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More pics:

Wow!

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http://www.Harvestmoonguitars.com

Does she sound as happy as it looks? What a pair James! You da man. (in a good way) Thanks for the photos. It's great to see, not another OM. Not that I don't love OM's but it can be difficult to break out of the norm. You've sure done that and with style. Got a home for them. Commission?

cheers,
Danny

Loving both versions - so cool!
How does the SS version sound?

Are those bridges one piece? Wow!

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Pat

Very, very Cool Ringo!!!

Lovely guitars. Are the sides laminated veneer also?

I really like your sense of style. The shape of the volute on the back of the neck is very classy, as is the way everything fits together.

Would you do a tutorial on making a bridge like that? I would love to know how to keep from braking off the wings as you shape them? I am building an oak ladder braced right now and have thought that would be a nice touch. Is there a fastener under the pearl dots?

Ed

There is an easier way, make the buttons separate to the bridge. That is how they were done originally. They are just glued straight onto the soundboard finish. Gluing a water soluble paper onto the underside of the bridge helps to prevent breaking those thin pointy bridge wings.
Difficult to do in hard brittle Ebony, much easier to do in a fruitwood. Then stain it Black.

Thanks for all the kind words!


It definitely sounds happy... I have to say the nylon string version really sounds fantastic... every bit as loud and articulate as any classical guitar I've played with really great bass, trebles, clarity, and separation right from the start. I'm really shocked at how good it sounds to be honest; I never thought such a small guitar could be so well rounded. I can't speak to the projection yet as I'm the only person that's played it so far.

And these have a permanent home: mine.


The SS version is a little boxy and a little bark-y around the mid-range as are most small guitars. The bass has a lot of harmonic content so not as fundamental sounding as a similarly braced larger guitar... I think it just doesn't have the vibrating area it needs to produce what I consider a good fundamental bass. That said it seems really articulate and has good separation... it's really easy to float a melody over chords and have both be easily heard. It's definitely more at home with fingerstyle playing over strumming with a pick.


Yes, both are from a single piece of Brazilian rosewood

Yes, one is BRW over padauk, one is BRW on Honduras rosewood. I forget which is which; I just grabbed whatever was handy at the time that rang really well when tapped.

Thanks! The 'volute' is actually due to the neck joint... google 'V joint' to find out how it's put together. I'm not a big fan of modern volutes. I think the V-joint easily makes the most elegant looking headstock out there. But who knows... styles change, people change... in a few years I'm sure I'll embrace some other design.

I don't know about a bridge tutorial. I just sawed out the outline on my little bandsaw then carved it out freehand. You do have to be really careful and mindful of the grain direction when things get thin as it seems really fragile. Final sanding was a bit scary too. The key is to always keep it well supported underneath and opposite any pressure you put on it. I dropped it once and a wing went flying but it glued right back together again with no problem as the break was clean along the grain.

Also there aren't fasteners under the dots... they're just there for decoration.

Sounds like good advice. There's lots of different ways to skin that cat... whatever way works best for you is the correct way.