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  #76  
Old 12-03-2021, 06:18 AM
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Default Back and Sides

Here is a picture of the back and sides with a wipe of naptha:



m
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  #77  
Old 12-03-2021, 10:35 AM
Nemoman Nemoman is offline
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Default Wow!

Shazam!!!
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  #78  
Old 12-03-2021, 12:08 PM
Lonzo Lonzo is offline
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„English Walnut is a little stiffer and heavier than Black and Claro Walnut. With that we can look for a little more overtones when optimized. I have to write "a little more" again as there isn't a lot of difference.“

..in which case I can attest that someone is in for a tonal treat. Just put down my tunnel redwood / walnut Greta and can tell you that the tone - very good to start with - has developed into a very defined, yet complex, sweet and sustaining treat over the last year or so. No issue if it matures even more
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  #79  
Old 12-03-2021, 08:21 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nemoman View Post
Shazam!!!
Well thanks Nemoman!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Lonzo View Post
„English Walnut is a little stiffer and heavier than Black and Claro Walnut. With that we can look for a little more overtones when optimized. I have to write "a little more" again as there isn't a lot of difference.“

..in which case I can attest that someone is in for a tonal treat. Just put down my tunnel redwood / walnut Greta and can tell you that the tone - very good to start with - has developed into a very defined, yet complex, sweet and sustaining treat over the last year or so. No issue if it matures even more
Thanks for the testimonial Lonzo. The various Walnut species are among my favorite woods to work with. I think we play well together!

m
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  #80  
Old 12-04-2021, 10:27 AM
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Default Top Prep and Glue Up

I got to use my new chisels to voice my first top. I start the initial brace shaping by setting the brace end heights. This is a scooping cut which is done with the chisel bevel down so I can rock the chisel into the scoop.

I find in luthierie most chisel work is done bevel down which might be considered upside down by many other woodworkers:



After spending the morning voicing the top I was ready to close the box:



m
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Last edited by Mark Hatcher; 12-04-2021 at 01:24 PM.
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  #81  
Old 12-04-2021, 03:19 PM
BEJ BEJ is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark Hatcher View Post
Here is a picture of the back and sides with a wipe of naptha:



m
Wow, that could almost be mistaken for a marble cake shaped like a guitar, looks good enough to take a big bite out of it.
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  #82  
Old 12-05-2021, 08:36 AM
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Wow, that could almost be mistaken for a marble cake shaped like a guitar, looks good enough to take a big bite out of it.
Thanks BEJ, This is an unusually figured and colored English Walnut. I was surprised to come across a billet like this. I was able to get two guitar sets from it.

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  #83  
Old 12-06-2021, 07:08 AM
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Default New Wood Sets

I got a couple new back and side sets in. I always have my eye out for exceptional woods, especially species I currently don't have or woods that have characteristics that are outliers from normal characteristics of species I do have.

I was very impressed with the Bocote I used on my last Woodsman build so I was quick to jump when I saw this set available:



I love the color variations and the grain on this set. The back is very wide so I'll have a lot of room to pick where I cut the back profile. I'll be able to cut away a lot of where the wood drifts off to flatsawn.

Bocote is a relative of Ziricote. In the spread of wood weights and characteristics it falls to the middle in the company of Wenge and Brazilian. It is a good all arounder tonewood.

I also bought two sets of what was sold as Granadillo. Like African Mahogany, Granadillo can be one of a number of different species. I'm comfortable with it being Hormigo. It is like Cocobolo in many ways especially in that it has a similarly low expansion and shrink rate. It also hits above it's weight class in hardness and stiffness. It has a glassy ring.





These are both very nicely figured sets which set my mind spinning on what I could do with them!

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  #84  
Old 12-07-2021, 10:55 AM
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Default Color Match

The Tunnel 13 Redwood top is not only a tonal match for Walnut, the color tones work very well too:



A little bit of blue on the rosette goes a long way with the overall look of this guitar.

From here we're going with Macassar Ebony for trim:





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  #85  
Old 12-09-2021, 07:35 AM
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Default Binding

I have the Macassar Ebony binding going on the back and top:



You can see we have blue Paua abalone purfling around the top.
After this is cleaned up I'll finish up the arm bevel with Macassar Ebony also.
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  #86  
Old 12-09-2021, 11:34 AM
Nemoman Nemoman is offline
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Looks fabulous, Mark--that blue is so alive!
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  #87  
Old 12-10-2021, 08:31 AM
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Originally Posted by Nemoman View Post
Looks fabulous, Mark--that blue is so alive!
Thanks Nemoman. I agree, the blue contrasts very well with that Redwood top color.

m
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Last edited by Mark Hatcher; 12-10-2021 at 01:45 PM.
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  #88  
Old 12-11-2021, 08:51 AM
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Default Arm Bevel

Here we have Macassar Ebony going onto the arm bevel. This is the last trim piece going on the body:



After cleaning all this up it will be time to move to the neck

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  #89  
Old 12-11-2021, 11:30 AM
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Smile Yummy

This axe is beautiful and the woods are all so pretty!

Go, Mark, Go!

Paul
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  #90  
Old 12-12-2021, 09:47 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Guitars44me View Post
This axe is beautiful and the woods are all so pretty!

Go, Mark, Go!

Paul
Thanks, Paul, Thanks!

We are doing my sculpted pillow-top headstock on the guitar. One of the things I like about the pillow-top is the carved curvature really can show off the wood grain. I like to use a really nice piece of wood for this. A headstock is one of the visual focal points worth spending extra time on.

The very unusual color and figured English Walnut on the back and sides deserves showcasing. As it happens I have some Myrtle that has the same color and pattern that is so close if I didn't day so you'd likely think it's the same wood. However, it has a sparkle and chatoyance similar to a good Koa. Looks like the same wood with a touch more glam:



With a wipe of naptha:



m
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“Let me make the songs of a nation, and I care not who makes its laws.”. Andrew Fletcher

Last edited by Mark Hatcher; 12-12-2021 at 11:31 AM.
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