The Acoustic Guitar Forum

Go Back   The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > Classical

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 11-13-2018, 07:32 PM
Bruce Sexauer's Avatar
Bruce Sexauer Bruce Sexauer is offline
AGF Sponsor
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Petaluma, CA, USA
Posts: 7,525
Default Italian over D. tucurensis, in a serious way

Every now and again I build a classical guitar. I also sometimes build a nylon strung non-classical, a "folk" instrument or more than once, a flamenco. But today's subject is to be a serious guitar. I hope that there are a few people in this sub-forum who will find this interesting, so I have started this thread.

The top is Italian Spruce I sourced from the Rivolta family in 2002. It is high altitude material from a small tree. The client spent some time in the shop with me, and would not have another once he saw this one. He certainly knows what he wants, and gave me a higher than average number of specific for the instrument.

Most interestingly, the customer created their own template which I am using as faithfully as possible. We worked through earlier drafts till it got to where I thought it would work, but it is certainly their design rather than my own. I wonder if it will sound other than my previous several?

I am delighted to believe I have placed the most surface aligned grain directly under the bridge, which is a target I don't always hit as accurately. When the finish goes on I may be a bit less pleased. We'll see.


The back, which I call "tuc", and is sometimes called Guatemalan or Panamanian Rosewood, is of the highest quality, but had to be four pieces for this to be true.
__________________
Bruce
http://www.sexauerluthier.com/
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 11-13-2018, 07:43 PM
iim7V7IM7's Avatar
iim7V7IM7 iim7V7IM7 is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: An Exit Off the Turnpike in New Jersey
Posts: 5,152
Default

Beautiful sets Bruce...
__________________
A bunch of nice archtops, flattops, a gypsy & nylon strings…
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 11-13-2018, 08:32 PM
Bruce Sexauer's Avatar
Bruce Sexauer Bruce Sexauer is offline
AGF Sponsor
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Petaluma, CA, USA
Posts: 7,525
Default

This guitar will be trimmed in Snakewood, with maple purflings, not very unusual in my body of work. An untapered backstrip is unusual for me, however, but that's an aspect of the classic form.

__________________
Bruce
http://www.sexauerluthier.com/
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 11-13-2018, 08:38 PM
Bax Burgess Bax Burgess is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: SE PA
Posts: 2,482
Default

Bruce, what's the bracing pattern to be?
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 11-13-2018, 09:53 PM
Bruce Sexauer's Avatar
Bruce Sexauer Bruce Sexauer is offline
AGF Sponsor
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Petaluma, CA, USA
Posts: 7,525
Default

Most likely a simple 7 fan. Many patterns work acceptably, and the magic is rather in proportion, IMO. Having developed a scalloping system that works very well for me on steel strings, I have brought some of that concept to the fan braces, and judging by my last few attempts I believe I am on to something. Stay tuned and you will see it happen.
__________________
Bruce
http://www.sexauerluthier.com/
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 11-13-2018, 10:09 PM
D. Churchland D. Churchland is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,442
Default

Excited to see this one come together.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 11-21-2018, 11:30 AM
Bruce Sexauer's Avatar
Bruce Sexauer Bruce Sexauer is offline
AGF Sponsor
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Petaluma, CA, USA
Posts: 7,525
Default

Humidity in my shop is usually a given here in wine country paradise and I have never felt the need to manipulate it like Luthier’s do in many places. But the last two weeks have had east winds (with catastrophic fire results, though not in my neighborhood) which lowered my shop humidity to 31% for the last 2 weeks. This means I have not been able to brace my plates on this classical guitar.

Today it is raining, and in another few days I should be able to continue with this thread.
__________________
Bruce
http://www.sexauerluthier.com/
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 11-21-2018, 02:52 PM
nightflight nightflight is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 228
Default

I like the way the back strip turned out. Very handsome. Will be interesting in how it sounds once complete. Great thread and thank you for sharing.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 11-25-2018, 11:01 AM
Bruce Sexauer's Avatar
Bruce Sexauer Bruce Sexauer is offline
AGF Sponsor
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Petaluma, CA, USA
Posts: 7,525
Default

We finally got some more typical weather here in Northern California, and the hygrometer has now shown adequate humidity for 5 days. I expect to get some braces on the guitar tomorrow. Stay tuned!
__________________
Bruce
http://www.sexauerluthier.com/
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 11-25-2018, 11:52 AM
DownUpDave DownUpDave is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Pickering ON, Canada
Posts: 1,524
Default

Thank you for posting this build over here in the classical section, very thoughtful of you. I will be watching how your build progresses with great interest. It is starting out with some beautiful woods from the get go.

You said the back was 4 pieces. I looked really hard and the only place I can see possible joins are the "wings" of the lower bouts. Is that correct?
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 11-25-2018, 09:06 PM
Bruce Sexauer's Avatar
Bruce Sexauer Bruce Sexauer is offline
AGF Sponsor
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Petaluma, CA, USA
Posts: 7,525
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by DownUpDave View Post

You said the back was 4 pieces. I looked really hard and the only place I can see possible joins are the "wings" of the lower bouts. Is that correct?
There's a bit of wing showing in the upper bout as well. The timber as acquired was about 6 3/8" wide. It will be considerably less obvious in the end, if the others I've done can be counted on.
__________________
Bruce
http://www.sexauerluthier.com/
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 11-28-2018, 01:30 PM
Bruce Sexauer's Avatar
Bruce Sexauer Bruce Sexauer is offline
AGF Sponsor
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Petaluma, CA, USA
Posts: 7,525
Default

Yesterday I deemed my shop environment hydrated for long enough to get back to work on this guitar, so I made the braces and put some of them in. I am particularly pleased with my rosette back up plate as it is actually carved into a form to double as bracing to support the tendency guitars have to fold up across the soundhole. A close look will reveal that it is typically thin in the middle and 3x as thick toward the edges. My SteelString soundhole braces have shared this aspect for years.

__________________
Bruce
http://www.sexauerluthier.com/
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 11-28-2018, 02:27 PM
redir redir is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Mountains of Virginia
Posts: 7,657
Default

The shape looks a lot like an old Manuel Contreras guitar I have.

As for 4 piece backs, I don't understand why anyone wouldn't like them, you can hardly even tell.
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 11-28-2018, 09:40 PM
Bruce Sexauer's Avatar
Bruce Sexauer Bruce Sexauer is offline
AGF Sponsor
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Petaluma, CA, USA
Posts: 7,525
Default

At the end of Wednesday. The neck is Cuban Cedar.



__________________
Bruce
http://www.sexauerluthier.com/
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 11-29-2018, 08:48 PM
Bruce Sexauer's Avatar
Bruce Sexauer Bruce Sexauer is offline
AGF Sponsor
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Petaluma, CA, USA
Posts: 7,525
Default

Spent a bit of time carving on the neck today. Going to have to go a bit further, dontcha know!





__________________
Bruce
http://www.sexauerluthier.com/
Reply With Quote
Reply

  The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > Classical

Thread Tools





All times are GMT -6. The time now is 02:46 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright ©2000 - 2022, The Acoustic Guitar Forum
vB Ad Management by =RedTyger=