Been working on this for a couple of months now. Building a OOO sized guitar based on a vintage Martin, it has a torrified spruce top with rosewood back and sides, mahogany neck with ebony fingerboard. It's been a challenge, seems half my time spent on this is building jigs.

Head and tail blocks glued on, sides joined. Gluing on the kerfling


Soundboard rosette glued in.


Top bracing glued on and bridge plate set.

I tip my hat to you sir that is some tedious work, have you built one before?

This is the first one. It is tedious!

Built the spool clamps needed to glue the top to the sides

Takes lots of clamps to get things snug and even

Back goes on the same way, the back has a 20ft radius so the sides have to be sanded to match

All glued up and trimmed the top and back, ready to cut the channel in for binding and perfling

Glued the truss rod in and glued on the ebony head plate

Nice color on the back

I didn't get pics of the binding going on, it was a royal pain. Glue everywhere! finally got it in and scraped down.

Working on the fret board now. Fret markers and inlay dots going in. Screwed up the first fretboard and had to start over.

Awesome work sir.

Thanks! It's been a fun build, lots of things to learn. I want to work my up to a complete scratch build.

Man that’s sweet.

All the white stuff is scrapings from the binding. I set them a bit too proud of the wood but didn't want to take another shot at routing the second channel deeper for the perfling that sits inside the binding. So I had lots of scraping to do. The top is sitka spruce but they basically bake it for several hours to mimic an aged wood but this leaves it very brittle and I had a few pieces break out and I didn't want to take another try with the router. The idea is vintage guitars sound better than new ones.

Outstanding!

No way I have the patience for something like that.... I applaud you!

Man no kidding! I'd have lost it just doing the photos Pretty neat project, definitely not your everyday tinkering, looks awesome so far.

Very impressive!

You have some serious skill Hancock, quite impressive.

Very nice. That is going to be beautiful

Very nice. You are a much more patient man than me.

I may still have some of my Stew-Mac guitar making stuff, I know I have gotten rid of most of it, if I run across any I will holler at you.

Post up some pics of your guitars! There’s a special wizbang stewmac tool for about every step

A true craftsman. I envy you.

Well done sir! My nextdoor neighbor is a full time Luthier - does excellent work as well.
http://www.woodringguitars.com/

Did the neck fitting and finished hammering the frets in and then filed the fret ends smooth.




The neck test fitted to the guitar body. Finally looks like a guitar.



Next comes the initial bridge placement and then on to pore filling and sanding. The bridge placement is challenging, it will determine the ability to tune and intonation. Not sure if I want to buy a jig or measure 7 ways from Sunday to get it right.

That was 35 or so years ago, I doubt if I could find pics. A guy I worked with and I decided to build some guitars. Between the 2 of us we had most of the woodworking equipment, but not much in the guitar stuff. The Abilene public library had some good books, that we used as reference guides. Mostly it was hit and miss construction. I moved on to other projects, the other guy made guitars until he passed away.

Are you still doing any woodworking?

My trip through the "triple bypass" in Feb 2016 kind of put out of the woodworking projects. The bypass was a piece of cake, but the other complication it created slowed me down. After 2 months in the hospital and rehab facility my mobility really suffered. I was walking with a cane, now walking requires I use a walker and frequent rests stops.

Very nice work!!! That is impressive.

And to think, Chickenman is still working on a smoker he started like 9 years ago.

Cool guitar sir. Talented!



Started in 2015.

Hancock, that looks nice. Wanted to build one several years ago, just can't make time for it. Keep up the good work, it will be rewarding. Thanks for sharing.

Yep, that's just awesome!

When looking at tools go to http://www.homemadetools.net/ There are some that even Stew Mac hasn't sold yet.

Great site!

WOW, JUST WOW

Pretty dang neat. Im with many other I wouldn't have the patience

It can be relaxing at times and test your patience at others when you think you screwed something up.

I think I'd rather play Russian roulette with a 1911 than take on a project like that.....the end result would most likely be the same with much less pain and suffering my way....

I am in awe of people who can do that kind of work......

Didn't you build a dining room table?!?!?!

If I remember correctly it was an impressive project!!

It's finally warm enough to start the pore filling. Using a finishing resin on the rosewood and mahogany. Nice to see the color and grain of the rosewood.

You have to do a YouTube video playing it when your done.

P.S. Don't forget to mention the THF.

That wood grain is beautiful!

It’s going to be a beautiful instrument when it’s finished...actually, it already is

Very cool project! You obviously know a lot about guitars and I can't wait to see & hear the end result.
And Marvin, I didn't know you had been down, old buddy. I'll definitely mention you in my prayers.

Wow

It was finally warm enough to get the pore filler on. Sprayed the two coats of vinyl sealer and ready to spray lacquer.

Looking better all of the time.

Ready to see some strings and hear how it sounds. Looking awesome.

That's beyond awesome......Wish I had that kind of patience.......

So can you play it when it's ready? Great looking guitar and awesome skills. Congrats. I tried doing that when I was 17 years old and got so pissed off that I quit. I wouldn't mind trying it again but I was wanting to make an electric and cut the body to something original. The body would be fairly easy (obviously not for an acoustic) but it's the neck that worries me. Trying to get it straight and get a perfect spacing between the strings and frets. Would like to get some advice or resources to play around with.

Took it to a friends house and got a short clip of her playing it. I'm really pleased on the sound.

Sounded great, very nice job Hancock

Thanks! I'll post more video if I can edit out the hooligans!

Yesterday I thought about our inlay discussion when I saw a custom fishing rod inlay. No computer and I forgot, but here is some inlay material. http://www.mudhole.com/MicroFlex-Abalone-Shell-Inlay-Strips

If you watch the video, at the end when the rod is turning is, that is when they covered it with epoxy. Easy to cut with scissors or a utility knife. That design, it is still up to you to come up with. But I am waiting to see it.

That's a good deal DC! Thanks The headstock is still waiting for that right inlay.

Here is some other info I ran across when I was looking for the inlay material. http://news.baileyguitars.co.uk/index.php/2011/03/how-to-make-a-star-inlay/

I'v been following this and that made me smile, Great Job!

Can't wait for the next video.

Outstanding job Sir. That is awesome

Wow, that is awesome! Great job!