Way cool. It is beyond me now, but I find the process of making instruments absolutely riveting. Thanks for the video. I have watched a ton of videos on making violins, and find them so intriguing. So much carving and shaping, keeping the material thin so it resonates. Wow.

 

Thank you, Tom!

Rosette inlay test on Honduras Mahogany. This is sort of a twisted vine that I drew and decided to use on the guitar but I wanted to test it first. The Mahogany was already cut and the proper thickness for a guitar top (sort of, it is 0.080" thick). The inlay pieces are Maple and Redheart. There's a short video below showing the steps I used to make the inlay.

 

David, man that is beautiful.

I just don't see myself with that much patience. Gorgeous work as always.

 

Thanks, Oscar!

 

That's a really pretty inlay. Carved with the CNC I assume. Watching a violin makeer recondition an instrument, he used a hand tool to gouge the inlay pattern, then used strips of material to fill it in. Simple, but elegant. He also used hyde glue so the instrument can be disassembled and reworked from time to time. What is most amazing is how they use gouges and small hand planes to hollow out the bottom and top so they have curved surfaces. Lots of hand carving on a violin. The thickness is measured with long reach calipers. They generally use well aged, very dry hard maple, resawn on a diagonal so when glued up, it is thick in the middle. The rest is hand carving, although mass made are probably now carved by CNC. Most guitars have flat fronts and backs, but something like the Les Paul has a hollow body with a curved back. Thanks for the videos because I am just fastinated by this process.

 

A guitar is on my very long todo list. I've built several electrics years ago.
But I'll probably build a kayak first.

 

That's a really pretty inlay.

Thanks, Tom! Ger - get the kayak built so you can build the guitar.

Got started on the top today and decided on Curly Maple and Imbuya Burl for the rosette.

 

Rosette inlay completed but not yet glued or sanded flush -

 

David, that is really nice. The straight grain with cut curving and intertwined inlay is gorgeous. Curly maple will look spectacular when finished. BTW, what do you use to finish it, varnish? I know that's used on violins.

One of the things I love about instrument construction are the small, shaped blocks inside that hold the shape of the curves.

 

what do you use to finish it, varnish?

Thanks, Tom! Shellac, this will be French polished like my first guitar although I may make this one a little bit more on the glossy side rather than that 'old world patina'.

 

That's really going to be pretty. Hope it sounds as good as it looks. Do you use the CNC to carve the frets? I know they have to be precise.

 

Do you use the CNC to carve the frets? I know they have to be precise.

Thanks, Tom! I'm hoping it will look nice.

Good question! I cut the frets by hand on the first guitar but that was before I built the CNC. My plan is to either mark them with the CNC and then cut by hand or cut the fret slots on the CNC; either way the CNC will be involved for the accuracy it provides.

 

The rosette is completed and the top rough cut to shape (actual shape plus 3/16" all the way around). No finish yet but a little Naphtha on the rosette close-up. Not perfect but I'll take it.

 

Thanks for keeping the build up to date. I for one, am really enjoying seeing this come together. Are you going to do a non-woven enlay near the edges to finish it off? Dang. That sure is a pretty chunk of wood!

 

Looking good, David.

 

Thanks for keeping the build up to date. I for one, am really enjoying seeing this come together. Are you going to do a non-woven enlay near the edges to finish it off? Dang. That sure is a pretty chunk of wood!

I'm enjoying the build and sharing all of this, Tom, so y'all are doing me a favor by vicariously being involved through these updates. Thanks!

I'll probably do a simple bwb binding and purfling rather than anything fancy.

Looking good, David.

Thanks so much, James! Glad you're enjoying this.

 

Looks great David, and thanks for taking us through the process.

 

Thanks, Ross! I'm certainly enjoying sharing these and glad you're following along.

 

Finished the video for the rosette and cutting the top out. Next will be cutting and fitting braces to the underside of the top.

 

Man, this is getting exciting. The violin maker I followed, had forms for all the side parts of the instrument. He steamed them, then clamped them to the forms and let them dry completely. Then each section is glued in place against the vertical blocks that have been carefully carved to match the shape of the top and sides. Very precise work. How will you be doing this? Cutting the verticals on the CNC?

 

Thanks, Tom - glad you're enjoying the build!

I've already bent the sides (see post #1) and the vertical strips you see are already in place. I cut those on the tablesaw then feathered the ends with a chisel. Manufacturers like Martin use tape but I prefer solid wood to help strengthen the sides and keep them from splitting.

I'll be using the CNC wherever it makes sense and as often as possible, really. I could have used the bandsaw to cut the top out and that would have taken all of about one minute. But I spent days working on the digital design representation of my Grand Auditorium body because my plan is to build many more and I wanted the accurate and quick repeatability for cutting tops and that's what the CNC gives me.

The next step will be cutting and shaping braces for the top and those will likely be entirely by hand. If I planned to build hundreds of guitars, or even dozens, using the CNC for initial brace shaping would make sense but in this case I'll just do them by hand.

 

I thought that was a pretty beefy guitar. Thinking about having seen the Romeros in concert and the amazing volume of his guitar. This will surely be a treat to play. Maybe you've found a great extra income source. Let the guitrists beat a path to your door. I bet you could talk one of the great players into giving it a try and a review. All that hand work has to be carrying the sound from the top deep into the instrument.

 

Wow David! An absolutely "pristine and priceless" piece of work.

I am very much enjoying your build updates, especially with the videos !!

 

Thanks so much, Bob! Gotta' say I'm having a blast building another guitar - fun stuff!

Glad you're following along and that you like the videos, too.

 

Made a little progress on the guitar build and got the X-brace glued, ready to sand the 28' radius on the bottom of the braces.

 

Finished the next step and began another, so here's an update -

Glued these 80 grit pieces to the 28' radius dish -

Cut the Bubinga bridge plate and an MDF caul to hold it down for gluing -

And a video to go along with all of this -

 

Great progress, Dave.

 

More progress on the acoustic build -

 

Coming along. Have you ever watched Olaf The Violin Maker on youtube? Different instrument, but same discipline.

 

Have you ever watched Olaf The Violin Maker on youtube?

Seems like I've seen a bit of one, yes.