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finishing up on two ,actual commisions!! a twelve string for a friend ...cost of materials plus a dollar, and one for an ex brother in law.not sure what I will be collecting on that one!!!!!!!!

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MK5acoustics.com

FP on a Koa classical with my new apprentice.

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Peter

Brace shaving on a lutz top and padauk back for a friend. My first commission. My costs and a really good bottle of scotch

Steve

Just finished a rounded shoulder D mold and form. Thought I would try Todd Stocks method on this one,,,so far I like it.

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I flossed and installed the neck on this Honduras Rosewood OM yesterday. Today the bridge goes on.

Chris.

I've been experimenting with a UV cured finish that cures in Sunlight. It doesn't require expensive (and dangerous) lights. I've tried in on several species and done a bunch of test. I'm in the process of finishing a 12 fret D with it. I'll post some pictures of the guitar, as well as some more details after it's finished.
Here's a test panel of Rosewood I finished with it.



FWIW, Oil based Varnish is still my primary finish. I have a client who wanted Polyester.

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I didn't mean to say it, but I meant what I said.
http://www.brackettinstruments.com/

Getting ready to fret an OM...

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Pullman, WA

The more I know, the more I know I don't know.

trippguitars.com
OR
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Scraped down the bindings on my elle-zero-zero and made a heel cap for the neck to match the bindings. Next up is to make the bridge and locate its position exactly so that I can start getting some finish on.

This guitar has taken awhile to get done, due to the surroundings that you see in the photo. Anyone who has followed my contributions to the "what's going on in your shop?" threads will be aware of the boat that I've been working on. Well, she's done! Took about 4 months of research, designing/lofting, mold making, construction, sanding, and finish application.

This is a 16'8" Whitehall based pulling boat, significantly inspired by the Bailey Whitehall in Mystic Seaport, as well as some mid section inspiration from a Rangeley Boat. I added some rocker to make her more manageable while under sail as the owner hopes to do some sailing. So, I had to figure out what sail rig to give her, and that also meant leeboards and rudder. She comes with four oars as well.

There's a lot more to her, and I have photos of the details, but these photos should suffice to show what's been going on in my shop.

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Expectation is the source of all misery; comparison the thief of joy.
http://redrivercanoe.ca/

Just finished a batch of bridges for a customer, and am making some headplates and logos for someone else. Good times!

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

Finished up a 000 12 string for my sister. Mahogany cedar with an armrest bevel. Just need to install a pickguard.

Maybe happiest weekeend of this year, and maybe happiest of my 4 lutherie years. Strung up #11 and it is amazing. By default I am very restrained when it comes to my guitars, and even tend to emphasis just the lesser aspects when showing one off, but this one delivers: loud, articulate, balanced, an elegant voice. It is a clear step forward (although #10 made earlier this year has been sort of the same for my other bracing style), without making any major changes. I think however I finally reached the sweet spot ratios between top/bracing/shape, and this might be more important than anything else.

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Build log

Some great work going on, as always. Congrats on the stellar guitar Alexandru!

I've been very busy this week. Closed the box on a 12 fret 00 for my wife this week. She wanted blingy (if that's not a word, it should be ) woods, so that's what she got. It's figured Redwood from the Zootman and some wonderfully tight figured Claro Walnut I got from a luthier in CA. It will be bound in medium curly Koa. Tuning the curly top was a bit of a challenge, but I think it should sound pretty good. Sounds like a nice loud drum now that it's closed.

At present, I've having fun with hide glue. Trying to get all the braces on the top of a dread I'm building. Red Spruce top, figured EIR from the Zootman. Also working on craving the back braces. The back wanted to warp a bit, so I decided to try an X-brace in the lower bout to stabilize things. That's a new one for me. We shall see how it works out. Hope to close it up soon.

Aaron Craig

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Aaron Craig

Always an exciting moment when you build something that is a game-changer! Congrats.

Hopefully you can replicate your success in the future.

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Expectation is the source of all misery; comparison the thief of joy.
http://redrivercanoe.ca/

I'm trying to get number three done in between a bunch of repair.

My attempt at mortise and tenon jigs. I kerfed both jaws of the mortising vise, I think it does a nice job applying even pressure.

Just put strings on this...










...and hoping to get this thing ready for the festival that starts next week. It will be close!

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Rian Gitar og Mandolin

Those are beautiful, Arnt! What is the B&S wood on the dread?

Quite the apprentice you have there , I bet she works for IceCream to huh !

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The Shallower the depth of the stream , The Louder the Babble !
The Taking Of Offense Is the Life Course Of The Stupid One !
Wanna Leave a Better Planet for our Kids? How about Working on BETTER KIDS for our Planet !
Forgiveness is the ability to accept an apology that you will probably NEVER GET
The truth will set you free , But FIRST, it will probably Piss you Off !
Creativity is allowing yourself to make Mistakes, Art is knowing which ones to Keep !
The Saddest thing anyone can do , is push a Loyal Person to the point that they Dont Care Anymore
Never met a STRONG person who had an EASY past !
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Thanks, Charlie. Its cocobolo.

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Rian Gitar og Mandolin

I'm making airplane parts and it's making me grumpy to cut aluminum instead of wood.

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I read Emerson on the can. A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds...true...but a consistent reading of Emerson has its uses nevertheless.

StuMusic

Just finished this one (Cocobolo, bearclaw Sitka, ebony bindings).

Finally finished a 12 week renovation on the house.
Got down to the shop yesterday afternoon, threw all the construction crap out of it and got it all cleaned up. Gonna be smoking a turkey on the grill tomorrow so will back and forth to the shop working on a neck I'm building for a 60's 12-string electric. Then I've got a 000 cutaway and an 0-16 that need to be completed.

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

That's as refreshing as blowing all the smoke out of the house after supper got burned!

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Expectation is the source of all misery; comparison the thief of joy.
http://redrivercanoe.ca/

Ya...before the age of enlightenment.

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I read Emerson on the can. A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds...true...but a consistent reading of Emerson has its uses nevertheless.

StuMusic

Holy Crap!

Thanks for asking Todd - a whole bunch of very cool work going on out there - love the 12-string with the bevel - more pix!
Just got back from the MGS - have a bunch of inspiration!
I have this on the bench waiting for some attention, although I might start my Laskin-bevel, Manzer-wedge, side-port game-changer first...