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Hi all , While "trying to" French polish my other build, I am also building this one, its my own design "kinda" . also did a Lattice bracing on it of own design aswell, so Feel free to give me critique. the top is about 0.095 right now, but final sanding ain´t done yet. on this one I will carve my own neck hopefully it will be ok haha. on the rosette I made an erroe and cut to wide, I had nothing to fit it with, so I cut out some black limba and took what I had to make it work. (better might have been to wait, and order what I deeded. . So it might look a bit out of place, I dont know. next mistake made was the binding channel that I also cut the wrong depth on, hmm. So there I used 2 bindings as binding and purfling combined with a stripe of maple purf. workt ok but I got some tiny missmatches here and there, nothing one can see if not looking carefully allthough it really irritates me as I wanted it to be perfect, grrrr. Well as I said felle free to give critique. the bracing might look a bit thick, but Its been carved on lots more since the photo you see here.
Click photos for larger views.

Materials are: Koa / EIR / German Spruce.

Sincerely Lars.

Pretty cool Lars, I like the shape of the body. When I get around to building another guitar I think I'm going to go with a jumbo type of shape. The rosette looks different, but not necessarily bad.

On your bracing, and take this all with a grain of salt as this is just my pure amateur speculation, it looks really really over braced in the lower bout. The reason I think so is that remember that wherever the braces cross, you're going to have a super stiff area. On your 'minor' x crossings the braces seem to get even taller still giving even more stiffness.

If it were me, I'd consider tapering the braces from the 'middle' crossing down to almost nothing for the crossing right by the tail block. May not be a bad idea to drop the height of the crossing near the bridge plate too.

I'd love to hear anyone else's comments on my suggestions too.

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Hi, Lars. I think you made a perfectly satisfactory "save" on the rosette. Binding looks great to me, too, although I do understand your frustration about tiny mistakes and the aggravation they cause. I love the roundness of your body shape, and it's really emphasized by the relatively narrow upper bout. I think it's a good looking shape.

I'll let those with much more experience advise you on the top bracing scheme. Looks like it's nicely executed, but it does look like it'll be pretty stiff. I'll be very interested to see what others tell you about it.

Patrick

Thanks guys. Andy, I see your point. Although on the photo was before I did the final carving on them. So now as its a box. Its real thin braces, But I do agree that if those were the final ones, then It would have been overbraced. Dumb as I am I forgot to take a shot of the final bracing, hmm.


Thanks Patrick. yup I so hate them small mistakes that seem to never end. just finished the bindings of the back, and it seems like I didn´t press it down hard enough . Allthough Its hardly seen by the eys if one doesn´t know its there. (the purf seem a little thicker at its place.

Keep em coming .

Sincerely Lars.

Must be a good feeling, Lars

Nice job Lars!
Hey, how is that thickness sander coming along? Post some more pics. One of those is on my to do list for the summer and I'm always looking for hints and inspiration.

Cheers!
Rick

Hi Lars; nice, classic and classy choice of materials.
Good looking shape, and an interesting rosette. You're giving me some ideas.
I'd have to vote for a lighter touch on the braces, also.

Steve

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Lars,
Great job! I too love the shape. Great save on the rosette, not bad at all. Keep up the good work, and look forward to seeing your final creation. For the binding gaps, just shellac the binding and surrounding area, and then fill with medium viscosity super glue, and you should be good to go if they are small gaps.

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Tracy
http://www.luthiersuppliers.com

Looking great Lars! Looks like a whole lot of guitar. If you didn't carve the neck on your last on (look forward to seeing it) I think you'll be in for a nice surprise. It's fun! How's the French polishing coming?

Cheers,
Danny

Thanks Tracy !

The photo does not show the finished braces ! they ended much thinner.

Rick, Here is a shot of the thickness sander. It just needs a hood over the drum. But works great.

Wow Lars, what a craftsman you are. Freakin' awesome guitar. And your first one too.

GREAT JOB!

I like your fretboard end too.

_________________
"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

I absolutely love this one Lars!! I have to say also, the body shape is killer. Is it the same as #1? - small jumbo? What are the dimensions? I am also glad to hear the braces got a work-over but I'm also no expert. Can't wait to see those curly Koa bindings under some finish. You are a stellar craftsman with good thinking. I really don't think it's about not making mistakes - it's what we do with them that counts. Way to go!

That's a fine piece of craftsmanship Lars! Can't wait to see the finished product

And maybe a sound clip or two

Never call yourself dumb though. Your a skilled gifted craftsman and that ain't the work of a dummy
that I see above.

