Official Luthiers Forum!
https://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/

Double Cutaway
https://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=33242		 Page 1 of 2
Author:  Ken Franklin [ Thu Aug 18, 2011 9:30 am ]
Post subject:  Double Cutaway
I haven't posted a guitar in awhile so I thought I'd show you this one since it is a little different than what I've been doing. It's a double cutaway based on my small jumbo shape that I call Merlin. It joins at the 16th fret. Here are the specs:
top-red spruce
headplate, back and sides-striped ebony
neck-mahogany
bindings and fretboard-macassar ebony
bridge-african ebony
scale-25.4
There's a demo clip at http://www.franklinguitars.com/Site/Merlin.html.
Author:  CharlieT [ Thu Aug 18, 2011 9:45 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Double Cutaway
WOW! Beautiful, Ken! [:Y:]

That rosette is fabulous, too! Never seen anything like it.
Author:  Barry Daniels [ Thu Aug 18, 2011 12:37 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Double Cutaway
Very interesting. Any photos of the interior? I would like to see how you handled the head block.
Author:  Ken Franklin [ Thu Aug 18, 2011 12:59 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Double Cutaway
Here you go, Barry. I think the pic is pretty self explanatory. In a way it was almost easier than what I normally do except maybe for finishing that inside corner.
Author:  mnemotorsports [ Thu Aug 18, 2011 1:10 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Double Cutaway
[clap] really Really nice.
Author:  SteveCourtright [ Thu Aug 18, 2011 1:13 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Double Cutaway
Splendid look and execution. I too love the rosette!
Author:  dazzer [ Thu Aug 18, 2011 1:41 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Double Cutaway
That's a excellent looking and sounding guitar Ken [clap] [clap]

Thats such a nice set of Ebony for the body and a fantastic rosette!

Cheers for sharing Ken [:Y:]

All the best
Dave
Author:  WendyW [ Thu Aug 18, 2011 2:26 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Double Cutaway
Wow, beautiful guitar and I love the rosette!
Wendy
Author:  Ian Cunningham [ Thu Aug 18, 2011 3:43 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Double Cutaway
Dude you rock! [:Y:]

I love the head block and the way you sandwiched the two side pieces in there. Really inginuitive. I think I had something like that lined up for one of mine but I can't recall. Looks great on the outside too.
Author:  crich [ Thu Aug 18, 2011 3:52 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Double Cutaway
Nice lines and clean work. I too love that rosette! Clinton
Author:  Dave Fifield [ Thu Aug 18, 2011 3:53 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Double Cutaway
Excellent Ken! Beautiful artistry and craftsmanship!! [:Y:] [clap] [:Y:] [clap] [:Y:]

Cheers,
Dave F.
Author:  RustySP [ Thu Aug 18, 2011 4:24 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Double Cutaway
Beautiful, I love everything about it!
Ken, what type of neck joint did use?
Author:  Scott A [ Thu Aug 18, 2011 5:06 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Double Cutaway
dang...I don't know if I should be more inspired or quit now, I can't see myself achieving that level of beauty any time soon.

Any chance we could get a closeup pic on the tip of those cutaways, it looks like a mitered joint with no binding or purfling.

Scott
Author:  Ken Franklin [ Thu Aug 18, 2011 5:33 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Double Cutaway
RustySP wrote:
Beautiful, I love everything about it!
Ken, what type of neck joint did use?


Rusty, I use a bolt on neck with threaded inserts in a butt joint. Sometimes I use a short tenon but not this time. I glued down the fretboard extension, though there wasn't much.
Author:  Ken Franklin [ Thu Aug 18, 2011 5:38 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Double Cutaway
Scott, here are a couple of pics of the cutaway tips and you're right they aren't bound.
Author:  Scott A [ Thu Aug 18, 2011 6:10 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Double Cutaway
Thanks Ken, absolutely stunning!
Author:  DannyV [ Thu Aug 18, 2011 7:56 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Double Cutaway
You pretty well nailed that one Ken! It looks like great joinery on the cutaway points. Where did you find that set of wood? It's pretty spectacular.

Cheers,
Danny
Author:  Ken Franklin [ Thu Aug 18, 2011 8:53 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Double Cutaway
Danny, I got that set from Gilmer a couple of years ago. From what I know it was from one log they had. They had about ten sets and now I wish I had bought them all. But at least I do have one more.
Author:  Jim Watts [ Thu Aug 18, 2011 9:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Double Cutaway
Ken, That's a really beautiful guitar! It was nice seeing you at HB by the way.
Author:  Tony_in_NYC [ Thu Aug 18, 2011 10:00 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Double Cutaway
Wow! Beautiful work! How do you do the cut away points like that? Are they mitered? Gorgeous.
Author:  Ken Franklin [ Thu Aug 18, 2011 10:35 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Double Cutaway
Thanks everyone for your comments.

Tony, those are mitered. I find where the cutaway will begin and I cut the side right there. I take off as little of the wood as possible so that the grain will match up well. Then I bend the cutaway with that in mind also. After that I make the miter angle with a plane and a shooting board. That makes a nice tight fit. Then I glue in only one side of the cutaway to a squared support block. After the glue dries I glue the other side of the cutaway to the support block and the mitered side. That way I don't have to worry about things sliding around during the glue up. Then I profile the support block to remove any extra mass I don't need. It usually goes pretty well. If it doesn't go well I just bind it.
Author:  Lars Stahl [ Thu Aug 18, 2011 10:35 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Double Cutaway
Truly amazing...... wow.... [clap] [clap] [clap] . just loooove it !!! +1 for the rosette. I know you once showed us how you did those, do you have more of those, tutorials.... ;) .

Lars.
Author:  Ken Franklin [ Thu Aug 18, 2011 10:37 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Double Cutaway
Good to see you too, Jim!
Author:  Robbie_McD [ Fri Aug 19, 2011 7:53 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Double Cutaway
<Gasp!> Very clever and innovative, and what craftsmanship! [:Y:]
Author:  Darryl Young [ Fri Aug 19, 2011 8:18 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Double Cutaway
Beautiful guitar Ken!

When are you moving to NW AR so you can give me a few pointers? <smile>
Page 1 of 2 All times are UTC - 5 hours
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group
http://www.phpbb.com/