Been a long long times since I have posted on this blog, So I will update it with a current picture from my work bench. 4 piece cocobolo dreadnought. Thanks for looking in!

Update on Jacks Coco twins!

Since returning from the Montreal show I have been putting the finishing touches on Mark C's Cat guitar and getting it ready to finish. In the mean time I have been working on Jacks Twins. Here are a few shots from today.

Montreal Guitar show Mini concert

My good friend John Creech was set to do my mini concert for the Montreal Guitar show. Unfortunately Johns plane was late getting to his airport, and his connect left before he could have gotten there. Long story short, John was unable to make.
Directly across from me at the show was Mark Blanchard and his friend Steve Wildey. I met Steve last summer in Healdsburg CA, he was kind enough to give us all a personal mini concert on the balcony of our hotel after the show. He played for what seemed to be two hours! Anyways, Steve was kind enough to cover for John and he did one heck of a great job! Steve owns a guitar store in south Florida called Glades Guitars, it can be found on the web at www.GladesGuitars.com.

I will be sending Steve one of my OMFingerstlist models later this year, as he is also a dealer for many well know guitar makers and I am happy to say he will be a dealer for Kragenbrink guitars as well :-)


Here is the first of a few videos I have of Steve.

The Montreal Guitar show!

Well, we are back home now and getting back to normal life after a week in Montreal!
What a great town and what a fantastic guitar show! Kudos to Jacques-Andre.Dupont for creating this great show and Rebecca West for keeping all us builders in the loop!
We had a great show, lots and lots of interest and most importantly, a chance to meet new people and reconnect with old friends. I am finding that THIS is what these shows are all about. Here are a few images that my wife Theresa took.


Me at my table.



My friend Brock Poling, his wife Kathy, my wife Theresa and me.



Steve Wildey doing my mini concert. Ill have a video of this soon.
Steve owns a nice guitar shop in South FL called Glades Guitars, you can check it out on line HERE



A shot of the hall






One of the main stages for the Montreal Jazz fest. It was right out side the Hyatt.
And a few more shots from the festival area.

Marks Headstock.

Here is Marks special headstock overlay glued down and profiled.




Here is an overview of the guitar.

Bindings done!

The body and bindings are done for Marks guitar. Its on to the neck, and then off to finish. Once this one is off I will be working on a pair of twin Cocobolo OM fingerstylist guitars, An Addy/Hog D12, and an LS/Madrose E2! WOW! I cant wait to get going on those! :-)

More on Marks E2

Here are a few updates on Marks E2. For this pic the neck is just sitting in place, the mortise has not been cut yet. But it sort of gives you an idea of the over all package.




Here are all the separate parts.



Here the top is being glued down to the sides.


Here the sides are being "blocked" into the body mold to hold everything square and true while the top is glued down.


Last image is the braced and fully voiced top.


Today I will be cutting the binding ledges and bending the ebony bindings. Tomorrow will start the tedius binding process.

Moving on with Mark Cashmans E2!

This guitar will be off to finish before I leave for the Montreal Guitar Show.

Here are a few images of the back being glued to the rims, plus a little video tour of the same :)

Thanks for looking!

Just in!

UPS dropped off a nice surprise today at my door :)
A Master set of Koa!
This will make one very fine geetar!

Mike Crixells 000-OM Fingerstylist shipped out today!

Always a bitter sweet time, as I have said here before. I grow to love these guitars as I build them. Once done, they are like grown kids and are ready to head off to do there thing. Sappy? Maybe, but its the truth.
Here are a few final shots of Mikes guitar. My Dad recently purchased a nice Nikon SLR and he took these for me.

Here is the low down on this guitar.
Thanks for looking!