I spent years building furniture and cabinets for other people and all without anything but a few polaroid
shots. Never considered much at the time beyond my own personal gratification in seeing the joy
of my customers when they received their new Bed or Armoire etc. etc... Dumb? No! Lacking in forethought?
I reckon so. But from now on, photo documentary of everything, even my mistakes! We all have flaws in everything
we do. Even the best of us. Keep up the good work!

_________________
Bill Hodge


One does not simply, own enough guitars!

I am stunned, and so so honored to hear what you say !! Thanks you all soo much, it really meen alot to hear this from you all. Here in Sweden its not often one gets to hear positiv thoughts !! you might have heard about our saying. "The Jante Law" it basicly says, " dont try to be be more thatn anybody else, dont think you are someone ! people here tend to go for this. I hate it though haha. and I try to always strive for the opposite - do your best to be more than you can be.

Again, THANK YOU. This forum and you guys in here are truly a new chapter in my life.

Sincerely your friend Lars Stahl.

Lars - Beautiful instrument. And a very interesting cultural difference you talk about. I always wondered where i get some of my work ethic since I am 1/4 Swedish.

I suppose it is the American way that we are ultra-competitive. Your guitars are coming out so well! You have the chops, as we say. Keep them coming!

_________________
Steve Walden
Aspiring Builder,
Bartlesville, OK

Lars,

Looks like it's going to be a beautiful guitar. As you do more and more of the operations
yourself, you'll feel even more proud when they keep coming out so well. It's been really
interesting to read your posts since you joined (not that much after I did). I've experienced
so many of the feelings and learning that you have, but I can't express them as well as you
do in words.

How did you attach the bindings where you had mismatches as you mounted them to the
guitar? I just tried using CA on a set of bindings, and that was the biggest problem I saw
using CA. If you don't have everything in just the right position before you wick in the CA,
you don't have any time to re-align things. So I have some gaps between the bindings and
the purfling, and between the binding and the end wedge. Another thing I have learned, but
the result has me thinking I may have to rout off the bindings and try again.

_________________
Gene

Politicians and diapers must be changed often, and for the same reason- Mark Twain

Lars, the guitar looks great. Well done. And you got the thickness sander together too! Good for you.

_________________
Aoibeann

gozierdt. well the mistake I did with the nindings was that I cut out both the purf and binding channels, and then glued in the bindings first ! then the purf had to be perfect, but it was not haha. so I got some small small wider spots at 2 places, 1 will be hidden behind the freboard but the other is visable for those who knows of it . Never used CA for this, I need the time it takes for titebond set.I also like the fact that titebond and similar glues makes the purf swell a bit wish makes up for small mistakes.

Steve. 1/4 part swedish ! do you know where from ? just dont say Skåne, malmö (close to the border of Denmark) or similar, those are the worst kind hahaha. I was there a while back and had the worst experience ever. Had a discussion about it with a man on the gasolin store from close to where I had my bad experience, told him I was from Stockholm, we talkt for like 40 min, and then as I thought he was a nice guy he ended the discussion saying, "but hey, to be honest, we all know that people from Stockholm are asholes" HAHAHA. well, ok, hmm, bye.

.

Lars, did you string up the first one yet? Did it 'splode'?? Jeeezzzz.zz We know you strung it up before you messed up the F/P to hear it!!...

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HAHAHA. NO i did not !! I need to get me some nut files , and some other stuff, so it will be done correctly . hmm. . How are yours coming ?
not all that happy with my FP job, so I will have to fix some on that to.
Lars.

Lillian, Again, Thanks for your help on that. I had a great help from those pages.

Lars, that's looking good. You have sure been busy. I'm still trying to finish #1, I've got the neck done except for the carving. We watched a TV show about Stockholm last night and it looks like it would be a fun place to visit, at least in the summer time

_________________
Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

Summer here is beautiful. winter .... not hahaha.
Well I am just starting on the neck, a bit nervous !! how´s yours coming out ?
Lars.

Very nice looking guitar, but that looks like a hell of a lot of bracing. I'm no expert, but I think that lower x could benefit from considerable shaving.

Thanks rlrhett. the photo shown was long before final shaving was done ! it´s lots more taken of since.

Thank you all for the very kind words, meens alot to me !!

Lars.

Lars that is a great design! I love the larger round lower bout. Smooth lines!
I would be interested in getting your perspective on the lattice bracing. At a glance, it looks as though it may be a bit heavy. But hey! I might be wrong and it may ROCK! Please let us know once shes strung up!

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