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Well, I did do a cut down Strad baroque as a 1/2 scale guitar for the grandsons. But this is the first real one. It's supposed to be a 250 year old guitar by G. B. Guadagnini as a reaction to his sons guitars. He said, "Why don't you make'm like this?"

Old flamed Redwood, and Maple. Birdseye and Padauk on the neck. Flamed Mahogany on the head. Gotoh Uke tuners. Parallel bracing. The cover for the truss rod still needs to be fit, and screwed on. But it matches the rest.

The head didn't get on perfect after I broke it off. While gluing I was hurrying, HHG, and I pushed down and it set solid. Cool. Not. But it is solid. It's just a first one, and it is just for me. I got out my old book for learning to play, and refreshed on playing the notes in the first position last night. Now I have time to learn.

A much rounder sound than the old Classical had. D'Addario Nickel Bronze extra lights. I have it set a little below 2mm to a little above 2mm. It seems fine there. The tailpiece and the bridge are on different angles. Apparently I didn't think about checking to see how straight the neck was to center. OOPS.

A couple photos upstairs. The sun wasn't cooperating:





I went in the basement, and turned the lights on:

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Why be normal?

Wow. You certainly didn’t take the beaten path with that one. A fantastic result for a first time build. It is full of individuality and funky style. Those polka-dot bindings are the think that I love the most. What have you got planned for number two?

Fantastic! Enjoy playing it.

Unique and interesting!

Wtg!
I dig it



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Love it! Love those bindings! Make more.

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John Lewis
Wannabe builder owned by 2 crazy dachshunds

Good going Ken, congratulations!!

I love that guitar.

I do like to do things differently. I have made a dozen violins and violas over the last 18 years as a hobby. I do them from the inside out, like I did the guitar. Definitely not normal. If I was taught how to do it, I don't know if I could be as creative.

Next, I want to do a small Stradivarius baroque guitar. I made a 1/2 scale pseudo baroque "guitar" for the grandsons; thick grads/neck/bracing a couple years ago. I have the form, AND some cello rib wood for sides and back, and a piece of 100 year old red cedar barn wood already joined for a belly. It should be fast and easy. I drew it up from photos of the Sabioneri, and sized it to fit a 1/2 scale guitar. I checked it the other day and it is about 1/2" shorter than the MM.W.901.5 form, maybe pitched in G? 22.3 or so string length? I have a few ideas from this site:
https://thedutchluthier.files.wordpress.com/2016/11/stradivari-article-al-122-lr.pdf

So I'll make that small one, the cedar has no extra wood on it.

It should be different.

I took the guitar to our Thanksgiving yesterday; our son was in from Chicago. No one plays even as little as I do! So I don't know what a player would think of it. No one has played my violins either. Kind of like being in a black hole.

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Why be normal?

I like the direction your building is headed.
Nagyvarius.
Alan

Hi Ken,
Your guitar has a nice organic vibe! It reminds me of an old fiddle I had from the 1720's. The ff holes look very well cut. If I would be critical I would say the tailpiece and shape of the peghead don't come up to the nice overall quality of the body - but that is a small thing.
I look forward to seeing the Baroque guitar you have planned.

I like it. Nice job, Ken.

What did you end up doing for finish? IIRC you were having issues with z-poxy. Did that get sorted?

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I was trying to get the zpozy smooth (it stays thin for SO long that it can run, even very thin) and it sanded through color; the finish is very thin; so I put a coat of my own varnish on it, coloring to blend with what was still left. Most of it was good, but I covered the entire thing, (not the neck and head, it is solid epoxy) and not just patches. It was supposed to be an OLD Italian, so homemade oil varnish. The back is pure varnish, the belly has some shellac over that; kind of what it might be like with a few applications of French Polish over the years.
I like the way it came out. It looks like an old Italian.
It certainly doesn't look new.

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Why be normal?

So on that ZPoxy. When you sand it back you’re PROBABLY going to get some sand throughs and the color won’t be the same. It will look splotchy.

What you do is after you sand it back the final time. Make a VERY diluted ZPoxy solution so that it spreads on like water. Mix it well. Then use a pad to spread a very even thin layer over the instrument. This will color match it all and you’ll be good for finish.


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Thanks. The finish does seem to work well, as long as I warm it up first. It is amazing how your surface can seem so smooth, and then when you put varnish on, even after sealing, it isn't that smooth.

Dilute with.alcohol?

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Why be normal?