Official Luthiers Forum!

Same guitar I was trying to get a decent finish on a few months ago. It's not at the level of gloss some of you are getting, but it's much better than my second, which was much better than my first, so making progress thanks to helpful inputs I've received here. This pic doesn't show the contrast of the bear claw like it does in real life.

I really like the sound of the 12 fret. So far it's my favorite guitar.

I do need to ask a question related to bending on number 4. Seems like it works best to do that in a new thread so anyone searching about bending issues can find it easier. Roy

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

Starting on number four, larger body style from plans for a Grand Auditorium. I had a heck of a time getting the top, back and sides thickness sanded correctly. Took two trips to the local woodsource, drove 40 mi each way, it cost over $80, was charged double their normal rate because I insisted on standing there and measuring til I was happy. Then I ended up not getting anything as thin as I wanted. Mill operator acted so confident in his measurements using some gauge I couldn't read...blah, blah. In other words, I screwed up not trusting my gauge rather than his word. Sides are about 0.106".

I bent the first one ok, thinking that with many respected folks doing laminated sides and saying it's a sound improvement, mebbe thicker than my normal would help the final sound. Like most bends I've done, there is some relaxation as I fit it into the mold, but since they are so strong, I'm not all that comfortable trying to force the sides all the way flush with the mold, thinking the guitar might end up happier long term if I just use enough pressure in my mold clamps that any gaps are equal on both sides and the side pressures won't try to deform the final box. On the other hand, I can make them fit flush with my mold clamps, just not sure that's the right call. I haven't bent the second side yet. I like to stall when I'm not sure about something and ask opinions from folks more experienced than me. I know I'm gonna have to plane the top and back a bit, but there's no rush for that.

Thanks in advance for any and all inputs. Roy Oops, I thought I had started a new thread...didn't mean to put it here. Will do it over if y'all prefer that. I don't post all that much.

Very nice Roy, congrats on no. three!!!