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Wow!!! I love it. gorgeous set of Tiger Myrtle. L-00 is one of my favorites.

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Beautiful and unusual tone woods at a reasonable price.
http://www.rctonewoods.com/RCT_Store
The Zootman
1109 Military Rd.
Kenmore, NY 14217
(716) 874-1498

That is going to be a fantastic guitar, my friend...

I too really like the end-graft...

Keep up the great work!

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I'd like to be able to prove, just for once, that money wouldn't make me happy...

[QUOTE=Hesh1956]

You know if you subscribe to the school of thought that the back should be thick and not vibrate Titebond is a good way to go. [/QUOTE]

Yes - but concrete would work better

Seriously good looking guitar taking shape there Hesh.

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Dave White
De Faoite Stringed Instruments
". . . the one thing a machine just can't do is give you character and personalities and sometimes that comes with flaws, but it always comes with humanity" Monty Don talking about hand weaving, "Mastercrafts", Weaving, BBC March 2010

WOW! Nice guitar Hesh!
Like I said yesterday, I cant wait to hear that one.

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Lance@LuthiersForum.com

Fantastic wood, Hesh. This one will be a stunner! You are "Mr. Pristine" both in your shop as well as your work. You'd put Felix Unger to shame!

End graft jig...I believe that BobC posted one in the jigs section...these are simple to make and use.

End Graft...Not to be a contrarian, but I don't like the disappearing binding/end graft scheme. I feel that even a single line of white makes for more pleasing appointments. Just look at how the heavyweights handle their binding schemes. But aesthetics are always so subjective. Your guitar will look beautiful when completed and who knows, this could start a trend.

HHG...I'm getting vibes that some consider me the "HHG Nazi" To each his own...but I know for a fact that there is more fear in using this for gluing up plates than is warranted. If you can make it to Warsaw in the next week or so, I'd love to show you in person how I do it. I have 2 rims almost ready for tops and backs. You'll be surprised at how simple it really is.

Keep the progress pics coming...this is a great thread.

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

That looks fantastic my good man!

I might have to try the old tape on the bearing trick as I had scoring problems on my last effort as well...
I guess the added diameter of the tape doesn't affect the over-hang that much?

I know we must of discussed this before, but I forget... What kind of paper do you use for your label and how do you print it? Do you have them done? Any good programs/software to use for desinging labels?

I know... questions, questions...

Thanks man!

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I'd like to be able to prove, just for once, that money wouldn't make me happy...

Way to go Bro and thanks to you and Bob for this tip!

Hesh just to clarify a bit. The bearing should rotate very freely by hand. When it is against the sides as your routing it shouldn't spin at all but just revolve as you move the router. The solution is to soak the whole bit in some lacquer thinner to disolve any built up glue and grim so that it is free to rotate on it's shaft. Then lubricate it. You can buy bearing lube or WD-40 works too. The masking tape on the sides is just added insurance in case the bit sticks and starts spinning.

_________________
Beautiful and unusual tone woods at a reasonable price.
http://www.rctonewoods.com/RCT_Store
The Zootman
1109 Military Rd.
Kenmore, NY 14217
(716) 874-1498

Trim...I'm not sure many make their own trim (purfling lines). I get single lines (wood) from the usual suspects and glue it to the end graft before setting it into the mortise.

Lately, I've increased my stress level by going with mitered purfs which drives me nuts and significantly increases the time for me to bind. One of my dilemmas is always how to select the right scheme of bindings and purflings and my eye always is drawn to how others pull it off. Your approach is just another chapter in my continuing education.

Keep going, Bro!!! I'll shut up now

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

Thanks for the info bud! I'll have to look into that soon!

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I'd like to be able to prove, just for once, that money wouldn't make me happy...

[quote]And of course Lacey has to right some girlie crap on the bottom of my top...... [/quote]

She has a "write" to do it considering you don't sell your guitars, the peace and joy go to you!

Outstanding work again! Can't say I particularily care for the mismatched grain on the disappearing end-graft! But I'll reserve judgement until it's under finish - as if it mattered any way!

    I was wondering are you going to paint the headstock too, or go tiger with it...or? Even a black neck! Huhm! Interesting!


