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Oh, what the heck. Count me in, though I doubt I'll finish it in time. # 1 has yet to be fitted with the fretboard but I need the motivation. I won't have access to half the tools I used for the first though as well as the molds. I'm envisioning doing a short scale dread inspired by the Martin HD-28V. If I can't get the molds I'll probably do another OLF medium jumbo then like my first.

Im so glad you decided to join in! I know that first one is taking some time but the second is much easier. Plus its good to have a deadline to motivate you. Good luck neil!

Thansk, Zeke! Here are some pics of my materials. The carpathian and the neck were donated and I picked up the EIR from RC Tonewoods. They're stacked in my basement and I've been able to keep the RH steady at 40%.

Nice lookin' wood. Have fun!

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Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from poor judgement.

Thanks! I can't wait to get started on it but I have some other things to take care of before I start on this one. One thing that is slowing things down is that I need to plan out how I want to brace this thing based on the length of the premade neck that I received from John Hall. I don't think it's a 25.4" scale neck; it's about a 1/2" shorter than the neck on my first which is 25.4" scale with 14 frets clear of the body. If this neck is truly a short scale then I'm told I need to forward shift the bracing. I don't know what that means exactly, but I'm assuming that I need the junction of the X to be 1" from the edge of the soundhole and the bracing widened to 100 degree with the tone bars' angles adjusted as well. My first has a 100 degree angle and it's gonna be loud. If this one follows suits I will be greatly pleased.

Anyway, I've been doing a little digging around online and I think the only such creature that Martin ever made is the current D-18SS. That means that my rosewood/carpathian dread will be pretty unique. Other than that, I wanted to simplify this build a little by purchasing a serviced fingerboard and prebuilt ebony bridge.

I officially kicked this build off yesterday when I joined the top. Today I started whittling away at the thickness with a number 5 jack plane.



Yeah, I know: too much weight. FWIW the joint came out nice and tight.

I have to ask: does it look like one side of my rosewood back is flipped? I shot the joint last night and it passes the light test either way. What would you do? Flip one side or leave it?

Sometimes it takes a little study with a nice clean set like that. Put them together in all possible configurations and study the grain and saw marks on the edges to determine the correct bookmatch.

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Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from poor judgement.

You might be uncertain looking at that set with the edges to be joined together, but you have a distinctive grain pattern on the outside edges. Keep the chalk outline face up, and place the outer edges together. Does it look like a true book match? Now flip one side end for end (outline now down). It will be obvious which way up the side should be.


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It's a tough call but it might be flipped. Post a pic of it both ways.
I'm also looking at the pic on my cell, so it's really tiny.

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http://www.CostaGuitars.com
PMoMC

OK, I took some pics in natural lighting:

As outlined:



Flipping the "right" side; the saw marks and rough surface make it not so apparent:



...but when I flip the "left" side only I think it's clear that this was the way it was supposed to be:



I think I'm going to go with the last way and then join the plates. I was told to inlay the zig zag center strip as opposed to placing it between the edges of the boards.

The last pic looks best. The curved grain in the outer edge matches up better.

_________________
http://www.CostaGuitars.com
PMoMC

I'm with Tony. Last one is the bestestest

Last one it is then. I'll double check the joint and probably glue it up tonight. I'm trying to build up some momentum. I don't want this build to take three years like my first build has.

I think RC got it right with your dread outline, if you look just below the chalk numbering just inside the line, I see a slight distortion in the grain, possibly a branch/knot shadow on both sides, that is how I would join the plates

I glued up the rosewood back today:





I'll take it out tomorrow and then work on inlaying the back strip. After that I'm going to plane it and the sides down to about .09" thick. The top is thicknessed down to around 3mm (.120") which is around where it needs to be. I need to finish my template and rout the rosette channels.

I routed for and inlaid the zig zag center strip last night: