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Classical Guitar (Guitar #6)
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Author:  Joel Barbeau [ Mon Jan 13, 2014 8:53 pm ]
Post subject:  Classical Guitar (Guitar #6)
Hi everyone, like the title says, this is my sixth guitar. It's a classical guitar (my third one) taking inspiration from Daniel Friederich, John S. Bogdanovich and Trevor Gore (I'm talking about the construction methods here. Aesthetically it's a melting pot of everything I like about every guitar I've ever seen, I guess) Here's the basic decription : Laminated sides and linings, four mahogany back braces, neck and body built separately, cedar top and Indian Rosewood back and sides.

It will be the same shape as this one (my second classical, that I built using some of José Romanillos' designs and construction techniques)
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I'm going for a minimalist/efficient look, and I still haven't decided if I'm going for an elevated neck or not. I haven't seen a lot of info on how to do that.

Here's the rosette made of amboyna and eucalyptus burl :
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One of the bracing system Daniel Friederich uses (a lot of fitting is involved, very fun to do, but I might not do that again)
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The different parts of the guitar, before glueing the top
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The inlay on the head is amboyna burl, same piece as the rosette.

Next step : The bindings! Thanks for looking.
Author:  Bobc [ Tue Jan 14, 2014 3:03 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Classical Guitar (Guitar #6)
Beautiful work Joel [:Y:]
Author:  MaxBishop [ Tue Jan 14, 2014 8:27 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Classical Guitar (Guitar #6)
Beautiful - inside and out!

Max
Author:  johnparchem [ Tue Jan 14, 2014 8:58 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Classical Guitar (Guitar #6)
Looking good. I love the rosette.
Author:  EddieLee [ Tue Jan 14, 2014 10:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Classical Guitar (Guitar #6)
Really nice. Great rosette!
Author:  Beth Mayer [ Tue Jan 14, 2014 11:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Classical Guitar (Guitar #6)
Gorgeous. Pristine work! [clap]
Author:  WaddyThomson [ Wed Jan 15, 2014 3:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Classical Guitar (Guitar #6)
Really a fine looking instrument!
Author:  Joel Barbeau [ Wed Jan 15, 2014 9:31 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Classical Guitar (Guitar #6)
Thanks for the kind words everyone!

Here's what I did yesterday :
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This is the third guitar I've done with the binding jig from Canadian Luthier Supply and it gets easier everytime, and setting it up takes about two minutes, really.

And here's what I just did :
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One of the first thing I learned when I started this build :
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Protect the cedar top at all cost! (This is my first guitar using cedar)

Tomorrow I'll be binding the top, and hopefully I'll have some pictures of how it all looks (nothing fancy, really)
Author:  Joel Barbeau [ Sun Jan 19, 2014 9:02 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Classical Guitar (Guitar #6)
This morning I got the bindings done and levelled, the butt inlay was fitted after the bindings, I forgot to take pictures of the process so here's the result :
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I used the offcut from the side, so it is the piece of rosewood that would have been there anyway.

And here's how the whole thing looks from the front :
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Next up is the rest of the neck (still haven't done the fretboard) , the mortice for the neck joint, the bridge and then finish which will most likely be french polish.
Author:  Doug Balzer [ Sun Jan 19, 2014 9:18 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Classical Guitar (Guitar #6)
Your work is inspiring me Joel.
Author:  Joel Barbeau [ Fri Jan 24, 2014 6:50 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Classical Guitar (Guitar #6)
Thanks Doug! I try to make things as neat as I can :D

Here's how I glue my fingerboards (1'' thick plexiglass offcut I get from my job, more than I could ever possibly use, and they consider it scrap!)

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And I decided to go with a 12-hole bridge. Next time I use a mosaic on the tie block I might do 18-holes again to show it off like I did on my last one, but this one's looks won't suffer from having strings pass over it.

