Official Luthiers Forum!

I don't think I've posted many guitar pictures here but this one is kind of unique for me. It's a Mahogany/Lutz OM cutaway with a BZ fretboard and bridge (and headstock veneer). I've never built with this combination before. I got the BZ from Jim Olson. Anyway the sound blew me away, different from anything I've made before and really unique. Lots of tonal separation and clarity and great volume. If any of you guys are brainstorming your next build this combination of wood is definitely something to consider!!

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

Really nice, Terence!

Beautiful guitar Terence. Did you use a single 40 or 60 thou white purf to get the bold white separation line or is it a B/W/B?

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Doug Mills
Chicago, Illinois

Terence - thanks for sharing your experience with the Mahogany / Lutz combination. And the guitar is beautiful...simple elegance! I love it.

Looks real nice,thanks for sharing Terry.I've always liked mahogany guitars!

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Anderson Guitars
Clearwater,Fl. 33755

Terence, I appreciate the attention to detail on this guitar--mitered purflings, back inlay, etc.
Tasty, tasty!

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

Very nice, Terrence!

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

That's a lovely guitar Terence! I've been thinking of doing a dreadnaught for myself and I might just try that combo.

Thanks,
Danny

I used 0.043 bwb fiber purfling with the miters. Got them as good as I could and spot welded the miter with thin CA before going through the typical binding gluing process.

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

Thanks Charlie. I've built several Mahogany Lutz OM's that I liked a lot but they had Ebony fretboards and bridges. This has Brazilian for both and there is definitely a big difference, at least to my ear.

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

That's interesting, Terence. I didn't consider the Brazilian fretboard and bridge; thanks for pointing that out. May I ask what you used for the bridgeplate?

It was Maple at about 0.096-0.100

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

Thanks Terence!

It looks real good, what did you use to pore fill the Mahogany it looks great. The neck must be stained by the looks, what did you use.

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Fred Tellier
http://www.fetellierguitars.com
Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/FE-Tellier-Guitars/163451547003866

Inspiring guitar Terence!!
Could you tell me as a novice builder how you got he b/w/b in the back strip?

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Mike

(MH)===:::

Terence, that's realy clean and elegant, nice job.

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Jim Watts
http://jameswattsguitars.com

Fred- The staining and pore fill was simple on this one. I sent it to Addam Stark. The finish is nitro.

H3ytm@n- The center strip channel is routed in the joined back and then filled with a Rosewood strip with .043 bwb purfling on either side. I use a 1/4" downcut bit and cut the width of the filler strip so the purfling is a snug fit on either side. I made a carrier board for my thickness sander with a 1/8" groove in it and cut the center strip a little wide and thickness it to 1/8". Then stick it sideways in the groove and run through the sander until the width gives a snug fit for the purfling.

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

NICE!!!

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Mike

(MH)===:::

Beautiful work, Terence. How much of that tone do you think is coming from the Brazilian fingerboard and bridge?

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Ken Franklin
clumsy yet persistent
https://www.kenfranklinukulele.com

I've built several Lutz/Mahogany OM's with Ebony fingerboards and bridges Ken and they were good guitars but this one really has a unique sound to my ear that I found very appealing. So did a couple of good players that tried it. I have a hell of a time finding the right words to describe sound and everyone probably hears it differently anyway but "separation and clarity" come to mind.
I'd say it's the Brazilian for sure. The blanks came from Jim Olson's shop so there may have been some good karma too!

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

Kudos. That is a beauty. I especially like the excellent work getting the heel to fit so nicely.

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"Building guitars looks hard, but it's actually much harder than it looks." Tom Buck

Great work, Terence! I've made a few mahogany/Lutz guitars myself, and I too think it can be a great combination.

Regarding the importance of FB material on acoustics: I'm beginning to suspect that it is more important than some folks say, and I thought previously. Like most folks with a background in electric guitars (as a player, not maker), I've always felt that the FB material has a significant impact on sound on those guitars. A/B test enough maple/rosewood FB Strats, and it (whatever it is) becomes apparent. On acoustics...not so much. This year I made quite a few similar guitars, some guitars with African blackwood FB's others with ebony. I think I hear something different in the ABW ones that is not there in ebony ones. A small sample of course, and a very subtle thing, but nonetheless, enough to make it interesting.

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Rian Gitar og Mandolin

Really classy! I like that subtle curve of the upper bout at the neck.

As for fretboard material, I've always thought that ebony was not as lively as other woods. I've noticed it on bridges— why not fretboards too, especially if you're getting a ringing tap tone in the neck.

Pat

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formerly known around here as burbank
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com

I love the ultra clean aesthetic ... not to mention the clean mitered purfling joints! What an absolutely gorgeous instrument!