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Well, I haven't been on here in... well, years really. An extensive house renovation is eating up all the free time that I didn't have to begin with. I finished this guitar close to a year ago, but I'm only getting around to posting pics now. Ha! Sorry for the quality of the pics.

So this one had many "firsts" for me.

-First time making a segmented rosette (note that I replicated the pale sapwood of the back down the middle)
-First time trying hemispherical fret ends
-New bridge design
-New headstock design
-New neck block design with support (and bolts) under FB extension
-New bracing patern (Somogyi like double X under main X)
-Use of moose bone nut and saddle. I had to laminate pieces together to get them wide enough. I had heard that moose bone was very dense and having played this guitar for a year, I have absolutely no idea if that's true or not...

Particulars:
Body shape : Proprietary Grand Auditorium'ish
Back sides and rosette : Curly Claro Walnut
Top : Lutz Spruce
Headplate : Macassar Ebony
Binding, bridge and fingerboard : Ebony
Finish : French Polish with dewaxed garnet shellac

This guitar is part of a "triplet" project I have going. I noticed that it was measuring, setting up tools and humming & hawing that took up most of my time. The actual cut/machining is quickly done. I decided to try and make 3 guitars at once. I figured that if it takes me 100 hours to build one, it shouldn't take me 300 for all 3. So far, my theory holds true, but I'm not crazy about having a bunch of guitars in different stages of construction lying around.

On the other hand, it will be interesting to see the difference in tone across all 3 guitars, since all of them will basically be the same, asides from the tone woods used. I managed to tune the backs to the same pitch, although I won't be able to do the same for the tops as I like to close the box ASAP once I'm done.

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I'd like to be able to prove, just for once, that money wouldn't make me happy...

Looks pretty tasty. I like your headstock shape

Beautiful. Do you have pics of your neck block and bracing?


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Looks great and welcome back!

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sweat the small stuff.

Sweet! I love the body shape - very elegant.

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"I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it."
Pablo Picasso

https://www.facebook.com/FenskeGuitars

Everything works really well together.

Al, I've missed you my Friend.

That is stunning!!! Well worth the wait. I love everything about it. I really like that body shape, 15" LB?

It would be great of you with all the spare time to play a tune for us.....you're a great player and I'm sure you make that guitar sound just as good as it looks. Great job on the FP too.

And very good to see you "back" even if it's just to show off

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

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Thanks for the kind words everyone!

I did manage to find some pictures of the neck block and of the bracing. However, they the bracing isn't from this guitar, but it's triplet sister. I will post those soon.

Rod, good to be back my brother! That Lutz top came from you, if you recall. I will try to record myself and post a vid on youtube. It will be another first for me. You know, as aweful as it sounds, I'm not quite sure about the LB measurement. LOL I've been away too long! I think it's in the 15-15.5" range. I still think that segmented mosaic rosette of yours is the sweetest I've ever seen!

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I'd like to be able to prove, just for once, that money wouldn't make me happy...

So here is the bracing. It's loosely, or not so loosely, based on that of he who shall not be named... Ha!

There had been a picture floating around the interwebs, years back. I thought it looked like a good idea. I did try this bracing pattern in my baritone, and it's proved very stable and it sounds pretty awesome, if I do say so myself.

On this guitar, the sound is very bright and balanced. It doesn't have the boxy bottom end of a more traditional Martin style bracing pattern, but there's still plenty of bass. It projects like crazy. Everyone who tries it can't believe the volume that emanates from the small box. I play mostly fingerstyle, but it'll take a violent plectrum attack with poise. It also loves a drop D or C tunning.

I had always found that a big problem with my earlier guitars was that they moved like crazy with RH swings. My goal as a builder was to stabilize them. Part of the problem, I'm sure, was that I built them too lightly. Super thin tops, light bracing and, compared to the set-up I have in this one, a flimsy neck block. This guitar still has a pretty thin top (not sure about the exact measurement at the moment), but nothing is telegraphing through. It sounded good from the get-go and has opened up beautifully.

I've been playing this one for close to a year now, and asides from dialing in the action after it had been strung for about a month (mediums), I haven't had to touch it at all.

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I'd like to be able to prove, just for once, that money wouldn't make me happy...

Way to go Alain, I'm glad you found some time

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Mike McNerney

Beautiful work!

I really love the body shape. Nice headstock too.

Nice Alain! That one looks like it's all you.

Thanks guys for you kind comments.

And Danny, yours is especially heart felt. I know it's hard to reinvent the wheel, so to speak, but I've been tweaking and changing design aspects to really try and make something that is my own.

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I'd like to be able to prove, just for once, that money wouldn't make me happy...

Leo, thank!

I basically took my old Takamine dread contour. Then I pinched the waist, flared the bouts, slopped the shoulders and on this model here, I took off about an inch of width. LOL

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I'd like to be able to prove, just for once, that money wouldn't make me happy...

Beautiful guitar!
Nice to see you step out of the box on the bracing.
keep up the good work.

Mike

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Mike Collins

Thanks Mike!

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I'd like to be able to prove, just for once, that money wouldn't make me happy...

Beautiful walnut. Great looking guitar.

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Another day, another dollar.