Official Luthiers Forum!

Well, I finally finished building my first guitar and strung it up about an hour ago. I came up to pitch easily and didn't go KRUMP!!!!! as I'd half expected it to!

In just a few hours I'll be on the road for the 14 hour drive up to the GAL Convention in Tacoma....talk about cutting it fine! I had to rush the finishing in order to get it all done in time, so it's not the best finish job I could do. I used some quick drying acrylic finish (in the interest of time) - it came out much too thick and kind of mutes the guitar's sound quite a bit from when it had no finish on it. Even so, it sounds VERY nice indeed - lovely open tone, tons of sustain, nice balanced sound (well, to my ears anyway). Sometime after the GAL Conference I'll post a sound clip.

Just a couple of photos for now, more later. It's an OM-ish thing, koa b/s, sitka top, mahogany neck, ebony brigde/fingerboard/headplate, EIRW binding, paua rosette, cosmo Gotoh tuners, Martin light strings. I made it to suit my tastes - that is, the fingerboard is much wider than a normal steel string acoustic and the wide string spacing continues all the way down to the bridge/saddle. I have fat fingers and find it much easier to play compared to my Martin SWD.

Click on the pictures to see the full resolution versions.





Cheers for now,
Dave F.

P.S. Darn it! I forgot to make a label for the inside! Rats.......

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Cambrian Guitars

"There goes Mister Tic-Tac out the back with some bric-brac from the knick-knack rack"

Lovely guitar! Well done!

look great from here!!

Koa on a first build eh?

young people!!!

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My soundclick xx luthier blog xx luthier soundclick

She looks great Dave buddy - congrats!!!! Enjoy Gal too.

Looks great Dave! Very nicely done An inspiration for me as a first-time builder

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Dan

Looks great Dave!

Fantastic Koa too!

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Lance@LuthiersForum.com

WOW Dave!

That is one snazzy guitar. I love the koa. Wish I could be at the GAL convention to play Crazy Train on it.

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"After forty-nine years of violin building, I have decided that the search for a varnish is similar to the fox hunt. The fun is in the hunt."
Jack Batts Maker and Repairer of Fine Violins

It looks really great to me.

I wish I were taking my first to GAL. That would really be fun.

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Congrats on the first build!
Look great. I'm a sucker for Koa, beautiful wood!

Cheers,
Chad

Very nice, killer koa and rosette. I must try koa soon, it is so darned pretty.

Thanks for the nice comments all.

I'm now up in the Tacoma area ready for the GAL thing tomorrow. My buddy Bill has been playing my guitar this evening. It took him a bit of time to get used to the wider string spacing, but he's making it sound pretty good right now.

The koa I used for this first one was the lesser figured stuff that I have. Just wait till you see some of the other stuff later!

Cheers for now,
Dave F.

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Cambrian Guitars

"There goes Mister Tic-Tac out the back with some bric-brac from the knick-knack rack"

She looks great!!! Welcome to Tacoma too! It sounds like I'll probably see you and your guitar tomorrow.

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Time is a great teacher, but unfortunately it kills all its pupils - Louis Hector Berlioz

Chansen / C hansen / C. Hansen / Christian Hansen - not a handle.

Christian

Beautiful Guitar Dave!

Well done!!

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Reguards,

Ken H

Man....that i really...really sweet...something for me to aspire to.
Big John Sullivan

Dang this comp-u-tater....
meant to say....
man...that IS really really sweet.!
and I mean that!
big John Sullivan