Official Luthiers Forum!

It was a bit of a rough road on this one, my first cutaway, but it's done now, except for minor setup issues, and some re finishing to be done. Came out pretty nice all things considered. The shape is a bit odd but everything works solidly.
It sounds nice too.

Koa back and sides
Bloodwood binding
LMI gold medium sized frets
grover rotomatic tuners (all I had left)
ebony fretboard and pyramid bridge
Port Orford cedar braces and kerfing
rosette from Martin guitars
Indian rosewood end graft and head plate
Behlen Master toner and Violin Varnish
Rockler blond shellack
bone saddle and bridge
sitka spruce top
Abalam position dots
dovetail mahogany neck
Cantilevered neck block
forward x bracing
Martin two way adjustable truss rod
Maple bridge plate

I tried to keep it simple on this one, concentrating on the basics, and improved my setup, getting only one buzzing fret to file on the 4th string around the 12th fret. I used the Stew Mac nut and saddle slot gauge and Ibex fret ruler. I also made a few new jigs and tools including a new bending form, fret press, bridge routing jig, dremel rosette routing base, laminate trimmer routing base, fretboard radius routing jig, dovetail routing jig, thickness gauge, and taper sawing jig.

Thanks to all for the invaluable technical support and insight.

_________________
"Preoccupation with an effect gives it power and enhances the error"
from "Your Owner's Manual" by Burt Hotchkiss.

Very nice work there Nick. That headstock inlay looks like it would have taken some major time.

Aaron

_________________
Aaron Craig

thanks. Wasn't too bad doing that headstock. Maybe I'm getting used to it now. I just did the set up and have been playing the guitar non stop for at least 45 minutes. Very nice. Incredible action if I may say so myself. Much improved.

Here's a couple more pics:
NOTE: I changed the heel graft from rosewood to bloodwood because I thought it more appropriate.

_________________
"Preoccupation with an effect gives it power and enhances the error"
from "Your Owner's Manual" by Burt Hotchkiss.