Sexauer/'14 Continued - Page 2

cpabolting · #16 10-02-2014, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iim7V7IM7

Some neck joint shots...

LOVE the dovetail... a lost art for sure...and I know most of you guys swear up and down for the bolt on neck....it is easier no doubt. But I love the historical execution of Bruce's dovetail. Nice job at sticking to tradition

Bruce Sexauer · #17 10-02-2014, 12:57 PM

I enjoyed this L00 aesthetic so much, a breath of fresh air after being immersed in the Martin aesthetic for so many years. Of course the differences are very subtle, yet profound in their way. I have time for a spec guitar, so I thought I'd do another L00 inspired piece, this time in my simplified WRX format. Being simpler . . . why not make 2? One is from the aforementioned Claro, the other is from some Magnolia I've had here in the shop as a billet for between 12 and 16 years! I was spurred to resaw it by a conversation in UMGF's Log Cabin, and it is SO much more interesting than I expected. Yes, I am out of control.

iim7V7IM7 · #18 10-02-2014, 01:41 PM

The alternative hypothesis to your "out of control" is you are just a passionate artisan who really enjoys what he does...

Bruce Sexauer · #19 10-02-2014, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iim7V7IM7

The alternative hypothesis to your "out of control" is you are just a passionate artisan who really enjoys what he does...

Yeah, but "out of control" gets the girls!

Bruce Sexauer · #20 10-03-2014, 01:18 PM

Because the Magnolia has an interesting color burbling in the lighter section, I chose an Adi top that has a complimentary color burbling. I have decided to bind these guitars similarly, but with different woods. The Magnolia will use Koa where the Walnut will use Maple.

iim7V7IM7 · #21 10-03-2014, 04:06 PM

While Bruce is busy on the magnolia and walnut L-00s, the pernambuco L-00 continues to get a 3rd application of oil varnish. The hue is also deepening in the camatillo binding which is showing its contrast.

Bruce also sent along some beautiful shots of the top. The 30-year old, well quartered german spruce is showing some medullary and compression grain.

iim7V7IM7 · #22 10-04-2014, 08:35 PM

Bruce was kind enough to share some shots of the peghead under 5 coats of oil varnish. The Camatillo headplate veneer's colors are deepening and is both providing contrast and harmonizing with amber tones of the pernambuco.

iim7V7IM7 · #23 10-05-2014, 02:42 PM

For those of you who are interested, here are the specifications for the build. When we started this project, many of these details where left "open"; but now that the guitar is into finishing almost everything is now defined.

In "Bruce-Speak" it is an FT-00C-JB/2 Kerala:

FT = Flat Top
00 = 14-1/4" Lower Bout
C = Cutaway
JB/2 = Asymmetric 1/4" Multi-Scale
Kerala = 13-fret

The guitar's profile is similar to a 1930s L-00 thanks to Bruce being kind enough to visit Eric Schoenberg's shop and trace a vintage Gibson. But honestly, that's where the resemblance ends. Bruce did not go as deep as a Nick Lucas (e.g. 4-5/8") but he did go deeper than he typically takes his FT-00 design by about a 1/4". He also did not go with a constant body depth like an L-00/NL. The body is tapered from neck to end and also incorporates a 1/4" Manzer wedge. He also used his own bracing, so obviously the voicing of this guitar is pure Sexauer.

BODY SIZE:

LOWER BOUT: 14-11/16"
UPPER BOUT: 10-1/4"
BODY LENGTH: 19-3/8"
DEPTH AT NECK: 3-3/8"
DEPTH AT END BLOCK: 4-19/64
SOUND HOLE: 3-3/4"
MANZER WEDGE: 1/4"
BRIDGE SPACING: 2-5/16"

We still need to finalize on the bridge material between Camatillo (Mexican Kingwood) and Ebony. If Bruce has an appropriate piece of Camatillo left in his wood locker, he'll use that. If not it will be ebony. There is a significant difference in the acoustic dampening between the two choices (Camatillo being lower damping). We also still have to choose the style of Tor-Tis material between turtle, swirl or stripe patterns to use for the pickguard.

