Official Luthiers Forum!

Hello All,

I would like to thank EVERYONE for their help in getting me through the building of my first guitar!

I have learned so much from all of you, and, learned some things about myself too! It has been
sort of a long journey, but, well worth the time and effort! In fact, I’m looking forward to starting my next soon!
I’ve got my new shop all set up, and lots of good zoot I got from the swap meet.

Anyway, hope you all enjoy the pics, and please feel free to comment. Any and all criticism will
be welcomed with an open mind.

I’ll try to answer a few questions you might have right away. Sorry about the quality of the pics.

1. It’s a Stewmac Dreadnought kit, and I should say it was a very fine kit to work with! I would
recommend it to anyone who is contemplating their first build.
2. Top is Spruce.
3. Back & Sides are mahogany.
4. Neck is one piece mahogany.
5. Binding is quilted maple, with herringbone purfling.
6. Grover tuners with ebony buttons, that I got from Mr. Bruce Dickey.
7. Strings are light, flat wound, and they feel real nice.
8. Ebony peghead veneer, and fretboard with MOP dots.
9. Finish is True-Oil, (4 coats)
10. And, what I think is the coolest part! An inlay done by Mr. Paul Bordeaux.

BTW, the guitar sounds fantastic!

Thanks so much, again!

Robert



























Thanks for looking!

Robert

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Everything has beauty, But, not everyone see's it!

Hi Robert!

Is that the same guitar that was at the MAGI meeting?  It looks really great.  You did some really nice finishing touches on it since I saw it.  Good job.

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Hey, it's done!!!! Awesome Robert, congratulations...I know exactly how you feel. That's impressive work, and like Waddy, I really like how it's come along since our get-together.

So what's on tap for No. 2?   

Bill

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

NICE !!
I love the inlay-Paul does great work.
Did it take long for the oil finish to dry?

Stringing up a new guitar still gets my heart pumping !
Even after 30 years of building!

Mike

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Mike Collins

Congratulations, Robert! Looks great!

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now known around here as Pat Foster
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com

Neat, clean work, with simple design executed well! I can imagine that inlay was a little tricky to accomplish.

Great work!! What are you planning for the next build?

Very nice job, Robert. It looks VERY clean.

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Mike

"The Dude abides. I don't know about you but I take comfort in that. It's good knowin' he's out there. The Dude. Takin' 'er easy for all us sinners. Shoosh." The Stranger

Very nice first guitar! Very nice guitar, period. I like it.

Ron (on the road)

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

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

Real Nice first!

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Billy Dean Thomas
Covina, CA

"Multi famam, conscientiam, pauci verentur."
(Many fear their reputation, few their conscience)

Great work Robert. Classic looking dreadnought.

What's next?

Cheers

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Bob Connor
Geelong, Australia

Fantastic first build.
It take some guts to have Paul do some of his fine work on your 1st guitar.
I would have been to chicken to have him inlay on my 1st just in case it
didn't turn out OK

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Andy Z.
http://www.lazydogguitars.com

OK, now its time to break out the "Zoot" You gonna build a double neck, 6 & 12 string acustic electric for the next one?

                                      Red

Nice job Robert. Everything really came together well, especially for your first try. (BTW I swiped your idea for a binding jig - works well. thanks for the tip.) Look forward to hearing it sometime...

Bob K

Outstanding work Robert!

Cant wait to see what is in store for #2 !

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Reguards,

Ken H

That's a fine guitar Robert. I like the lustre of the Ture-oil finish. I'd be interested in know how it holds up as a finish. Well done!

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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

Very nice first guitar Robert!

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Anderson Guitars
Clearwater,Fl. 33755

Looks good, Robert!
Glad it sounds good, too.
I bet it would sound even better though, if you put some bronze strings on there.

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

Great work Robert . The volute is very cool, as is the whole guitar .Did you seal with a shellac first coat , or put it straight on ?.
What is your next ? Well done mate !


Cheers , Craig

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CRAIG LAWRENCE of AUSTRALIA
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First, I would like to thank everyone for their positive comments. I have read each and every post,
and, I want you all to know, that you have made me feel pretty darn good about myself right now.
So, thanks again!

Also, I want to reaffirm my apology for the quality of the pics, cause they don’t show the flaws I
had decided to accept. Small ones, but flaws non the less.

