Hi All
I've been lurking here for a few months, soaking up the atmosphere and information like a man on a Carribean holiday but haven't really had anything to share until now.
My mate, Dave and I have spent the last six months building jigs, buying tools and wood and basically setting up a shed to build guitars in.
Here's the first one's progress which is an African Mahogany dread with a which will end up with a Sitka top. This is for my partner's fifteen year old daughter for Christmas.
I's a fairly trad build based on my eighties D18.
Any suggestions or criticisms are welcome (we've both got skins like an outback camel)
Le Boat
Another Boat
You'll probably see a side re-inforcement at top left. Just a thin piece of mahogany.( there will be more in there eventually.
Sides were bent on a Fox-style bender @.085 and we had no problems with bending.
The African Mahog sounds really lively but the dust it produces is quite acrid and bitter. We learnt about this the hard way when re-sawing it and didn't wear masks.
Le Neck (still working on this - and my photography skills)
This is Swietinia from plantations in Fiji. To work with it doesn't appear to any different from the Honduran stuff. Time will only tell !!!
I sincerely hope that it does as there is a reasonable supply here in Melbourne and it could well be an ecologically sound replacement for Honduran Mahogany.
The laminations are Rock Maple and Padauk.
Le Fingerboard (dots went in today)
Ebony with Ivoroid bindings. The body will have Ivoroid as well (avec 'erringbone) (sorry - I've got this French thing going on ce soir)
Le Back
We're just waiting on some Abalone to arrive for the rosette so we can start on the top so will post more pics next week.
We ran out of things to play with in the shed due to the non-arrival of the Abalone so we started another today which is a Padauk dread.
After reading about everyone's horror stories bending Padauk we are pleased to report that there were no problems. (soaked 'em in water for 10 minutes)
Here's a pic of the back strip - a thin strip of Bombay Blackwood with BWB purfling.
Le Shed Fridge (our most important piece of machinery)
Need I say more. It gets very hot here in Summer.
I built four guitars back in the eighties when the only guide I had was Irving Sloane's classical guitar book so the advent of the internet and fine forums like this have been a revelation to me and Dave. Many of you probably don't realise how much of your generously shared knowledge and experience is encapsulated in the photos above.
Thanks to all.
Bob Connor
