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Thanks to all who chimed in on the "how many mistakes" thread I began last week. As I expected, it was very reassuring and comforting to hear people's stories and know I'm not the only one making mistakes.

What I had not expected, however, was a post that really changed the way I think about mistakes, about "acceptable errors," and about building guitars in general. John Kinnaird commented that when you build guitars for sale, ALL mistakes have to be corrected. Even though I'm not yet selling, that comment really changed my perspective. I can't build guitars without making mistakes, but I can build mistake-free guitars.

So I spent this weekend fixing all my mistakes on the guitar I have been building for my 9-year old son. The off-center backstrip has been removed and replaced. The errors in binding thickness have been solved (by removing and replacing almost half of the binding). The only thing I haven't repaired is the rosette purfling line that fades for about 1/2"; notwithstanding everyone's good advise, I couldn't identify a way to fix that without creating more problems than I would solve. I'll keep thinking, though.

I feel very good about this guitar. Although it's not for sale, it's wonderful to look at it and say "it is good," rather than "it is good enough."

More importantly, though, my expectations of my own work have changed. I no longer expect myself to build guitars that are "structurally sound, but maybe with a few minor cosmetic flaws." I expect myself to build guitars without flaws.

Next step: learn how to consistently get miters with no lines at the joints!

Thanks again to all, and especially to John.

The purfling line is easy if you have the right tools, I use a modified Micro-Fence and had this happen on a guitar and just put in a very small bit and routed it out and put in a new purfling strip.... looks original...

You can see the jig on my home page if your interested or there should be pictures in the library of it.

Cheers

-Paul-

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-Paul-

Patriot Guitars

Kelby, Ive heard of people using black touch up pens for drawing back in purfling lines that were sanded out. Check Stewmac for some touch up supplies.
While visiting Tony Ferguson he showed me a few examples of where he had done just that, it was a perfect fix, under lacquer.

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Lance@LuthiersForum.com

While prepfor finish sanding a peghead that was bound with b/w/b purfling, I sanded through the black to the white at the corner of a miter. I used a touch up pen before sealing and finishing. It worked like a charm.

Thanks, guys!

Do they make those touch-up pens in white? The purfling line that faded out is maple.

Paul, your jig looks great, but would it work if the soundhole is already cut out? This purfling line did not sand through until the top was already attached to the body.

no but there are a bunch of fine line perminate white markers out there. Chech at your local office supply Be sure to allow it to dry good and seal it with what ever sealer you use. Do not wipe or brush on your sealer, as this may smear it. use a spray gun or air brush and not too high of pressure and not to wet of a coat, as that may also cause it to run.MichaelP38607.7484027778

Yes it would and here's how....

1. You measure the diameter of your soundhole.

2. Cut out a round piece of wood the same size (actually just a *hair* bigger than you think), leaving the hole in the center.

3. test fit and trim by 1000's until it just pops in.

Now your perfectly centered and should be able to route it out and replace, my sound hole was cut when I screwed it up and this worked perfectly for me.

I have also used pens and they work really well too...

-Paul-Sprockett38607.7599652778

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-Paul-

Patriot Guitars

Ok so I've only built one guitar, but the purfling mitres all turned out perfect . Though, there were some other areas needing improvement.

I cut the mitres with a half inch chisel. The trick is to polish the back of the chisel (opposite face to the one with the ground bevel) after you level it so that it's like a mirror (just go up through the grits to about 2000). Then it's pretty easy to eyeball a pefect 45 degree cut using the reflection of the purfling on the back of the chisel - so what you're seeing is a 90 degree angle (the purfling plus the reflection), for some reason it's a lot easier to acurately eyeball a 90 degree angle than a 45.

Clear as mud? Let me know if you don't get me, and I'll post a pic.

We get ya, we still want to see the pictures

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Paul, thanks for the miter tip. I have done this, and my problem with miters is not so much getting the correct angle. My problem has been that, invariably, some of the pieces gets cut a tiny, tiny hair short, just enough that there is a faint glue line on a couple (can't be much more than 1/128", but visible). Kind of like taking a very sharp pencil and drawing a faint line on the miter. Some of my miters go great without any visible glue line, so you wouldn't know there's a joint there at all except the purfling turns 90 degrees. But a few have a joint line.

The other Paul: I like your idea on re-routing the pocket. Now, the question is, could I find a .010" dremel bit to match the thickness of the purfling line?

I have been given another suggestion on the faded purfling line. I called my local hardwood supplier (Austin The Hardwood and Hardware Company, awesome place!) and they suggested that I try using some powders to make a little colored laquer that matches the maple, and then applying it with a very fine paint brush. I'll give it a shot. If it works, I'll cover the painted line with a seal coat of shellac so it doesn't bleed out during subsequent coats of lacquer. I'll keep you all posted.

Make you a brush from a tooth pick with a razor blade for real fime linesMichaelP38608.4943171296

Kelby- Re. miters, I used to discover that when I scraped the purfling flush with the sides, that my carefully fit miter changed! In other words, I must have cut an angle in my joint. It fit up top, but opened up into a small gap as it was brought to level. So now, I scrape the area flush to begin with, before I cut the miter--just an inch or so around the proposed joint, so there are no more surprises. If it looks good when fit, it will look good under finish.

I hope that makes sense....

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