#6; my first dreadnought

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Stray Feathers
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#6; my first dreadnought

Post by Stray Feathers »

To this point I have built only OM style guitars, partly because I like them, and partly because I was given moulds etc. for that size. But I have wanted to try a dreadnought, to compare it with my old Larrivée D-09, and - well - because everyone makes them. So I made a mould and bending form, and pulled out a very nice Sitka top, and a rosewood set I had bought from a man downsizing his woodpile. I am using the Stew Mac dread plan, but more an old plan by Bill Lewis. The Lewis plan is more lightly built (with some explanation as to why) but otherwise they are very similar. My other guitars have heavier bracing (I started by following Jonathan Kinkead plans) but I am ready to try something lighter. I have not used the two flat braces on the back before, and don't know what difference it makes. I was very tempted to emulate Larrivée's new hybrid bracing on their 40 series, but went back to my original plan of making a pretty straight rosewood dreadnought. Herringbone rosette with herringbone purfling to follow. Bruce W.
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Stray Feathers
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Re: #6; my first dreadnought

Post by Stray Feathers »

I sanded the rosewood sides and trimmed them, and laminated B/W purfling to holly bindings. I bent these using the Fox-style bender I made a while back. I have been grateful for guidance from John Hall's videos - but I have still had issues. This time the sides came out better than any I have done - what a pleasure. It may have been in part because they are rosewood, which some say bends well. I also left them in the bender at 300º for about 5-7 minutes after bending, following guidelines I found somewhere online from John Mayes. If that was in John Hall's instructions I missed it previously, but that may have helped. The neck block is Mahogany, I hope close enough to the Khaya I have for the neck. The tail block is Black Walnut because I had some; I don't know if that breaks any taboos. There are some dark spots (resin?) on the rosewood but they seem to come out with scraping; I'll do a good sanding too. Bruce W.
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Stray Feathers
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Re: #6; my first dreadnought

Post by Stray Feathers »

Glued the back on the day before yesterday, which took some time to get right, and then closed the box yesterday. That seemed to go okay except that I had to notch the kerfing for the top with the back glued on already because - um - I forgot. I also left the waist spreader in the body (having tested to be sure I could get it out through the soundhole in three pieces) and that helped some with keeping the shape right. Routed off the excess on top and back today and will look at cutting binding ledges tomorrow when I am fresher.
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TEETERFAN
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Re: #6; my first dreadnought

Post by TEETERFAN »

Looks like a dreadnought! Very nice work. I look forward to seeing the rest of your build.

I noticed the 3 diamond shaped cleats on the lower bout of the top, which I am unfamiliar with. I will be building my dreadnought’s next, perhaps I need to add that detail. Were these in the Bill Lewis plan you spoke of?
Kevin Doty
Kansas City
Stray Feathers
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Re: #6; my first dreadnought

Post by Stray Feathers »

The diamonds are recommended in the book by Cumpiano and Natelson, to reduce the possibility of the centre seam separating. My luthier friend Steve Heizer also encouraged me to do it on my builds. It is not mentioned in the book by Jonathan Kinkead, which I follow a lot, and neither do the diamonds appear on either the Bill Lewis or Stew-Mac dreadnought plans I have. On my 1989 Larrivée dreadnought, there is not even a reinforcing strip on the inside of the back, so I don't know how builders assess the risk versus whatever might be gained in the tone.

I also did not mention that I glued in small flat strips of spruce vertically on the sides (you can just see one in the photo of the glued-up body). They serve the same purpose, and are also let in to the kerfing so as not to leave a weak spot at the edge of the kerfing. (I learned that on the forum). Kinkead uses small vertical braces (I've done this on several guitars), many people glue in fabric strips, some use nothing. I used what appears on a Stew-Mac 000 plan because it seemed strong but light. Like a lot of things, we'll see how that works . . .
bftobin
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Re: #6; my first dreadnought

Post by bftobin »

Very nice work !! My first guitar plan was the Bill Lewis one. Is yours a 'lined drawing' ?? Mine was an actual blueprint, blue paper with white line details. My second plan was a line drawing, a Les Paul. Bill was a wonderful guy.
I'm really enjoying your posts, thanks.

Brent
TEETERFAN
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Re: #6; my first dreadnought

Post by TEETERFAN »

Thanks for the additional info on the diamonds. I do have the Cumpiano and Natelson book and just looked them up. They seem like they wouldn’t be much if a sonic liability and good insurance. I did incorporate the side strips. Thanks!
Kevin Doty
Kansas City
Stray Feathers
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Re: #6; my first dreadnought

Post by Stray Feathers »

Thanks, Kevin and Brent, for kind words. I know all too well how easy it is for me to goof up, so I try to work carefully. Brent, my Lewis plan is black and white, not blue, but I suspect it may have been copied. It says "Dreadnought Guitar Plan/For 6 or 12 Strings/by Bill Lewis". It is not dated. All the text (there is a lot) is hand lettered. I mentioned my friend Steve, who knew Bill Lewis I think going back to early days. Bruce W.
Diane Kauffmds
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Re: #6; my first dreadnought

Post by Diane Kauffmds »

Sometimes I use cleats as well on the top. When I do, I plane them down after gluing so they're wafer thin. It doesn't affect the acoustics at all.
Diane Kauffmann
Country Roads Guitars
countryroadsguitars@gmail.com
Stray Feathers
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Re: #6; my first dreadnought

Post by Stray Feathers »

Next step was cutting binding ledges. I have had difficulty with this in the past, even though I have used a binding jig I copied from several sources. I am better at looking for problem areas and avoiding them, and it went well on this guitar. Once they were cut, I routed for the holly end flash and fitted and glued it.
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