Official Luthiers Forum!

Hi - here is my new grand auditorium based on a Fender GA-43SCE that I have. 

Specs: 25.5 " scale, 5" depth at the tailblock, 4" depth at heel, AA white spruce top, black walnut back&sides&neck&rosette, maple binding with b/w/b purfling, macassar ebony bridge/finderboard/headplate/heel cap, schaller M6a tuners w/ ebony buttons. 

The APM forum members were very keen and asked about the binding around the neck joint.  This was a compensation I added for too much carving of the joint trying to get it to fit correctly.  I like the look and it saved me from re-doing the whole neck!

A little more work than that crib board I made in 1988, but I am quite pleased with the result and look forward to number 2.

Laurie

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Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.

Nice looking guitar!

Keep up the good work

Do you find that the black walnut neck is heavier?

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Reguards,

Ken H

Hey Laurie !
               Another guy doing a cutaway on their first ! Very cool guitar mate , and a fantastic effort.

A tad more tricky than your 1988 crib board huh ?

You might want to radius your saddle to the fretboard radius . Probably one of those things you have yet to finish.

Congrats Laurie. I'll bet your completley hooked now , like the rest of us poor sods

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CRAIG LAWRENCE of AUSTRALIA
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First build and a cutaway at that! Nicely done. Bet ya you can't put it down.

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Michael Lloyd

“I was born to ignorance, yes, and lesser poverties ...
I was born to privilege that I did not see ... I didn’t know it, but my way was paved” – John Gorka

[QUOTE=Hodges_Guitars]

Do you find that the black walnut neck is heavier?

[/QUOTE]

Hodges - it is a bit neck heavy, but since I sit most of the time, I don't mind it.  I also made it a bit thicker than my store guitars, so that adds extra weight too. 

Did you notice the clear pickguard?

 

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Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.

Thanks guys...

Kiwi: Good eye - I am still tinkering with the set-up and plan to shape the nut to the 16" radius.  I think I will thin the neck as well (a bolt on with oil finish, so no big deal).

Hooked?  I bought 18 b&s sets since last year!  They will probably last me 10-20 years and I still want cocobolo, ancient kauri and peruvian walnut.  Somebody stop me before I buy again.....

Mlloyd:  The truth is, I don't play my other guitars (6 acoustics)! I'm not sure if I'll keep them all...just collecting dust at the moment.  They all seem to sound "flat" to me, rather they are missing some sort of "fullness" compared to the handbuilt one that I can't explain. Maybe I did something right....

Laurie

 

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Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.

Very, very nice, Laurie. I love walnut.

Ron

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

You're hooked man! I feel the market price for fine wood going up!

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Greg
http://garibaldiinstruments.com/

Fine work Laurie ! Nice cutaway and I like your walnut neck.
VERY good 1st guitar

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Anderson Guitars
Clearwater,Fl. 33755

I'll have to agree with the others. Very nice job!

Super! I love walnut, too...and I especially love to see a walnut neck on a walnut body.
Great choices, well done.

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

Welcome to the OLF Laurie.  That is a good looking guitar.

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Nice work Laurie and welcome to the OLF!

I'm amazed you went for the cutaway on your first build.....
I'm still too hesitant to give it a whirl.
With the added depth that guitar must be a real boomer.

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Christopher C. Cordle
North Muskegon, MI

http://www.yardsaleunderwear.com
http://www.facebook.com/christopher.cordle

Laurie,
Nice work, and an amazing first effort. I'm with Chris on this, I'm still scared about cutaways! Congrats, and welcome to the most addictive hobby on the planet. Hope it serves you well many years to come. Welcome to the OLF!
Tracy

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Tracy
http://www.luthiersuppliers.com

Laurie, that's beautiful. You clearly have worked hard, and have real talent.

B

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Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.

Laurie,

A really beautiful job. I always loved walnut "BL" (Before Luthrie), when all I did was build furniture. I also like the choice of all walnut, and the contrast with the binding. What kind of bending equipment did you use for the cutout? An iron, or a form? Either way, a great job!!

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Gene

Politicians and diapers must be changed often, and for the same reason- Mark Twain

Great job Laurie! Especially for a first. That is incredibly impressive.

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Joe Breault
Merrimack, NH
Perpetual novice

Beautiful Guitar Laurie. I'm also a big fan of walnut.
I have a question for you. Since Laurie can be either gender would you mind telling us yours before on of us puts our foot in our collective mouths.

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Beautiful and unusual tone woods at a reasonable price.
http://www.rctonewoods.com/RCT_Store
The Zootman
1109 Military Rd.
Kenmore, NY 14217
(716) 874-1498

[QUOTE=Bobc] before on of us puts our foot in our collective mouths. [/QUOTE]

I now have a whole new vision of this group.

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

It's really lovely, Laurie. I think your binding on the neck heel looks great.

Congratulations, and welcome to the OLF!

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Todd Rose
Ithaca, NY

https://www.dreamingrosesecobnb.com/todds-art-music

https://www.facebook.com/ToddRoseGuitars/

[QUOTE=Bobc]Beautiful Guitar Laurie. I'm also a big fan of walnut.
I have a question for you. Since Laurie can be either gender would you mind telling us yours before on of us puts our foot in our collective mouths. [/QUOTE]

Bob - glad you asked....it happens a lot...if there weren't a band at home already called this, I would have used "Laurie the Guy".    BTW - thanks for the nice ar. osage orange and the curly anigre the other week - really nice stuff!

I appreciate the kind words by all about the build....

The sides were first bent on a homemade side bender, which didn't have enough muscle to bend the cutaway and used 200W light bulbs for heat.  I didn't know spring steel existed then and used the thinnest sheet metal I could find.  It was way too thick, so I bought a bending iron and did it by hand.  After seeing Mayes side bending DVD, I think I'll upgrade to a real side bender with blankets at some point in the future.  

The body depth really does make it a "boomer" - nice and loud which I like too!

Laurie (the guy who specializes in exotic hampster shavings)

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Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.

That guitar looks great!
How's it sound?

I like the heel binding!
It will be copied and called the
Laurie binding!!!!!
Nice touch for a 1st guitar!


Mike coliins

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Mike Collins

That guitar looks great!
How's it sound?

I like the heel binding!
It will be copied and called the
Laurie binding!!!!!
Nice touch for a 1st guitar!


Mike Collins

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Mike Collins

By the way, I did like the heel binding on the neck also.. it adds a "classy" look to the guitar.  Heck, I might even try that myself one day.

I didnt notice the clear pickguard until you pointed it out either. It is almost invisible, which I like even more than the black or tortise shell ones. The fact that it can be removed without causing any damage to the guitar is a plus also. I have ordered a couple of sheets of this stuff from a seller on e-bay and will be able to try it out for myself soon. Thanks for the tip!

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Reguards,

Ken H