17" Archtop Jazz Guitar finally starting it 5 years late!

[TEETERFAN]

Looking good! Years ago, I played an Epiphone JOE PASS Emperor 2000S in a music store. I am not a jazz guy, but I picked it up mainly because it was a left-handed model. I play left handed, so it was a fairly rare treat to see a factory lefty in person. Anyway, it felt way different than a strat and was cool as hell. I couldn’t afford it, but it make an impression. Following this particular build of your is really getting that itch a-going. I may have to follow suit. Thanks for posting!

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Kevin I got the itch to learn some cool jazz a few years ago and decided to make this guitar. I love the sound these gits make so hoping I can do it justice.

I'd say just jump right in. Its a fun ride!

Materials are not much more expensive then for a standard acoustic.

Today I finished cutting out and cleaning up the F holes. They are ready for binding. I have laminated ABS strips for this I just need to decided what combo of black and white I want.

Then I cut out the back profile and began the carving. Got about a fourth of the wood removed. Tedious but also satisfying. Sure makes a pile of shavings.

[Kevin Sjostrand]

After a bit more carving mostly around the perimeter I took the back to the drill press and using a Safety Planer took the edge down to just over a 1/4" in about 3/4".
Once I get the arching down close to shape I'll Safety plane it down to the final edge thickness of 3/16". From there I'll finalize all the arching. Tedious but relaxing at the same time.

[Kevin Sjostrand]

First pieces of B/W plastic pufling glued into the F holes.

When I come back to the shop in a week I'll pull the tape, cut the mitre joints and glue in the remaining pieces.

[Kevin Sjostrand]

I'm happy with the way the F holes binding turned out .040" B/W PVC purfling using special glue from LMI.

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Fitting and installing the X braces on the top.
Using carbon paper to slowly find high spots and work the bottom of the braces to fit the compound curves of the top surface. Very tedious.

All glued up and shaped.

[Kevin Sjostrand]

And completed

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Well I wish I knew what I was doing.
I can't find any clear pics of what the back arching should look like.
So I've stopped here on the back. I think it's close.
I drilled holes around the inside to a depth leaving .200" wall thickness. I'll scoop that out with small finger planes and then finish off with a consistent 3/16" thickness.

That's alot of maple to remove!!

[TEETERFAN]

Nice. That planing will keep ya busy for awhile!

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Preparing some bindings for the fretboard and headstock.

I'm using .090" white plastic binding and gluing a B/W .040" edge purfling to it.

I just apply the glue about 2 inches at a time and attach the two together using fortified (with rubber bands) clothes pins.

When dry I scrap the purfling flush to the binding then pull the binding through the binding thicknessing jig shown clamped in my work bench vise. My goal is .070" thick for these uses.

The B/W purfling is cut from a 1/4" wide piece down the middle using a simple jig on my small 10" Craftsman bandsaw.