BODY MATERIALS:

TOP WOOD: German Spruce (30-years old, with compression grain)
BACK & SIDE WOOD: Pernambuco
END GRAFT: Mexican Kingwood w/ black-maple-black purfling
ROSETTE: Mexican Kingwood/Pernambuco w/ black-maple-black purfling
BODY BINDING/PURFLING: Mexican Kingwood w/ black-maple-black purfling
BACKSTRIP: Mexican Kingwood w/ black-maple-black purfling
SOUND PORT: Upper Bout, Elliptical
PICKGUARD: Sexauer Free-Form shape (Tor-Tis material TBD)
FINISH: Oil Varnish
BRACES: Adirondack Spruce
BRIDGE: Mexican Kingwood or Ebony (TBD)
BRIDGE PLATE: Yucatan Rosewood

I wanted a simpler aesthetic for this instrument letting the beauty of the wood do all the visual "talking" on this guitar. We went 13 frets to the body to allow for the bridge position in the lower bout that Bruce thought was best. The multi-scale is subtle at 1/4" but should afford sweet trebles and a more authoritative bass than a short scale guitar. Simple MOP dot markers felt "right" with the honest aesthetic.

NECK SIZE & MATERIALS:

NECK WOOD: Honduran Mahogany
FINGERBOARD WOOD: African Ebony
FINGERBOARD BINDING: African Ebony
TRUSS ROD TYPE: Single Action, LMII TRST
HEAD VENEER: Mexican Kingwood
BACKSTRAP: Mexican Kingwood
HEADSTOCK INLAY: "S" in MOP
NUT MATERIAL: Bone
FRETWIRE: EVO #74
# OF FRETS CLEAR: 13
# OF FRETS TOTAL: 19
SCALE LENGTH: 25-3/64" (High E) to 25-19/64" (Low E)
FRETBOARD RADIUS: 16"
NECK SECTION: 53/64" @ 1st Fret and 59/64" @ 10th Fret, Double Elliptical
NUT SPACING: 1-3/4"
FINGERBOARD INLAY:MOP @ 3, 5, 9 , 15 & 17 and 2-dots @ 7 and 12th
SIDE MARKERS: MOP @ 3, 5, 7, 9 , 15 & 17 and 2-dots @ 12th
HEEL CAP WOOD: Mexican Kingwood

I am curious to see the quality of the tuners from Keith Robson. I know he has had order fulfillment issues in the past (read about that here on AGF), but I heard that he made excellent tuners. It was fortunate that Bruce had a set available. Bruce ordered a lighter weight case from Jeff Hoffee since no Worldwide tours are planned.

HARDWARE:

TUNING MACHINES: Robson, Brass with Ebony Buttons
STRINGS: 0.012s
CASE: Hoffee, Lightweight

Bruce Sexauer · #24 10-07-2014, 05:26 PM

I have put what I expect to be the last bit of finish on the Pernambuco L00, so now it will just sit around for a couple of weeks while it cures, , , , or I could work on something else. Yes, that's what I'll do.

Today I will close the Walnut body. I have put a side port in the Magnolia, but not in the Walnut. I had thought I would put one in each, but then I didn't. There may be a reason, and I hope to know it eventually.

The Magnolia/Adi body:

The Walnut/German just before the back goes on:

The Walnut back just before it went on.

iim7V7IM7 · #25 10-07-2014, 05:33 PM

Are these going to be 12, 13 or 14 fret to the body guitars?

Bruce Sexauer · #26 10-07-2014, 06:46 PM

These are both 13 fretters, 19 to the soundhole, with between 25 and 25 1/4 (haven't made the fingerboards) string length.

jmat · #27 10-07-2014, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iim7V7IM7

While Bruce is busy on the magnolia and walnut L-00s, the pernambuco L-00 continues to get a 3rd application of oil varnish. The hue is also deepening in the camatillo binding which is showing its contrast.

Bruce also sent along some beautiful shots of the top. The 30-year old, well quartered german spruce is showing some medullary and compression grain.

So excellent!

Bruce Sexauer · #28 10-07-2014, 08:28 PM

I am on a roll, and imagine these puppies will be completely bound (bodies done!) tomorrow at this time.

iim7V7IM7 · #29 10-07-2014, 08:36 PM

What will be interesting for you is to A/B/C the pernambuco, magnolia and walnut variants on this L-00 theme.

Berf · #30 10-07-2014, 11:04 PM

Hola Bruce, Are the back and sides different woods on the one on the right or are my eyes deceiving me? Gracias, berf