My first Classical guitar

[Kevin Sjostrand]

I have officially started this guitar, although it is going to be built over a few months time. This will be my 10th guitar and is for my wife. She knows how to play
"Lemon Tree".

The plans I'm using are a 1966 Deitrich Fredricks. I liked the shape and size. Pretty standard fan bracing, Spanish heel contstruction.
I will be using EIR back and sides with a redwood top. My wife's choice. I used redwood on an OM with walnut and I liked the sound. They say redwood is somewhere between cedar and Sitka. I'm hoping for a warm, but robust sound.
Curly maple bindings, red and black thin line purflings. The fretboad is madagasscar rosewood of which the coloring goes nicely with the EIR and redwood. Nickel frets, Schaller nickel tuners with ebony knobs. EIR bridge. The rosette is a premade from LMI that has red roses around the ring. I may try and convince my wife that the bindings should be Indian rosewood as the maple bindings on this combination may "pop" too much. The neck is Honduras mahogany, scarfed headstock, stacked heel, semi Spanish with an extension foot for the back only.

I made the building form and the bending form for my fox style bender a couple of months ago. I still need to make a work board. Yesterday I made up a jig so I can make a couple of radius dishes as I've just been using radius sanding sticks since my first guitar build. I am looking forward to having the dishes.

I have the neck blank glued up, scarf and stacked heel done. The next step will be to slot the heel for the sides, waiting on a 2mm circular saw blade from Amazon so I can do that. The headstock with have EIR front and back veneers.

So I am almost done with my WWII Japanese Katana semi restoration for a friend, then I hope to finish my crossover that has been waiting for the pore filling a French polish since December.

That is all for now, stay tuned for pictures as I really get going.

Kevin

[Kevin Sjostrand]

First pic. Whoo hoo! You've seen these before. :)

[Diane Kauffmds]

Good for you Kevin! I look forward to seeing your build.

[Kevin Sjostrand]

I now have all the parts for this one. As soon as I finish the finish on the crossover I'll get this one going. The goal is to be done before the summer ends!!!!!

[Diane Kauffmds]

You're as bad as I am. I started designing and gathering the materials for my second guitar, before my first was done. I look forward to seeing your blog.

[Kevin Sjostrand]

I am REALLY close to getting going on this one. I just have to make a table saw sled, a project I've wanted to do for awhile, and then off and running.
The bench is ready, and the materials are ready and waiting, and as you can see I have the neck blank glued up.
Anxious!

[Kevin Sjostrand]

okay I finally was able to spend an hour on this build. I got the headstock back strap and front veneers glued on. The binding scheme will be black/red lines agains curly maple binding, so I wanted to carry this scheme on at the headstock. A little thicker veneers than usual, but they are only . 20" each so 1/16" under the EIR.
I'm using the new LMI yellow Instrument makers glue exclusively on this guitar. It appears to be a little bit thinner viscosity then the old white glue and Titebond.

Next step will be to slot the heel for the sides. I'll be setting up the table saw to do this, and I'll document it here. It is a process that Robbie O'brien uses.

Kevin

[Kevin Sjostrand]

more pics

[Kevin Sjostrand]

more pics

[johnnparchem]

looking good!