Official Luthiers Forum!

Hi All,

Here's my latest....a GS Mini copy. I mostly went by the plans from Georgia Luthier supply for this one, with some tasteful customization of the braces. I thought the plans looked a bit heavy as drawn
Top is spruce.
Back/Sides/Rosette/Headstock overlay: I'm not so sure. I got the set in the bargain bin at Hibdon Hardwoods for a few bucks. I would guess either Chechen or T'zalam from the photos on their website. Its hard and splintery to work with, burns easily with power tools and was VERY hard to bend. Even at 0.075" it was like bending a 2x4. I managed though and it looks quite nice with finish
Neck: Spanish Cedar
Finish: French polish shellac (Freedom Polish that is)
It sounds very loud and full. If not for the smaller frets (23.5" scale) you'd think it was a full size OM

Nice looking little guitar Quine, The wood looks really great and I love the flaming on the sides, I bet it looks pretty deep in person.

So what do you think of the Freedom Polish? Someone pointed it out in another post somewhere here and I was thinking of giving it a try.

Nice build, I like small guitars. From me.

Cheers,
Bob

Thanks Bob
Shellac is a good option for the hobby builder. All you need for equipment is some old tee shirt material and cotton to make a pad, and a couple squeeze bottles for shellac and alcohol. It doesn't smell, not very poisonous (with Everclear), and its much easier than people make it seem.
I wipe on a couple coats to get a base. Then do 3 or 4 polish sessions. Wait over night and sand it with 400grit, repeat until you're happy or your arm falls off.

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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.

Oh yea, I used French Polish on a parlor I just finished. I love doing FP although it is a lot of work.

I may be mistaken but isn't Freedom Polish a polymerized shellac or something like that? I thought someone mentioned it in another post. I thought I saved the link to it but can't seem to find it.

Also, are those free plans or did you purchase them? I have been saving plans for small guitars for future reference.

Bob

Sweet guitar, Kevin!

Alex

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"Indecision is the key to flexibility" .... Bumper sticker

I love small guitars too - very clean and understated - nice job.

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Thank You and Best To All

Beautiful guitar, Quine!!!! Don't you just love the GS Mini size? I just finished one in April --- from the Georgia Luthier Supply plans, also. (I made a bunch of modifications, too.) If you're interested in seeing it, here's a link: http://theamateurluthier.com/retirement ... smini.html

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Kathy Matsushita
San Jose, CA USA
http://theamateurluthier.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kathy.matsushita

Looks Great!

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久保
美智え

So, what does 'GS Mini' refer to?, he asks in honest ignorance.

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Jim Kirby
kirby@udel.edu

It's one of Taylor's smaller guitar models, with a 23.5" scale:
http://www.taylorguitars.com/guitars/acoustic/series/gs-mini
The "GS" stands for "Grand Symphony" --- so it's a "mini" version of their "Grand Symphony" shape/style guitar.

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Kathy Matsushita
San Jose, CA USA
http://theamateurluthier.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kathy.matsushita

Thanks!

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Jim Kirby
kirby@udel.edu

Wow Kathy. Mine looks pretty humble compared to yours. I did scallop the braces just like yours....Great minds think alike!! I really like this design. Maybe I'll try to modify my next one for a standard scale length
I got the same SKB case too. It fits perfectly so I guess the plans are pretty accurate to Taylor's body. Now send me some of that prime rib!!

Thanks, Quine!!! But there's a lot to be said for simplicity, too. I think yours looks quite elegant --- I especially like the rosette. Mine, I built mainly because I just wanted to try all those different things -- the arm bevel, sound port, weird rosette, etc. -- and the GS Mini size was just the vehicle on which to try out those things. But I do love the comfortable size of the GS Mini. As for the prime rib....that was a once-in-a-lifetime restaurant experience....Ha!

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Kathy Matsushita
San Jose, CA USA
http://theamateurluthier.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kathy.matsushita

Kathy I built a mold almost identical as yours except I used MDF as it's a lot flatter etc. Then Home Depots plywood. I put a couple of coats of shellac to try and seal it. Also I ran a 2" by 3/4" red oak strip around the outside of the mold in which I screwed in cup holders. So I could use twill tape to clamp it with. It's a baritone Uke mold so the twill tape worked pretty good. I have that same sander btw. Excellent work. Hope I can do as well. Very nice guitar Quine. Someday maybe!!!! Sigh!!


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Nice guitar! I do have a question or two. 23.5" scale in standard tuning? What strings are
you running? Congratulations.

Tim

I have my usual strings on it....GHS Bright Bronze light gauge. There's no problem with the short scale and standard tuning. Taylor makes a bunch of these so you can probably find on at your local guitar shop to test drive.