The Acoustic Guitar Forum

Go Back   The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > Custom Shop

Closed Thread
 
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 01-10-2017, 04:19 PM
Mark Hatcher's Avatar
Mark Hatcher Mark Hatcher is offline
AGF Sponsor
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Green Mountains
Posts: 4,848
Default Mark Hatcher's Studio 2017

I have a lot in the works for 2017 and want to start off with a current build I am working on. This is a Josie small jumbo model. It has a highly figured African Padauk back and side set:



This is sometimes called "bacon" for obvious reasons but, this set additionally has some wonderful quilt figuring that I have only seen on one other set which, of course, I also bought. That set was used on a parlor spec guitar:



This guitar proved the sound potential of these sister sets so I am eager to go big on a 16" lower bout small jumbo.
Going through my stash of tops there was one that really stood out as a match. It wasn't on my clients species wish list but, when I showed it to him when he came to my shop it was the obvious choice;





We are going for a one-of-a-kind look here and I think we're off to a great start! You just don't see Sitka with this kind of bear claw combined with so much red. It is also an extremely light set of Sitka especially for a bear clawed set. It's wonderful, musical tap tone is an awesome fit for this model and the Padauk b/s set.

So we're off and running!





There will be a lot more to come!

Thanks for viewing
Mark
__________________
Mark Hatcher
www.hatcherguitars.com


“Let me make the songs of a nation, and I care not who makes its laws.”. Andrew Fletcher
  #2  
Old 01-10-2017, 08:13 PM
jaan jaan is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Colorado
Posts: 328
Default

Wow that's going to be awesome!
  #3  
Old 01-10-2017, 09:59 PM
The Bard Rocks The Bard Rocks is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Mohawk Valley
Posts: 8,700
Default Padauk guitar

And I, of course, am very interested in seeing this come too life. I find these things exciting.
__________________
The Bard Rocks

Fay OM Sinker Redwood/Tiger Myrtle
Sexauer L00 Adk/Magnolia For Sale
Hatcher Jumbo Bearclaw/"Bacon" Padauk
Goodall Jumbo POC/flamed Mahogany
Appollonio 12 POC/Myrtle
MJ Franks Resonator, all Australian Blackwood
Goodman J45 Lutz/fiddleback Mahogany
Blackbird "Lucky 13" - carbon fiber
'31 National Duolian
+ many other stringed instruments.
  #4  
Old 01-11-2017, 04:15 AM
cigarfan's Avatar
cigarfan cigarfan is offline
Music soothes the soul!
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Within the blast radius of Washington D.C.
Posts: 5,176
Default

Starting off with a bang! Looking good.
__________________
Life is like a box of chocolates ....
  #5  
Old 01-11-2017, 10:46 AM
Mark Hatcher's Avatar
Mark Hatcher Mark Hatcher is offline
AGF Sponsor
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Green Mountains
Posts: 4,848
Default

Beautiful pair, no?





__________________
Mark Hatcher
www.hatcherguitars.com


“Let me make the songs of a nation, and I care not who makes its laws.”. Andrew Fletcher

Last edited by Mark Hatcher; 01-11-2017 at 02:10 PM.
  #6  
Old 01-11-2017, 11:38 AM
Martin Keith Martin Keith is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 156
Default

Now THERE's a bearclaw top! What a great piece of wood.
Looking forward to see how this comes together.
  #7  
Old 01-11-2017, 03:44 PM
cigarfan's Avatar
cigarfan cigarfan is offline
Music soothes the soul!
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Within the blast radius of Washington D.C.
Posts: 5,176
Default

Gorgeous pair. That is by far the most intricate bear claw I have ever seen. Wow!
__________________
Life is like a box of chocolates ....
  #8  
Old 01-11-2017, 04:26 PM
TomB'sox's Avatar
TomB'sox TomB'sox is offline
Moderator
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: The Lone Star State
Posts: 13,394
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by cigarfan View Post
Gorgeous pair. That is by far the most intricate bear claw I have ever seen. Wow!
That is what I was going to say. I have an Edwinson with a stunning bear claw sitka top, but I don't think it can match this one and with finish, oh my.

Congrats Mr. BardRocks!!!! This is going to be an amazing project with a fantastic outcome, my goodness.
__________________
PS. I love guitars!
  #9  
Old 01-11-2017, 06:20 PM
ross748 ross748 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Northeast
Posts: 232
Default

Dramatically beautiful!
  #10  
Old 01-12-2017, 03:17 AM
DamianL DamianL is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Scotland
Posts: 734
Default

Hatcher - Crushing it as ever.

Nice.
  #11  
Old 01-12-2017, 07:10 AM
LSemmens LSemmens is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Riverton South Australia
Posts: 1,667
Default

Love the bearclaw!!!
__________________
Maton CE60D
Ibanez Blazer
Washburn Taurus T25NMK
  #12  
Old 01-12-2017, 01:19 PM
Mark Hatcher's Avatar
Mark Hatcher Mark Hatcher is offline
AGF Sponsor
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Green Mountains
Posts: 4,848
Default

Thanks for the comments everyone! It truly is an exceptional bear claw top. It's not just the figure though, it's low density is unusual, yet the stiffness is still very good and the tap tone has a nice ring with good sustain. I wish I had more of these tops!
__________________
Mark Hatcher
www.hatcherguitars.com


“Let me make the songs of a nation, and I care not who makes its laws.”. Andrew Fletcher
  #13  
Old 01-13-2017, 01:11 PM
Mark Hatcher's Avatar
Mark Hatcher Mark Hatcher is offline
AGF Sponsor
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Green Mountains
Posts: 4,848
Default

After the top and back are joined I typically further support the back by adding a cross grained center graft. Looking at the back I kept feeling there is something familiar to the look of this and it occurred to me what it was;



A little better than 30 years ago I lived in Asbury Park NJ. My son was just a baby and we were a new family starting out. We had a house on Sunset Lake. It was a great home built back in the 20s. In fact, Sears used to sell houses back then and this was the model;



The house was on the north side of Sunset Lake. Here is an old Asbury Park post card. Judging by the perspective it was the view right in front of our house;



In the late fall and early winter when the sun was low the sunlight would reflect off of Sunset Lake and make dazzling patterns all across the living room ceiling. The pattern in this wood is what brings back those memories.
With all that going on I just couldn't put a strip of plain white Sitka down the center of the back so I dug into the cutoffs from the top wood and got these pieces to use for the graft:



Here is the inside back shimmering in the light of my memories:

__________________
Mark Hatcher
www.hatcherguitars.com


“Let me make the songs of a nation, and I care not who makes its laws.”. Andrew Fletcher
  #14  
Old 01-13-2017, 01:39 PM
BrunoBlack's Avatar
BrunoBlack BrunoBlack is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: New England
Posts: 10,480
Default

Another great one Mark. Beautiful.
  #15  
Old 01-13-2017, 03:31 PM
Mark Hatcher's Avatar
Mark Hatcher Mark Hatcher is offline
AGF Sponsor
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Green Mountains
Posts: 4,848
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Haasome View Post
Another great one Mark. Beautiful.
Thanks for following along Haasome!

Mark
__________________
Mark Hatcher
www.hatcherguitars.com


“Let me make the songs of a nation, and I care not who makes its laws.”. Andrew Fletcher
Closed Thread

  The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > Custom Shop

Thread Tools





All times are GMT -6. The time now is 01:09 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright ©2000 - 2022, The Acoustic Guitar Forum
vB Ad Management by =RedTyger=