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This is guitar # 12 for me. Another "Family & Friends" guitar which are coming to an end very soon. Not that I won't build for family or friends anymore but I'm at the stage where I'm feeling confident to hang out my shingle for full priced commissions.

Anyway, here's the details.

Olson SJ body shape/size
15-1/8" LB
11-1/8" UB
9-1/4" waist
4-5/8" at the tail
19-3/8" body length

Scale is 25.4"
Nut 1-23/32"
String spacing at the bridge 2-1/4"

Body wood.

Back and sides are curly Imbuia I got from the Zootman several years ago.
Top is sinker redwood I won from an OLF auction (remember those?) also several years ago.

The rosette is endgrain spaulted birch which was book matched from 10 pieces.

Neck is 5 piece laminated Honduran Mahogany, Curly Maple, Walnut.
Fretboard, Bridge, Headstock plate and heal cap are all from the same board of Katalox (Mexican Ebony) I got from Burton LeGeyt several years ago.
Curly maple accents all around include: Full body, neck and headstock binding, end graft, T logo on the headstock and the signature on the fretboard.

Bone nut and saddle
Schaller Tuners.

Finish is French Polished shellac. This is my first kick at FP and I did like it but it will take some time to develop patience and skill to really pull it off well. I'm about 85% satisfied with the finish and from 3-5 feet away it looks good. Getting upclose it looks ok-ish.

Edit: The pictures aren't great quality as per my typical standard. I'll get better pictures done soon.

Here's a short video of my friend Ken playing a tune. Recorded with my Nikon Coolpix P510 camera. Sound quality isn't the greatest but you get an idea.





















Cheers

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"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

Wow!! Very nice. I like the darker top. How does it sound, so far??

That's a very nice looking guitar Rod.
Up to your usual high standards I see.
Lke the inlay on the FB and the rosette especially.

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

Nice!

That's a beauty, Rod. I really like the split back strip! I might be picking your brain in the end grain rosette!

Alex

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"Indecision is the key to flexibility" .... Bumper sticker

Nicely done!

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

Good job, Rod....how's she sound and play?

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Blue Ring Acoustics
blueringacoustics.ca

Beauty!

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Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right - Robert Hunter

You have wonderful design sensibilities, Rod. It's always a pleasure to see some of your work. Nice job!

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George :-)

Very Nice Rod! Love the rosette. And the back. It's like you celebrated the knot shadow.

But what's with the photos? Not your usual high standard. Hope all is well on the home front.

Cheers Bud!

You nailed it Danny! I highlighted that knot indeed.

I was too excited to wait for my wife to take this one out for property photos. Besides I still want to play around with the top finish a bit more as it's a bit of an ugly duckling and her photos would really show that side off..... And we are very much all good here at home, thanks though for the thought

The good photos will most likely happen next month. Right now the guitar has been delivered to the owner who is pretty gob-smacked by it. I had fun with 3 other friends who are pretty amazing musicians passing it around last night.

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My Facebook Guitar Page

"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

Beautiful inlay work. I like that split inlay on the back strip....really highlights that kink in the grain

Sounds great Rod. I love that we all do more or less the same thing and get completely different results.

Thanks Ed. What I find so interesting is how 1 guitar can sound different in the hands of many different players......

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My Facebook Guitar Page

"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

That's very nice. I love the look of that top with the back and sides. I've built about 25 guitars with Imbuia and I can't say enough about how much I like it.

Thank you JF! I too really love Imbuia. This is my second guitar using it (1st is my avatar image) and I have 1 more set that is a sister set to this one. It's such a pleasure to work with and makes a wonderful sounding guitar.

_________________
My Facebook Guitar Page

"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson