Sexauer/'17 (chapter 1)

[Bruce Sexauer]

Until the strings go on, this is my favorite point in the construction. The guitar is a forgone conclusion at this point barring unexpected catastrophe. I will next put on the back.

[TEK]

Bruce,
I am enjoying following along. I am a fairly new, self taught, build thread following greenhorn. I have been trying to learn everything I can about building by watching masters like yourself. Thanks for taking the time to explain things like you do. I too get a kick out of closing the box, glad to hear that never goes away.
What radius do you build your top to? I would love to see your workboard without a top mounted on it. I assume it is just an oversized shape of a guitar with the radius cut into it. Do you use the same board for each of the different size bodies you build? Your process of building on a board without forms intrigues me. I may have to give it a try.
Thanks
Travis

[printer2]

Originally Posted by Bruce Sexauer

Gee Whiz, Fred, I was trying to be funny! Forgot to use an emoticon

My own mother had a state fair blue ribbon winning cake I always asked for on my birthday, and when I had left home I asked for the recipe. I then made the cake and it was a complete failure. I asked her for clarification and it turned out she has assumed the sugar which like your own experience, didn't work out well.

I only have an Onsrud pin router because for a few years I had a side business making 2 dimensional mannequins from FinPly. I sold that business to another luthier many years ago but kept the pin router. At this point the only thing I use it for is cutting out pick guards!

I wasn't quite sure if you were or not, thought it best to play it straight in my reply. A while back I also posted a comment you shouldn't try to get the guitar you were working on perfect, people would start thinking your guitars were built by machine. I meant it in jest but later thought, what if you thought I actually meant you should not try to do your best. Darn, I should have put a smiley after it. Yeah, sometimes subtleties get lost in the written word.

[Bruce Sexauer]

Because I grew up with friends who attempted the elevate the pun to an art form, I have learned to ignore obvious humor, which is the appropriate response to a pun. I remember your jest and understood it perfectly. One day we may meet, and I expect to get along.

[Bruce Sexauer]

I didn't get the back on yesterdays as I realized that this guitar is meant to have a sideport and that takes a couple of hours more than the day had left in it. None of the previous Dream Series had this feature, nor was it asked for, but I really wanted to see if I could hear the difference.

The back did go on this morning:

[Bruce Sexauer]

Back from lunch and undid the back clamping. Took before and after pics so you could share the transformation that occurs when I rout the back to the actual shape of the sides. Left the memory card out of the camera. Oh well.

Put it in and took these:

[Nort]

Sweet!

[rogthefrog]

Originally Posted by Bruce Sexauer

The guitar is a forgone conclusion at this point

If that's the case, I'll take it.

[Bruce Sexauer]

Originally Posted by rogthefrog

If that's the case, I'll take it.

assuming this IS the case . . . wait'll you see the guitar!

[rogthefrog]

Originally Posted by Bruce Sexauer

assuming this IS the case . . . wait'll you see the guitar!

[Not sure if my obscure spelling joke landed]

OK!

[Bruce Sexauer]

Originally Posted by rogthefrog

[Not sure if my obscure spelling joke landed]

OK!

Not sure if mine landed either.

So, I know I misspelled "foregone", but . . . Don't you hate it when you have to explain a joke?

[Bruce Sexauer]

Yesterday I did get the binding onto the Dream Series JB-15, and today I installed the graft and cut the dovetail cavity. Tomorrow I expect to get pretty far with the neck as I haven't really been much for celebrating any President's Day since they melded George's and Abe's days.

Any guitar looks better when the plates are properly framed, and this one s no exception. I'm not sure I mentioned it, this guitar is bound with extremely well quartered Jatoba, and aside from being a nicely contrasting color and the toughest wood I have ever worked (perfect for binding), it will pop seriously when the finish goes on; the closer one gets, the better it will look.

[iim7V7IM7]

Beautiful work Bruce (you give great miter)...

[dosland]

Although I contribute nothing, I always feel a great sense of accomplishment on seeing Bruce close up another work of art. And this one with a cutaway?! Thanks for the always-amazing work, Bruce! And for the compelling photodocumentary to go along with it.

[clinchriver]

This back has great character, top and sides are nice, I really like the back.