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Looks like everything is going to turn out good. Some top name people have used Bubinga with great results. It would have a lot more respect if it was $500.00 a set.

Brent

I let this neck settle a little (and got up some courage) so I could glue the neck. I have been using EVO fretwire but decided to use up some nickel silver that I was given when I first started building. I have had the guitar hanging by a door with a window in it to try to get the bubinga sides (which do not match the back) to darken some, and that seems to be helping. It's beginning to look almost like a mahogany guitar. I'll dress the frets soon, and then have to wait for weather to spray outside; April has been unseasonably cold here.

After a very long and very cool spring, I started to prepare for finishing this guitar. Numerous minor missteps, like stopping to steam out dents in the very soft cedar top, and filling gaps etc. I was away a couple of weeks, and then we had family visitors. In the interval, the weather warmed up. I've learned that no matter how careful you are checking for marks and scratches, it never seems to be careful enough. So lots of backing up and re-doing. Finally got the vinyl sealer coats on okay. I then had issues with my first try with AquaCoat pore filler - more of the gory details on that here:

viewtopic.php?f=6&p=56883#p56883

and in this long but very useful recent thread in the "Beginners' Questions"

viewtopic.php?f=47&t=9737

I finally got to a place I am comfortable with, will probably need some drop-filling down the road, but today I got the first three coats of Mohawk lacquer sprayed. This went better than my previous attempts, not sure why, but I'm happy with the results. Finally some progress!

All looks good! I bet you are relieved to finally be shooting some lacquer. I am immersed in the detail sanding and pore filling on my neck, which makes all your recent posts very relevant. I appreciate all your questions and I have gained a lot from reading all the good answers the knowledgeable and experienced forum members have provided. I hope your finishing goes well!

That top is beautiful. How did you darken it up?

I've finished the lacquer and am letting it cure now, and yes, the top has darkened some, along with the bubinga. It may be a mongrel, but it will have some character. Cedar is really variable, from very light to very dark, even in the same piece of wood. The picture below shows two ukulele tops cut from the same board, but joined to make one darker and one lighter. I think commercially that lighter fine grain cedar is considered more attractive, but as I said early in this thread, "sinker" cedar looks very dark, so I decided to highlight the darkest part of this piece. I have done nothing to darken it except put clear vinyl sealer and lacquer on it. I'll post a picture when I have buffed and polished it. Bruce W.

I'm getting near the end on this one. I still have issues with finishing (and may ask some questions in the finishing section). But it gets a little better with each instrument. Photo shows the rosewood bridge being glued. I've simplified my bridge gluing, using two waxed 3/16" brass screws in the outermost two 3/16" bridge pin holes to align the bridge. There is a 3/4" caul for the bridge plate. A 1/4" plywood top caul has enough flex to allow small wedges to hold the wings down. And it took me a while to learn to make it all a little smaller than the bridge, for easier glue cleanup. I'll string this up before Christmas with a little luck (though we had 35 cm of snow last night that has to shovelled . . . ) Bruce W.

The Mongrel is finally finished (well, except for a couple of minor touchups). I strung this guitar up at Christmas, and quickly discovered that the saddle was going to be way too high, so I removed and reset the neck, tapering the fretboard extension to get the geometry right. ( If this process sounds familiar, it is described in this thread: viewtopic.php?f=59&t=9832). The geometry may now be a little too low (ironically) but I am leaving it for a bit. it plays well and sounds interesting and pretty good. It's quite loud compared to other OMs I have made, with a combination of cedar mellow and bubinga ring that reminds me of an all mahogany guitar somehow. Like a lot of mongrels, it has had an eventful life, and while it is far from perfect, I think it may develop a personality of its own. Bruce W.

Another fine looking guitar Bruce.
I love the cedar top. Nice combination.

Yes, beautiful instrument. Cedar top is very attractive. Nice work!