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  #61  
Old 02-10-2019, 08:25 AM
ukejon ukejon is offline
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Much fun following this project. Looks fantastic.
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  #62  
Old 02-11-2019, 09:03 AM
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Erithon Erithon is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jimmy bookout View Post
It always amazes me how lightly colored cocobolo is before it oxidizes.
Me too! That Cocobolo was a deep red not so long ago, but now that it's been sanded it's lightened up.

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Originally Posted by GeoffStGermaine View Post
Looks great!
Thank you!

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Originally Posted by ukejon View Post
Much fun following this project. Looks fantastic.
Thanks, Jon! I'm really enjoying my conversations with Mark and watching the build come together. And much of this is thanks to you: playing your Hatchers really encouraged me to go forward with the project.
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  #63  
Old 02-11-2019, 10:04 AM
jaymarsch jaymarsch is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jimmy bookout View Post
It always amazes me how lightly colored cocobolo is before it oxidizes.
Yes. I was just looking at my 14 year old cocobolo guitar and realizing how dark and rich looking the wood has become over time.

This is such a stunning guitar, Erithon! So looking forward to the sound clips on this one.

Best,
Jayne
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  #64  
Old 02-14-2019, 09:51 AM
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Erithon Erithon is offline
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Some of you may have noticed a little decorative element by the arm bevel. When Mark was cleaning up top purfling up he found that the Cedar had wicked up several little dark lines:


It's good practice to seal the open ends before gluing so it doesn’t wick and discolor. But even sealing the ends doesn't have a 100% success rate and this is one of those times. So Mark proposed, à la the Somogyi "paint splatter" guitar, that he inlay a purfled triangle over the lines like this mock-up:


The other option was to leave the lines there and let the finish obscure them. Well ... I suppose I could have pushed to retop the whole guitar--again--but that would absurd
I've never been one who is bothered by little "imperfections" in wood. Such flaws are nature's signature and add to the uniqueness of each piece of wood. In this case, of course, it's not a totally natural process so I opted for the triangle as a point of interest--that pun originated with Mark It's positioned to respond to the point on the cutaway.

Here you can see the triangle, after sanding but before the finish:

Look at how clean those miters are! I'm very pleased, and impressed, with the result. To see how the triangle appears when viewing the entire guitar, please take a look back to my previous update.
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  #65  
Old 02-16-2019, 09:47 AM
HWY61 HWY61 is offline
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Default Hatcher is brilliant

Really enjoying the thread. When I saw the triangle insert or "point of interest" it drew me to the words "majesty, nobility and kingliness". I imagined this "point of interest" as a crown. This guitar is a beautiful, majestic work of art which is a crowning achievement for Mark Hatcher. Looking forward to its completion and the distinctiveness of it's new sound. May that also be "marked" by the crown of majesty.... a majestic sound....
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  #66  
Old 03-11-2019, 04:48 PM
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Erithon Erithon is offline
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The finish has been applied and the guitar is now back with Mark:

The entire process went quicker than expected because the prep time was reduced: Mark had left sealer on and some filler in the wood.

Here's a closer look at the region where the back and end graft meet:


And some close-ups of the soundport:



The finish nicely dramatizes the port even further! And now that the double body binding and purfling are done, the full effect of those interior laminates really jumps out. I'm very pleased the final result.
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  #67  
Old 03-12-2019, 04:29 PM
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Mark Hatcher Mark Hatcher is offline
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Cocobolo just comes alive under finish. I’m always amazed how the red just leaps out! I’m very happy with the progress on this guitar. I’ve started French polishing the top. This usually takes about 3 weeks and it is a very hands on process which I quite enjoy.
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  #68  
Old 03-21-2019, 02:57 PM
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Erithon Erithon is offline
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As Mark mentioned in the above post, the soundboard is being French Polished. We're about halfway through that process now. Here's a picture of the components Mark uses to create the finish:

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I opted for a French Polish in order to elicit every possible ounce of tone from the top. Perhaps most importantly, the combination of French Polish and Cedar is magical in Mark's hands. I first encountered this in one of ukejon's Hatcher guitars and further examples confirmed that initial experience.
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  #69  
Old 03-22-2019, 10:27 AM
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Mark Hatcher Mark Hatcher is offline
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Thanks for the kind words Erithon. I'm plugging away polishing the top. There are a lot of pauses while waiting for the finish to cure in between sessions. The shellac is getting built up pretty well now. I'll let it sit for the weekend and then do the first leveling.

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  #70  
Old 03-24-2019, 05:08 AM
ukejon ukejon is offline
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Oh, I thought Mark was mixing a nice cocktail to drink.

Seriously, it is amazing to see this instrument being given a second life. The aesthetic improvements/modifications look great and the tonal changes are sure to be even greater. Hope to play it someday.
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2014 Pono N30 DC EIR/Spruce crossover
2009 Pono koa parlor (NAMM prototype)
2018 Maton EBG808TEC
2014 Hatcher Greta 13 fret cutaway in EIR/cedar
2017 Hatcher Josie fan fret mahogany
1973 Sigma GCR7 (OM model) rosewood and spruce
2014 Rainsong OM1000N2
....and about 5 really nice tenor ukuleles at any given moment
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  #71  
Old 04-24-2019, 09:17 AM
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Erithon Erithon is offline
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After many hours and two levelings the French Polishing process is complete. The bridge will be either Cocobolo Rosewood or Black Ebony. What do you all think?




*if Cocobolo, it wouldn't be that mock-up bridge, but one cut from this blank:

This is the last blank he has from the billet which produced my fingerboard as well as the fingerboard on the Fiddleback guitar you can see in the Hatcher Studio 2019 thread.

Mark doesn't believe there will be a discernible aural difference so this is purely an aesthetic decision. He has a preference and, after seeing the mock-ups, I'm leaning in that direction, but I nevertheless would like to hear the AGF's input.

Since I've opted for the pickups to be removed, the same choice applies to the end plug. Here are some mock-ups to give you a general idea:
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  #72  
Old 04-24-2019, 09:37 AM
Nemoman Nemoman is offline
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The coco bridge looks great, but I really like the contrast with the ebony bridge and the way it ties into the binding and bevel.

Conversely, I'd go with the coco endpin.

Either way whatever you choose, it's going to look awesome!
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  #73  
Old 04-24-2019, 10:00 AM
GeoffStGermaine GeoffStGermaine is offline
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Looks great! I also prefer the ebony bridge.
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  #74  
Old 04-24-2019, 10:09 AM
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The Coco is beautiful, almost more earthy or woodsy, but I also like the Black ebony when looking at the whole mock-up...either way you can’t go wrong...!
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  #75  
Old 04-24-2019, 08:43 PM
The Bard Rocks The Bard Rocks is offline
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My vote is for the coco.
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