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On the first one I shaped the braces in cross-section, I just didn't scallop the ends down in those three spots. Tapping seemed to have a nice ring, but I have nothing to compare it against. I'll start shaping the braces on this one over the weekend, and try and assess the tap tone and flexibility. I ordered the gore book too, but I'll probably have this one closed up before that arrives.

I'm eager to get one finished and see how it works. I'm already thinking about what I want to build next, maybe an 0-28ish. I seem drawn to 12 fret small guitars.

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Blog on Making Stuff: http://www.McGlynnOnMaking.com

I shaped the braces, and tried paying attention to the tap tone. Honestly, I don't hear as much change from unshaped to fully shaped as I'd expected. See what you think. My concern is that the yellow spruce I used isn't up to snuff.

First, the uncarved braces


https://mcglynnonmaking.files.wordpress.com/2017/01/tap1.mp3

I went through several steps, checking the sound at each point. First scalloping the ends, then tapering the sides, then shortening the braces from a bit over 5/8 to about 1/2" tall, then tapering them more, then scalloping the ends a bit more, then sanding everything to clean up. I'll only post the final view...



https://mcglynnonmaking.files.wordpress.com/2017/01/tap7.mp3

So, we'll see what this ends up sounding like. I'm concerned though. I was a little distracted thinking about this and made a mistake attaching the front when closing up the box, so now I'm doubly annoyed. I've got to get going on the necks so I can see if these are even going to play.

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Blog on Making Stuff: http://www.McGlynnOnMaking.com

It looks good Joe. I have no ideas at all about your bracing scheme so I'm just wondering out loud. There does seem to be a fair amount of unbraced real estate on either side of the main braces. I wonder if a finger brace on each side would be a good idea? Might tighten up the top too much but also, I have no idea just ruminating I suppose that was the original Gibson bracing scheme so they surely would know better than I.

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

I think you may need to fiddle with some of your input settings... I wouldn't expect a first resonance at 300+ hz... Usually the first resonance peak is pretty large and the later ones are smaller...

My recent experience with ladder brace tops is that they don't seem to give "tap tones" that register the same way as X-braced tops... My last ladder brace top tapped like wet cardboard (thwap).. And the tap tones of the finished box were pretty indistinct and non-resonant sounding... The back had a far more distinct and resonant tap than the top.... But it sounded great with strings on it. So go figure...

So, a bit of a struggle getting the correct-length neck on guitar #1. The heel and back of the neck still need shaping, and the headstock inlay, and final fitting, but I think this is going to work. (sapele with a walnut center stripe, ebony headplate)



I also got the bloodwood bindings on #2 over the weekend. More interesting challenges, but it's done and looks OK. Not perfect, but not any serious gaffes either.





Now I need to get the neck on #2 to the same point. I'm going to do two nut different widths, 1.762 on #1, and something a bit wider on #2. I made the middle laminations on the #2 neck a bit wide so it might look a little weird, we'll see.

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Blog on Making Stuff: http://www.McGlynnOnMaking.com

Looking great.

I've spent a fair amount of time in the shop lately, but there is almost no visible progress. Hours and house hand fitting the dovetail neck joints on these two guitars. Not a fan honestly, I'm going to switch to the Gore/Gilet bolt on/bolt off style for the next guitar I build. That and laminated linings instead of kerfed, and some other approach for the shape of the soundboard in the upper bout...I'm not happy with the fretboard fit and the monkeying around to taper it to get it to sit more or less flat. Ugh.

I have the dovetail neck joint for both guitars fitting as good as I can (not as good as I like though). I have the neck for the first one shaped, and the fretboard trimmed, re-bound and ready for frets. And the bridge is pinned in position.

I'm much happier with the inlay on the headstock on this one. I wanted to put "JM", but only ha enough abalone to do a J, so that's what I did.

Tomorrow I'll install the frets, glue the fretboard to the neck and try a burst finish.

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Blog on Making Stuff: http://www.McGlynnOnMaking.com

It's pretty funny how closing the box is the point when it "feels" like it's done and there's only a little more work to do.... But yet there's probably 75% of the build left at that point.

