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Well it's been awhile since I posted some progress pics so I thought I would take the time to take some pictures while in the shop and let you folks know where I'm at.

Finished up the top bracing, first time with hide glue (a little bit messier than I'd like but I'm ok with it)



Than glued it onto the rims, also with hide glue (ran down the inside of the head block pretty good so I had to clean that out )

It went very well. I didn't stress out about it, knowing that I could have just taken the top of and re-glued if it didn't seat all around. But it did and I'm glad to say that the hide glue worked great.



Next it's onto the binding. Now, I had already bend the ebony bindings and they came out great.

So I cut the binding channels using my rough and dirty binding jig



getting it set up sometimes takes a bit, but this is where we learn some more patients

So, I got all the channels cut. This is the first time I am using side purflings and I wanted to mitre them into the end graft (butt wedge). I followed the Cumpiano method and it worked out fine.







And the mitered side purflings.



The back is all bound and setting up (I do the CA method, less messy, I like it that way)



Thanks for looking. Onto the top and than the neck.

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Rod
I like the Maple/Cedar combination sure looks nice.
That ebony binding looks like the perfect choice.
Nice looking work. What are your fingerboard and bridge
woods for this build, also curious about neck wood choice. I can't wait to see the maple under finish.

Tom

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Really nice work, Rod...I love the look of that maple. I also love mitered purfs and you pulled it off nicely.

Congratulations on executing the HHG top & back!!! Welcome to the "Myth Buster Club". I'm seriously considering going to fish glue now that I've done some preliminary testing.

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Rod,

It's looking good. it will sound good too

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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

Hi Rod , This is looking very cool. The Maple and Ebony Rocks !
Great job on the mitres too

Regards Craig

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CRAIG LAWRENCE of AUSTRALIA
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Rod, it's looking very nice. Keep it up!

Feed me -- poop chute!
That that you dont see every day on a tool

Lookin good Rod!

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Lance@LuthiersForum.com

It looks like you got a real beauty there!   Nice work. You know... once
you miter your first purfling... you can never go back!

long

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[QUOTE=LanceK] Feed me -- poop chute!
That that you dont see every day on a tool

Lookin good Rod![/QUOTE]

This is so I run the body through the right way

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Tom, I'm going to use Mac ebony for the FB, Bridge and heatstock veneer. And the neck is a 5 piece laminate Mahogany/Maple/EIR/Maple/Mahogany.

I thinking that the mahogany and the cedar should come out close to the same coloring. Both will be dark browns at least, so that will help tie it all in together.

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"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

Rod I too chuckled at the labeling of the feed direction on your binding channel jig.      Whatever works right!

That is looking very nice -- great pictures. You sure do make a nice looking rosette and the black binding -- I like your choice. The bookmatch of the maple back looks great too! Very tasty sir.

Where you at all tempted to go with a curly maple neck? (I am not questioning your choice as the mahogany will make for a lighter better balanced guitar).

Are you going to go with a clear finish?

Yup, whatever works

I hadn't thought of using a curly maple neck only because I wanted to use material that I have on hand (read budget constraint ) but that sure would look awesome. I certainly would do a maple neck if I were building a "blonde"

Finish is going to be nitro over shellac sealer.

Thanks again. It sure feels good to get in the shop rather than school work.

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"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

[QUOTE=Anthony Z]
Are you going to go with a clear finish?[/QUOTE]
Rod, if you sunburst that thing I'll never speak to you again!

Bless you Paul and ditto for me

[QUOTE=Rod True]   I certainly would do a maple neck if I were building a "blonde"

Finish is going to be nitro over shellac sealer.
[/QUOTE]

Downside with maple is weight, balance and tone - so I bet mahogany is the way to go over aesthetics.

I am a little confused as to colour -- like Paul -- I just want to ensure there is a reason to continue our friendship    I mean look at Hesh and myself -- we are barely speaking to each other

Seriously -- that is gonna be a real beauty. A little shellac will really make that figure sing.Anthony Z39073.5037731482

Beautiful guitar. That maple will be stunning when finished. I'm still not ready for HHG, but I've ordered a batch of fish glue to try- I like the additional open time it gives. I hate to be rushed when gluing up a critical piece.

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Gene

Politicians and diapers must be changed often, and for the same reason- Mark Twain

That looks wonderful! Well done

You can't beat dark bindings on a light guitar

[quote=Rod True]I thinking that the mahogany and the cedar should come out close to the same coloring. Both will be dark browns at least, so that will help tie it all in together.[/quote]

What I mean is that the cedar is darker (chocolate they call it) and the mahogany is also darker, all compaired to the maple that is.

So.......The burst will look totally awesome on it

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"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

[QUOTE=Anthony Z]
Downside with maple is weight, balance and tone - so I bet mahogany is the way to go over aesthetics.
[/QUOTE]

On my cedar/maple I used English sycamore for the neck which weighs about the same as mahogany:



Thr ebony binding on Rod's looks great. Curly koa works very well too.Dave White39073.5469675926

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". . . 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

That's my inspiration right there Dave.

Can't make a total clone though

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It's all lookin' good, Rod. It's gonna shimmer under finish! BTW, you should write instructional pamphlets for all major manufacturers.

Hey, Dave...nice guitar!

Rod,
Got in here late but I want to echo everyone elses comments. That is a truly awesome looking guitar. I would like to see the rosette a little better , it looks real cool.

Kepp up the good work,
Homeboy

Dave -- I happily stand corrected....though sycamore isn't maple is it? I've found the eastern maple we have here in North America as well as the western big leaf to be heavier than most mahogany except maybe African Mahogany.

I do like the look of that sycamore neck.Anthony Z39073.7348611111

Carlton.....I sit at a computer and give descriptions of houses and reconcile why one house is different than another all day long. I better be good at being descriptive . Thanks for the compliments.

Here ya go Blake. I'm really happy with this one. It's just a ring of spalted maple with purfling lines around inside and outside. I'm using the same purfling scheme for the edge purfling as I did for the rosette, b/w/b/w or opposite depending on the wood it's going against.



It would be so cool if we all could get a sample of all the different woods around the world. I know it's getting much easier, but we sure tend to use what we have available to us.

Dave, like Anthony I sure like that sycamore neck and your entire guitar Rod True39073.739537037

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