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I have been doing some basic woodworking for a couple of years and my son always joked about when I was going to make him a guitar. As his 21st birthday was coming up I decided to give it a go!
I owe a lot to websites like the OLF, and to Kathy Matsushita's website for providing tips, guidance and inspiration. Anyway, I started a year ago and have just got it finished ready for his birthday on friday.
It is an OM style with black limba back and sides, ebony bridge and fb, wenge neck and binding and Alpine Spruce top. It also has a JB Electronics pick up installed.
The coin inlaid in the head plate is a 20 pence piece that was minted in the same year he was born.
I was really chuffed with how it turned out, even though there are some flaws with it. And it sounds better than I could have hoped!

Very nice, even if it weren't your first effort! Lucky son

Lee, it's a fabulous first guitar. In fact, a lot of people would say it's a fabulous (insert any number here) guitar. As far as the "flaws" are concerned, I doubt there is anyone out here who hasn't dealt with a few flaws now and then. Flaws are a regular condition with the instruments that I build. It comes down to how well you hide them, and I can't see anything that I would call a flaw from where I'm reading, way over here in the central USA.

Beth had it right. Your son is a lucky man. And YOU are a talented and generous father. What's next on your
list of instruments to build?

Well done!
Patrick

Beautiful! I'm sure you son will be equally chuffed...which I assume is a good thing!

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PMoMC

Thanks for the kind words, and yes Tony, chuffed is a good thing!
As for what is next, I think my wife was somewhat surprised too as to how well it turned out and she has decided that she would like a Ukelele, so going to give that a bash next!

And that's how you get hooked…..

Uke making is really fun. If following plans, you may want to take some measurements from an existing uke you like the sounds of. A couple of the plans I have have lead me to make the first two really overbuilt!

Wow! Excellent first guitar! I like the 20p headstock inlay, too!

Nicely done! Love the look of that. The one thing that i always fret about is how will the neck look when matched to a back that's so drastically different and in your's it worked so well. I guess as long as the neck picks up some of the tones in the back it all works together.

Good start!
Now you are hooked.

Nice, me likes. but now you gotts to build another one.

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Really gorgeous Lee, you should be very proud. Good luck with the uke build.

Bob

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http://www.bobmatthewsguitars.co.uk

Great first guitar! You do realise that you are on the precipice of a life long addiction? If you build the next one for your wife it earns countless brownie points. I built a guitar for my wife and it turned her from a shed widow into an encouraging supporter. Well done!

Martin

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Martin Taylor
http://martintaylorguitars.com.au

Thanks again for the additional comments. It means a lot to a first timer when people take the time and effort to post comments!

As far as the Uke goes, I have some Scott Antes Tenor plans from StewMac that I will be using (anyone know if there are any issues with them?) and have sourced some koa for top, back, sides, fb and bridge and will probably use mahogany for the neck. I will hopefully do a WIP this time so that you good folks can save me from the mistakes I am making which should make this one a little less painful than the first!

Beautiful Lee!
The Limba is just gorgeous!

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