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Very classy and mellow-looking. Do you wipe the Tru-Oil on and then right off again? What kind of pattern do you use in applying (with grain, against, circular?)?
Can't wait to see it finished.

Beth,
What I've found to work best for me is to apply the Tru-Oil with the grain, using a big cotton ball. I like to put it on kind of medium-thin, and do not wipe it afterwards. I will usually scuff it with micromesh between coats, and level a little with 600 grit every three coats or so. It seems to work for me. I've tried the coffee filter method, the paper towel method, the finger method, and this works the best for me.

Can't let the thread fall too far down--I lose motivation. Pics here are of the finish starting to come up on the body, and the neck roughed out. The neck is almost complete now, I actually am just doing some touchup sanding on the neck to make sure there are no flat spots. I should drill for tuners and rough the headstock out tonight. I'll then re-flatten the fretboard prior to fretting, and do the final flossing of the neck joint. I'm getting close!!

You're at my least favorite stage...finishing and setup can take as long as the building did! Looking really pretty!

Now why did you have to say that??

_________________
"I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it."
Pablo Picasso

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Beautiful! What are the dimensions of that box? What is the scale length?

_________________
Bryan Bear PMoMC

Take care of your feet, and your feet will take care of you.

Bryan, please forgive the crappy picture. The guitar is modeled off the Bruno/Martin size 2 plan drawn by Scott Antes in 1974--I did mod it very slightly. I had a friend who played a Takamine Bruno commemorative in the early 90's and I thought it was the sexiest guitar I had ever seen--I still believe it is. As for dimensions, the upper bout is 8.5", waist is 7", and the lower bout is 12" wide. The scale is 24.5" and I repositioned the bridge in this photo to show it's actual location relative to scale. I hope it finishes out as nice as it has started. It will definitely be a conversation piece. --Jay

I really love that bearclaw top. Are you putting a pyramid bridge on?

Yes, pyramid bridge done in mesquite....

That is a sweet looking little guitar. Just looking at it makes me want to build one for myself.

_________________
Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

Sa....weet!!!!

That's very nice.

_________________
http://www.CostaGuitars.com
PMoMC

A little more work last night and this morning. No jig for drilling the tuner holes, so grab the starrett square and line her up....


And after drilling the pilot holes for the slots.....



It's beginning to resemble a guitar!

I really like it whey they start looking like a guitar

_________________
Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

Looking gooood!

_________________
http://www.CostaGuitars.com
PMoMC

Thanks for the encouragement, guys (and gal!). I feel like I'm in the home stretch now...

Love the shop smith BTW ... great tools for a limited space builder !

_________________
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The Saddest thing anyone can do , is push a Loyal Person to the point that they Dont Care Anymore
Never met a STRONG person who had an EASY past !
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Inch by inch.... The neck is now set and flossed (finally!!!) I HATE neck setting (because it is so critical, I guess), but I have the neck set where I want it now. The headstock is done, string ramps filed (98% anyways), neck profile and heel are 97% done (still hunting a tiny flat spot). I've begun fretting as well--no fancy equipment there either, I bent the wire at a local repair guys shop, and cut the tangs off with a dremel and cutoff wheel, and then file smooth. I tap them in with an engraver's chasing hammer (I don't have a dead-blow hammer yet, and it worked out OK on my first build). Now that the neck is set, and ready for final install, I can see the end in sight. I may be strung up by the end of next weekend, which would be nice to have a few weeks of settle in and filming before the end!

Almost home. Just doing some final finishing work on both the body and neck, and I'll be ready for final assembly and setup. I got the mesquite pyramid bridges back from Andy Birko who does absolutely FABULOUS CNC work. I swapped him some wood for a couple of pyramid bridges, and this is what came back... Thanks Andy!!

That bridge looks really good on there.

_________________
Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

Yup. That sure is nice!

_________________
http://www.CostaGuitars.com
PMoMC

This is really starting to look nice. You are making me want to head town to Texas and get some mesquite.

_________________
Bryan Bear PMoMC

Take care of your feet, and your feet will take care of you.

looks like it's going to be a beauty !! I really like your pictures too.

_________________
It's this new idea from recent decades that everyone gets a participation award. - MUX

The Mesquite-O will be sporting Grover Sta-tites @ $30 courtesy of eBay.... With free wood, you don't even have to cheap out on the tuners!!

I got two sets of those tuners for flat pegheads - a bargain for sure.

_________________
Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"