Hatcher's Studio 2021 #2

[Jlhunt]

Mark,

I love your choice of wood for the headstock. That will look spectacular with your pillow style headstock and will compliment the body woods perfectly.

Jim

[Mark Hatcher]

Originally Posted by Jlhunt

Mark,

I love your choice of wood for the headstock. That will look spectacular with your pillow style headstock and will compliment the body woods perfectly.

Jim

Thanks Jim!

[Mark Hatcher]

Here is a quick pic of the Myrtle overlay with blue paua abalone and Macassar Ebony binding. The embedded truss rod cover is also Macassar:



m

[Mark Hatcher]

I cut out the Honduran Mahogany neck blank today and have started puting together the center laminates. They will be a cross grained Macassar Ebony center bound in Maple:



m

[Mark Hatcher]

I have the neck blank getting the final laminate glue:



The headstock overlay is pretty much all set up now:



We're going with a Macassar Ebony fretboard which will be bound and have abalone purfling:



Here is a picture looking right down the throat of my throated sound port:



m

[Treenewt]

Beautiful work, as always Mark. That headstock is "fire" as the kids say.

[Mark Hatcher]

Originally Posted by Treenewt

Beautiful work, as always Mark. That headstock is "fire" as the kids say.

Thanks Treenewt, I’ve been doing that tuner head a long time now. I suppose it’s become my signature headstock.
Thanks for following along
m

[CarolD]

That integrated soundport is just stunning. I couldn't visualize how it worked when you showed the beautiful carving, but there it is! I don't appreciate the look of a big hole carved out of the sides of guitars but this is just insanely good design. How did you come up with it?

[Jamiejoon]

Bravo, that is so beautiful. Your art just gets better and better. And the wood! The redwood is spectacular.

[Mark Hatcher]

Originally Posted by Jamiejoon

Bravo, that is so beautiful. Your art just gets better and better. And the wood! The redwood is spectacular.

Thanks Jamiejoon, that was nice to say. I do feel lutherie is a journey. It is unfailingly rewarding if you don't lose your sense of adventure.

Originally Posted by CarolD

That integrated soundport is just stunning. I couldn't visualize how it worked when you showed the beautiful carving, but there it is! I don't appreciate the look of a big hole carved out of the sides of guitars but this is just insanely good design. How did you come up with it?

Thanks CarolD. The idea showed up one morning five years ago on the doorstep of my studio:



I thought I'd invite this White-lipped snail into my studio for a couple pictures while the shop warmed up. I was impressed by how aware they seemed during our photo shoot. I even felt like we bonded a little bit before I sent them back along their way.

That night I dreamed about snails and the cochlea in our ears and those old hearing horns people used to use. In the morning all the work was done and I had this throated port design:



I did a little tribal Hollywood portrait inlay of them:



As I said up above, it is all about maintaining a sense of adventure which requires us to be open to new opportunities as they arise!

[Treenewt]

Mark,

Thanks so much for sharing the inspiration behind your integrated sound port! Knowing the back story makes it even cooler! I love how nature inspired this development in your builds!

[Mark Hatcher]

Originally Posted by Treenewt

Mark,

Thanks so much for sharing the inspiration behind your integrated sound port! Knowing the back story makes it even cooler! I love how nature inspired this development in your builds!

Thanks Treenewt!

[Guitars44me]

Originally Posted by Treenewt

Mark,

Thanks so much for sharing the inspiration behind your integrated sound port! Knowing the back story makes it even cooler! I love how nature inspired this development in your builds!

That port is super cool! Love the inspiration too….

Beautiful stuff, Mark

Merry, happy, Yo ho ho ho

Paul

[Mark Hatcher]

Originally Posted by Guitars44me

That port is super cool! Love the inspiration too….

Beautiful stuff, Mark

Merry, happy, Yo ho ho ho

Paul

Thanks Paul and Yo ho ho ho, happy, Merry to you too!

m

[CarolD]

Mark, thank you so much for sharing your inspiration! Your story just makes me appreciate your design even more, if that could even be possible!

And what a stunning instrument...whew!