Mark Hatcher's Studio 2017

[Mark Hatcher]

Originally Posted by cigarfan

Now that is cool! Awesome shot Mark.

Thanks cigarfan!

Originally Posted by Nemoman

Cool shot, Mark!

This one is looking great--still loving that Padauk...

Thanks Nemoman,

Yesterday I recorded a couple sound clips of the new Piña parlor guitar which has similar woods to this small jumbo I'm building. This parlor has the sister African Paduak back and side set and a maple neck. Volkert Volkersz was at my studio and was kind enough to help me out;





Mark

[Glenn23]

Very nice! That little guitar really excites the air.

[Mark Hatcher]

Originally Posted by Glenn23

Very nice! That little guitar really excites the air.

Thanks for commenting Glenn23. It's a lightly build guitar and has a sound port and active back helping out.

[TomB'sox]

Very nice demo Mark, the guitar sounds fantastic. Congrats on another great build! The small jumbo is looking mighty good too!

[Mark Hatcher]

Originally Posted by TomB'sox

Very nice demo Mark, the guitar sounds fantastic. Congrats on another great build! The small jumbo is looking mighty good too!

Thanks Tom!

Here are a couple pictures of the body being closed up;





Thanks for viewing!
Mark

[Mark Hatcher]

We're going with African Blackwood trim which starts on the end graft;





Unfortunately, what you don't see in my photos is that this is not the stark black you would have with Black Ebony it's a bit lighter a little more brown than what the photo shows.

[Mark Hatcher]

Then comes the African Blackwood binding;





Thanks!
Mark

[Steve Kinnaird]

Very pretty, Mark, and the Padauk is to die for.
But hold on a minute--we didn't see the top bracing completed.
Got a pic of that?

Steve

[ukejon]

Pina sounds great...such a substantial and complex voice.

[ross748]

Very nicely done Mark!

[Mark Hatcher]

Originally Posted by ross748

Very nicely done Mark!

Thanks ross748!

Originally Posted by ukejon

Pina sounds great...such a substantial and complex voice.

Thanks ukejon,

I've been experimented with a bracing pattern for the parlor sized guitar and have been happy with the results. I'm thinking I may move this up to the next larger Penelope model on my next spec guitar build.

Originally Posted by Steve Kinnaird

Very pretty, Mark, and the Padauk is to die for.
But hold on a minute--we didn't see the top bracing completed.
Got a pic of that?

Steve

Thanks Steve!

I was fortunate to come across these two figured "bacon" Padauk sets. Padauk is generally a fine sounding tonewood but, the typically solid brick red Padauk is such a mess to work with as the sawdust is like powdered red dye! This "bacon" sawdust is a nice flesh tone so you don't see it so much.

I didn't catch a picture of the finished top bracing. I do have a pic of the second round of braces going on though:




Meanwhile, I've been getting the neck together. This is local Sugar Maple (Hard Maple) with a black bordered cross grained African Padauk center strip;



Thanks for commenting!
Mark

[Mark Hatcher]

I have a question about preferences for sound clips. I invite a number of local artists to my studio to make demo sound clips. I ask them to play what they feel the guitar wants to play.

I do make some requests;
Keep it short (2:00 min or so)
Play across the strings and up and down the fretboard
Give an opportunity to show sustain



So here is my question; When you are listening to a sound clip do you feel open tuning interferes with your evaluation or is helpful?

Personally I think it's helpful. If a the low end sounds good in drop D you know E is covered. If E sounds good you don't know if D is good.
But I often play in open tuning. If I tended not to maybe open tuning would just makes it harder to get a feel for how the guitar sounds. Maybe I am totally missing something else? So I'd appreciate your take on this

Thanks,
Mark

[cigarfan]

I'm kinda mixed on this question. Because I play in standard tuning most of the time I like to hear the balance and intonation that way. But there is value to me to hear a guitar down a half step or alternate in DADGAD to know if there is any floppiness with less tension. Sorry that doesn't help your cause any.

[Mark Hatcher]

Originally Posted by cigarfan

I'm kinda mixed on this question. Because I play in standard tuning most of the time I like to hear the balance and intonation that way. But there is value to me to hear a guitar down a half step or alternate in DADGAD to know if there is any floppiness with less tension. Sorry that doesn't help your cause any.

Thanks for your comment cigarfan. This helps. I typically do more than one clip and it makes sense then to not have them both be open tuning.

Mark

[Mark Hatcher]

Here is the neck coming together;



We're going with a Padauk backstrap;



Thanks for viewing!
Mark