David R's guitar almost done!

Here are a few shots of David R's OMFS (LS redwood, Cocobolo). Its been lacquered and is now curing. Leveling and buffing are left.

Adirondack Set #1 wins the poll

24 votes to 9 votes.
Last night at the end of the voting I got to work on the winning top. Here it is while being joined.

Bindings for Pauls guitar!

Last evening was a long one, but by the end of it, Paul's OMFS was bound, leveled and finish sanded. :-) Tonight I make the fretboard and glue it to the neck.

Another LS Redwood Cocobolo OMFS nearing the finish line!

PaulFs OMFS is getting close. I finished the bindings and purflings on the back side yesterday, I will do the top today. That will leave leveling and final sanding.
The neck is all done except for gluing the fretboard on and truing it up.
She will be heading to the finish booth on Saturday!

Not very flattering pictures, The beauty is beneath the surface yet.





Has anyone noticed how may Redwood Coco guitars there have been lately?

Choose a TOP!

Here are the two sets of Adirondack Spruce to choose from for this guitar.

Set #1 has nice dark grain lines, it has a lot of character and color.



Set #2 is milky white, almost perfect cosmetically and has nice tight unpronounced grain lines.



Which do you want me to use? VOTE and let me know! :-)

Set #2 it is!

Set #2 wins the poll 28 votes to 19 votes.

Here is Brazilian rosewood set #2 joined, thinned and cut to the rough profile.



Watch in the coming weeks for this set to be braced, and the sides bent.

Help Build a guitar!

I thought id do an online experiment!

Help me build a guitar!

This guitar will be an 0-12 model. The back and side set will be
Brazilian Rosewood. Below are two small sets that I pulled to build this guitar with.

I want YOU to decide -which- set to use :-)

Above you will see a poll, please select Set #1 or Set #2.
Next will be the top selection. I have 4 sets of Adirondack to choose from as well as rosette, bridge, fretboard and binding styles!

If you have never commissioned a guitar, this should be a fun and free way to experience the journey and joy of seeing it from start to finish -and- having a voice in the process.

So please, case your vote and feel free to post comments at any time!

Hope this is fun! I am going to try to complete this guitar to have ready for the new Miami Guitar show in April 2008.

Set #1
Set #2

Closing in on the 0-12!

Just a few more things to do and this one will be good to go for Healdsburg! I have never been so excited to "hear" a guitar as I am this one!

Last time I will post this Guitar I promise!

Until it has a coat of finish on it :-) Here is David Rs OMFS, body is done, the neck needs final sanding and fitted to the body and were off to the finishers.

New Cases arrived

Look closely, you may recognize yours! These six cases came yesterday from Costa Rica via a long boat ride and a short trip in a UPS truck :-)

These are Ameritage cases, my logo is on the front side of each.

Progress on David Rs OMFS. Should be ready for finish on Saturday!






Here is a peek at the new logo and label.

More updates on Paul Fs OMFS

Pauls rim set is all done, the back will be going on soon.

MBW Addy E2 under finish

Here is guitar #2 for Healdsburg under finish. I am very pleased with how this one is turning out. The MBW has a nice subtle figure that appeared after the finish was applied.

Some 4th of July progress!

Over the last week I was able to close up the box on DavidRs OMFS, and block and kerf PaulFs OMFS. Here are a few shots --

Here is Daves guitar with the neck posing for the pic :) This guitar will be getting Brazilian rosewood bindings later today.


Boy do I love the sapwood!



Here I am gluing in the neck block on Pauls OMFS.



And here is the rim assembly with the top kerfing installed.



And another view.

I hate to beat this guitar to death,

But MAN I love this wood, and this little guitar!
So After a trip to the finishers to drop off the E2, I shot these two pics of the 0-12 which will be ready to be picked up in two weeks! I cant wait!

Counting down to Healdsburg!

After a few uneasy months where I was unsure if I would be able to make it to Healdsburg. It seems the clouds have cleared and I am going to be ready.
Here are the two guitars that I will be bringing. Both are for sale now and will be at the show.

You may have seen this one come together on the blog, its the 0-12. Carter Redwood top and a very special four piece Cocobolo back and side set (props once again to my buddy Brock Poling for giving this set up). Extremely lively box. This is going to be a fantastic little fingerstyle guitar.

This one was just completed last night and will be headed to finish on Saturday. It is my E2 model with a great Adirondack top, Malaysian Blackwood back and sides, Koa rosette and bindings and a cool red purfling line that I think just sets off the koa really nice! Tell me what you think?

Tonally this is going to be a very responsive guitar with ample volume and headroom. The Addy top is strong and will be able to handle a heavy picking hand, yet its so responsive I fully anticipate this guitar will also excel when played with your finger tips. The dense Blackwood back creates a very reflective plate which in-turn offers up a "presents" or "quickness" to its sound. I am very excited to get strings on this baby!

Im still Alive!

Greetings folks!

I have gotten a few emails of late asking if I had died because of my lack of updating my blog :-)
I'm not dead! Just busy as heck!
The Cocobolo Redwood 0-12 is ready for lacquer, this will probably be the only one that makes it to Healdsburg this year. I will be burning the candle at both ends trying to get the Malaysian Blackwood E2 ready also, as well as finishing up David R's OMFS. We shale see what happens.

Also on the stove cookin is Paul F's OMFS, the sides are bent and the neck and end blocks are in and the neck is done, next up is to attach the back and top.

Here are a few shots of the 0-12 "in the white" It will be headed off for finishing this Saturday.

Another sample of the E2!

I posted a ringtone of John Creechs E2 at this link.
Download it! Its pretty cool!


Create free ringtones at Phonezoo

John Creech Jr playing his E2 at Merlfest 2007

John sent this link of him playing his E2 at Merlfest this year. Thanks John!!

Timely Cracks,

Timely Cracks

Sometimes I wonder if we ask to much of the wood?
NAA!

About two weeks ago while closing up DaveRs guitar a timely crack appeared on the side of the lower bout. ARRRGG!!! I had no choice but to take two steps back and start again. I had a matching set of sides so it was only a matter of time, and not materials, that was until I tried to remove the back from the cracked set of sides. That did not go well so David and I were off on a cocobolo hunt! Once again my buddy and fellow guitar builder Brock Poling of Poling Guitars www.polingguitars.com came up with a fantastic replacement set! Dave specified a sapwood center strip, that is indeed what we got. Here are some current progress shots. With a little luck, we should be back on track by this weekend.

New Rosette for the MBW E2

I have wanted to introduce some color in to my rosettes for quite a while, just never had the opportunity or the right "idea". That is until last night :-) Since the Malaysian Blackwood E2 will have red in the top purflings, I thought this was the perfect time to add some color to the rosette. Here is how it came out. I am very pleased.