Nice choice of wood ... This should be a beautiful build
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| Jaybird's #3 challenge build http://w-ww.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10134&t=39082 |
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| Author: | Jaybird840 [ Thu Jan 24, 2013 9:30 am ] |
| Post subject: | Jaybird's #3 challenge build |
Hi All, I guess I'll start the documentation of my third build. It will be a parlor built for a friend that will resemble my build #2. (See the Mesquite-O challenge build thread for pics). First, I want to air this out up front. This guitar was scheduled to be my #2 build, but I couldn't resist the urge to jump into the 2012 Challenge Build #2, so I put this build on hold. Prior to the beginning of the newbie challenge, I had already done some work on this build. The top and back plates were joined, and the neck blank was glued up. As the end of this challenge is in October, I don't think I'm off to an unfair advantage, but I'll let the group decide. I should be finished with it by late spring. I'm definitely unwilling to postpone this build any longer to build a guitar for this challenge. Shouldn't matter much as it is still my third build. Anyway.... I have a long love affair with parlor guitars. The fella I'm building this guitar for played on stage in the mid 90's with a Takamine replica of a 1900 Bruno parlor. I loved that guitar dearly, and roamed the earth looking for one similar. I found a brazilian rosewood parlor at one of the online Nashville companies, and bought it. Unfortunately, it was stolen (along with my '63 Gretsch Corvette, and other guitars) in a residential burglary. The inability to locate another parlor that I wanted was what led me into guitar building in 1995. My first and second builds were both parlors. This guitar will be: Gorgeous bear claw Sitka spruce top and bracing, Pau Ferro back and sides, and either ebony, rosewood, or maple bindings. It will have a herringbone rosette and top purfling. It's another 12-fret, slotted headstock guitar. So let's commence with the build. Here's the pile of wood from Bob at RC tonewoods (one of our sponsors, and a real pleasure to work with) Pau Ferro back and side set, mahogany reverse-kerfed linings, neck blank, and heel and neck blocks. Attachment: Picture 001.jpg I got started by joining the top Attachment: Picture 006.jpg Attachment: Picture 005.jpg
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| Author: | Jaybird840 [ Thu Jan 24, 2013 9:35 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Jaybird's #3 challenge build |
And then the neck glue up. I was taught to build a stacked heel and scarf joint headstock, so that's what I do.... Attachment: Picture 018.jpg Attachment: Picture 024.jpg Attachment: Picture 020.jpg
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| Author: | Jaybird840 [ Thu Jan 24, 2013 9:40 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Jaybird's #3 challenge build |
And the back glued up, cut out, and scraped... Attachment: Picture 010.jpg and wet with naptha.... pretty! Attachment: Picture 012.jpg and now ready to start building the box... Attachment: Picture 022.jpg
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| Author: | WudWerkr [ Thu Jan 24, 2013 9:45 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Jaybird's #3 challenge build |
Nice choice of wood ... This should be a beautiful build
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| Author: | Alex Kleon [ Thu Jan 24, 2013 9:50 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Jaybird's #3 challenge build |
Pretty, pretty wood, Jay! This looks like a good one!Alex |
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| Author: | Jaybird840 [ Thu Jan 24, 2013 9:52 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Jaybird's #3 challenge build |
And the rosette installed and sanded flush... Attachment: Picture 025.jpg I charred my first set of sides in the fox bender--stunk up the garage. I guess you don't need as much heat for Pau Ferro as mesquite! So, I had to source another set (Thanks Aaron Hix!). Got them bent up and into the mold... Attachment: Picture 031.jpg The Mesquite-O was built with a 90 degree X brace, single finger braces, and a single tone bar. After listening to a sound clip of one of Stephen Kinnaird's parlors and asking him about his bracing scheme, I am going to build this guitar with double finger braces and an X below the bridge plate. As it is very easy to overbuild parlor guitars, all of these braces will start out at 1/4" and will be thinned pretty drastically. The X below the bridge plate will be 3/16th to start, and similarly tapered. Here is a rough layout of the bracing design: Attachment: Picture 030.jpg
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| Author: | ZekeM [ Thu Jan 24, 2013 10:21 am ] |
| Post subject: | Jaybird's #3 challenge build |
Paroles are interesting little creatures. Looks like you've got a nice one underway. That's some serious bearclaw going on there! Good luck! |
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| Author: | Casey Cochran [ Thu Jan 24, 2013 2:13 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Jaybird's #3 challenge build |
Oooooh, I like it! |
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| Author: | Bryan Bear [ Thu Jan 24, 2013 3:47 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Jaybird's #3 challenge build |
I'm glad to see you in this one. I loved the mesquite-o and can't wait to see another of your parlors! Good luck. |
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| Author: | Rodger Knox [ Fri Jan 25, 2013 10:16 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Jaybird's #3 challenge build |
Watch out for that Pao Fero dust, it's an extreame sensitizer! It's a beautiful wood, and not very expensive, but I can't have it around anymore, and I didn't use it very much. |
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| Author: | Tony_in_NYC [ Fri Jan 25, 2013 10:28 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Jaybird's #3 challenge build |
Nice looking wood. |
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| Author: | Jaybird840 [ Sun Jan 27, 2013 10:55 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Jaybird's #3 challenge build |
Thanks Bryan, Tony, and the rest! I guess some progress is still progress. I got the neck and heel blocks installed, and the linings glued on. Attachment: linings in.jpg The back radius work is almost done. I have the back prepped and ready to go on... Attachment: 2013-01-27 21.50.56.jpg
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| Author: | Casey Cochran [ Mon Jan 28, 2013 6:53 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Jaybird's #3 challenge build |
Looks awesome. I like the logo.
