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Here are a few shots of my latest. A Mahogany 000 with Bear Claw soundboard. Bindings are EI Rosewood as is rosette, bridge, fretboard and headstock veneer.

No completed yet. Fretboard and bridge not glued up yet as I usually bolt everything up and do the setup work and then disassemble to do finishing. The finish is Nitro with minimum coats and needs finish buffing.





I got this brain fart when doing the back to use the cutout from the rosette and glue it up to the back so when you look through the soundhole you would see a shadow image of the rosette. Inlaid some abalam to match the rosette. Not real happy with the look in the end. Maybe because it didnt follow tradition.



Now I need some advice. Some of you may recall my lengthy post on this guitar. The neck and fretboard did not fit and we all guessed in the end this was due to my sanding the neck block more agressivly than the rest of the top of the rim when sanding with a dish. I was able to compensate by thinning the fretboard at the soundboard area and combined with some work on the neck angle. As it turned out, it plays beautiful with a great action, great tone and good volume.

However (I hate that word), I ended up with a slight gap between the fretboard and soundboard at the very edge of the body. The freboard is not yet glued up and I dont want to force fit as it will impact the playability.



Any advice on how to cover up this defect is appreciated. Was thinking of making a rosewood wedge?

awesome exceptionally the top that is some bearclaw MichaelP38824.8429050926

Looks very nice.
Is that an EIR fretboard? I think you would have luck making a tapered "shim" type wedge that will slide into that gap. EIR is pretty forgiving that way. It will look a bit crazy as there will be a slight step when it meets the heal but I'd take that over a gap anyday. The other option might be to force the heal down so the gap goes away, then re-level the fingerboard (you'll have to remove frets for this). That will result in the fingerboard being thin at the end but again, I'd take that over a gap.

Hi Rich,

Wow, that bear claw pattern is exquisite! I also like the matching inlay on the inside of the back below the sound hole.

For what it's worth, I wouldn't have noticed the small gap under the fretboard from the photos if you hadn't mentioned it. Maybe you could highlight that as a design feature somehow? I'm not sure how you could make it "invisible." I'm curious as to what some of the other folks suggest.

Sorry about not providing more specific advice.

Whatever you do, I think you have an extremely beautiful guitar there.

Pete

Yes Rich I would make a wedge to fit the gap. Man,
thats a purdy bearclaw top.I like your rosette idea too.
Very Nice!

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Anderson Guitars
Clearwater,Fl. 33755

Yup a wedge is the way to go.
Fine looking guitar.
AlA Peebels38824.9036574074

Amazing top!! Must have been a huge bear!!

Great job!! Keep 'em coming!

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Peter M.
Cornerstone Guitars
http://www.cornerstoneukes.com

Thanks guys for the feedback. Guess the wedgie is the way to go.

Okay, now you got my attention buddy! very title for a thread, i just love it, i like it, i want some more of it!

That Bearclaw top is really beautiful Rich, i also find cool and unusual to stick that soundhole cutout in there, really original to say the least!

Your combo looks well balanced with Bearclaw and Mahogany, and rosewoods for fretboard and bridge, i love it!

Serge

Beautiful guitar, where did you get the Bearclaw?

Mike

Good save Rich....with the wedge your heading to home plate. Well done!

Just slap some Bondo in there. Ha ha, just kidding. A mahogany wedge might look nice though. I like the rosette "shadow" as well. Very cool idea.

Mike

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Mike

"The Dude abides. I don't know about you but I take comfort in that. It's good knowin' he's out there. The Dude. Takin' 'er easy for all us sinners. Shoosh." The Stranger

Beautiful guitar. Love the top & the rosette!
I've never seen a guitar with those cool feet on it before... Great Idea! I always forget my guitar stand when i go to a jam... I'm gonna have to try that! Do they fold up to get it into the case?

Don't you just love mahogany! looking at that guitar you just know it's going to sound great. Is there a better guitar than a Mahogany 000, I don't think so.

Colin

_________________
I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

Looks great!

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Rian Gitar og Mandolin

[QUOTE=MSpencer] Beautiful guitar, where did you get the Bearclaw?

Mike[/QUOTE]

Now that's a story in itself!!!

Many of you know me from my ebay activity as luthiersupplies.

Well things were going pretty good on ebay and a supplier of tonewoods talked me into splitting a load of Sitka with him so we each took 500 sets.

No sure what the heck I was thinking about because i still have 450 sets sitting in the cellar (been 2 years now).

I got pretty busy with my day job over the past couple of years and ebay was sucking up all my free time to the point I wasnt building much

I had to make a decision: give up my day job, give up my wife or give up ebay.

Well the day job pays the bills and I couldn't build and sell enough guitars to match my salary so that option was off the list

If I get rid of the wife I could spend all my time in the cellar. This option was tempting - but after 33 years of marriage I figured Im getting to the point I might need her to spoon feed me soup in the olds folks home some day so scratched that option off the list. Call it insurance

P.S. - if she reads this post I am a dead man!!!

The only logical thing to do was give up ebay, or at least cut back

So now I have enough Sitka to last a couple of lifetimes for a hobby builder. I found this set after sifting through all of the other sets - and no, I dont have any more like this one so dont ask!!!!

I was thinking of making a workshop out of Sitka soundboards - anybody have any plans I could follow??