Official Luthiers Forum!

Hi All,

Respond to this thread with an "I'm In" or similar if you wish to enter the challenge build. I'll keep a running list of entrants in this thread.

After that, please go start your own thread in this forum to document your build (see rules thread.)

--Jaybird

***Here are the entrants:

1) Doug Balzer (non-voting)
2) Clinchriver
3) Corky Long
4) Joel Barbeau
5) WudWerkr
6) Nick Royle
7) Steve Smith
8) Wes Lewis
9) Shane Woonton
10) Theo Delaca
11) Greg B.
12) Nick Tredwell
13) Joe Sallis
14) George L
15) Matt Bouchie
16) Marzano San
17) Kwerry
18)Herry Tze

I'm in! However as a winner of the 2013 challenge I am not formally entering this contest. I will simply post progress of my local wood build that, coincidently, I commenced earlier this month.

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Doug

Don't let fear or common sense stop you from trying to build something

I'm in.
Local within 100 miles, I've had a hand in cutting, re-sawing drying and or toting out of the woods all of the wood I'll be using. I have a nice stash of Black Locust from Rich Mountain, Brevard North Carolina, back, sides, & bridge plate, Red Spruce from near Soco Bald, North Carolina top & bracing and black walnut from Anderson & Knox county Tennessee, neck, end blocks kerfed linings.

Still deciding what to build, deep body Herringbone OO, OM, or a J-45/Southern Jumbo probably decide which way to go and get started this weekend.

OK! I'm in. With poetic license to change any and all elements of this which don't work out, I'm thinking the following

Red or Norway Spruce top from a neighbor's tree which was taken down three years ago.
Back and sides - either black walnut from a tree that my father took down 40 years ago, or a set of Osage Orange that I purchased five years ago.
Neck will be some combination of maple and walnut.

Binding - will be walnut or maple or holly.

Need some thoughts on saddle and fretboard. I'd like some suggestions for dark colored wood that's native to New York. Thanks!

Style - hmmm. Haven't made a dreadnought in quite some time. Really like the walnut dreadnought that I built about 7 years ago. Think I might tackle that, with a bevel...

I'm in. Let's see what I can come up with.

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Not much but at least it exists : http://jbluthier.com/

Im in , hope I have time to finish . Busy year

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The Shallower the depth of the stream , The Louder the Babble !
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Creativity is allowing yourself to make Mistakes, Art is knowing which ones to Keep !
The Saddest thing anyone can do , is push a Loyal Person to the point that they Dont Care Anymore
Never met a STRONG person who had an EASY past !
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I'm in but I can't start building for over a month (work, holiday, other things I have to make/do), so I'll start the thread then if that's ok.

Seeing as Jay counted Texas as local and the UK could fit into Texas twice, I hope no-one objects to me making a "Union Guitar" using wood from each country of the UK: England, Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland?

I've got some beautiful English Walnut for the back and sides and English Ash for the linings. I'd like to use Scottish-grown Douglas Fir for the top and bracing, Bog Oak from Northern Ireland [or Wales] as the fretboard (and maybe bridge), Welsh Oak for the neck, and whatever else I can for the other bits.

I have to make a mold and side bender when I get back, so I'm going to do some mockups and work out what type of guitar is going to suit this wood best. (It'll likely be a bit smaller than 000 and 12 fret to body.)

I hope what I've outlined fits within the spirit of the competition. I just don't have any access to any old wood that I can reclaim.

Cheers!

Smashing idea, Nick!! How about a Union Jack inlay in the headstock with the woods from the various kingdoms! (And then I'll build a Lone Star guitar and we can swap!!!). I think it completely works with the "local" theme!

I'm in too. I'll be doing a 14-fret OM. Greg, I may be hitting you up for some wood sources!

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

Wonderful! Thanks, Jay! And I've been thinking of how to work the Union Jack inlay in. It would be a pretty fragmented rosette so the headstock is probably where it'll go! Gotta love the idea of a Lone Star Guitar! EDIT: Based on prior efforts, I think I'd be getting a much better deal than you if we swapped [not that I'm not thinking positively and striving to build the best I can])

I'm in!!

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MK5acoustics.com

You got it, I'll re-saw 4 or five sets and you can pick and choose.

Count me in! October gives me plenty of time to scratch together some local NZ woods.

Shane

I'm in.

I've got a set of Cherry that might work - I'll bring it with me to the next meeting and we can strategize

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

If I get the time I may also need some info on where to get some TN wood. I don't have experience with resaw and I'm not sure when I'll get the bandsaw up and running. Since I'm closer to Knoxville now I may be able to make it out to a meeting and see what y'all have going on.

I'm in. I have no idea what I'm going to build but what the hell. Maybe I need a harp guitar.

California makes it pretty easy for local woods. Anyone ever build anything from coast live oak? The conventional wisdom is that it's unstable and suited only for firewood, but I'm not sure how true this is.

Sign me up Jay.
Daniel Smith

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wah
Wah-wah-wah-wah
Wah

My dad's family lives in Brevard. Been there many times. Beautiful place.

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wah
Wah-wah-wah-wah
Wah

Count me in Jay, I may be a bit slow of the mark starting as I am already midway through a build, but October leaves loads of time to get cracking

I have a few ideas floating around in my head so will probably be one of the following

All Oak Parlour, use English oak for back and sides, soundboard, neck etc. possibly all from the same board

I also have a nice board of quartered local ash, sycamore, walnut and some English grown cedar of Lebanon which may work for a soundboard.

or I may make a Mando with one of the above woods.

Decisions...

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Nick

Follow my musings on getting started in luthiery http://www.tredwellinstruments.co.uk

That it is, small world

ZekeM
If I get the time I may also need some info on where to get some TN wood. I don't have experience with resaw and I'm not sure when I'll get the bandsaw up and running. Since I'm closer to Knoxville now I may be able to make it out to a meeting and see what y'all have going on.

Bring it, Woodcraft Knoxville, second Sunday of the month, 2:00 till 4:00 next meeting is April 13,

I'm in (although I said that last time and didn't manage it).
Wonder if I can use something other than oak...

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We are all in the gutter but some of us are looking at guitars.

I have no idea what I'll build or what materials I'll use, but I'm in. For the past year or so I've been collecting woods native to North America, so I will likely use a loose definition of "local." We'll see.

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George :-)

I'd like to join in if it's not too late. I haven't done one of the builds here before. We are doing a similar build for the New England Luthiers group. So, if it's okay, I'll use the same guitar in both builds. I probably won't get started for another month or two, though.

Matt

Count me in please! Will be building an 0-size

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