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Hey ya'll! Just got started here on this forum but I started my build about a week ago. Let me get you up to speed.

First of all I am building my very first guitar and have no prior lutherie experience.

I'm building a Grand Auditorium cutaway electric. I purchased a set of plans online and had them printed out full size. Around 30$ to buy and print the plans.

I purchased a set of AAAA grade Indian Rosewood back and sides from Allen Guitars for $76 + shipping

I also bought a solid 3"-4"-24" block of mahogany that I am using for the neck, end blocks, and kerfing.

Along with the block of mahogany I bought a cocobolo head stock veneer and bridge, and a Macassar ebony fretboard. This all came from Hibdon Hardwoods for about $100.

Ok so that's what I've gotten so far as far as wood.

I currently have the sides bent and am gluing the end blocks in place. I had some trouble getting the inner bend on the cutaway so I decided to try something new (at least I haven't seen this) and add a small straight piece of rosewood to the side and butt the cutaway side into it. See the attached file for an Idea of what I mean. It doesn't look bad at all and I think it will add a unique feature to the guitar.

I've planed and joined the back plates together and am very pleased with how well it glued up. The seam is virtually invisible. Once the spruce bracing comes in I will get that all ready to be joined to the sides and figure out the proper fitting for the sides.

I started working down the bridge getting it closer to its final shape. I traced out the neck pattern on whats left of the neck block. Just waiting for access to a band saw to cut it out. Cut the groove for the truss rod. and routed the tongue if the neck joint.

And I think that's about it.

Heres a couple quick instagram pics of the progress.

http://instagram.com/p/U9dO_8wrhw/

http://instagram.com/p/VPboVMwrpS/

http://instagram.com/p/VPeDr1wrtB/

http://instagram.com/p/VVGGm7wrvP/

Welcome Jonny, Best of luck!

Looking good so far. Interesting concept with the cutaway. I've not seen that before. That's some good looking rosewood! Good luck

Yeah, welcome. I have to say that the cutaway doesn't tick any boxes with me, but I'm interested to see how it turns out.

Good luck

you are offically added to the challenge list ! Look forward to seeing your efforts

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I'm not a fan of cutaways on acoustics, but my son HAD to have one. I came up with something similiar.

_________________
A man hears what he wants to hear, and disreguards the rest. Paul Simon

Update..

I've started putting on some kerfing for the top. Worked the back part of the sides down to the appropriate thickness from end to end and am waiting to finish that once I get the top side where I want it. Cut the top angle for the neck but am still waiting for access to a band saw to rough cut it down the rest of the way. Got excited and went and did the tail inlay bit which turned out really nice. used a bit of the leftover cocobolo from the bridge and some strips of maple I had laying around. Turned out really nice and it will look great once it's finished.

Also ordered the top and bracing which should be here tomorrow.

http://instagram.com/p/VnHDBowrhJ/

http://instagram.com/p/VnG3DZQrg8/

http://instagram.com/p/VnaY92Qrpu/

Just thinking ahead and wondering how I'm going to get some things done. Is there any chance someone would be willing to lone me either a binding router bit or a couple different dremel downcut bits for inlay? Or both? I will probably end up buying these in the future but for my first build I want to keep the cost down. Let me know.

Update:

So I've been pretty busy with work and haven't had a whole lot of time to work on the guitar. But I did get a few things done and made some good progress today. Here's a few pictures of what I've done and where i'm at. The rosette turned out really nice and I am very happy with it. Had some trouble getting the neck to join with the body properly but I think i got it to where I want it now. I'm gluing the fret board to the neck now and will do some final shaping of that once I get the curly maple binding on around the fret board. In that last pic the fretboard and bridge are just set in place so I could sorta get a feel of what the final look will be like.

http://instagram.com/p/V5bQfTQrkV/

http://instagram.com/p/V5kPXOwrt5/

http://instagram.com/p/WHfd3iQrr4/

http://instagram.com/p/WMoB8dQro7/

http://instagram.com/p/WagBSuQrmI/

Nice rosette!

_________________
Doug

Don't let fear or common sense stop you from trying to build something

Update:

I've been working on the neck alot this week and it's nearing completion. Did all of the inlay and binding on the fretboard and inlaid my logo on the headstock. Also started installing a couple frets. Up next will be working on binding the body.

http://instagram.com/p/Wu0n-YQrtq/

http://instagram.com/p/Wx3nk2Qriy/

http://instagram.com/p/Wx41KdQrkt/

JD inlay looks sharp! Good work.