Hatcher's Studio 2021

[Jamiejoon]

Originally Posted by Mark Hatcher

Thanks for commenting Jamiejoon. Both Snakewood and Desert Ironwood are pretty small trees so we don't see many guitar back and sides sets but there are some out there!

Mark, if there is anyone who can find them, I reckon it's you!

[Mark Hatcher]

Originally Posted by Jamiejoon

Mark, if there is anyone who can find them, I reckon it's you!

I'm keeping my eye out! Thanks

I cleaned up the Desert Ironwood fretboard that I have so far:



They vary quite a bit and I'll also say you don't really see these until you see them in person with good light.

[Lonzo]

They vary quite a bit and I'll also say you don't really see these until you see them in person with good light.[/QUOTE]


Very tasty.. a nice warm golden brown in those!

[TomB'sox]

They are all lovely, wow, the figure is amazing. Number 5 would get my blue ribbon at the Hillsborough county fair if I were the judge.

[Mark Hatcher]

Originally Posted by Lonzo

They vary quite a bit and I'll also say you don't really see these until you see them in person with good light.

Very tasty.. a nice warm golden brown in those![/QUOTE]

Thanks Lonzo I love the color too. When I work this wood it smells like hot buttered popcorn. The smells of worked woods never stop surprising me.
If this guitar making thing doesn’t work out I could open an aromatherapy shop and call it “Into the Woods”.

Originally Posted by TomB'sox

They are all lovely, wow, the figure is amazing. Number 5 would get my blue ribbon at the Hillsborough county fair if I were the judge.

Thanks Tom I look forward to seeing them on finished guitars!

Mark

[Mark Hatcher]

With the Snakewood bridge in place it looks like we're going with Boxwood bridge pins and Buffalo bone nut and saddle. The colors all go well and the pins are relatively lightweight:



Thanks for viewing!
Mark

[Mark Hatcher]

I have a number of guitars in process in the studio right now. I have a couple I'm working on for Tom's B.I.G. show, a couple that were scheduled custom starts and finally a couple that have run into over time. These overtime guitars are the "Tree" Josie I've been showing which has gone through the regular finish process for the neck, back and sides and then the French polish process for the sound board.

The other guitar that has run into overtime is this Penelope cross-over. The extra time is it has a number of features I have never done on this model. It is the first Penelope model I have done with a Florentine cut-away and the first cross-over I've done with an elevated fretboard and the first with an arm bevel. I'm also working with waterfalls figured Bubinga wood for the neck and a Larry Robinson inlayed fretboard which threw some additional logistics into the mix but, here's a peek at how it's coming along:



Thanks for viewing!
Mark

[Lonzo]

That is a wonderful guitar, the materials, textures and colours are matching nicely imo... and the shape with the new florentine cutaway is very pleasing I think, a very cohesive package... what a lineup of builds you currently work on!

[Mark Hatcher]

Originally Posted by Lonzo

That is a wonderful guitar, the materials, textures and colours are matching nicely imo... and the shape with the new florentine cutaway is very pleasing I think, a very cohesive package... what a lineup of builds you currently work on!

Thanks Lonzo! I do feel like I'm working on an all star line-up right now. Luckily, they are all very different from each other. It would make me nuts if they were too similar!

[Mark Hatcher]

I have a couple things to update here for my shop thread. Last weekend I dug a little deeper into the Desert Ironwood log to get more trim pieces to go with the fretboards I previously posted. First I cut some sheets to slice binding from. Then I cut out a couple bridge blanks and finally I cut smaller blanks to use for making tuner buttons. I'm in good shape now for Desert Ironwood trim sets and I still have half the log I bought for future endeavors:



On the guitar front here are some pictures of the "Tree" Josie small jumbo. I have it strung up:









I'll give it a week or so and let it settle a bit before I replace the temporary wood saddle and do the final set up but, I have to say on first play it sounds wonderful. It has a very full and lush sound and plays very easily.

Thanks for viewing!
Mark

[kkrell]

It looks beautiful. The binding choice really sets things off.

[Nemoman]

That is a gorgeous guitar, Mark! Really elegant all the way around.

I don't think I had noticed the subtle bevel on the cutaway before--at least I think it's a bevel. Nice touch!

[Mark Hatcher]

Originally Posted by kkrell

It looks beautiful. The binding choice really sets things off.

Thanks kkrell, it is a nice contrast using the lighter color and different figure of the “Fiddleback Tree”. It is hard to believe that it is the same species of wood as “The Tree” back and sides.

Originally Posted by Nemoman

That is a gorgeous guitar, Mark! Really elegant all the way around.

I don't think I had noticed the subtle bevel on the cutaway before--at least I think it's a bevel. Nice touch!

Thanks Nemoman! I think it is a good counter to the arm bevel. If someone is thinking about a french polish top for the improved tonal qualities but is worried about the hands and arms affecting the fp finish this is a good thing to take notice of. The urethane finish covers both the arm and cutaway comfort bevels so there does not need to be any contact with the french polish surface with this arrangement.

[Lonzo]

I agree to the looks..
but your last 2 lines are the icing on the cake I think.. your initial impression on tone and ease of playing sound promising!

[TomB'sox]

I don't really know how a guitar could get more beautiful that this.