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| Author: | jfmckenna [ Mon Jan 28, 2013 10:00 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Jaybird's #3 challenge build |
Jay, I couldn't believe that last parlor you built was only your second guitar. It was one of my fav's on the last challenge. After building my first parlor guitar I definitely share the love of these little instruments. |
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| Author: | Jaybird840 [ Mon Jan 28, 2013 10:31 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Jaybird's #3 challenge build |
jfmckenna wrote: Jay, I couldn't believe that last parlor you built was only your second guitar. It was one of my fav's on the last challenge. After building my first parlor guitar I definitely share the love of these little instruments. That means a lot coming from you. The tone you got out of the broke oak was amazing! I hope is one turns out as well.... |
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| Author: | Jaybird840 [ Fri Feb 01, 2013 8:54 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Jaybird's #3 challenge build |
Here's a quick update for what I've done this week. I drilled the holes for the knockdown bits that go through the tenon, and then drilled the holes for the bolts going through the headblock and into the front of the tenon. This is my first time trying the Cumpiano bolt-on joint. The Mesquite-O used a bolt on butt joint which was a bish to floss. This is one place where the Shopsmith really shines--horizontal boring! Attachment: Tenon prep 2.jpg I got the back radiused and sanded by spending plenty of time "driving the bus." Attachment: Driving the bus.jpg And I glued the back onto the sides today. This is exactly how it looked when it came out of the go-bar deck. I have become OBSESSIVE about glue cleanup during clamping. It sure is easier to clean it up when it's wet! Attachment: back glued on.jpg Onward! |
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| Author: | Jaybird840 [ Tue Feb 05, 2013 8:53 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Jaybird's #3 challenge build |
Got a little work done last night. I cut the tenon for the neck joint, and installed the truss rod and filler strip..... Attachment: truss rod in.jpg I did some work on the top bracing this morning, but no pics... However, I did a little resawing last night with my shopsmith bandsaw. It did OK for a saw not really designed for resawing. The wood is 4" thick cocobolo. It will get glued up into a 3 piece back for my next parlor build.... Attachment: resaw.jpg
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| Author: | Marcus [ Wed Feb 06, 2013 11:33 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Jaybird's #3 challenge build |
Great progress, Jay. I've got a sister set of that Pau Ferro, I am looking forward to seeing it all finished. Good luck. |
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| Author: | Jaybird840 [ Thu Feb 14, 2013 7:29 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Jaybird's #3 challenge build |
Time for the weekly update.... I got the truss rod installed, and the tenon cut for the neck.  And then got started on bracing the top   And got some brace carving started at 5am today (which is when I have time to work on my guitars)   Making progress!! |
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| Author: | Casey Cochran [ Thu Feb 14, 2013 8:05 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Jaybird's #3 challenge build |
Looking good, Jay! |
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| Author: | ZekeM [ Thu Feb 14, 2013 9:43 am ] |
| Post subject: | Jaybird's #3 challenge build |
Interesting pattern with the crossed tone bars. Seems like that would really stiffen up the lower bout a lot. Do u thin them a lit to compensate this? Also what's the theory behind crossing them? I'm intrigued |
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| Author: | Jaybird840 [ Thu Feb 14, 2013 10:53 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Jaybird's #3 challenge build |
Zeke, I based the bracing design off of a parlor that Stephen Kinnaird built recently. The tone from the guitar is absolutely amazing. It is a redwood top, but this is the bracing scheme he used. I waffled back and forth as my last build was one finger brace and one tone bar, and it sounds pretty good to my ear. However, it is nothing near the clarity and responsiveness of the Kinnaird build. Stephen seems to think that symetrically tying the top together with an X brace below the bridge plate improves the bass response. We'll see how it finishes out, but the tap tones coming from it as I'm shaving the braces are making me pretty happy. He recommended 3/16ths width on the lower X. Here is a soundclip video of the Kinnaird parlor. His lower bout is a little bigger--Martin size 1 I think. I prefer the size 2 with its 12" lower bout. |
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| Author: | ZekeM [ Thu Feb 14, 2013 1:26 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Jaybird's #3 challenge build |
sweet. that thing sounds fantastic! Hopefully you will get those kinda amazing results with yours
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| Author: | Bryan Bear [ Thu Feb 14, 2013 6:22 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Jaybird's #3 challenge build |
With all the awesome parlor clips around this place lately, I may have to bump this up on the list! Jay, your progress looks great. I can't wait to hear it. You are so fancy you even have a curly bridge plate 
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| Author: | Jaybird840 [ Sun Feb 17, 2013 8:24 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Jaybird's #3 challenge build |
Got a little more done yesterday. I finished carving the braces, and getting everything cleaned up. I learned something new yesterday. The weather was beautiful outside, so I did my cleanup and sanding of the braces outside in direct sunlight. The sunlight exposes every little smear of glue and scratch in the top and braces. Not too good for the ego, but good for the final product. Here is the top cleaned up and ready to go on..... Attachment: 2013-02-16 15.41.25.jpg As my ladies went shopping yesterday, I had a little more time than normal. I followed Hesh's tutorial for sanding the upper bout flat using a granite slab and sandpaper. Next, I was able to inlet the top braces into the linings. The top is now ready to go on after I reinforce the upper bout for a soundport that I'm still debating. I also need to install either some side tapes or spruce struts to guard against side splits. I used tapes on my first, and thin spruce braces on my second. Hopefully by Monday night, I'll have a closed box! Attachment: 2013-02-17 07.10.39.jpg Attachment: 2013-02-17 07.10.14.jpg
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