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Just strung her up tonight! I thought I'd never finish this one. Oddly enough, I think my first was easier.... Hmmm. Almost scared to try a third...

Particulars:
This is a shape I drew myself. I call it Modified Dreadnaught or Mod Dread for short.
Adi top.
Best grade EIR.
Flamed Koa trim and purfling on front.
Macassar headstock, FB and bridge.
Parabolic (sort of) bracing.
Unbleached bone nut and saddle and black horn pins.
Gotoh 510 'delta' tuners

I would of taken more pictures but my camera's batteries were on their last breath, so to speak...
I'll post more pics tomorrow. Note that I haven't buffed her out yet. Actually, I haven't even 'glazed' her properly yet.(FP finish)





So this is an older picture. No finish on the neck here.



This picture was taken while pore filling with System Three Epoxy. Love the stuff.

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I'd like to be able to prove, just for once, that money wouldn't make me happy...

Dang Alain!

Stunning! I haven't got up the courage yet to try mitered purfling. Looks really nice!

Congratulations!

-Mark

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Pullman, WA

The more I know, the more I know I don't know.

trippguitars.com
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Sweet!
Congrats!   

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Lance@LuthiersForum.com

WOW Alain - great work and only #2? You are destined for greatness !

Thank you for your very kind words guys!

Now that I think of it. I should of just held off and taken better pictures tomorrow... I was working on that guitar all night and I didn't even wipe it clean!

Hesh, I'm glad to hear you say that the Adi. takes a while to open up.   The bracing was very very light on this one. The bass is already it's best feature, IMHO.... I'll have a better idea in a few day...

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I'd like to be able to prove, just for once, that money wouldn't make me happy...

Alain -- well done and congratulations! Sure is a nice combination of materials and clean workmanship.

WOW bro, i can sure be proud of you good ol' pal, this baby looks sweeter in person and you definitely are an ongoing inspiration for me, your workmanship has to be acknowledged, you raised the bar very high for many of us and i look forward to play this awesome one.

Guys, just taping on that top, even without the strings, makes you drool with envy, this customer will definitely be the proud owner of a DESFORGES!

I'm soo happy for you Bro!

Excellant guitar for a #2! Really nice work Alain.You should be proud.That is a very cool shape and your bridge is awesome too.

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Anderson Guitars
Clearwater,Fl. 33755

Your #2 is beautiful!

I tend to favor cutaways and paired with your custom design it is a cool partnership!

#3 is in you - just give it time and before you know it you'll be planning and in the shop!

I look forward to seeing more pics too!

Excellent work Alain,

Great choice of material, great execution of skill.

Well Done

Kim

Gorgeous, and I love the bridge shape. Stellar!

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

Looks great Alain! I really like the shape you came up with, so much more graceful than another plain old dred. Your attention to detail is very evident as well. Great job!

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Dave Rector
Rector Guitars

Great job Alain! I like the shape of the guitar. It is very different. Your bridge is cool too. Keep up the good work!

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Joe Breault
Merrimack, NH
Perpetual novice

Very nice, Alain. That's a beauty.

Ron

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

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

Nice looking guitar Alain!

Thank you all for your very kind and generous comments!

Anthony, that Excel spread-sheet to calculate string spacings is pure genius to work with. And here I was trying to eye-ball it! Thanks again my friend.

The sound is opening up wonderfully. The sustain is beyond belief... I'm besides myself with joy. I just sit with it, strum a chord and giggle maniaclly. Is that normal?

I'm much afraid that my first sounds very sickly compared to this one... It's really too bad I don't get to keep her.

Thanks again folks! For me, I find that the OLF is a very big part of my whole building experience. Your accolades mean more than you'll ever know...

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I'd like to be able to prove, just for once, that money wouldn't make me happy...

Alain,

That looks really nice. I really like it when people do their own designs rather than copies of well tried body shapes. If all dreads came like that I'd probably start to like them more. Nice wood combinations - they work really well.

Never used adi but it's supposed to be similar to euro spruce. If so it will start off sounding great and then just grow from there. In two years time it will be fantastic.

Keep on smilimg

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Dave White
De Faoite Stringed Instruments
". . . the one thing a machine just can't do is give you character and personalities and sometimes that comes with flaws, but it always comes with humanity" Monty Don talking about hand weaving, "Mastercrafts", Weaving, BBC March 2010

Guys, me and Al were on the phone at 2h00 am so i could hear it and WOW! never heard anything so LOUD and CLEAR over the phone, i told Alain to bring the volume down but he said he couldn't I just can't wait to try a plectrum on this gorgeous baby, it will be like going nuclear!

Alain, that's awesome!!! I love the body shape and the bridge.



Mike

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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

Nice!Nice!Nice!

Alain...Beautiful work, bro!!!

Is this the same one you showed at Zootman's bash? The workmanship is 1st rate...wish I could take her for a spin.

You gave me the courage to try FP and for that I thank you...in spite of the "tennis elbow"

So, what are the plans for #3...get busy and build one for yourself    

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

Beeeeeeeeautiful! Great work and just #2, you have a real talent there my friend.

Mike
White Oak, Texas

Thanks again everyone!!!

Dave, I don't know if it's because I used HHG exclusively or the Adi. or a bit of both, this thing sounds absolutely amazing... She's opening up by the minute...

JJ, yes this the one I brought to Bob's... It's finally done!!!

No.3 will have the same shape but 1 inch narrower. So I guess that would make it a type of Grand Auditorium??EIR (that back I had at Bob's too) with a bearclaw sitka top. I'll probably go with flamed koa trim again, although I don't like the idea of repeating, at least this one IS for ME!!! Oh yeah, multiscale as well.... Me? A glutton for punishment?

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I'd like to be able to prove, just for once, that money wouldn't make me happy...

Sweet shape, man, and nicely done. This is so inspiring!

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"Building guitars looks hard, but it's actually much harder than it looks." Tom Buck