Model 000-OM Fingerstylist
24.9 scale
Top LS Redwood
B&S Master Grade Flamed Koa
Neck one piece Mahogany
Bindings Brazilian
Rosette Brazilian
Headstock Overlay Brazilian
Headstock back strap Koa
Fretboard Brazilian
Bridge Brazilian
Bridge pins, nut & saddle Fossil Walrus Ivory
Tuners 3 on a plate Waverlys with Snakewood buttons
Top purflings are b/w/b/b/koa/b
Sides purlfings are fine b/w/b

Two more from the Miami guitar show!

I had a chance to process a few more videos, this time off my camcorder, so they should have a little better sound!
Both are of John Creech playing one of my E2 model guitars. This one has an Adirondack top with a striking set of Malaysian black wood back and sides. This guitar will be with me at the Montreal guitar show and is for sale.

One again, Id like to say thanks to my good friend and incredible player John Creech for doing such a great job representing my guitars! I am looking forward to seeing John do it again in Montreal!

Im back!

The show was great, I had a blast! Got a chance to hang out with some guitar building buddies, made a few
new friends and had the pleasure of watching John Creech play my guitars for the two "mini concerts" each day.
John did a phenomenal job, as I knew he would! He also took home his Brazilian/Carpathian D14.

Here is my display table for the show, left to right is Johns D14, then Mikes 000-OMFS, an E2 made of Malaysian Blackwood with an addy top and another E2 Indian/LS redwood. I thought the Addy topped E2 was heading home with someone, as there were two very interested folks, it didn't though so I will have it with me in Montreal, Unless is sells between now and then.




Here is John playing Mike Crixells 000-OMFS. I will have more pictures and videos that I will be posting here at my blog
over the next day or so.




Here is John on his brand spankin new Brazilian D14.

Off to Miami!

Well, its finally here! The Newport in Miami guitar festival! I will have John Creechs spectacular Brazilian rosewood D-14. This guitar came out fantastic! Its a true cannon! Also going with us is Mike Crixells LS Redwood Flamed Koa 000-OMFS, this guitar is as the other end of the spectrum. Its a very lush finger style guitar. We will also have an E2 with a nice set of Malaysian Blackwood back and sides and and a sweet Addy top! If you are in Miami, please stop by the show and say hi! Oh I almost forgot. John Creech will also have his LS Indian E2 on hand for anyone that would like to test drive it.
I will try to blog some in the evenings after the show.

WEBSITE DOWN TIME

Starting Midnight on Friday, March 28th 2008 (ie. early Saturday morning). For a period of 24-48 hours my main site will be down as the company that hosts my site moves to all new servers. If you need to contact me please feel free to call 517-788-7570 Thanks!

Mike Crixells Sweet LS Koa creation!

Strings this week! And then its off to my good buddy Craig Lavin where it will wait for me to arrive in Miami for the show!

Bitter Sweet.

Always a bitter sweet time when I drop one of my babies in the mail to
head off to there rightful owner for the rest of there days :(
After changing out the Nickel Gotoh tuners for Gold tuners with black buttons (DOH!), I
said good by to Paul F's LS Redwood Cocobolo OMFS. It is now on its way to
to live in New Mexico.
With his out the door, I am concentrating on Mark Cashmans E2 which will be ready for the
Montreal Guitar show, also Jack Wills OMFS Twins. They are all three on the bench now in various
states of completion.
I am very excited about Jacks guitars! They are both made from similar pieces of Cocobolo.
The top on one is Cedar and the other Engelmann. They are braced identical.
Same bridge plate and brace stock. I am very interested in hearing the difference in the voices. The top woods
will be the biggest difference between the two. So this will allow me a great opportunity to A/B them.
More later!

John Creech's Brw D14

An update from the paint booth. John's brw dreadnought getting a nice tobacco burst.

Pauls OMFS is ready to ship!

My good friend and fellow guitar builder Stephen Ziegenfuss is blessed with the camera, he came over last night and took these pictures for me. Thanks Steve!
This is Paul's LS Redwood Cocobolo OMFS that has been featured on this blog over the last two months or so as it came together. It has now been strung up for the better part of a week. It sounds fantastic, I am very happy. Thanks for looking!