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MK5 Bluesmaster, based on a L-00 shape and size, with a few changes, most obvious is the falcate bracing, 12 fret 24.9 scale, 1.775 nut, body length 19.312, lower bout 14.750 depth 4.312, attached is a file capture from Rhino cad, many parts will be made on a small cnc. Top will be Euro spruce, back and sides will most likely be some nice EIR , possible other options, haven't decided yet. Fretboard will be ebony . tuners will be gotoh 22:1 , and a bridge plate mounted piezo pickup.
Updates will be very slow for awhile as I don't plan on starting till March, waiting for warmer days and higher humidity , which in North Texas starts in March and lasts till October or so, good long building season. In the meantime I will get the the forms and moulds built.
This is my first doc u build so feel free to comment and or critique.

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MK5acoustics.com

Wow... looks to be one tiny guitar!

Hey have fun! Take lots of pictures and post often. (...like I should have! it's tough to keep that up along with everything else.) Just keep in mind that someone here has a solution to almost anything you can do wrong...

here is the wood , some really nice tight grain euro spruce, figured Sipo, sapele neck, and Macassar ebony fretboard.

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MK5acoustics.com

Got the bending form and molds cut today.

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MK5acoustics.com

Looks like a cool project Wes. I've built one falcate and it is one of the best sounding guitars I've made. Every time I run into someone making instrument parts with a CNC I get tool envy. Don't know much about the little ones - did you make that or is it off the shelf? Either way I like the size.

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

Bought off of ebay, 6040 size, Its really useful to have. I use it to make a lot of the parts, software is vcarve pro.

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MK5acoustics.com

The sipo looks great, Wes. Have you used it before? Your CNC set up looks sweet. I'd love to be able to use one, but I've only recently mastered the paper and pencil thing! Keep us posted!

Alex

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"Indecision is the key to flexibility" .... Bumper sticker

I have used figured sapele and it worked great, first time using sipo, it's quartered , we will see how well it works and sounds. Hard to see but it has some really good figure.

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MK5acoustics.com

I got the bridge cut out today, The binding and trim will be in zebrawood so I thought I would try it for the bridge as well, according to the wood database it has similar hardness and weight as Padauk which I have used with very good results in weight , it's cut in two pieces .195 thick mirrored on the cnc with a " resonator" chamber cut between the pin holes and saddle just kidding, sounded good though??? actually the pocket is to reduce weight, the pieces have a piece of carbon fiber laminated in between, for those familiar with Trevor Gore techniques, it is used in conjunction with carbon fiber between the bridge plate and the soundboard to add stiffness and reduce weight .

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MK5acoustics.com

Your bridge clamp up looks like a Transformer, Wes!

Alex

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"Indecision is the key to flexibility" .... Bumper sticker

building the falcate bracing, I made a new clamping jig , bracing is made of 3 pieces of spruce, carparthian in this case, each .062 thick, then laminated to form a brace 3/16 thick, the brace is then cut in half to make a right and left brace.

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MK5acoustics.com

Some more work done today on the cnc, cut out the sides and the back, glued together the backs using the tape method, no complicated jig needed!!!

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MK5acoustics.com

I think I know that sipo... the figure is fantastic

I got the set from Aron Hix back in august last year..

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MK5acoustics.com

Cut out the soundboard halves on the cnc, pockets will be .020 when final thickness is done,the idea is to thin the outside edge of the soundboard, one thing about the cnc is the halves mate perfectly together so planing or sanding the edges is not necessary! They are joined using the tape method, join the halves and while pushing the pieces together tightly apply the center piece alone the full length, then raise up one side, I use a piece of 2 x 4 then put pieces across the halves leaving space between center and tape, idea is theat when flattened the tape will stretch and pull together pieces, use 3m green tape for this it stretches, fold the pieces together and apply the glue of your choice, I use titebond extend, lay pieces down and slowly push flat on a piece of wax paper, then turn over and wipe off all excess glue, flatten and weigh down..easy and works great!! best of all no Jig!!!!!

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MK5acoustics.com

worked on inlaying the rosette , This one is going to have a pirate theme???!!!

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MK5acoustics.com

cutting the braces and cutting the rebate for the carbon fiber..my new mini router using a stew mac base

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MK5acoustics.com

I got most of the bracing cut out, waiting till the RH% gets to around 45% before gluing on braces, still have work to do on the back and have yet to bend the sides...

braces are cut out of carpathian spuce

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MK5acoustics.com

Continuing the pirate theme, got the back inlaid today!!
Its a combination of zebrawood, padauk , ebony, maple , and black palm!!

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MK5acoustics.com

cut pockets for center strip and braces....

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MK5acoustics.com

Progress going a little slow..Job seems to keep getting in the way!!
Gluing the back braces into the rebates along with the center strip..

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MK5acoustics.com

glued in braces

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MK5acoustics.com

Gluing on the main falcate bracing...carbon tow is epoxied into the rebates...

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MK5acoustics.com

adding carbon tow to the top of the braces, this method really locks in the radius, in this case 28f, the UTB is glued into a separate jig with a 70ft radius to flatten the upper bout..

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MK5acoustics.com

I have to admit I am confused by the carbon fiber thread. I've done some work with carbon fiber and have experienced both it's surprising stiffness and strength in some areas and total weakness in others.

I just don't see where these threads can add stiffness to the brace.


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