OK, to answer a few questions;

Waddy, Yep! same guitar.

Bill, thanks for putting MAGI together. Talking with you, and the other olf’ers really helped me out a bunch!
Well, as for my next build, I was thinking since I got a top and back set, from Mr. John Watkins at the
swap meet that had already been braced, perhaps I should go ahead and finish her up. The only trouble is,
I’m not familiar with what John calls a “Pau Ferro”. I’m sure there are certain details I should follow when
putting her together. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
I guess, I could post a few pics, if anyone is interested?

Mike, they suggest (LMI) you wait about 1.5 - 2 weeks for the final coat to cure before you do
your final sanding/polishing. I waited, I think about 9 days, and it turned out just fine.
I applied all four coats within four days, lightly sanding with 0000 steel wool between each coat. It’s about as
easy as a finish can be to work with. I did not apply it exactly the way LMI suggested. I poured a
little on a clothe, then wiped it on the wood as lightly as I could. (It was stressed that, you don’t
want to let it soak into the wood). The first coat seals it up pretty good, so, you can be a little
more liberal with successive coats. At least, that’s what worked for me. I will say, that it takes to
hardwood a lot better than spruce. Next time, I’m going to apply more coats, but sand more aggressively
between coats on a spruce top. Also, for the final sanding/polishing, I started lightly with 400 grit,
then went right to 6000 grit Micromesh in circular motions. Followed by 8000 grit,
then finally, 12000 grit. Here’s the address if you want to read more about it.

http://www.lmii.com/CartTwo/TruOil.htm

Sam, thank you! Actually, it wasn’t very tricky. Paul did the inlaying for me. All I did was glue
the veneer to the peghead.

Hesh, I did grin quite a bit! But, before I plucked that first string, I wrapped that pink towel
around my head, and was going to try to sing, but, the darn towel kept falling off. So, I went to
the bathroom, and looked in the mirror, thinking I could fix right. That’s when I realized, I looked
more like an absent minded beduin, than the flying nun. So, I gave it up, put on my Stetson, and
sang a rendition of my old favorite, “Back in the saddle again”

Well, I’ve gone on quite a bit here. Guess I’d better go. But, one more thing...

Isn’t anyone going to ask why I chose a unicorn?

Robert

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Everything has beauty, But, not everyone see's it!

Hmmm, based on getting to know you for less than a full day I'd say it's because, like a Unicorn, your first guitar used to be a mythical creature?   

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

I don't know why you feel so darn good about yourself as you sure took your sweet time sharing pictures with us -- what's with that?

Robert, congratulations seeing your guitar you have every reason to feel good about yourself and proud! Very nice work.

I look forward to seeing #2, #3......

Very Nice!

Mike

Anthony, thank you for the kinds words.
My day job has been soaking up a lot of my time lately,
but, I promise to do better with the pics on my next build!

Hesh & Bill,

Well, funny you should ask!

One day while working on my guitar in the old shed, I got to thinking,
I‘d like to do some kind of inlay on the peghead. I thought, my name.
My initials. My boys name. Combination of my name and my boys name.
Well, you get the idea! Then the proverbial “light bulb” went off over my head!
Which doesn’t happen much anymore, due to the loss of voltage in my brain over the years.

Anyway, there I was, just standing there, staring at the peghead, when I said to myself!
Hey! I wonder what’s on my family crest! So, to the web I went! lions were everywhere.
There were deer, eagles, boars, dogs, and all kinds of emblems. When I came across mine, I said “hmm”
that’s sort of unique! A Unicorn! And, not just any old bright eyed, bushy tailed, with long eyelashes,
and kaleidoscope colors unicorn. This unicorn was Bold, Proud, and Brave! Not that I resemble any
of those characteristics. However, some Dobbs in the past must have. Course, in those days, it
was real popular to be bold, proud, and brave, along with a large serving of chivalry.

So, in respect of my forefathers, I shall carry on the tradition, and proudly inlay the noble unicorn
on my guitars! (Since I don’t have a shield or a sword to weld around) And, if I’m fortunate, they
will say to themselves. “Robert, my that inlay serve you well!”

Thanks for listening,

Robert

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Everything has beauty, But, not everyone see's it!