D41-D45 headstock and other binding questions

[watergunn]

I know I have asked a lot of questions of the group lately. I have been doing builds that have had things that I have never attempted before.

I am buiding a D41 and a D45 right now.

How do you guys approach the headstock binding on a D41-45 style guitar?

I spent some time just thinking of the steps. I know I have to cut the channels and was wondering on the size of the bindings. How tall should they be in relation to the head stock?

How do you cut the channels? I have the StewMac cutter and bearings set.

I was thinking of doing that on a router table.

I will be inlaying a torch also. Do you inlay on the head stock veneer first then glue it.
Or should I inlay once the veneer is glued onto the headstock?


Also, since the side of a D45 body has the pearl below the bindings. It is such a deep cut when you stack the binding on top of te pearl and the ourflings, do you cut the purflings first and then the binding ledge?

Sorry for all of the questions. I love the challenges of doing these "fancy" guitars. I just do not want to make a error that costs me a guitar neck?

Thanks guys.

[Darryl Young]

I'm sure John and others will have more input later.

I'm not an inlay expert so if it were me doing atorch inlay, I would do it on the headstock veneer prior to gluing it on the headstock. That way if I mess it up I could just do another one and not have to worry about removing the glued veneer from the headstock. I've not done a complicated inlay this way but did my name this way once and it worked fine. Also, it's more comfortable to inlay on a table with the veneer laying flat than it is to work on the angled headstock (at least it is for me). So overall, I'm guessing I could do a better job and be in a more comfortable positon to inlay if working on veneer laying flat on the table. Just my thoughts.

On the binding question, are you referring to the pearl purfling on the top inside the binding -or- are you referring to pearl on the side of the guitar below the binding? If the later, I didn't realize there was pearl on the sides (but I'm not too familiar with these models as I've only played a D-45 once and it was years ago before I started building).

[Darryl Young]

True story.

I went into a music store in Little Rock, AR back when I was 25 years old. Back then I was singing/playing with a gospel bluegrass group a lot, roughly 55 times per year, so I was very used to handling/carrying guitars, mandolins, etc. in cases.

I went to the store to price a new case for a guitar I owned. It wasn't a Martin but was a dreadnaught shape and I wanted to price a Martin case. We went in the back where the cases were kept and the salesman pulled the case I wanted and handed it to me. As soon as I had it I looked at him funny and told him this case had a guitar in it. He said no, all these were empty cases.

We went up to the cash register so he could get me a price (I was still carrying the case) and I said again this case feels like it has a guitar in it but he ignored my comment. He gave me the price and I wasn't sure I wanted to pay that much for a case; however, I knew this case had a guitar in it and it crossed my mind that I could buy the case and get a free guitar, ha. Well, of course I couldn't do that......but it did cross my mind.

So I told the guy well, that price may not be too bad depending on which guitar was inside that I would get for free. This finally gave him pause and I said let's see. I opened the case and it was a Martin D-41 inside. They had completely forgotten they had this guitar. He offered me a good deal on this guitar and it sounded amazing.......but alas, I didn't have the dough at the time to buy it and didn't even buy the case.

Lucky day for those guys.

[watergunn]

Too funny.

Yes, I was talking about the pearl on the sides below the white binding.

[tippie53]

actually I have a video coming out on the subject. I use a table saw and my inlay tool.

[watergunn]

cool.
John.

What is the height of the binding that goes around the head stock? Is it 1/8th?

[tippie53]

1/8 would work but I do them a bit thinner. .085

[watergunn]

Any time frame on the video?

I would love to know the tricks.

Thanks

Rick Gunn

[Ben-Had]

John, be careful cutting those pieces on your table saw. Don't get you fingers to close to that blade:)

[tippie53]

that was a thumb and it is healed now LOL
You are right . be smart on the sharp stuff.