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After many, many months of hard work I have finally completed my first build. I made many mistakes along the way including sanding through my finish coat of Nitro but I learned a lot in the process.

I built this guitar with the assistance of a local guitar builder who guided me through the entire process. I can honestly say that with the exception of the nitro spraying (I did insist on doing at least one coat myself) I did most of the work myself including all of the body and headstock binding.

Specifications:

Body Style: OM with a Cutaway and Sideport
Backs and Sides: East Indian Rosewood
Top: Bear Claw Sitka
Fretboard and Bridge: Striped Ebony
Neck: African Mahogany
Headstock Plate: Ebony
Truss Rod Cover and Heel Cover - Brazilian Rosewood
Body, Neck, and Headstock Binding: Curly maple
Purfling: BWB, East Indian Rosewood (top and back)
Neck and Body Back Strip: East Indian Rosewood

This being my first guitar, I wasn't sure how it was going to sound but was pleasantly surprised by how well balanced the sound is across all the strings. I have now set up a well equipped workshop at home and I plan to start building a twin pair of 00-12 Parlour guitars with slightly different top bracing patterns. I look forward to sharing my progress on these two builds with the OLF Community.

Man, guys like you bug me. First guitar? C'est impossiblé!

That's a beauty!

I admit to not liking the use of a standard tapered heel together with a cutaway. I prefer to see a wide, flat heel that blends in smoothly with the arrival of the cutaway to the neck block. But that's a quibble. It looks like one heck of a first guitar.

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Jim Kirby
kirby@udel.edu

a very nice looking guitar!

Really well done for a first or 20th guitar. Cutaway, multi-piece neck, inlays, all the things I was scared to do on the first couple of guitars, you nailed them. Very nice.
Congrats.
Bob

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Bob
From the oldest town in Texas.

The firsts keep getting better and better. Fine job there! Beautiful guitar, all around.

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Man, that's a beaut! I love the top purfling.

I want to thank everyone for their kind words and your encouragement. I hope my next few guitars will turn out as nice as this first one. Thanks again!

Very nice guitar with a lot of challenges for a first build. Who was the local builder that helped you along the way?

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.

Beautifully done! I personally do like the classic heel with the cutaway:) amazing job!

Wow. Really handsome.

The local builder was Garren Dakessian.

Great job. That looks like a $12,500 guitar!

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Pat

A really outstanding guitar - seems like you got just about everything in on your first build: cut a way, sound port, bindings on headstock and finger board, inlay. Very ambitious and very well done!!!

A great testament to Garren's teaching.

On another note, I'm sure glad Garren stepped up to be a Canadian source for zipflex.

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.

Hey, Mick,
In my opinion, you have made an extremely elegant instrument here. I love voluptuous, fair curves and I see those throughout this guitar's body shape. I think the cutaway shape is particularly beautiful and elegant in its fairness. I really like the way that shape is echoed by the headstock and the body end of the fingerboard. Beyond the curves, I'll say that wood choices, attention to detail, overall craftsmanship and finish are all excellent as far as I can see. Yes, I am sure you made plenty of little mistakes, because even seasoned builders make them all the time. But you have corrected them in a way that is invisible to me. My friend and woodworking teacher once told me that the mark of a true craftsman is his ability to hide his own mistakes. I think you hit your first out of the park! I am still striving to make an instrument this visually beautiful. Congratulations! Now.... how are you going to top this?

Patrick

Wow! That's what I call a first guitar! A true inspiration, Mick. Congratulations.
Can't wait to see what you do next. BTW I love the cutaway shape!

It's okay for a first. Nah just joking. Great job. That is one nice guitar....Mike

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Another day, another dollar.

Todd,

I hadn't entered it in the challenge and I see that the deadline is tonight at midnight so I will see what I can do.

Btw, Thanks for the heads up

Regards,

Mick

I just entered the 2013 New Builder Challenge....just 30 minutes under the deadline

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Brian

You never know what you are capable of until you actually try.

https://www.howardguitarsdelaware.com/

THAT'S your first?!!?! Wow

Stunning job for the first build, I can't wait to see your future work!

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