Official Luthiers Forum!

I adore doing almost every thing. In particular Inlay work. I can loose track of hours on end while cutting pearl. But I have to say I dread cutting the channels for a new inlay pattern. I am never nervous about breaking pearl while cutting out shapes, even though it does happen from time to time. But I am always nervous while cutting the channels. Each new pattern has it own pitfalls and picadillos and you never know just what or where you will find them. If you mess up while cutting a shape out of pearl it is just that piece that is wasted. If you mess up channeling the fretboard it all has to be re-done.

The whole finishing process. It just seems like work. If you do EXACTLY what you did on a previous instrument, it could turn out completely different. There doesn't seem to be any sense of "getting better at it". Each one is a disappointment.

Setup! That seams like the place and everything rears it's ugly head. Plus you're so close to being done that it's really hard to have the disipline to do a good job.

Mike, from experience, it will get better. Conditions do seem to influence the outcome somewhat, but you can work around conditions by planning even postponing the work needing to be done.

I have about ten or even a dozen schedules folks use for doing a nitrocellulose lacquer finish. Everyone does the same basic things, but may use various products or techniques. The goal is an end product that pleases you and then of course the buyer, if you are selling the instrument.

Like Charles Fox said, sometimes we are humbled by what it is we've waded off into. This stuff ain't easy. Guitarmaking, a series of intense efforts to excel at doing lots of different jobs well. Much to master, but each job requires muster to master. Does that make sense?

[QUOTE=Dickey] Mike, from experience, it will get better. Conditions do seem to influence the outcome somewhat, but you can work around conditions by planning even postponing the work needing to be done.

I have about ten or even a dozen schedules folks use for doing a nitrocellulose lacquer finish. Everyone does the same basic things, but may use various products or techniques. The goal is an end product that pleases you and then of course the buyer, if you are selling the instrument.

Like Charles Fox said, sometimes we are humbled by what it is we've waded off into. This stuff ain't easy. Guitarmaking, a series of intense efforts to excel at doing lots of different jobs well. Much to master, but each job requires muster to master. Does that make sense?
[/QUOTE] I think Paul was the one that was discouraged with finishing. I have done about six different finish process and have to say that I really don't have major concerns there. The real trick to good finishing is too take your time. Prep the guitar to the infinite degree. Build the finish in the same step procedure each time. Level just like you prep. Polish and buff with a firm hand and a feather touch. Nothing to it right

I get frustrated at getting the finish just right. It always seems there is a drip or a sand through. At least with the waterborne lacquer I used. I am using nitro-c. this next guitar then KTM-9 the next. I have to keep trying until I get more perfect at bringing out a great shine. I like when guitars look wet. Kinda like a mirror image reflection as well. Practice makes perfect.

Caution, if you get the Nitro right, you may never try the KTM9.    Doolin seems to really like the KTM9

At first I was going to say sanding inlays flat, but then I decided on connecting pieces. When using CA as a joiner the pieces lift a bit, or not, and get potentially uneven with each other. It always drives me crazy worrying about sanding through, or loosing a specific color I strived to have in the final process. I am going to try a few other methods with tapes, etc.. in the near future.

Craig Lavin

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www.handcraftinlay.com

Finish and set-up seems is always the hardest part for me. When I reach this stage I now consider the job half done. I've learned to take my time and enjoy the process and I think it will pay dividends in the end.

Cleaning my workbench! I am excited to get to work on my guitar, but can't find the tools I need, or the room to even work on it. So, I have to take the time to clean the bench off, hang up the tools, etc. before I can begin. Hard to do, when you are excited about the project ahead.

Jeff

[QUOTE=Dickey] Caution, if you get the Nitro right, you may never try the KTM9.[/QUOTE]

I have to admit Bruce, that I have seen a "perfect" Nitro finish, and it produced a giddiness by everyone in the room when it was seen. It happened to be a OM-45 just fresh from the buffer at the Julius Borges shop, and you could swear the thing was wet. It was perfect. No micro-fine scratches anywhere, just pure glass-smooth nitro finish. I've never come close to that with ktm-9, it's just almost impossible to get those fine fine scratches out.

If someone could eliminate the toxicity and volativity of nitro, I would go there in a heartbeat.

That said, perhaps Matt Gage will chime in on his recent experience comparing nitro and ktm-9...
Matt???

Don W38370.8444907407

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

I don't like neck sets. It's time consuming and there are no room for errors. If it's not perfect then playability will certainly suffer. I haven't found any real shortcuts there yet.

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tim...
http://www.mcknightguitars.com

I would say.... cleaning up binding.

It would be finish, but I don't do that anymore. :)

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John Mayes
http://www.mayesluthier.com

I was going to say cleaning the spray gun, but then I remembered that I hate cutting the binding/purfling ledges. I tried Stew Macs Dremel Jig, and the old fashioned way, by chisel and gramil. Hate both and I always seem to screw something up. Soon, I'm hoping to purchase Mark Ketts jig, it seems like a great way to make this task fun!

Ray

Like pretty much doing it all. I think setup and repair for now anyway

Mitring those blinkin' florantine cutaway corners.
Should get some lessons from Gerrald Sheppard on this one.
Duh.

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"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

Cleaning superglue off sides after binding. And other than that, binding and finishing give me the most 'stress'. I'm still working on getting setups perfect, but that's more of a challenge than a 'least favourtie task'.

Cutting binding/purfling ledges. Probably because instead of getting/making the right tool/jig, I have tried to jerry rig everything and just wind up screwing things up royally.

Trying to get the neck angle correct! Also, setup, and finishing. I have been working on getting rid of fret buzz for 2 weeks now on my #2 guitar, and it is driving me crazy!