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I'll be posting more pictures this weekend as I might start carving the neck, or fitting the neck on the body, whichever I feel like doing most.
Author:  Joel Barbeau [ Sat Jan 25, 2014 7:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Classical Guitar (Guitar #6)
Thought I'd post a bit more on how I do the stuff rather than just showing the results :

Here's my set-up for drilling holes in a straight line, like tuner holes or string holes on bridges
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The board is bolted to the drill press table, and the fence is adjustable. All you need to do is align the first and last holes in a line and the rest will follow.
To drill the secondary holes in the bridge all you have to do it to add a shim to the front of the vise the width of the offset you want between the two rows of holes.

And here's how I do the mortise in the body :

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The sides and the upper bout lay flat on the surface of the board with all the center lines aligned. I took the idea from Contemporary Guitar Design and Build.
It's also where I got the idea to make my own 'router table', pretty simple but effective.

I usually also use the router table to do the tenon on the neck too, but I decided to do an elevated neck on this one after all, so it's a bit more complicated than usual. I had to do it by hand. Tomorrow I'll make it fit properly and then carve the neck.
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Author:  Beth Mayer [ Mon Feb 10, 2014 6:24 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Classical Guitar (Guitar #6)
Really like seeing the set-ups for various processes. You are doing amazing work!
Author:  Johny [ Mon Feb 10, 2014 10:39 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Classical Guitar (Guitar #6)
Superbe!
Author:  Colin North [ Thu Mar 20, 2014 3:25 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Classical Guitar (Guitar #6)
Top job on no.6. [:Y:]
Author:  johnparchem [ Thu Mar 20, 2014 5:09 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Classical Guitar (Guitar #6)
Nice work. I am very interested in an elevated fret board. I will be watching with interest.
Author:  Joel Barbeau [ Mon Jul 28, 2014 9:13 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Classical Guitar (Guitar #6)
Well this one sort of fell through the cracks...
But now it's done and it sounds pretty good, maybe I could have left the top a little thicker though.
Separation of notes and projection is very good, all in all I'm very happy with it.

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I moved to another shop in April and started another guitar around mid-April, and finished it around 3 weeks ago.
Something a little different :
Maple all around
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Bolt-on bolt-off neck joint, à la Gore-Gilet
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This one is number 7. Number 8 and 9 are on their way, laminating the sides today. One OM and a parlor in walnut.

Thanks for having a look!
Author:  MaxBishop [ Tue Jul 29, 2014 5:58 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Classical Guitar (Guitar #6)
I'm looking forward to seeing more of your great work.

Best wishes,
Max
Author:  Murray Hunt [ Wed Jul 30, 2014 12:46 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Classical Guitar (Guitar #6)
Man that maple guitar is just gorgeous!

Thanks for sharing, really interesting to see your builds.
Author:  J De Rocher [ Fri Aug 08, 2014 3:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Classical Guitar (Guitar #6)
Those are beautiful guitars. I'm wondering how you get such tight, precise wood-to-wood seams between the three wood rings in your rosettes.
Author:  Joel Barbeau [ Sat Aug 09, 2014 10:21 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Classical Guitar (Guitar #6)
Thank you for the kind words everyone, it's very encouraging!

J De Rocher wrote:
Those are beautiful guitars. I'm wondering how you get such tight, precise wood-to-wood seams between the three wood rings in your rosettes.


Careful measurement, and scoring the wood with a circle cutter before taking the router to it (I use the LMI circle-cutter, although I'm thinking about making my own out of clear plexiglas, I don't like not seeing the blade when I'm cutting).

I don't have big enough pieces of burl to cut a slice and make rings out of that, I have to cut small 1'' wide pieces and fit them around in a circle (I have to make 3 of them), and then route the different rings out of those.

Then I assemble the whole thing around a plexiglas circle of the right diameter with hot hide glue and a piece of waxed string going around it to keep the black veneer on the outside in place. Clean up a little, and then glue it in the soundboard with hot hide glue.

I had debated whether or not to put a veneer between the two different burls, then decided I liked the blurry transition between the Eucalyptus and Amboyna burl. It looks well defined from afar, then you get closer and it gets blurry. And then you look real close and it gets well defined again, it keeps it interesting, I like that.
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