#1 in progress: cedar/mahogany medium jumbo scratch build

[nkwak]

Well, I strung it up and played it for a couple of hours today. I still have to give it a complete setup and do some final finishing touches but the intonation is pretty good and I'm happy for that alone.

[nkwak]

Oops. Not so fast. One of the wings started to comes up so off with the strings. Time for a do over. It's a pity because it was actually opening up before my ears.

[naccoachbob]

Dang, Neil, I thought you had it!!
What a drag about the bridge. Man, get a good good good good fit on that thing and keep 'er glued over night.
Good luck man, you're right there.

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Neil, this looks great.
You may have to try the poly vinyl Gorilla glue. I used that on a cocobolo bridge and it is holding well now 3 years later.

Kevin

[nkwak]

I hear you, Bob. I had it clamped up for a day when I noticed the wings weren't holding so I heated up what little hide glue I had left and added water to increase viscosity. I must've overdone it. I waited another day with the wings under cam clamps and thought it held. I had the bridge under tension from 9:30AM until about 4PM and like I said before I could hear it opening up. I'd only experienced that once before when a friend took delivery of one of Tim McKnight's guitars and we passed it around. To experience it my own guitar build made it seem like the past 39 months were totally worth it. Oh well, what's another week of waiting? I have to tweak the setup and buff the finish anyway.

Thanks, Kevin. Maybe I'll give that a try. Does it creep at all like Titebond?

[naccoachbob]

Neil, have you got it going yet? Hope it's not contagious :) I will be gluing my bridge tomorrow.
Best of luck. I want to see you playing it!!!

[nkwak]

Success!

After another failed attempt at hide glue I decided to give Titebond a try. I let it set under clamps for 24 hours then took them off and let the bond solidify more for another 24 hours before stringing it back up. Now the bridge holds firm and the guitar plays and sounds very well for me. I still need to set up the nut and smooth the saddle around the high E but it's official: I've played my first homemade guitar! For the past 2 days in fact.

[tippie53]

I assume hhg. I moved on to fish glue
nice geetar. It is a kit to hit that first E chord isn't it.

[Kevin Sjostrand]

YAH!!!!!!!!! Good show Neil.

[johnnparchem]

Congratulations, The guitar looks great!