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I'll be watching this with great interest.

I'm facing the same problem. Help me, help me!!!

are you referring to the jig or the routing template?

if it is the templates you refer to and you have the measurements to do them by hand there is no reason you can't reverse engineer the templates from acrylic. or i could route copies if you like.

Back in '84, I built an archtop with a dovetail neck joint, and I had no info on any of the construction of it, because it wasn't there, so what I did, was get a standard dovetail bit, used a collar on the router, and made a jig to cut the slot in the body. Then, I layed out on the neck, the cut, and did it by hand, and it didn't take too long to do. I'm not even going to tell you how I carved the top and back, because it's pretty funny. Alan

Michael, Sorry I haven't checked this thread. I use a somewhat different approach, my templates are wooden, maple and walnut. Also, I use a Router table and move the jigs through the router, completely different than anyone else I've ever seen cut dovetails. But it works for me. Maybe I can scare up a pic, but you might be better off spending the $75, as I agonized for days getting mine perfected. And, I like you, can do a dovetail now in 1 1/2 hours rather than much more on my first few.

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http://www.dickeyguitars.com

Michael,
I've got some plexi templates & a jig if you want to come out & copy it. Let me know, I'll have to dig them out.

GD

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http://www.dickeyguitars.com

Aside from tradition, are there any structural or sonic advantages for using the dovetail that you guys see over the bolted M&T joint?

From the start, I've taken the easy M&T path but I'm interested in considering this approach.

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

Bruce, I also use a router table to cut dovetails. When you look at the setup, it makes a lot of sense. One advantage is you can see the cut better since the bit is pointing up.

Barry, I feel true kinship with you.... grin....

No kidding, I have no clue why I went with moveable routing jigs rather than moving the router through stationary jigs, but it works.

I do like the ability to see most of the action. Also, I'm wondering if you make multiple cuts as I do, with a secondary straight bit to do the hogging of the majority of the wood? I had trouble with bits flying out of the router before going to step-cuts then a final pass with the dovetail. It's too much for my setup to remove at once.

I sure like the looks of Woolson's jig, it just looks smart.

JJ, why dovetail? I just wanted to follow my heroes Charlie Hoffman and Jim Olson. I felt if it was good enough for them, it was a good option. But I certainly see the wisdom in M and T, and doubt there is much difference in sound transference. It is cool too to find George Lowden still dovetailing after all these years. I think old habits are hard to break, plus, you don't have to retool....

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http://www.dickeyguitars.com