Billy T39032.6945601852

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Billy Dean Thomas
Covina, CA

"Multi famam, conscientiam, pauci verentur."
(Many fear their reputation, few their conscience)

Hesh,

That looks AWESOME!! I love those little guitars also. I might have to try one....with a CLEAR top though!!

Awesome clean work, can't wait to see the finished product!

Shane

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Canada

Looking good, Hesh. Hey, I know this is #11, but your label says #9.    Didn't get your back on the wrong guitar, I hope.

Ron

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

Another mystery solved.

BTW, Hesh, I clamp my tail block in the vice and clamp a straight edge down and rout for the end graft. I use a piece of plywood or mdf large enough to reach the edge of my bench and clamp it from the side. Shim it up and clamp it straight and it works well.

Ron

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

Hey Hesh,

Ya know, I am in the 'leave wood...wood' camp. But I also respect exploration, so colour away! Your builds are fantastic and I really do look forward to seeing this one finished and getting your impressions of the acoustics.....Ervin Smogyi says "close yer eyes and LISTEN to the sound, don't look at it!"

You will always be welcome at High Mountain Tonewood Company Hesh!

Keep up the great work.

Shane

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Canada

Hesh,

Last week, I offered to critique your top's bracing before you buttoned it down, and made some minor suggestions off line for the photo you sent. It appears to be the same one as you show here. But I was curious as to why the photo was cut off at the bottom and did not show the ends of the X brace.

Since I wrote extensively about my findings and thinking on this aspect earlier (re: Tapered/Parabolic OM) I won't go into the reasons I think the legs of the X should be tucked into the kerfing. I am sure there others who don't tuck. I think there is also a reason, other than just strength, that all the major companies tuck the X.

Last spring I received an email from a minister in Ottawa who wanted advise on how to re-voice a 30 year old Yamaha jumbo. My advise was that he send it to me, and that I would give him the 25% dealer/professional musician/luthier/performing minister discount. He said he couldn't see spending three times on that over the cost of the guitar.

I think some of those old Yamahas were as well built as any factory guitar, just over-braced. Ten years ago, I re-voiced a jumbo for a friend here, and he still raves about it. It has more bottom end than Bessie Smith!

And so, he plunged into the work himself. I received a few excited emails as he worked the braces down, following the picture on my web site. When he had done what he saw, he said he had increased the overall volume and sustain, and was happy with the results. But not happy enough to stop, it seems.

He then wrote that he had shaped the legs of the X concavely on the bottom half, and observed that the new, loud, punchy bass response had vanished. It had less bass than when stock. He then shaped the legs into a gradual taper down to close to zero height at the kerfing, and reported no improvement in the bass. He last wrote that he was looking to find a luthier to remove the back and replace the X. (If there is anyone in Ottawa who wants to take on this project--could be excellent for one's karma--get in touch with me.)

Hesh, my friend, I truly hope this doesn't happen with this beautifully made box. But if you end up wondering if there could be more bottom end, perhaps numbah 010 could provide a side-by-side with only that one aspect changed. You can't have too many L-OOs, and I'm sure I'm not the only one who would be interested in the test.

Hi back to your interior decorator, Lacey! I like the label and the handwriting...

Scott

Scott! a ministre in Ottawa, eh? Do you mean a federal gov. ministre? If so, that has to be Don Boudria or Stan Keyes...

I can always replace that Yamaha with something else!

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I'd like to be able to prove, just for once, that money wouldn't make me happy...

I think a black top on this would look sharp. There are a lot of professional musicians who use guitars with black tops. It could, and I suspect will look great along with the tiger myrtle.

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

Hesh, these progress pics are coming at such a speed that its easy to remember all your progress steps. It's looking really good. Nice job on the end graft and opposing grain. To my eye, going with the colour and appointments scheme you have in mind it'll end up looking better without a purfling line.

I can hardly wait for this one to be done. It'll be interesting to hear how not cutting in the X brace below the soundhole will turn out. I bet it'll be great.

JJ - its great to hear your contrarian views...if we all built the same way...what fun would that be!

Best to you and Lacey,

Anthony