As you say.. There's a lot of time in fussing over all the "odds and ends".... Like making and fitting the neck. And getting the finish on.

It looks good.

I got the frets in and the fret board glued to the neck. I still need to do a little work on the neck to finalize the width to match the fretboard and finish sand it.

Putting the frets in was really easy. Too easy actually...they seemed to go in without a lot of resistance, and after the first one went it so easily I decided to use titebond on the rest of them to make sure they were secure.

I'll try the dye burst later this afternoon, I could be putting finish on this tomorrow, that would be cool.

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Blog on Making Stuff: http://www.McGlynnOnMaking.com

Well, I got a rubbed on burst finish. It's OK, I see several things I'll do differently next time. I may do a little more color still after it drys, but I'm really eager to start putting finish on it.

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Blog on Making Stuff: http://www.McGlynnOnMaking.com

I would like to try a hand-rubbed burst but haven't gotten up the nerve yet. I think its looking good.

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

I finished shaping the neck, added a heel cap and started applying tru-oil. Kind of exciting.

I see lots of things I will do differently next time, but I guess that's the deal with a first time build.

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Blog on Making Stuff: http://www.McGlynnOnMaking.com

Looking good.

Looks great! That end wedge is mesmerizing.

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Bryan Bear PMoMC

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

progress at this point is like watching paint dry...or tru-oil in this case.

I wet sanded (1,000 grit and mineral spirits, just enough to knock down any texture in the previous coats) yesterday and got three coats on. I'll get three more coats today and probably wet sand again tomorrow. Really thin coats. I expect I have several more days of this to get enough build.

I'll start shaping the neck and make the fretboard for the second one this weekend. I'm debating whether I want to grain fill the back/sides/neck on the second one to get a full gloss finish. Probably not, by maybe I should order some zpoxy in case.

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Blog on Making Stuff: http://www.McGlynnOnMaking.com

#1 is finished and playable!

I was terrified something was going to come apart as I put tension on the strings. There are plenty of cosmetic issues. There is some funny deformation of the soundboard below the bridge (it's flexing in between the two legs of the A braces), but the sound is OK, the action is OK and the intonation is OK.

Plenty of lessons here. Overall a fun project. Other than the neck dovetail, that was not so fun. And the error in the plans that forced me to re-make the neck in the first place. But yeah, pretty cool.

I'll finish the second one over the next couple of weeks and then see how it compares in terms of sound and so forth.

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Blog on Making Stuff: http://www.McGlynnOnMaking.com

Congratulations! That's a very cool guitar. I still have that same apprehension the first time I string up a new guitar. No bridges have come of yet. Are you happy with how it sounds? My experience has been that the sound changes noticeably in the first few days after string up for the first time.

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Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right - Robert Hunter

Yeah, I like the sound. It's fun to play. It doesn't sound as rich as my Martin CEO 7, but it has a bit more treble than the Martin. I think it sounds a bit better than the Alvarez AP70 I started learning on (it's in my office, so I can't do a head-to-head comparison). Just in the first hour or two I could hear the sound opening up. I hope it the sound opening up, not the soundboard opening up...

I need to make a truss rod cover still and maybe take a few more pictures.

I appreciate everyone's support and guidance, this was a fun project. Looking forward to more.

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Blog on Making Stuff: http://www.McGlynnOnMaking.com

Looks nice. It will sound better and better as you play more.

The "funny look" in the lower bout is classic for this original L-0 bracing scheme unless you use a pretty thick top. Of course - the trade off is that a thicker top is heavier, less responsive, and a lot more trebley on a small guitar like this. It's probably why they went through 3 or 4 different bracing schemes before ditching this scheme and the ladder bracing for the X..

With X bracing - you can reduce the humps and bumps by ensuring enough bridge overlap of the X and with the finger brace positions... In the end though - I think it's cosmetic... Doesn't hurt tone.... The light build more likely improves tone and you just end up with a little brace telegraphing to go along.

Thanks

That one came out real nice Joe. Sounds like it is playing well with good tone, the most important things in my mind. Jt should open up even more in the next few months.

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

Bumping the finished entries up to the top. . .

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Bryan Bear PMoMC

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