MD lining install

The year 2012 is almost ending. I have an update for one of the MD model. I finished solid lining install including for a beveled armrest. This guitar is my 3rd projects that requires the beveled armrest install. I am quite comfortable for installation of the armrest. This time, I will use a Cocobolo veneer for the beveled armrest. I also will use Madagascar rosewood as binding material. This MD has black wood side and backs. Slightly lighter color of binding matched with Cocobolo beveled armrest will create a nice color contrast.
Thank you for watching my blog in the year 2012. I will continuously update my progress in the coming year 2013. I hope all of followers in this blog have a happy new year of 2013.

MD assemble

While I am waiting for Yellow ceder side laminate materials come. Blocks making, and side assemble are done for one of the MD models. Neck block and the bottom block are made from Cedro. Neck block has three piece configuration. Cedro is the best material for me. This material is lighter than Honduran mahogany. Ceder has very nice tap tone with a lot of over tones. However, this material is also getting herder to obtain. In fact, this material is not able to export from the US without authorized documentation. Now, sides are assembled as shown in photos. Next step is making solid linings, and then I will install linings.

side laminate

This week, I finished side  bend and laminate process for one of the MD models. I used Cocobolo for the laminating material. African black wood for outer material is approximately 1.8mm and the Cocobolo is approximately 1.5mm, and the total thickness for the sides is 3.3mm. This is a very thick sides compared with conventional solid side design. Laminated sides create a very solid construction that maximizes top vibration efficiency to create more power and better overtone generation. As a result, the guitar creates very clear tone and long sustain. Cocobolo laminate material is also very beautiful. This sides could be reversible because it is so beautiful. However, it is impossible to make a reversible sides.

Back bracing

I did back bracing work. I have been using Spanish ceder (Cedro) for my back bracing material. Cedro has very light weight, strong, stable, and very resonant properties. This material is also has very nice aromatic scent. So, using Cedro is a really joy to work. I put 12' doing curve for the bracing material first, and then shape the brace for the best weight versus strength ratio. I install bracing to the back using the vacuum clumping technique on the 12' dish. Completed back has very light weight with the best stability.

side and back making

I did thickness sanding for back and sides. To obtain approximately 2mm thickness from 5mm material requires a lot of works. Drum sander is a standard tool to obtain desired thickness. However, it takes long hours and many sanding papers that I have to change. African black wood has a lot of resin, and it makes an over heating issue for the sandpaper, because the melted resin fills sandpaper quite quickly. To minimize drum sander sessions, I channeled back and sides with a laminate trimmer, then planed with a block plane. In this session, I am able to obtain approximately 2.5mm thickness fairly quickly.
I also installed five horizontal narrow wood patches in the back. These patches prevent back clacking issues that might happen in the near future due to the invisible internal clacking. Also, these patches support the four pies back structure. My black wood backs are made by four pies jointed materials. Black wood materials purchased from Hibdon hardwood have excellent quality. Back and side materials are super stable. I am very happy with the material quality.

Top making

I did top assembly for two MDs and SSJ model. Both models have similar bracing pattern. SSJ model has slightly thicker top board thickness for 12-strings design. I shape bracing material before glue the top. I have been using the vacuum clumping technique. This technique enables to assemble pre-shaped bracing materials. I like the brace shape before top assembly, because I am able to precisely shape the brace without damaging top. Bracing shape after assemble has higher risk of mistakenly shape the top itself. Vacuum clumping is also accelerate glue curing time. 20minits is more than enough for the clumping. In vacuum environment, water based glued cures very quickly.
Actuary, I finished side thinning and back joint. I will post those progress next time.

Thank you Ervin Somogyi

I had a chance to visit a shop for Ervin Somogyi in Oakland California. I also had a chance to show my guitars to Ervin. I brought a 12-steel strings guitar and Myrtle nylon strings guitar. He examined very carefully, and he really likes my guitars. Ervin is a very good Flamenco player too. He played a beautiful flamenco tune.
I was rejected for the Healdsburg guitar festival in 2013 August. To get a booth space for the festival, I need a strong recommendation from an influential person in the guitar community. To get fair recommendation, I showed my guitars to Ervin. I hope I am able to get a booth space in the next festival.

Rosette naking 2

Rosette install for three tops are completed. I installed a black dyed maple inside the sound hole. This black trim is for a cosmetic accent and is also for moisture sealing for the sound hole. I have been using this design for my latest model builds. Now, three tops are ready for installing basing.
Last photo is for my guitar making assistant, and her name is "Nyaomi". She is playing with a scrapped sound hole.

Rosette making

I created a new Rosette design. I like simple and elegant design. I do not like busy design. This time, I created simple and unique design. First photo is my own Rosette cell pattern. Rosette body is made from Macassar Ebony. After install the Rosette body, two cells are installed as face to face manner. The other single cell is also installed individually. I think, this is a unique and elegant design.

New project start

SSJ and MD project start. SSJ will use Taku Sakashita made original mold. This model will be a 12-strings guitar. I will make two MD model in this lot also. SSJ has a German top with African black wood (ABW) back and sides. One MD is a German top with ABW B&S. The other MD is a Carpathian top with King wood B&S. I did the top joint work and rough thickness sanding for three guitars. Next step is installing rosette.

Nylon Model Complete

This week, I completed the Nylon model. This guitar has about 2" smaller body size compared with the predecessor shown in the 3rd photo. Purpose of shrinking the body size is to obtain more quick response, and less strong bus for Jazz musicians. This guitar showed very similar sound character as the full size version. Difference is simply just a little bit quiet. Other than that, new mini version has very similar results. I was a little bit surprised from this results. From this experience, I have gotten a conclusion that as long as a guitar has same bracing patter, guitar creates similar sound character.
Another difference for this nylon model is material. This guitar has Oregon Myrtle side and back. Myrtle created shorter sustain. This sound character is suitable for Jazz music. I designed this model as a platform for installing a pick-up system. I will install electrical pick-up system soon. I will report once I got an electrical version of this guitar.