Cherry parlor guitar, project #2

[Benjy]

Looking forward to seeing that fret board done. How long do you think that will that take you to do and where did you get the inlay materials?

Thanks,
Benjy

[MaineGeezer]

Since I am just starting to apply the finish on project #1 (See "A more-or-less copy of a Martin OM") and still need to do final neck fitting, attach the bridge, install the tuners, etc., it will be a while before I even seriously think about working on #2. Sometime this summer, I hope!

You can buy the Purflex here: http://purflex.net/Purflex/Welcome.html

LMI sells it as well, but their selection is limited and prices are higher. Might as well get it directly from Bruce Petros.

[Diane Kauffmds]

Rosewood would look great. I think bloodwood would look really good too against the cherry. I'm using pommele mahogany binding on my cherry 00.

[MaineGeezer]

I traced the outline of the prototype guitar and am in the process of making a matching, or close to it, body mold. In the picture, the bottom half has been finished to its final outline. The top half has been rough cut. It will be cut to its final outline by turning it over and lining up the edges with the bottom half, clamping, and using a profiling router bit to follow the profile of the bottom half and cut the top half to match so it's symmetrical. There will be a slight variation from the prototype guitar since the prototype is NOT exactly symmetrical side-to-side, but the difference will be minor.

[MaineGeezer]

Here's a photo of the prototype guitar, a 1930s-era Bruno. The bridge is not original, but it is a close copy.

[Diane Kauffmds]

Are you going with the original depth?

[MaineGeezer]

Yes, I'm going to pretty much duplicate the body shape/size and the scale length (24-3/8"). I will likely modify the neck profile, which is a sharp V. I'll probably keep the headstock shape.

[MaineGeezer]

I'm starting to make the bridge. I'll be using African blackwood for the bridge, fingerboard, and head cap. The stuff is extremely hard and heavy (it sinks in water), and it eats tools. Carbide is a necessity. It polishes, without much effort, to a beautiful sheen. I left the bits at the ends of the bridge blank to facilitate clamping. They will get cut off as the last step.

I sent the fingerboard blank to LMI for slotting and radiusing. I did the slotting and radiusing myself on guitar #1. I don't feel an overwhelming need to do it again, especially with African blackwood.

[MaineGeezer]

I finished cutting out the mold, using the finished half as a pattern to rout the other half. The mold doesn't exactly match the body of the prototype guitar, but it's close. The prototype is not symmetrical! I think I may need to fair the curve a bit at the tail end of the mold, but it will be minor.

[MaineGeezer]

The tuners and the slotted/radiused fretboard arrived today. I had LMI do the fretboard slotting and radiusing. I did one, proved I can do it, I had no great compulsion to to another one, especially one of African blackwood that probably would have destroyed my saw.

I am thinking of trying to make some African blackwood buttons for the tuners, but that may be more than I want to attempt. I guess it depends on how complicated I make the shape. I started out with visions of elliptical cross sections in all three planes. That ain't gonna happen, no matter how ambitious I get. Plain radii might have a chance.