is next!

Thanks for following along.
Mark
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Old 07-22-2019, 07:32 PM
ukejon ukejon is offline
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StevieD, I hope you realize the amazing responsiveness that results from this type of lattice bracing. Much fun indeed.
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My YouTube Page:
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2014 Pono N30 DC EIR/Spruce crossover
2009 Pono koa parlor (NAMM prototype)
2018 Maton EBG808TEC
2014 Hatcher Greta 13 fret cutaway in EIR/cedar
2017 Hatcher Josie fan fret mahogany
1973 Sigma GCR7 (OM model) rosewood and spruce
2014 Rainsong OM1000N2
....and about 5 really nice tenor ukuleles at any given moment

Last edited by ukejon; 07-22-2019 at 07:41 PM.
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  #12  
Old 07-23-2019, 08:18 AM
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Default Onto the top

The first thing to do on the top is to join the halves:



The Old Redwood top has some great curl and dark streaking:



I needed to thin the top to my target deflection without the rosette installed because once the 3D rosette is in it isn't easily going to go through the thickness sander.

Once that was set it's time to show a mock-up of my intended rosette:





This is a curly Koa rosette with sapwood bordered in abalone with black wood-Maple-black wood purfling.

Now the trick is to fit it flush to the top:



The purfling is set a bit proud and with a little handwork it is brought down flat with the top:



It's great to have sharp quality little tools for little jobs requiring precission:



Here we have it fairly well cleaned up:



And a larger look:



Now the trick is to figure out how to glue the top braces on a top with a raised rosette!

Thanks for following!
Mark
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  #13  
Old 07-23-2019, 08:44 AM
Lonzo Lonzo is offline
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Default That is simply..

.. making me want to see more of that..

.. wonderful wood, such a nice new and very fitting rosette with similarly nice and tasteful abalone appointments.. very cool !
Doesn't really calm my impatiance and anticipation - but in a nice way
Keep them coming, this is so informative and educating..
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Old 07-23-2019, 08:51 AM
Stevied63 Stevied63 is offline
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Exciting to see the progress! The 3 dimensional rosette is a unique feature that is coming out great. You guys are seeing the end work of a lot of thought by Mark on how he would go about doing a rosette of this nature - lots of sketches and experiments preceded this design.

S
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Old 07-23-2019, 09:17 AM
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Very intriguing, Mark. The 3D rosette raises a couple questions:
  • How are you accounting for the added mass on the soundboard? As cool as this looks, I can't imagine you would agree to do it if you felt it would negatively impact tone.
  • How will you join the fingerboard to the rosette? On your builds the end of the fingerboard usually covers the top of the rosette. I bet you have an elegant join all planned out. Maybe something with an elevated fingerboard like the Penelope offers?
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