"Master Class" w/Peter Rodman

Bruce Sexauer · #1 10-04-2011, 06:12 PM

Peter signed up with me about six months ago as the first taker on my "Master Class" program. His slot came up last week, so he came over and we spent an afternoon picking out wood and talking about the guitar he'd like and any goals he had in mind. This in the normal deal that many of my more local customers are able to take advantage of, except than in Peter's case he has already made about 30 guitars so there was a bit of an abstract sense to his goals. What he wants is a fast track to a fully professional guitar of the highest quality when he gets back to his own bench. He is not doing any of the work on the guitar "we're" making, he is here only as an observer, and will be subjected to an endless stream of my lifetime anecdotes and one sided interpretations of the truth about lutherie.

He will leave with a killer guitar as an carrot to hold in front of himself, with luck, and as complete an understanding of how that carrot came to be as I can give him. Peter's work up till now is not bad at all, and he is getting a decent sound. The guitar he showed me today, an OM, has very good volume and balance, but there are many peripheral issues. His prices are generally under $3K, so it's not like anyone is expecting his work to compete with mine, but perhaps in a few short weeks this will not be the case. That is the hope of both of us, I think.

We finished out second full day today, and he gave me permission to use his name and share the guitar with you, so I will offer you a few pictures as we move along.

He has chosen to make a Kerala, which is Sexauer-speak for a 13 fret to the body OM/000. I showed him a lot of wood, and he chose Chechen, sometimes called "Black Poison Wood", which is a very beautiful and surprisingly hard wood from Mexico. I have built just one guitar from it before, a raging success I named "Firenze". Here is a shot of his unbraced back which we put the snakewood backstrip in today:

And here is the Italian Spruce top we chose together with first tier of braces in and finessed:

I am not just assisting Peter at choosing the material, and instructing him in how I am helping him choose the material. He is paying me a little extra for the instruction, but that is fair as he is retired from a life as a University professor; comes around goes around!

Marley · #2 10-04-2011, 07:00 PM

this is a great thing Bruce and will be interesting to watch. as they say in Jamaica, Big Up to Peter and Big Up to you! thanks for posting it for us.

RiloKiley · #3 10-04-2011, 07:57 PM

Bruce, what sort of tone does the Chechen impart? Is it closer to rosewood, mahogany or something else completely?

darylcrisp · #4 10-04-2011, 08:08 PM

this is an awesome thread!

thanks for bringing us in on it

d

racman · #5 10-04-2011, 08:56 PM

Wonderful thread Bruce - I certainly will be following any updates as I do on all your threads.

Bruce Sexauer · #6 10-04-2011, 09:27 PM

Re: Chechen tone; we're just going to have to wait and see. My other one was years ago, and while I am certain it was great, that's about all I recall. She moved to Singapore (or was it Shanghai?), and has not been back for a visit. Definitely more like RW than mahogany, this is a super hard wood.

JohnM · #7 10-04-2011, 10:34 PM

Very cool thread Bruce. If I had the money I'd do this in a heartbeat as I love learning all I can from anywhere I can get it. I'll be following with interest!

Bruce Sexauer · #8 10-05-2011, 07:09 PM

I am having a great time with Peter, and he says the same re me.

Here's where we are a day later. The back braces were glued in this morning, then carved this afternoon:

The darker color to the right is because I washed the HHG out with water twice as the upper braces slid around some and needed to be pulled and replaced.

Here all traces of the mess are much diminished:

Here is the third tier of the top bracing being glued in the go bar deck:

gitnoob · #9 10-05-2011, 07:14 PM

Peter's a lefty?

Rod True · #10 10-05-2011, 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gitnoob

Peter's a lefty?

Doubt it, it's just bracing after all. IMO there really isn't a bass side and a treble side when it comes to sound, the entire top produces sound, it's just where you put the braces and how they are shaped that enhance the sound, good or bad.... But I should probably keep my mouth shut and let the Master answer the question....

Bruce Sexauer · #11 10-05-2011, 07:20 PM

Take a closer look at the tone bars.

gitnoob · #12 10-05-2011, 07:23 PM

Those go-bars are in the way.

It looks like there's a small "righty" tone bar, and the one below it terminates at the intersection of the one above.

Bruce Sexauer · #13 10-05-2011, 07:44 PM

The righty's mighty, the one you can see is the smaller one. If I am feeling benevolent I will make a better pic for y'all when the top comes out of the deck.

Bruce Sexauer · #14 10-06-2011, 11:19 AM

As semi-promised:

gitnoob · #15 10-06-2011, 02:26 PM

Thanks for that clarifying picture. Happiness is a tight-fitting joint and smoothly carved wood.

Do you go into the reasons for your particular layout and brace shaving with the student? I'd be pestering you with a bunch of questions right about now.