Sexauer '18

[Bruce Sexauer]

I got a bit slack lately where creating recent guitar's individual pages on my website is concerned. So I picked of some of that slack this week and caught up to the JB-L00, as well as the several before it. HERE is the JB-L00's page where you can see clear photos in good light. I got a new non-zoom 35mm lens for my camera, and I do think I see some real difference!. If you go to thelist, you can easily connect to the 4 guitars previous to the JB-L00 and assess the difference yourself.

Here's one pic, in case you too are a slacker:

[IndyHD28]

Bruce, that is one gorgeous guitar. I’ve been trying to follow the various RW threads and you call this “Amazon”. Which species is that? Regardless, it has the dramatic figuring I truly love.

[jmat]

Looks good Bruce, it's Oscar night so maybe the above gets "best lead guitar", or "best supporting guitar" and used for rhythm...

[Bruce Sexauer]

Originally Posted by IndyHD28

Bruce, that is one gorgeous guitar. I’ve been trying to follow the various RW threads and you call this “Amazon”. Which species is that? Regardless, it has the dramatic figuring I truly love.

"Amazon" rosewood is Dalbergia spruceana, a true rosewood. A bit heavier than "Brazilian" , similar in density to Cocobolo or Honduran, but with its own distinctive sound, and of course it look so much like Brazilian I'd be hard pressed to identify it correctly if I couldn't smell it or heft it. I would characterize the sound as "authoritative". This is only my second guitar from it, and the other was a single 0, but they have a very similar character. Both are very strong voiced, meaning not just loud, but unquestionable. I took this guitar to a bluegrass jam last Wednesday with very competent players, and many of them: 4 other guitars (3 were Martin dreads), 3 banjos, string bass, mandolin, and a very decent autoharpist. This guitar held up beautifully, and the bass was strong enough to lead the changes. Nothing undersized about the sound.

For those just joining us, I made this guitar to be the centerpiece of my La Conner Guitar Festival exhibit, and it will be for sale there.

[LouieAtienza]

That Amazon is Amazin! Wish I was going to LaConner... not in the cards this year, and I've never been to the West coast. Wish you best of luck at the show!

[Bruce Sexauer]

And, the tucurensis is terrific! I have got the JB-15 bound and will move on to the neck.

I will be slightly slow though, as I am hosting the March Northern California Association of Luthiers (NCAL) meeting in my shop on Sunday the 11th. I plan to live demonstrate how it is that I assemble a guitar without using a mold. If most builders understood how easy this is, I like to think more would try it as an obvious no-brainer. I have to create a top, end blocks, and sides in order to do the demonstration, and that will be the 00 I am making for Vancouver . . . unless it turns out I can't actually bend the Tree sides.

Here's the JB-15:

[iim7V7IM7]

It looks exquisite Bruce...

[LouieAtienza]

Looks awesome Bruce, as always...

As to the NCAL meeting... you're going to do the demonstration with The Tree?!?!

[cigarfan]

Lookin' schweeet!

[Tim Porter]

Stupendous! I’m a little behind because the storm in the northeast blew out my web provider.

[Bruce Sexauer]

I am hosting this month's NCAL meeting in my shop on Sunday March 11 from 1 through 5 pm. I will be live demo'ing the side to top phase of my moldless construction technique. If you saw how easy this is you would be tempted to take up the method, and you would not be wrong. There are many ways to skin a guitar, but none I am aware of the kind of flexibilty and growth potential of mine. Come see for yourself. Also, the guitar i am using for the demo is made from the same board from "The Tree" that was featured in the NCAL video I posted in this thread around a year ago.

And more: This new Tree guitar implements a "new" top bracing concept I have been thinking about. The big failing of the standard acoustic guitar concept is that the neck caves into the body over time, necessitating a neck reset. I think many guitar conceptualizers misunderstand the problem and their fixes seem at sea to me. This bracing is my latest thinking on the problem and the solution.

My address etc is on my contact page linked to the website in my signature below.

[printer2]

Originally Posted by Bruce Sexauer

I am hosting this month's NCAL meeting in my shop on Sunday March 11 from 1 through 5 pm. I will be live demo'ing the side to top phase of my moldless construction technique. If you saw how easy this is you would be tempted to take up the method, and you would not be wrong. There are many ways to skin a guitar, but none I am aware of the kind of flexibilty and growth potential of mine. Come see for yourself. Also, the guitar i am using for the demo is made from the same board from "The Tree" that was featured in the NCAL video I posted in this thread around a year ago.

And more: This new Tree guitar implements a "new" top bracing concept I have been thinking about. The big failing of the standard acoustic guitar concept is that the neck caves into the body over time, necessitating a neck reset. I think many guitar conceptualizers misunderstand the problem and their fixes seem at sea to me. This bracing is my latest thinking on the problem and the solution.

My address etc is on my contact page linked to the website in my signature below.

Darn. And I am going to have to miss it.

[LouieAtienza]

Originally Posted by Bruce Sexauer

I am hosting this month's NCAL meeting in my shop on Sunday March 11 from 1 through 5 pm. I will be live demo'ing the side to top phase of my moldless construction technique. If you saw how easy this is you would be tempted to take up the method, and you would not be wrong. There are many ways to skin a guitar, but none I am aware of the kind of flexibilty and growth potential of mine. Come see for yourself. Also, the guitar i am using for the demo is made from the same board from "The Tree" that was featured in the NCAL video I posted in this thread around a year ago.

And more: This new Tree guitar implements a "new" top bracing concept I have been thinking about. The big failing of the standard acoustic guitar concept is that the neck caves into the body over time, necessitating a neck reset. I think many guitar conceptualizers misunderstand the problem and their fixes seem at sea to me. This bracing is my latest thinking on the problem and the solution.

My address etc is on my contact page linked to the website in my signature below.

We got to get someone there to webcast this on YouTube or something...

[Bruce Sexauer]

Actually, Louie, “we” have been making videos of some of the more interesting and informative parts of out NCAL meeting since I became president a year or so ago. By “we” I mean Tad Laird, Tadol here on this forum, who actually shoots the footage, and myself when I can find the time to edit it and get it online. We do not use YouTube, but have instead favored Vimeo. There are links to some of this video on the club website, ncal.club, which unfortunately is down at moment due to a malicious hacker attack, unbelievable as that sounds to me.

I know for a fact that Tad intends to record Sundays presentation, and I promise to produce it in a timely fashion. I will then link it here in this thread. Probably not Monday, but as soon as I can.

Right now I am cleaning the shop. One of the reasons I host these meetings is that it takes this kind of “embarrassment potential” to get me to do it. I tend to focus on the work while the debris builds up around me, only cleaning up when I misplace a tool, and I am getting way too good at finding misplaced tools. I doubt I am the worst though, as a fire inspector once came through and while here mentioned that my “housekeeping” was very good for a woodworking shop. I will cherish that moment till I drop.

[LouieAtienza]

Thanks for that info, Bruce; look forward to it!