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I am building a cutaway OM for a charity auction. Historically, I have built my cutaways by using a rectangular neck heel flush to the cutaway edge.

I notice on some Taylors, the cutaway begins about 1/8" out from the edge of the neck heel, exposing the binding and purfling (or at least part of it) on the top which would otherwise be covered by the fingerboard. What are everyone's feelings about this approach? I like the look of the exposed binding and purfling, but I'm not sure how much of an impact it has on the comfort playing in the cutaway area. In addition to your own thoughts, I would be interested in any comments you have heard from customers/players about their preferences for how the cutaway intersects with the neck heel?

Kelby,
As a player, I have not noticed any difference. I would be surprised if anyone does, but I've been surprised before. To me, it is strictly an aesthetic thing.

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In my eyes it looks bad. I think it looks like the builder missed on the math required to make the cutaway fit the neck. Every Taylor I've seen this way makes me think it's a mistake.

Thanks, Steve. That's extremely helpful.

Paul, that's an excellent point. I don't like the way the purfling and binding disappear under the fingerboard on most guitars, but I don't want it to look like I made a mistake.

Larrivee does this on all there cutaways too. So do many smaller number builders. Ted Thompson does it this way too, I think he was a Larrivee protege.

It's not just an aesthetic thing though. It is easier to do it this way. You don't have to get the joint between the body and the neck perfect as you would if the side and the heel of the neck were flush. It may be a trade off though as you don't have to miter the binding and purfling on the flush method.

Having said all of this. I personally like the flush heel to side joint in a cutaway. It just looks classier in my opinion.

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On my second guitar I tried to make it line up exactly. I missed by a long shot, more than 1/4 inch. I posted pictures of the entire build process on another forum. When I got to that part and posted pictures I had several responses that said they like it that way, not one that said they hated it. I'm sure those that didn't like it were just being nice, but I think it does show that there is no consensus among players.

Here is a picture - I was pretty much horrified when I first realized how much it was off. Like any mistake, it made me much more conscious of that part in the building process. So on my next one, I missed by just a little in the other direction.

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"An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience is an adventure wrongly considered." G. K. Chesterton.

Hey Rod,

Don't let Ted know you said that he is a larrivee protoge'. He has never worked for Larrivee and in fact designed, helped design and actually made a bunch of the jigs that Larrivee uses. Ted has given Larrivee more than he has taken. He is a fine builder with discerning standards. On his cut-aways, I looked at some the last time I was over there but I don't think the necks were on yet, I will ask him the next time I talk to him......The one I am making is designed for the fretboard to flush with the side, but again the neck is not on yet but all the measurements say that it will line up, now for the application to see if I am successful!

Hey, I will be done to Vancouver again on the second of November. Are you around?

Shane

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Canada

I wasn't sure at all if Ted was a former Larrivee protoge' or not. Thanks for the clerification. He is a very very fine builder, under rated really, one of Canada's best I think.

Yes I will be around at the begining of November, give me a call and we'll hook up, even if I have to meet you somewhere, lets make it work eh?

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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

Oh and Steve, that's a very nice looking second man. Killer bear claw. Is that all koa bindings?

Of course, more pictures would be great you know

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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

[QUOTE=Rod True] Of course, more pictures would be great you know [/QUOTE] Rod,
Those are maple bindings. I love the bear claw on that guitar. I made that guitar for my son.

The walnut back is pretty nice too.



Here is the best pic I have on thew maple bindings.

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"An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience is an adventure wrongly considered." G. K. Chesterton.

Well as usual, I'm not with the group on this one. I actually prefer the cutaway to finish lower than even with the neck heel. It may be easier, but I like the way the binding looks and the contrast in the detail. The other way looks bland to me.

As far as true playability to each design, I can't say...my fingers have never been up there (not likely to go either).

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I have to agree with Paul on this. It looks way better (IMVHO)to have the fingerboard & heel fair with the body.
But... I certainly have been tempted to go the other route while tapering the (very slightly) overhanging edge of the fingerboard to match up with the side of the cutaway.
On my last cutaway, I sprayed several extra coats of finish on the edge of the heel & fingerboard... and on the cutaway section so I could final sand & polish this area after assembly. This gave me a small fudge factor to get the parts to fair into one another seamlessly. I know it sounds a bit hokey, but it worked a charm!
It's a lot more work & fiddling around, but the results are really gratifying when you get it right.
Good luck with it!
Cheers,   Dan
P.S. Steve... That is one GORGEOUS guitar. I love the shape. Wanna sell me a template?Daniel M39003.6239467593