First kit is finished

[Benjy]

Great looking guitar! I do love the pearl!

You are so lucky to be close to John and to the Martin factory! It's a good thing I am not that close to John, he would have to put a bed in his shop for me to sleep!

[MaineGeezer]

Wow. Just...wow.

[Kevin Sjostrand]

A real good looker, nice work!

[Danl8]

Third and final part of my first kit and how I got there blog post

First, thanks to all for the comments above. That’s great encouragement. Following are the various instruments made from guitar part seconds, broken or worm-eaten wood, windbreaks and other kinds of humilities. Great practice in fixing and assembly.

The practice projects provided experience in various finishing options and inlaying techniques and best of all, provided playable instruments. It’s all about the quality of the sound and playability for me.

First project - 000-15SM-like
I used an ebony board and bridge, French polish finish and vintage-style slot tuners with black buttons. I would have never believed that an all-mahogany guitar can sound so good.


Second project - 00 ‘sloped shoulder’
Done in Sapele, Red Spruce and bound with Cocobolo, having a pearl peghead inlay, ivory heel cap (old recycled material), Gotoh 510 tuners and French polished. Sapele has great visual depth – with shellac pore fill. This was my first guitar inlay. I think the neck shape is too full. The sound is really sweet.



Third project - D-18-like
I had no idea that a dreadnaught could sound so wonderful -- I'm hooked. Italian spruce top and average grade mahogany. I used a Macassar board and synthetic Richlite bridge and cheap $9 Martin (ping?) tuners and finished it in French polish. My first real dovetail and it went well --thanks, John, for the video!!!!




Fourth project - 00 deep body
All mahogany with ebony board and bridge and some pearl decoration. I used a down-sized Harwood-style back-of-peghead inlay for the peghead inlay and bound the head in old recycled piano key ivory. Upon stringing, the guitar sounded awful; after three weeks of repose in its case, the guitar's sound exploded with richness and complexity. Tru-oil except for top which was French polished. I built this for my son for his graduation from law school last month.




Fifth project - Another 000-15SM-like
I mostly hate finishing; I mean it’s exciting to see the wood come to life, but it can be awfully dang fiddly. Tru-oil, except for peghead face (FP). Gaboon ebony board with single star inlay and bridge, and rosewood bindings. Standard flowerpot inlay.




Sixth project - 00 cutaway
Another rescue project. I at least had the sense to hold off on doing a maple to mahogany real dovetail joint until I had some experience. I still haven’t finished the dovetail – it’s intimidating, the rock maple to mahogany joint. I’m thinking about an all ebony look for FB, BR, pins, nut and saddle.




Next Project – Autumn 2015
I’m doing a Blues Creek Training Class build. ‘Nuff said there.

Used to do these for a few decades.
Not part of the last year’s experience, but might give some context to my background.

[RnB]

Used to do these for a few decades.
Not part of the last year’s experience, but might give some context to my background.

At least someone around here has woodworking skills. :o)

Nice looking guitars Dan. All of them...!

[johnnparchem]

Wow, That is quite a body of work. All of the instruments look great.

John

[geoawelch]

That is some really amazing work

[Kevin Sjostrand]

They all look great Dan. The true oil finish is working out good for you!

Sorry for the late attention to your builds, I just have trouble keeping up these days with all the posts.

Kevin

[Randy]

Very nice indeed. You've been busy your work is clean impressive.

[Danl8]

Sixth project finished last weekend. Didn't really like the sound on stringing. The set up is 4 & 3; I will lower it on the second stringing. The neck relief is too much I think. I'm still leaving the neck shape too full and will have to work on that. Today, I checked the sound and playability...very much improved; I like it and the cutaway adds a lot. Here are the pix:

(Edit June 2016: The cutaway has matured in its tone in a most excellent manner. I love the thing. The 6th string has gone sharp by a cent or two. I will fix that with the saddle and the action is 5/4 and needs to come down more. Been working on posting a sound clip. Got a Yeti mike, but every time I hit the record button, I start shaking like a leaf and can't play a note. Just pathetic.)