Official Luthiers Forum!

Welcome all, and thanks for those photos! Man there's some talent on here...you electric guys have me thinking about trying one, and that pemberton oak dread rules.

Hey setch, is it a photo illusion or do the frets on the upper end of that guitar fingerboard look like they hang over the side?

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Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.

Well the pix of #2 went up so I'll add #1. This one is Walnut and Orford Cedar. Number 2 that I posted above is Honduran Rosewood and Englemann. Both #1 & #2 I finished up the end of '06. Number 3 the end of last year and #4 just 3 weeks ago. I don't have pix of those 2 yet other than when I was building them, but plan to take pictures this weekend when they come back.

Lovely guitars and some mighty fine looking work going on.

It is good to know who is lurking out there and what they are up to.

Good work guys!!

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Reguards,

Ken H

Hi Everyone,

I am working on classical guitar (loosely) based on the Torres bracing.
However, my progress is real slow.
It's been over a year and I am still not even half way...
Many thanks to Hesh, and others, for the valueable advice.

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Sen CL Goh
http://senguitar.blogspot.com

Wow, I got tied up doing paperwork and look what I missed. you guys.....

Tim L., Love the OM's, what did Kevin think of his? Nice work.

Vince, That dred is coming along nicely. The flamed multi-lam neck is incredible. It'll be fun carving but worth it when done.

Senunkan, What amazing very clean, and cool classical you have going on. Singapore too. I know you and Vinman have been on here a while.

You all were holding out on us, and we ..... appreciate you sharing.

The OLF is a two-way street boys! (and girls, if you are a lady)

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http://www.dickeyguitars.com

Howdy all,
I guess I'm next. Short time lurker, first time poster.
I have one steel string guitar and a Stew-Mac ukulele kit under my belt. I am now working on two tenor ukuleles. I will try and post a couple of photos.

This is an Urban Lumber uke. Black acacia sides, neck, and half the binding. Other half of binding is silver maple. Three piece back of black acacia and eucalyptus. Top is redwood.




I hope the photos come through,
Lefty

Hi Bruce, its interesting that you make this comment as Guitar Building is now one of the fastest growing industry's, i have never made an instrument yet, but having met Rick Turner a few weeks ago when he was over here in Tasmania i will make sure i enrol in the next course he will be doing in Tasmania he has one course in April and thats Booked out so next one i will be there, who knows may be there is a World trend to build and play Guitars instead of Guns, now that will be a great World. quote="Bruce Dickey"]I'm completely amazed at how many new faces we're seeing around the OLF lately. This thread is an invitation to all you newbies, whether you're building your first or your hundredth, if you've never posted any of your work in progress or a shot of your completed instruments or a cool shop or jig photo. You can't say you haven't been invited. This thread is for you, new builders, old builders, and lurkers.... Show us your stuff!

How about a slice of while we wait! Cool new icons guys! Hey hey.[/quote]

The frets extend to the edge of the wenge binding, it may look like they're overhanging if you're reading the edge of the fretboard as the maple purfling line, not the wenge binding after it. Maybe try playing with the contrast on your monitor (or the screen tilt on a laptop) if it's unclear.

G'Day Lefty, just where did you score your Eucalyptus, looks like Old Growth Stump Wood this Species from Tasmania is going to be taking the Luthier market on new hights its a magical Tone Wood, i hear everyone raving about our Blackwood but thats only the tip of the iceberg.

Welcome to he forum Leroy! Indiana Huhn?

You remind me a lot of a guy I know in Michigan by the name of Hugh Giass. Some of his best work is in a toilet too! He ended up missing...

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Billy Dean Thomas
Covina, CA

"Multi famam, conscientiam, pauci verentur."
(Many fear their reputation, few their conscience)

I'm a relative newcomer to the OLF and haven't posted any thing as I had the distinct impression that the interest here was mainly in acoustic guitars. However this seems to be changing so here is my first effort from about 5 years ago. It was made solely with the help of Melvyn Hiscock's book. No computer, no internet!

About 35 years ago I rescued the remains of an old chest of drawers from the dump. It was all solid mahogany so I dismantled it and kept the wood.This is one of the things I've made from it over the years.

Real Nice Dave!

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Billy Dean Thomas
Covina, CA

"Multi famam, conscientiam, pauci verentur."
(Many fear their reputation, few their conscience)

wow, you lurkers/builders are blowing us away here!

Lefty, Those are some cool Ukes man. Your woods are gorgeous too.

