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  #211  
Old 02-19-2019, 08:14 PM
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I heard that the nitro finish touch up was successful and the neck has now been attached to the body. Jeanne (Nick’s wife) has been casting custom pickguards using their friend and Portland neighbor John Greven’s cast epoxy and dye (Tortoid) method. They will present me with these options soon. Nick is anxious to get the guitar into his set-up fixture to get some strings on it this week...
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  #212  
Old 02-21-2019, 04:56 PM
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Here’s some photos of Nick’s jig that he uses to establish fretboard relief (pre fret instalation) with roughed in bone nut and saddle under string tension.

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  #213  
Old 02-21-2019, 06:16 PM
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Thanks, again, for sharing the build process. I've not played a Franklin/Kukich that was less than inspiring. As good as guitars get.
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  #214  
Old 02-21-2019, 06:27 PM
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Thanks JT... Nick was curious to hear how it sounded (his first build with this Hawaiian Cuban Mahogany) and relayed to me three things: 1) the guitar has strong trebles; 2) its a cannon in its volume and 3) it mains its strong voice in the upper registers of the fretboard.

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Thanks, again, for sharing the build process. I've not played a Franklin/Kukich that was less than inspiring. As good as guitars get.
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Old 02-21-2019, 07:00 PM
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Enjoyed this thread inmensely, thanks for sharing.

I think you will be pleasantly thrilled with your new Franklin! I could not imagine parting with mine. May this be a lifetime guitar for you!
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  #216  
Old 02-21-2019, 07:19 PM
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Enjoyed this thread inmensely, thanks for sharing.

I think you will be pleasantly thrilled with your new Franklin! I could not imagine parting with mine. May this be a lifetime guitar for you!

You are quite welcome... My goal with build threads like these is to chronicle the subtle distinctions in a luthier’s designs under the hood and build approach to distinguish their instruments from their peers. It is all too easy to focus by the aesthetic beauty of natural materials or an artisan’s craftsmanship. There are reasons why they all sound different.
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  #217  
Old 02-23-2019, 04:23 PM
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Nick scraped a 16’ radius into the Gaboon Ebony fretboard.






After sizing the tang barbs to his fretboard slots with a Fret Barber, Nick installed the Jescar EVO 43080 fret wire. Interestingly, he appears to not just hammer them in but also uses hot hide glue.




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  #218  
Old 02-23-2019, 04:54 PM
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Its gonna play like butter...!
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  #219  
Old 02-24-2019, 07:04 AM
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Its gonna play like butter...!
No doubt Dave...
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  #220  
Old 02-24-2019, 03:09 PM
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Wow, that's handsome!

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  #221  
Old 02-24-2019, 03:34 PM
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Wow, that's handsome!

Steve
Thanks for the kind comments Steve...
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  #222  
Old 02-24-2019, 04:00 PM
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What a great thread ... and equally great instrument of course!
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  #223  
Old 02-24-2019, 04:10 PM
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Originally Posted by David Wren View Post
What a great thread ... and equally great instrument of course!
Thanks David...

I find all the heterogeneous design variations and differing methods of construction used by luthiers to be extremely interesting. Some have their origins in apprenticeships and others have their origins in solo problem solving after looking at an obscure drawing in a Sloane book.... I sometimes wonder what the net effect on lutherie both the internet and schools like Galloup and Roberto Venn will have on the newer generation of builders? Will we continue to see the unique approaches to problem solving that we see exhibited in the work of seasoned builders?
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  #224  
Old 02-25-2019, 03:41 PM
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Nick has had the guitar strung up for a few days now. He has now dialed in the intonation and action. All that is left now is to create an appropriate pickguard using his friend and neighbor John Greven’s Tor-Tis recipe of cast epoxy and dyes. Here are two samples that they have made. Nick and Jeanne are making a few more before we decide on which one to use.





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  #225  
Old 02-25-2019, 07:32 PM
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Are you hoping for a particular "look" to the pickguard? The first is quite transparent, while the second is a bit darker. In both, the color shapes are more "smoky" than spots. They are quite nice. You mentioned that the nut and saddle are bone, any reason you didn't go with the mammoth ivory that Nick lists on his website as standard?
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