Official Luthiers Forum!

So who's working on what? Anyone under any christmas deadlines?
I'm building one for a long time friend, for christmas/birthday...he's a really good musician with a tired 70's D-18 with bad intonation. Since he won't let me mess with that, I am building him a new one!
I'm also working on a redwood/walnut L-00 with a cutaway. That's coming out nice too. I want to have that one finished by the next meeting.
I'd like to encourage all of you who are planning on coming to bring something to show, and work hard to get something finished so you can bring it! Even if it isn't finished bring it anyway!
I'm also about to start another octave mandolin, because a local music store I do repairs for wants to carry a few of my instruments in the store. They want a minimum of three, and I want to give them two guitars and a mandolin...So I'm working hard to get them all done.

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Mark Swanson
Swanson Guitars
http://www.MarkSwansonMusic.com

Well, I was dead serious at October's meeting when I called myself a "wanna-be"! My current project is my work space. I have a 30 x 48 pole barn that's half finished, half dirt floor. The current mission is getting 4 x 4's into the ground before frost takes hold. Hope to be building #1 sometime in '06!!!!!!

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DES - Shepherd, MI

Well, as you know Mark, I just finished the cedar/pau ferro L00 from the
plans you made, and I think I'll bring that to Brian's next time I'm there. Next
is that D18 repair project I showed you and JJ. Then I'll get to that Guild
Aristocrat rebuild. I also want to build a mandolin later on, and work on a
new design with you on that.

Right now I'm just enjoying playing this L00. The tone has opened up a little,
if my ears aren't lieing to me, and it's staying in tune!

I think that music store offer you have is a great opportunity!

For those of you who haven't seen it, the L-00 that Dan built is really nice! A beautiful guitar.
Dan helped me out with an inlay. I had to turn a photo into an inlay, a portrait of the guy I'm making the guitar for his birthday. It's one of the first things I've tried engraving on, and no one has seen it yet but I have it all done! it looks pretty good too, if I dare say so myself. It would not be very good at all if Dan hadn't helped me with the artwork and the design. Dan does awesome work there!
I'll try and bring it to the next meeting, if I can get it away from its new owner.
The other projects will be nice too, Dan!
now let's hear from you others...

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Mark Swanson
Swanson Guitars
http://www.MarkSwansonMusic.com

Posts are in the ground! Just thought I'd update.

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DES - Shepherd, MI

I’m (still) working on a 12 fret dread that I had hoped to have done and delivered by Christmas. I ran into a snag along the way that has delayed it quite a bit.
I still hope to have it ready for finish with in the next two weeks, so I may not be too far off my original delivery date of Christmas. If I have it on hand for the next meeting ill bring it.
Also on the bench is a pair of L1GP’s, one is a Ziricote/Italian cutaway adorned with red abalone heart around the top and down the center of the back. The other is a mahogany/Cedar. Both are moving along slowly. The Mahogany Cedar is for a singer songwriter named Christene Ledoux, this is a sponsored guitar. The other is going directly to Guitar Gallery.

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Lance@LuthiersForum.com

Still finishing the black Strat-type for my brother. I'm planning 3 acoustics for 2006...an SJ (WFB and Carpathian), a 000-12 fret (Sapele and Adirondack) and another parlor (IRW and figured RW). I'm just in the thicknessing and bending stage. It takes me forever to complete these things.

Not sure when I can get back to Mark's but I plan to be at Bryan's in January. Hope to see all of your efforts.

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

hey everybody,

no, i didn't fall off the face of the earth and right now i
am trying to build a fun little family ... sorry i haven't
been so consistent with keeping up with fellow
enthusiasts, but life's little changes can come at
lightining speeds. as some might know, we had a
baby boy in august, moved into a new home in
november and started a new job in december.
yikes...
all is good though, i am trying to convert the
unfinished side of our basement into a
workshop/studio space [any recomendations for
muting loud machine tools, ie: soundproofing] so
that i can continue working on that 6-string electric
les paul jr. and not wake a baby [mark i still have
your plans if you need them].
and if anyone is interested check out
www.jeupfurniture.com , this is my new place of
work. we build high-end residential custom
furniture.
that is all for now...
if things aren't too busy i will try and see if your next
meeting @ galloup's is feasible.
happy holidays and enjoy the new year.

joel van dam
vandam design works
jandjvandam@comcast.net

Okay, compared to Joel and the rest of you, this is pretty lame; but anyhow...

I just finished making a wood t-track clamp for a small drill press table that I bought from Rockler (for my small, cheap drill press). The table came with tracks for 5/16" bolts, instead of the 1/4" that seems to be standard everywhere else, so I had to modify a design for the clamp to accomodate the larger bolt.

I'm also finishing up a laminate trimmer jig that will help me finish a drill press table for the above-mentioned tool. Then I can finally start work on a guitar!

Hey Joel, it's great to hear from you! I hope the new kid is doing great. I hope you can make it up to Bryan's too!
And Carlton- get busy and finish that stuff! (Just kidding)....so you can build that guitar!

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Mark Swanson
Swanson Guitars
http://www.MarkSwansonMusic.com