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We all tend to show them off before they are quite done so this one is no exception. This one just needs nut slots and a setup.

built for a friend

OM, EIR, Adirondack top, maple binding, ebony bridge and fingerboard. Stewmac zip flex purfling.

French polish shellac finish.

JRG #30. Learned everything I know from the good people on this forum. You all are awesome.

Sweet John
How'd you get up to 30 already??

Well to be honest #29 is still in progress. I number them when I stamp the neck blocks. I’ve slowed down a lot. This one was started in September. Not bad.

here's the finished product. Just need to add her pickup, fine tune the setup, and off she goes to Florida.

That’s a very fine looking instrument! Very distinctive. Inspiring work!

John
What did you use for the abalone purfling?

Kevin Sjostrand wrote: ↑Wed Nov 19, 2025 11:15 pm John
What did you use for the abalone purfling?

This is zipflex from Stewmac. Expensive but very nice and very easy to install. I’d use it again. I was worried about sanding through it but paid close attention to my installation depth and had no issues.

Okay yeah, that stuff looks great. I haven't tried it, seems a bit pricey for my pay grade! 🤣

Yes, t is pretty expensive, but it sure does a nice job and it's easy. I suppose the theory is you'll more than make up in time what it costs in materials. Except for those of us who aren't in the business of selling guitars, just making them, so there is nobody to pass along the cost to.
The one time I used it was just at the time it first appeared on the market about 10-11 years ago. To introduce it they were offering, for free to professional luthiers, enough Zip-Flex to do a line around a guitar. Or something like that. Needless to say, for the purposes of the offer I became a "professional luthier," or whatever the criterion was.

Note: I think it's slightly cheaper if ordered direct from the company (Scientific shell, or something like that?)

[edit: Advanced Shell Technology]

Exactly. Not in my pay grade.
😄