Official Luthiers Forum!

Another guitar to leave the shop for it's new owner. He has promised to come by my studio to record some clips that I can post at a later date. I apologize in advance for my lack in photography skills but I am working to improve that. I'm taking a photography class this Thursday to learn more about Lighting, F-stop, and Shutter speed. Until then, the best I can do is the best I can do. These pics do not do this beautiful instrument justice but it's what I have for now. I have three more instruments that will be rolling outta here in the next couple of months, and three more to start after that.

This is my MJ size influenced by the Martin MJ body with my own signature headstock design.
Body is finished with EM6000 and the neck & HS are finished with Tru-Oil
14th fret bolt-on butt joint
Master Grade Englemann Spruce Soundboard
Cocobolo B&S
Curly Maple Bindings w/Rope Purfs
5 pc Neck (100 y/o Mahogany) Curly Maple, and EIR
Headstock Veneer Amboyna Burl over Maple
Rosette Amboyna Burl
Martin Med Guage Strings
Morado Fingerboard
Claro Walnut Pinless Bridge
Bone nut and saddle

This thing sings like an angel but I need to record a better player than I before I dare post sound clips.

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Bill Hodge


One does not simply, own enough guitars!

BEEUTIFUL Bill!
I used to get mixed feelings when a guitar went to it's new home!
Now I'm glad to feel relaxed when a guitar I made is loved by its new owner!

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Mike Collins

I agree - beautiful! I really love the Cocobolo on that Great work, Bill!

Fantastic Bill, great shape and headstock. The coco looks like BRW.

Nice guitar there Bill. I like the scary ghost faces in the headstock.
I need to get an MJ plan, just another thing on the list.

Steve

Really nice guitar Bill. I need to make one with some sapwood showing like this one.

Chris.

Is there somewhere that you can order the plan or do you need to find an M and take the measurements from it?
Chuck

Mike, thanks that means a lot to me coming from you! I used to hate seeing custom furniture leaving my shop in my custom furniture building days but it finally got to the point that I was more satisfied to see the joy on my customer's faces even more. I guess that just carried forth to my guitar building. My first one was for me and it's an awesome guitar. All the rest bring me joy to pass on to the new owners. I especially love hearing them from the sound-hole side while sweet music is being made.

Thanks Jay, Ed, and Chris yes it's some sweet coco and I have a lot more where that came from. The reason I bought it was because of it's similarity to BRW in appearance. I really love working with it!

Steve and Chuck, I build my guitars without plans typically. It's easier for me to either trace a body shape and modify it, or create my own. Guess that comes from 30 years of designing and building furniture and the plans were usually just in my head or a rough looking sketch on a piece of scrap paper.

Steve.......scary ghost faces??? Yikes!!! I assure you that was not intended.

Note to self; do not mention that to the new owner.

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Bill Hodge


One does not simply, own enough guitars!

Very nice, Bill!

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http://www.casperguitar.com

That's great, but I don't understand! Aren't you suppose to keep them all?

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Very nice, I love those B & S.

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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.

Beautiful work! I love how the binding really lights up the cocobolo.

Beautiful work! I love how the binding really lights up the cocobolo.

Looks great, Bill. How about a closeup of the sound port?

Thanks,
Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

Thanks Y'all much obliged!



Keep 'em? Hmmmmm now there's an idea!



Well Steve you challenged me to read the owner's manual so I could take a better closeup of the sound port. Imagine that, "read the owner's manual". That's kinda like reading the assembly instructions .....or askin' for directions! Anyway, thanks for that because I believe I actually learnt something doing so. Here's the closeup!

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Bill Hodge


One does not simply, own enough guitars!

That must be a killer to make !?
NICE work sir!
Now about sending some of that Coco here!

Mike

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Mike Collins

Wow that looks fragile.
What type of veneer did you back that up with?

Thank you Bill...I'm glad I asked!
Nice work sir, and thanks for the added photography.

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

Mike, it just took a lot of handwork and patience with a dremel and some jeweler's files but I'm highly satisfied with the results!
Coco? You want coco? For you..... special price.

Steve W., yes, it does "look" fragile, but it is quite strong. I backed it with flatsawn mahogany cross grained to the side and glued it in with fish glue (thanks for the glue Mike). Bent the mahogany on the hot pipe to attain a perfect fit prior to gluing it and attached it prior to gluing on the back and soundboard so I could apply adequate clamping pressure. The recipient of this guitar visited my shop one day just after I had finished cutting the sound port and was also concerned about fragility. I then took the handle of a screw driver and whacked it quite hard several times on the weakest point with absolutely no failure. It won't even flex if you push hard on it with you're thumb.

Actually Steve K., thank you! You inspired me to learn how to take a better picture. All my future pics will be better from now on and I have Steve Kinnaird to thank for it!

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Bill Hodge


One does not simply, own enough guitars!

I'll PM my address, and you can thank me with $$$.





Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

Bill,

Beautiful guitar. Great work and beautiful wood. Love the sound port. If I may offer one small suggestion for your consideration: I wouldn't go with a white paper for the label. In my opinion it's a little too bright and distracts from the beauty of the guitar.

Cheers,
Pat

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There are three kinds of people:

Those that make things happen,
those that watch things happen,
and those that wondered what happened.

I know what I can do Steve, next time I'm in the Nacogdoches area, I'll pick up a six pack of Big Red or Dr. Pepper and drop in.

Thanks Pat! Yeah I had already thought of that after posting the pic. Not sure what I was thinking when I put it in. Or was I even thinking at all? The label has already been removed. I do appreciate it though, at least I know I'm not the only one it was bugging.

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Bill Hodge


One does not simply, own enough guitars!