Official Luthiers Forum!

Hi Everyone,
Here is a trio of guitars I recently finished. A lot of firsts for me which I'll explain later.

Thanks to
Tony Karol- for helping me with the fanned frets
Tim McKnight- for working with African Blackwood
Robbie O'Brien- for his finishing DVD, particulary his method of french polish

Specs:
1. OM- Fanned fret(first)
B&S- Quilted Bubinga
Top- WRC
Neck- Mahog
Binding- ebony
FB & Bridge- Afr BW
Rosette- Quilted Bubinga
Scale- 24.8 to 25.7
Finish- Nitro



2. Classical- Tilt-top/ elevated FB ( First)
B&S- BRW
Top- Caucasian Spruce
Neck- Mahog
Binding- BRW
FB- Afr BW
Bridge- BRW
Rosette- LMI
Scale- 650mm
Finish- French Polish (top)( first), Nitro(B&S, neck)




3. 17" jumbo (first)
B&S- Hon RW
Top- Adi
Neck- Mahog
Binding- Curly Koa
FB & bridge- Hon RW
Scale- 25.7
Rosette- Paua
Finish- Nitro, Sunburst(first)

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Matt Jacobs

"Don't tase me bro"

I got to see/play two of these a couple of weeks ago, the classical and the fanned-fret OM. Both really sweet, both great sounding.
But the OM is nearly breath-taking in its tone. Whoa, what a guitar!
As always, Matt has done a superb job.

Matt, why didn't you bring up the sunburst? Was that just now finished? Good looking work amigo!

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

P.S.- Matt, post a pic and description of your truss rod adjustment system...unless that's utterly top secret.

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

Thanks Steve,
I posted pics of my truss rod system a while back but here is another pic.

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Matt Jacobs

"Don't tase me bro"

Matt…your truss rod system is real cool (provided the truss rod doesn’t fail down the rode). Are you using a ball end Allen wrench?

The guitars BTW are real nice too.

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Rich S

"The inconvenience of poor quality will linger long after the thrill of a bargain has been forgotten"

Hey Matt, those look great! What do you think of the fan fret? After playing a few at Montreal I am intrigued. I was amazed how much it did not feel strange. How did you end up cutting the slots? And was it really difficult dealing with the slanted headstock or was it no big deal? Great stuff!

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Burton
http://www.legeytinstruments.com
Brookline, MA.

Steve- I didn't bring the sunburst because I was waiting for some drop fills to cure.

Rich- I use a 9" ball end wrench. The ball end seems to work better when it is going in at an angle rather than straight. you can sort of feel it snap into place. Also, I'm using Allied or LMI truss rodsso I'm not too worried about having to repair the nut. if the rod totally fails, well, then it's the same as removing any other truss rod.

Burton-
1.I agree, it was surprisingly quick getting used to the fanned frets. I fret with my thumb a lot so when i'm playing Jimi i'll miss a fret occasionally.

2.I used Mike Doolin's technique to cut the slots, using aluminum angle brackets. Cutting that stuff was worse than cutting the actual slots

3. the slanted headstock was pretty easy to make, I transferred the angle of the nut to the neck blank. Then planed the headstock with a block plane til I hit the line, checking for flatness along the way.


Thanks

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Matt Jacobs

"Don't tase me bro"

Very pretty guitars Matt. If my brother is impressed with the sound, then they must sound good indeed. He is really quite discerning and difficult to impress when it comes to a guitars tone, so cudos for that too.

I am curious about the elevated fingerboard. Is that elevated extension glued to anything, like the top, or is it free floating? Do you have any plans to do an adjustable neck guitar? That seems like the next step.

John

Way'da go Matt!
Nice trio of guitars!

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Lance@LuthiersForum.com

Thanks John.

To answer your questions, the extension is glued to the top. I thought about doing a free floating extention so I wouldn't have to fit the extension and the heel simultaneously(the neck is attached with a spline joint, not a spanish heel). However, the "tradition" for these is to glue the extension to the top.

I don't plan on doing an adjustable neck, at least not on a nylon string guitar

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Matt Jacobs

"Don't tase me bro"

Them's fine looking instruments, Matt. Ya done good!

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Matt... Those guitars look great! Come through Iowa some time on your travels, so I can play some more of your guitars. I'm sending you a PM...

long

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"No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man.” -Heraclitus of Ephesus