Official Luthiers Forum!

I think Howard nailed it.

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Jeremy Vonk

Filippo, the guitar is trimmed with curly maple, end graft is dark Brazilian RW. More pics here:
http://lblutherie.blogspot.com/2007/12/1-italian-spruce-bloodwood.html

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

Disturbing, maybe, but have you seen Howard's guitars? I had seen his guitar based on female anatomy long before I ever joined this forum. Extremely creative!!

Ken

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http://www.casperguitar.com

Okay Howard, I admit that I`ve sniffed at the sound hole.
James

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James W Bolan
Nashville Tennessee

My first is exactly this way - a "signature feature".

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The member formerly known as erikbojerik....

Hey Chuck, forget the ritalin - it does the opposite for adults, it makes them hyper and less focused!
To me the normal butt wedge should taper with the fat end at the soundboard. perhaps you could recut yours so the top and bottom taper to a smaller center - a la George Nakashima. You could call it the butt-r-fly wedge.

I just did the same thing. Took my time and made a really nice fit. Glued it, clamped it and let it dry. Wasn't until I removed the caul that I realized I'd done the whole thing upside down. I was sad for about a half a nanosecond. I think it looks fine. I'll call it a custom feature. I'm pretty proud of the mitered purfling around the end graft, but my camera is on loan so I can't post a pic right now.

George :-)

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George :-)

It will annoy you endlessly. Trust me.

Mike

Mike, I'm kinda liking it the more I look at it. I've alway thought the right way was backwards anyway. Besides, it's my second guitar and I've already made a couple more boo boo's. If I start trippin' on everything I've done wrong I'd be running down the road screaming with my hair blowing back.

I was really kind of wondering the history behind the tradition of why we do the things we do. Since there doesn't seem to be rule that anyone can pin point, maybe the first guitar builder messed up and we are all following his mistake.

I doubt it, but it is what it is. I think you'll love it when you see it.

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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

Of course we will love it, and as you said, it is what it is!

Mike

You could make one like this then you always have the "correct end up"!

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Hank Mauel

Never posted before, but feel like I should chime in here. I'm pretty sure the end-graft tapers that way to mimic the taper of the heel.

Cheers,
Mike

Hi Mike - welcome to the OLF my friend!

Ah Mike,
I think that is the best reason I've heard so far.

By the way, thanks for sharing and welcome onboard.

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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

What a great thread!!! So far we have up, down, and straight ahead! Next we need to explore the possibilities in curves. Anyone out there done a curved....If I dood it, I get a whuppin'!

Dan (his last post?)

No, really, the back and butt grafts have always seemed like just the place for curving veneer - guitars have beautiful shapes, and most of the trim is linear. Anyone...?

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Dan
http://www.acme-archtops.com

Whoa, Hank, I was in such a hurry to smarty-post I shot right past your offering. That's what I'm talking about. How about a few words on your technique?

Thanks, Dan

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Dan
http://www.acme-archtops.com

I got tired of the wedge style inlay so I decided to try out this "hourglass" shape. I can't recall off hand what radius I used..probably something close to an old 2 pound coffee can/lid. Anyway, it looked good so I had a friend make up a couple of jigs on a cnc machine. I have the "cutout" jig in a piece of 1/2" thick birch plywood with two threaded adjustment "feet" so that I can center it on any body depth, then clamp it in place. A trim router with a flush cut bearing bit takes out the depth of the sides, exposing the end block. I have the "hourglass" insert jig in 3/4" birch plywood with a DeStaco holddown clamp at each end. I rough cut the inlay wood, clamp it down and then use a spiral cutter with a flush bearing to trim it to final shape on a router table. Most of the time it drops into the cutout with a nice snug fit...once in a while it takes a bit of edge scraping for final fit, but it's only a couple passes with a scraper. I glue it in, then level as needed to meet the sides, then route for binding.

I have been giving thought to adding a circular piece of wood in the center (narrow area) of the hourglass when I know there will be a pick-up jack installed. That would give a nice finished appearance to the jack location. For that I'd use a plug cutter for the round wood insert and a forstner bit to cut the cavity. FWIW...when I do an "old timey" look for a customer (slot peghead, pyramid bridge, herringbone, etc) I'll usually revert to the "wedge" to keep the theme throughout the instrument.

Just looked in my photo files but don't see any of the jigs mentioned above. If you're interested, PM me and I'll take a couple and forward them. If the forum is interested, I'll probably be cutting several inlays in the next week or two. I could do a photo tutorial if there is interest and let Lance post it up in the Tools and Techniques section of the OLF.

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Hank Mauel

{one hand shoots skyward} I'm interested!

Dennis

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Dennis Leahy
Duluth, MN, USA
7th Sense Multimedia

Hank, because I'm interested, and also to keep Dennis company, I think a tutorial would be great. Thanks for your offer.

Dan

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Dan
http://www.acme-archtops.com

That would make 3 of us, for sure. I bet others would read it too.

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Okay Hank, you're committed now. You gotta do a tutorial. Fine idea you have there.

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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

OK, I'll do a tutorial on the hourglass end graft inlay.

Since it's kind of crazy around here, somebody put this on your
"tickler file" for the end of the month. If I don't have something posted back here by then, give me a gentle reminder here and in a PM.

As for the photos, remember I'm a guitar builder, not a pro photog so I'll do the best I can with my little Canon digital.

Thanks.....

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Hank Mauel

Going back to the original question, this just seemed 'right' to me this way round.