Hatcher's Studio '20 #2

[Mark Hatcher]

Originally Posted by Treenewt

I was wondering which way you’d work that color fade. I dig the reverse! Nice way to highlight the beauty of that set!

Thanks Treenewt!

You can see the teflon spacers sticking up from where the Amboyna burl top purfling will go:



After the binding and purfling are all set it all gets cleaned up:

[Mark Hatcher]

I'm gathering together my ideas and parts for the neck. I selected some mildly figured local Sugar Maple as he main neck wood:



I'll doing my sculpted pillow top style headstock. The back laminate will be spalted Amboyna burl which is just a collage of color:



The center laminate will be a wide strip of Amboyna burl with fine black borders:




I should note here that this is a spec guitar. It is for sale. If you happen to be interested in this guitar but would like a different string measurements than 1 3/4" for the nut and/or 2 1/4" at the saddle now would be a good time to speak up!

[Nemoman]

The binding and purfling looks wonderful, Mark. Looks like the neck will compliment everything really nicely as well--Red, white, and beautiful!

[Treenewt]

I really like the look of that Burl in the purfling and the neck! Should look quite lovely under finish!

[Mark Hatcher]

Originally Posted by Nemoman

The binding and purfling looks wonderful, Mark. Looks like the neck will compliment everything really nicely as well--Red, white, and beautiful!

Thanks Nemoman! It's coming together nicely

Originally Posted by Treenewt

I really like the look of that Burl in the purfling and the neck! Should look quite lovely under finish!

Thanks Treenewt, Using the burl for purfling was a new idea and has worked out really well. I wanted to tame down the brightness of the Maple neck so I went really wide on that center strip of burl. When the neck blank is cut to the finished width I believe I'll get just what I want:

[Treenewt]

That is a very cool idea Mark! I dig it!

[Naboz]

Edited out.

[Mark Hatcher]

Originally Posted by Treenewt

That is a very cool idea Mark! I dig it!

Thanks Treenewt!

Now I'm working out what I am doing with the fretboard. I landed on a Cocobolo fretboard bound in the lighter Sapele with a black purfling line:



I am thinking I'd like to do fret markers like I did on this Redwood/Cocobolo guitar I made recently:



I used Koa inside the silver bordered fret markers on that one. On this guitar I'm thinking I could do Amboyna burl or I could use this rare partially fossilized wholly mammoth tusk bark:



I'll take some time to decide between the two. That's what weekends are for!

[Lonzo]

Hi Mark,
My vote is for the fossilized bark... in this one I can see the blue
... this is all very cool!

[Nemoman]

I'm with Lonzo--that mammoth tusk bark is just too cool not to use!

[ukejon]

Mark, that new guitar is really stunning....such amazing materials.

The pics of your finger plane cleanup on the top always look terrifying because of my own stupid ability to achieve grain tear-out and the like when I work wood!

[Mark Hatcher]

Originally Posted by Lonzo

Hi Mark,
My vote is for the fossilized bark... in this one I can see the blue
... this is all very cool!

Originally Posted by Nemoman

I'm with Lonzo--that mammoth tusk bark is just too cool not to use!

Thanks! I think that blue looks great too. My real hesitation on using it is the restrictions on where I can ship the guitar. Currently I can sell and ship anywhere in the world outside of the USA but not to these states: NY, NJ, HI, IL, NV and CA

Originally Posted by ukejon

Mark, that new guitar is really stunning....such amazing materials.

The pics of your finger plane cleanup on the top always look terrifying because of my own stupid ability to achieve grain tear-out and the like when I work wood!

Thanks ukejon, Grain tear-out is a scary thing especially when you are so far into a build! I have come to trust my little Lie-Neilsen palm plane though. When set up and sharp it is a reliably smooth cutter with no chatter. I attribute that to its heavy (for such a small plane) 1/8” thick blade.

[kkrell]

Originally Posted by Mark Hatcher

Thanks! I think that blue looks great too. My real hesitation on using it is the restrictions on where I can ship the guitar. Currently I can sell and ship anywhere in the world outside of the USA but not to these states: NY, NJ, HI, IL, NV and CA

Would be a shame to restrict it (I'm in CA). Would probably look great, but I'm sure you have alternatives that would also.

[Naboz]

Mark,
I'm addicted to this thread! The build pictures creep into my subconscious and whisper, "go see what else he has done to that pretty thing!"
And then an irresponsible little character--he has horns-- has me scheming to sell things to claim this beauty
I'm all better now

p.s. I think the mammoth tusk would be a great addition.

[Mark Hatcher]

Originally Posted by kkrell

Would be a shame to restrict it (I'm in CA). Would probably look great, but I'm sure you have alternatives that would also.

Thanks kkrell, I do have some nice choices with the Amboyna burl

Originally Posted by Naboz

Mark,
I'm addicted to this thread! The build pictures creep into my subconscious and whisper, "go see what else he has done to that pretty thing!"
And then an irresponsible little character--he has horns-- has me scheming to sell things to claim this beauty
I'm all better now

p.s. I think the mammoth tusk would be a great addition.

Thanks Naboz, After some consideration I think I'll go with Amboyna Burl for the markers. It occurred to me that I could work the Blue mammoth tusk into the nut and saddle. That way I have the option to swap the nut and saddle out.