Tiger, You met THE Rick Turner. We knew he was in Tasmania Kingdom. I'm sure he'll teach you a few things if you get to take that class.

Dave from France, Your 5 String bass blows me away. The simple lines are very graceful and soooooooooo attractive. EMG's and 18Volt active right? You are a miracle worker if that was all rescued wood.

A page right out of Mario's playbook. He harvests all the old bracewood he can find, beams and boards and such.

Okay, who else and what else luthierish is out there folks?

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http://www.dickeyguitars.com

OK - I'll try again. Hopefully I can get a hang of posting photos. If you don't see any photos, I'll have to get my self proclaimed nerdy son to help me out.

This was guitar #2. Jatoba (Brazilian Cherry) backs and sides, Mah neck, Sitka top.
Yes, I know the tuners are on backwards, and yes - I have graduated from plastic to wood bindings.
This guitar was a tremendous learning experience. A 12 string provided many challenges.

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John Ressler

Wow what a crop of new members and previous lurkers we have early this year Super work guys

Thanks for the kind words Billy and Bruce. You nailed it Bruce, EMG's and 18 volts. When I said the old chest of drawers was solid I wasn't kidding. The top, about 4ft long, 2ft deep and 7/8" thick was one piece of mahogany. I sometimes wonder what sort of nightmares it would have given the guy who made it, perhaps 150 years ago, if he could see what it had become. Perhaps he'd have been happy. After all, at the end of it's life, his chest of drawers wasn't destroyed, it was reincarnated. I kind of like the idea.

Dave, is that the head in you Avatar? If so, that is really cool. Got a close-up of that?

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

No Waddy, that's the head of No.2 which was a case of "now for something completely different". Perhaps I'll post that one in a separate thread. In fact I've made something different with each instrument which is probably why I've only made 4 in about 5 years, and the 4th isn't even finished.
The head of that bass looked like this. Relatively boring, although I spent a long time designing it. What's really gratifying is when you've spent a long time refining the shape and then someone says "Oh yeah, looks like a Yamaha"!
Just edited 'cos I thought the Smilie was appropriate.

JRessler, while I'm impressed with your guitar above, I'm even more impressed with your vocation: stairbuilder. Anyone who's never installed three floors of matching wood stairs and railing doesn't have a clue what you do and how hard it is. Kudos for the stairs and the guitar. I've come behind many a carpenter and straightened out their messes. Better to be there first for sure....

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http://www.dickeyguitars.com

Well you got caught you bastard!

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Billy Dean Thomas
Covina, CA

"Multi famam, conscientiam, pauci verentur."
(Many fear their reputation, few their conscience)

Mark L, I'd sure like to know how you made that Red Oak to be a cannon for Bluegrass. I mainly back up fiddle and banjo with texas style progressive chords and need a loud guitar. I'm on my first build with a Dred. Not making as much progress as I like, cause I'm always needing a different tool or jig for every step I complete. I just ordered two sanding dishes from Tracy at Luthier's Supply so I can get the radiusing out of the way. I did get the end graft glued in last night and scraped on it a little. I used a piece of flamed maple I had which was intended to be used as a rib for a fiddle I started a couple months ago. Here are a few pics of what I have completed.

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"After forty-nine years of violin building, I have decided that the search for a varnish is similar to the fox hunt. The fun is in the hunt."
Jack Batts Maker and Repairer of Fine Violins

One more photo.

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"After forty-nine years of violin building, I have decided that the search for a varnish is similar to the fox hunt. The fun is in the hunt."
Jack Batts Maker and Repairer of Fine Violins

Thanks Guest & Bruce,
All the wood including the eucalyptus is from the San Diego, California area. I took a guitar making class at Palomar College and they have a great "Urban Lumber" program. The Calif. Dept of Forestry has provided them with a Wood-Mizer portable mill and kilns. They have wood available that you can't find anywhere else.

Lefty

Hey Bruce,

Thanks for the comment on the OMs. Kevin, who is my brother, really likes his. I had a bunch of great feedback from Kevin and a couple of his friends who played professionally in the Reno area. The Orford Cedar was real stiff and nice to work with, plus it smells great. I personally thought the sound was a bit thin on the highs and changed my bracing a little to compensate on my next two. Really wish I had more time to build more than a couple a year.

Tim

Thanks Bruce - Stairs are a challenge - guitars seemed like a natural pursuit after doing stairs - you never stop learning and will never know it all. Got to always keep the mind working I guess.

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John Ressler