Official Luthiers Forum!

Yep - you guessed it - Hesh here is going to paint yet another beautiful Lutz top (sorry Shane....) black... Actually more correctly Joe White is going to paint the top on this dreadn*ught black for me....

This one is very nearly ready to be shipped out of here for finishing. I just have to locate (correctly...) and mask the bridge and then pack it up.

This guitar is not sold and was built for several purposes. First it's going to be used in some shows that I am doing this year along with the black L-OO in my avatar and some other Heshtones. Next it is my take on building a dreadn*ught designed for blue grass music and to be a banjo killer. It's been beefed up a bit for mediums, has my first ever limited use of CF on a brace, and has been voiced for folks who play in G a lot.....

The black top with natural Sapele back and sides with my stealth treatment of the binding may not go over real well with the BG crowd but all I need to do is find the next Johnny Cash and Bob's my uncle...

Also something different for me was that I made efforts to actually put some weight back into a guitar on this one. The back is thicker than I usually go (.100ish) the sides are thicker and everything is just generally beefier. You can see that this puppy will be over 4lbs with tuners and finish which my experience tells me will add about 8 ounces.

Take a look:













Thanks for looking!

Looks Great Hesh

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Say what you do, Do what you say.

Looks good as always....

No back binding?

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

Looking good Hesh! Still not too heavy, did you use CF rods in the neck?

Chuck

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How's about a nice picture of the top before you turn it black?

Of course Hesh you know that I am pulling your leg about being disappointed that you paint these black!! .

It's all about the sound for me so I am glad that you continue to use these tops! I have more for you...especially if you want super nice tops that could use a paint job!

Great work buddy!

Shane

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Canada

Looks great Hesh!
I love the stealth binding treatment!

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Lance@LuthiersForum.com

Ah shucks... thanks guys!

Yes I want to be very clear here that I am not painting Shane's incredible Lutz for any reason beyond that I like black guitars. This top was and still is perfect so I took some more pics.

Chuck no CF in the neck but in the upper transverse brace.

Brock yes the back is bound with the cut-offs from the individual sides - that is what I call stealth binding. I go to the trouble to bind in real wood and then hide it to understate the rest of the guitar. The top is bound in ebony and once the top is painted you won't be able to tell where the ebony binding begins and the black paint ends unless in direct sunlight. The top ends up looking thick from the side too like a drop top which is where I got the idea - thanks PRS!

Here are some more pics before she goes to Joe's:







My bridges have a rab... rabi.... you know a ledge cut in them.... that will overlap the finish by about .04 which gets even more important when using colors on a top.

Thanks for looking!

I really like the treatment on the back, with the binding and neck heel cap. Lovely.

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Laurent Brondel
West Paris, Maine - USA
http://www.laurentbrondel.com/

That's really nice, Hesh! I like the stealth binding too, with the heel cap. Great look. No doubt it will be a great guitar.

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Looks like yo've been busy in the shop.Hope it is still clean after all that sanding. She's looking very nice Hesh.

She's a beauty, Heshie. Bet she'll really dazzle with the finish on.

Max

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Max Bishop
Brighton, Michigan

Hesh, I really love it! I am entrigued by what you would do to voice differently for the BG's who love GCD. Love the stealth binding and stunning Sapele. Can't wait to see it black!!

Randolph my friend that is one of the reasons why I started that stupid "Projecting or Enveloping" thread because I am no expert with dreads... in fact this is my first dread in about 4 years.... But I did voice it to sound like a dread, be loud, and enjoy a good fist fight on a Saturday night.... Isn't that enough???

Max bro you may get to see her next month at lunch if I have her done by then.

Thanks Mark. You know I commented about a week ago that I change my Festool vac bag after every guitar is completed so now I can change my bag. This is a very important time for me changing my vac bag - it's a time of atonement, redemption, a cleansing of sorts.... Sorry I got carried away... You get to see her too next month at our lunch!!!

Waddy and Laurent my friends thanks very much!

Hesh,
I have admired your black top in your avitar. How is the black applied? ...or what is the black finish? Surely, you don't paint it...
Steve

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Steve Sollod (pronounced sorta like "Solid")
www.swiftcreekguitars.com

Thanks Steve - the black L-OO in my avatar was finished by Tony Ferguson and Tony uses cat urethane. The dread in this thread... will be finished by Joe White and Joe uses Cat polyester. So yeah you could call it paint and please don't call me surely.... Sorry I am in a really good mood and couldn't resist...

Takes guts to do a gloss black anything. Just like a black car...they're beautiful when they are clean and fresh. They DO show everything that floats by and clings or touches it.
I would have to case it in glass and lock it up.
The black one Hesh did on his site is a thing of beauty.
Kent

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EXCELLENCE IN SCULPTURE, CARVING, LUTHIER, ARCHITECTURAL MILLWORK AND DESIGN

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Looks mighty nice Hesh!
What is the body depth on this one?

Joe

Hey Hesh,

I liked your stealth binding so much stole it. I went a bit different and use a purfling on the body side.
Oh, by the way, you need to check your keyboard. It types a "*" instead of an "o" but only after an "n" and before a "u". And always when you are typing the word "Dreadnought" , curious.

Steve

Very nice, Hesh! So will the neck be finished natural as well? Congrats on another!

Ken

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http://www.casperguitar.com

truth is Hesh,

me like your painted black tops.

been thinking of doing a Chinese black laquering job for a while now.

blessings
the
Padma


Ps. remember... stay away from that tobacco

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Audiences and dispensations on Thursdays ~ by appointment only.


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Thanks Padma! I have always been a fan of Chinese black laquer too - it's a cool look and about a trillion people would agree with us....

Ken yes the entire guitar will be natural/clear poly except for the top which will be black with a black fretboard, headplate, and bridge. The rosette is sapelle and it is framed by b/koa/black purfling. The koa should show up as slivers of koa/color through the black.

STEVE!!!! Do you have to shout???? For the record I have no dislike for dreadn*ughts or even b*njos for that matter. When I joined the OLF there were a lot of dreadn*ught and b*njo jokes being told here which was all new to me. My use of the "*" in my spelling of the words is a reference and tribute to all who came before me and were a smart arse too.....

Joe my friend it's a standard dread depth, nothing different on this one and the sound hole is a tad smaller than 4".

Thanks Kent - yep black shows all things nasty when it comes to photography too and when I am shooting pics I clean the guitar well first and then keep some compressed canned air handy for the lint that happens too.

Thanks folks!!

Its going to be beautiful of course. I'm intrigued by your changes to your building style. I'm eager to hear the results, as I'm sure you are.



Care to elaborate a bit more?

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Aoibeann

beautiful work hesh, it looks great

Hesh, I've always liked your black topped avatar guitar. That will really look cool with the black purfling on the top to give it more thickness. When the figure in the back comes out under finish the binding scheme you have used should create a great illusion.

Tim

Hesh, I've always liked your black topped avatar guitar. That will really look cool with the black purfling on the top to give it more thickness. When the figure in the back comes out under finish the binding scheme you have used should create a great illusion.

Tim