Well I am about finished with this build. Posted some pics of progress some time ago and thought I would post a few of the finished pictures
Nice redwood top. When I first got her all assembled and played (prior to finish) I thought "Man, what a dog this thing is" - the sound to me was horrible, no volume, no treble - it was just plain bad - or so I thought.
Anyway, I went ahead and finished. Have roughly 8 coats of lacquer - 4 in one shooting, set for a couple weeks, sanded with 600, applied another 4 coats, let sit for a few days and then sanded and polished.
The redwood is stunning - although my patience level still has a ways to go. I should have drop filled some of the divits and areas where the binding meets but so anxious to finish that I went right to sand and polish - so I do have a few minor finish flaws. Maybe someday I will play with them some more.
Really pleased with the Spalted Maple Rosette
Pau Ferro back/sides with Maple bindings.
Not sure if you can see it, but still have some trouble with inlay showing edges where routing is a little off. I mix eblny dust with Titebond and then for the smallest divits, filled with a little CA. I dont know what I am doing wrong because I have done this in the past and the outline of the inlay was really invisible. Now I can see where I filled.
Oh, almost forgot - the sound. Not sure what the heck I did, but once it was all assembled and polished, the action was dean on perfect and the sound has gone from being a dog to being actually quite nice. I often hear stories about how the sound will develop and I have to tell you the change on this one was quite drastic.
I had the same experience with that Maple build I showed at the BobC get together. I wasn't pleased with the sound on that one either and was complaining about it to the guys. Low and behold, it sounded better and better every time I heard someone play it.
Maybe it's the player (me) cause when Tony Karol played it, it had a whole different sound to it.
Or maybe Serge just talked me into believing it sounded good - or was that Anthony??
In any case I bought it !!!!!!
BTW, I used Adirondack for the bracing on soundboard and back. Ebony fingerboard and bridge. Martin Marquis lights for strings and some kind of fosil something for saddle and nut (was a gift so not sure what the heck it is).
Think I took the soundboard to around .105 and same with the back. Sides are around .08
Not perfect but I love her just the same. My wife and kids probably say that same thing about me!!!
I now know 1,000 ways of building that do not work but I am getting closer to the answer with each build. My next will be the Strad - I am inspired by Tony Karol, Hesh, Lance and others who showed their work in Ft Erie.
I am going to be more patient and pay close attention to details
I am going to be more patient and pay close attention to details
I am going to be more patient and pay close attention to details
I am going to be more patient and pay close attention to details
